"Expensive Urine" Argument against High Dose Vitamin C

Imnoscientist,

What you are asking is exactly what virtually every poster (and most readers) on this board have already done. Find me a posting here where someone with MM symptoms hasn't first gone to a physician and gotten some sort of standard treatment. Find somebody who, instead, started right off with some VMS solution to their vestibular problems. Never, ever, happens.

This is exactly the point of this discussion. For those for whom conventional medical drugs and procedures and recommendations don't work, there are but two alternative. "Learn to live with it." Or, intelligently examine, even personally experiment with any of the thoroughly deliberated alternative treatments for Meniere's posted on this board.

Everybody here has done just what you suggest they do. Try real medicine, not expecting any miracles (with Meniere's, there are none of those), and then, if that doesn't work (which for some, if not many, it does not), "do their research about VMS or any alternative treatments."

The issue of freedom from risk is contentious, and I would only point out the risks of Valium addiction, along with those of the various inner ear surgeries, compared to the undiscovered "risks" of consuming lemon bioflavonoid (ground up lemon rinds), ginkgo extract, and all the others --- where it's curiously interesting that in ten years only one person has mentioned a side effect of significant consideration with my regimen (tachycardia from vinpocetine). In short, the risks of the alternative treatments here are minor. Just what is the risk of avoiding gluten, or consuming several grams of vitamn C (and no, mega doses of vitamin C does not cause kidney stones)?

Lastly, compare the revenues of any of the Big Phrama companies with the retail vendors of VMSs. The per-customer revenues of each do not compare. It's pennies to many dollars.

But no one here is shopping for the cheapest Meniere's treatment. They are looking, finally, for something that really works, something that will allow them to live a more normal life. Again, virtually every person here has already done the doctor's office thing, and they are here because orthodox medicine failed to provide sufficient symptomatic relief. They aren't ready, yet, to "Learn to live with it."

In light of all of this, could you explain why you visit and comment on this board? Will you use any of the alternative MM treatments or approaches found here. If so, why or why not?

--John of Ohio

 

About how long do you think one container of the powdered would last (if I'm doing ... 5 mgs daily to start)? I have trouble swallowing the tablets I just bought. Since I'm a tight-wad I won't throw them out but I'm gonna replenish with something else in the future.

 

Use these numbers.

There are about 28 grams in an ounce. A gram is 1000 milligrams. If you have a bowel tolerance of, say, 10 grams (10,000 mgs), that's a bit less than one third of an ounce of vitamin C powder.

The Vitamin Shoppe vitamin C powder (in the link in the posting above) is 17 ounces. That's about 476 grams. At 10 grams a day, that's enough for about 47 days. The product's price is $19.79, plus about 4 bucks for shipping. So let's say it costs $24. That would put the daily cost right around 50 cents. If you buy two or three bottles, the shipping is the same, so the price is slightly reduced.

You won't be starting on "5 mgs." It will be a whole 5 grams, which is 5000 mgs. That's half of what's calculated above, slicing the initial price to about 25 cents a day.

Of course, your bowel tolerance might edge up to 12 or 15 grams/day. No way of knowing just yet. But if this stops your Meniere's symptoms, it's worth the moderate price.

Keep us posted on your progress with all of this, please.

--John of Ohio

 

Yeah, I meant 5000 mgs :. I expect I'll be placing an order once I figure out the other stuff I need as well.

I have migraine, John, so I'm mostly taking this for the benefits relating to general health. My migraine symptoms are pretty well controlled if I stick to the food supplement I started a year ago March. I've been having a few problems lately but that's probably because I cut the daily dose down to try & save some money. Plus I added a few other vitamins.

I know citrus is a migraine trigger, but has anyone heard of problems with taking Vit. C?

 

John, you're my hero.

 

You people need to get out and read about real heros. I merely sit around and type out some moderately cogent text here.

--John of Ohio

 

When you have a condition that seems hopeless and someone takes the time to say, "Hey, this is how I got better" (in detail) and gives one back their hope...and in my case their life...they are a hero. You could have done all that research, healed your condition, and kept it all to yourself. But, you didn't. All these years you are symptom free and you still find the time to get the word out. So, wear your Hero badge proudly, John.

 

Hi Carnyard:

I realize we're all different . . . but how long did it take you to get the result of no more dizzy spells with high doses of vitamin C?

I've been on JOH's regimen (at least most of it) for 5 months. Other than July, I haven't been doing very well at all. Mind you, I've had Meniere's for 40 years and JOH said the longer a person has had it the less likely his regimen may work.

Comments?


Jacquie

 

An example of what I had in mind where dr prescribed medicines can kill one is a low potassium from diuretics. This has caused a life threatening situation for several on this board and is well known possibility even with the potassium sparing ones. It's not that the drugs are inherently unsafe, but that sometimes they unexpectedly create an unsafe situation in an individual just as may happen with supplements or anything for that matter. My point is that we need to listen to our bodies and if they are telling us something isn't right, believe them and speak up even when we have to take some flack from the dr or his staff. Sometimes people are reluctant to do this but in the end, our life is in our own hands.

 

JOH,

Your last posts are making a little more sense. What drives some people crazy here is how you come across against science-based medicine. I totally get that for some people it hasn't worked and so they want to try your regimen or tons of vitamin C. I would give them a shot too if a specialist said "learn to live with it". Really, the odds of something nasty happening on megadoses of C are probably unlikely but the risk is there nonetheless. The evidence does not support its use and after reading what Perses posted, it's for good reason to be careful. But guess what? SBM does work for many people, and definitely works for a lot of people with MAV, myself included. Without it, I wouldn't be able to lead a mostly normal life. I don't know a single person with MAV who doesn't know the serious benefit gained by the responsible use of a benzo. They are miracle drugs for MAV. The problem is when you sound cycical and cantankerous about SBM and paint this picture as though it's a move to the dark side. You've definitely written your share of rants lately about this. That sort of talk is just fear-mongering, sounds ridiculous and is not helpful. This is what INS is getting at too I'm sure. It's the false dichotomy that so many grab a hold of: natural alt med versus regular med; big-pharma versus the angelic homeopath or chiropractor.

Why can't you just stick to the facts and say if SBM has falied you that really stinks; there are good people out there really working hard on this to come up with solutions, however, in the meantime, why not have a shot at this and see how you go? Some here claim it has cleared up all symptoms and it won't cost the earth.

 

Hi Cranyard. Thanks for your reply to my question. In my early years of meniere's I would have periods like you of months with hardly any hearing and then I would get all my hearing back for several months. This pattern went on for years until the periods of not hearing were longer, the vertigo started and when I did go into remission I had less hearing. My concern for you is that you may just be in a remission period and taking all the vitamin C may or may not be the reason you are better. Only time will tell. I hope in your case it was the vitamin C that helped instead of just a period of remission. You may have caught it in time to stop the progression of the disease.. For me, I just didn't have the information I have today to do anything but listen to the doctors and take their stand treatment for menieres, which did not work in my case. Carole

 

What Scott said.

 

Hi Carole: Like you I've had Meniere's for years . . . and I didn't realize it could travel into the other ear . . . but that's what happened in 1996 to me. Was I surprised!!! Doctors have basically said - live with it. This site is great. Not only can we talk to others who are in the same boat as we are . . . there is always hope that just maybe one of these suggestions may help control/cure our MM . . . as it has helped others.

Jacquie