Acyclovir anti-viral treatment : For you newbie's

Virus Connection

Doctors are finding a link between Meniere's and a type of virus. Studies have shown that Acyclovir and Famvir anti-viral prescribed medication, has reduced or eliminated the symptoms of meniere's. Read article http://rlovell.tripod.com/acyclovir_study_pages.htm. Also watch foods Lysine and Arginine content. Low Lysine or high Arginine seem to trigger the virus and increase your symptoms. Read http://www.herpes.com/Nutrition.shtml for more information.

 

It's becoming common knowledge that Meniere's is caused by a viral infection and can be cured in 85%~90% of cases by taking Valtrex or Zovirex. These drugs are not even mentioned by most ENTs could lead many a reader to consider drastic, ineffective and irreversible surgical management which is still being pushed by many lagging doctors.

Effectiveness of Acyclovir on Meniere's Syndrome III Observation of Clinical Symptoms in 301 cases," Mitsuo Shichinohe, M.D., Ph.D., The Sapporo Medical Journal, Vol. 68, No. 4-6, Cases of 301 MD patients treated with antiviral meds The results were: In 82.5% of cases diagnosed as Meniere's Disease, 85% of cases diagnosed as Meniere's Syndrome, and 89.1% of cases diagnosed as vestibular dysfunction, vertigo disappeared, and tinnitus and hearing were improved.

The drug both helps to eliminate symptoms and to prevent them from reoccurring. As with all other Viral medication it does not KILL the virus just suppresses. I am still taking it years after and i have not had a vertigo attack, its helping my hearing to return.

 

Thanks so much for this information. Dr. Cunningham was my doctor before my insurance changed and when we change again in January, I'll be able to see him again. I do not like the doctor I'm seeing now --- told me there was no hope of my hearing coming back after seeing me for five minutes. Didn't know my history, had never followed me through an episode. The only thing he wanted to talk about was doing surgery on my left ear. Very young, very brash, very enamored of the new technology rather than helping me find the root of the problem.

 

Please tell me where Dr. Gacek is located. I would gladly travel to be seen by him if he accepts new patients. I have heard he is one of the leading experts on Meniere's in the USA. I hope the anti virals help you, dancing kiwi.

 

Sholly:

I believe he is in massacheutts,

look him up on Internet, call his office,

I also believe there is one (gacek) in Alabama as well.

Maybe they can recommend someone in your area who prescribes antivirals or mm.

The big mm guy I believe is in Boston mass.

 

Try your PCP first. Save you a lot of money.

 

Dr. Gaececk (sp?) is in Mobile, Al. That is my doctor. He put me on antivirals not too long ago...in the beginning, the pills weren't working. Then he paired it with antivert which helped big time but he went ahead and gave me injections in my ear so I could stop taking pills. That didn't help much at first, but then he put me back on the antivert (which I had been on previously with another dr. but I was taking it by itself so it wasn't helping) but it does wonders for me when paired with the antiviral...I still have days where I feel bad...but it has been at least a month since I have had a major episode (with vomiting and all)...I was having them every two weeks before the antiviral and antivert. I don't even have to watch my sodium as closely any more. Its great! I wish I could get rid of the light headed feeling completely...but when I do get dizzy, it usually goes away after laying down so I can handle it...its better then before when I got dizzy it would last 6 hours, I would throw up, then eventually tire myself out enough to fall asleep...that was the only way to get rid of the dizzies before.

 

Dr. Gacek is in Mobile, Al. He is my Dr. and I began to hear how he is such a leading dr. in the way of MM treatment after I had first went to him. Its kind of funny, but when I first met him, I didn't like him at all! But I had no choice but to have him as my dr. because all other ENTs in this area said that he is the ONLY dr. that specializes in MM in this area...but he has helped me a lot so I have been able to look past his know it all personality...he comes off as being a little arrogant...but that is now OK with me, LOL.

 

I've just read a few of pages of this thread there's great information here. I did get a prescription and just started taking Acyclovir a few days ago. I'm currently taking 400 mg twice a day should I increase this? I'm seeing doses of 400 mg 5x a day. I can't hear a thing. I can't decide which is worse the hearing or the vertigo but it really sucks when you have both. My vertigo has changed very much from what it was before. I'm so hoping this works for me. I'm at a low point here. I do feel somewhat better after taking a half of a Antivert but I recall a doctor telling me that this damages your inner ear even more. Is this true?

 

I was taking 800 mg of acyclovir 3 times a day and 25 mg of antivert (more if needed) once a day...I now have the antiviral injected directly into my ear...I haven't heard anything about anivert making hearing worse. I have bilateral mm and I have vertigo and a little hearing loss, but since I have been on the meds, my hearing loss hasn't gotten any worse.

 

The Acyclovir Japanese study recommends that you take Acyclovir 400mg 5 times daily for a total of two weeks.

http://rlovell.tripod.com/acyclovir_study_pages.htm

Some people opt for the more convenient 800mg three times daily with meals. (two weeks)

 

The Japanese study was conducted by a leading Physician, I can assure you!

http://rlovell.tripod.com/acyclovir_study_pages.htm

 

Intrepid, Thanks, I would if I could find one worth talking too!! :-X Still looking for that one! I will say that the people on this forum seem to be much more informed than the doctors I've seen with the exception of one. I'm going outside insurance to see her on July 1st so I may wait to increase anything until then. Going to see my ENT tomorrow I think I may ask for steroids to see if that helps but he is pretty much worthless. Last time I saw him he told me sorry about your luck but you'll just need to deal with it. I said great so I'm deaf and the only thing that helps will make me blow up like a balloon. Oh and you can't do anything about the vertigo. He laughed and said yep that's pretty much it.

Thanks .02!! Good stuff I think I may send this to my family doctor that told me I was full of crap that anti-virals would help but gave me the prescription anyway!

 

Yes, strongly agree.

 

How Acyclovir works.

About 15 years ago acyclovir became available for oral use. Studies rapidly appeared indicating that the medication was not only safe but highly effective. When taken as directed, patients’ symptoms of both acute infections and recurrences rapidly improved. When the medication was taken ONLY for recurrences, little influence was found upon recurrence frequency.

About 10 years ago it was found that acyclovir, when taken on a daily basis, could decrease recurrence frequency to about once per year. Also, it was found that when a recurrence DID occur, it was milder and of shorter duration. Further, recent studies have indicated that asymptomatic viral shedding was reduced as much as 80% in patients who took acyclovir regularly.

How does Acyclovir work? Its actual effect in killing virus has not been definitely proved. Acyclovir has several actions in the test tube. It inhibits the enzymes that copy viral DNA, and it also inhibits the replication of virus. Also, again in the test tube, acyclovir is taken up into the growing chains of viral DNA, causing termination of these chains. Acyclovir seems to be "selectively" taken up by infected cells. Acyclovir is much less toxic for normal cells because less is drug is taken up, less is converted to active form, and normal cell enzymes are less sensitive to the chemical

 

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well...................I am trying the acyclovir 800mg 3 times a day for 1 month now instead of 2 weeks...hoping that and the JOH regiment will help !! How long did it take any of you to see results??thanks for any input!!

 

Some of us have reported seeing a difference within just a few days, and others it takes longer up to a month or more, we are all different! Do keep in mind that if you're MM is not viral you will need to seek out a different treatment.

 

Interesting thread .02. Not sure if I've ever really read through this one, but glad it bumped back up to the top.