When I read what all you guys are going thru I feel guilty even thinking I should be here worrying about myself. My symptoms are like a ride in the park compared to yours but I am wondering if you started out the same way. I posted last week about heredity and having a brother with mm. OK here's my story-- 2 years ago I had dizzy spells and went to ENT and had ENG test done and had vestibular damage to right ear. Had no response at all to the warm or cold air or water. At that time he said it could be mm but I would just have to wait for more symptoms to show up that mm was symptomatic. He gave me meclizine for the spells and that worked. Within six months the spells stopped. I have always had migraine headaches and my doctor had put me on topamax and they were under control also. Things were going good until EIght weeks ago. It started with a head ache. I have had it constantly since then. Wake up with it go to bed with it. Sometimes mild, sometimes severe. Also have nausea off and on. Two weeks ago my right ear started ringing. I also have these little zaps -- sometimes it feels like my brain is short circuiting--or maybe it is in my ear(ok this is where you say this girl is crazy!!!) It is so hard to describe--like maybe putting two wires together--just plain wierd!!!! Neurologist thinks it is migraines and added toprol to my topamax to stop the headaches. Hasn't worked yet. I am trying to be patient and give the medicine time but I was just wondering if anyone else has headaches or started anything like this. My brother never did but I know everyone is different. Thanks so much and I really admire all of you -- you are all an inspiration!!!
Hi Maddigrace; Your not crazy. I get those zaps too but only after recovering from a bad vertigo attack. I have not been dx yet so I don't know if it is MM related or not. Gwen
Have they run an MRI? We don't usually get headaches with meniere's. I sure can sympathize with the migraines - I have a daughter that gets them (she tried topamax but no luck with it). Most of us are on some kind of diuretic to keep the fullness from our ears. But that still doesn't account for your headaches. Sounds like your doc needs to be a more thorough detective. Almost forgot - are you having stomach pains, too? Because my daughter got nauseous on topamax; it was tearing her gut apart, which is a very uncommon side effect.
Hi Grace, Like you, my symptoms have not been anywhere near the level of severity that some of folks experience. My vertigo is reasonably short in length, my hearing is only mildly affected, but I am troubled with tinnitus, sound sensitivities and imbalance. I wobble all over the place. I’ve never had headaches associated with my MM symptoms but a lot of folks have something called MAV, which stands for Migraine Associated Vertigo. And some of them have headache free migraine attacks. Here is an article on various causes of vertigo and dizziness. http://www.emedicine.com/ENT/topic717.htm My symptoms started with short attacks in which I felt like I was moving about. These increased in severity until one day I had a vertigo attack and sudden onset of ear fullness and tinnitus. That was that, so to speak. Welcome to forum. Joe PS I found a better explanation here: http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/central/migraine/mav.html
I had an MRI when I had my ENG test and it showed that everything was normal. Never had any problem with the topamax either.
I went to a headache clinic after being diagnosed with migraines after MM. I was hoping I had the MAV, but there is a certain type of migraine whose name I forget that mimics menieres symptoms. With your history of migraines, there is certainly a chance that your symptoms are migraine-related. After seeing a specialist (migraine neurosurgeon) he was able to tell me right away that he did think I had menieres, associated with more minor migraines. But knowing I had migraines was a huge help. I used to think it was "brain fog" you read about associated with menieres. Now I pop a zomig tablet and my head is completely clear in 20-30 minutes, instead of days of "brain fog" I thought I was experiencing. My sis was also dizzy a few years back and I was worried she would get the MM, but nothing. She never had one symptom after. Also, I have a friend with severe migraines that also went to the headache clinic in Ann Arbor MI, and finally put them to rest after months of trying new drugs, until they got the right cocktail for her. It was a process but she says she has never felt so good. She told me that too much migraine meds can even cause rebound headaches, a fact I never knew. Is there a migraine specialist that can work through this for you? Good luck- Lisa
I realize that this probably has nothing to do with your problem, BUT I was having really bad headaches when I saw the neuro. He said that it was the hormone replacement I was using (he said since one did it to me they all would). I stopped and the headaches went away immediately. I guess what I'm getting at is have they checked all of your other meds to see if this could be a reaction to that? Willie Marie
Those type of migraines are called vestibular migraines. I agree with Lisa - your symptoms possibly are migraine related. I have MAV and was mis-diagnosed with Meniere's for years. Both my ENT and doctor could never quite agree on the Meniere's diagnosis, but after a few more tests they now both agree that I have MAV.
More Testing ? I have suffered from V for over a year. I have more good days now and am thankful for that. When it first started I had pain (felt like electric shock) running along my left ear and no balance. I was taken to hospital because symtoms mimicked stroke. After CTA and two days observation, I was release with diagnosis Vertigo due to inner ear infection. The shock-like pain comes and goes several times a day. The V is very bad at times, especially when it rains. I have endured 4 MRIs, two CTAs and learned yesterday that ENT wants another ENG test. I don't remember the ENG when I was in hospital last year but ENT told me that she wants to induce V. Since it took me months to get to this level of being able to manage the V - I wonder if I want to take the chance of having it return full blown from the ENG. Please give me you thoughts.
