New Treatment for hearing loss and maybe MM?

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by HeadNoise, Apr 2, 2008.

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  1. HeadNoise

    HeadNoise Invisible Me

    This is an article from Hearing Loss Assn.:

    "Aldosterone--A New Treatment for Hearing Loss and
    Meniere's Disease?"

    by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.


    I get some very interesting email at times. A man wrote: "I'm
    under the care of Dr. Jonathan Wright of the Tahoma Clinic in
    Renton WA. He's been working with Professor Dennis Trune
    (U of OR Hearing Sciences Center) on an aldosterone therapy
    trial on a human patient. His previous research demonstrated
    that aldosterone added to mouse drinking water restores
    damaged hearing. Their first human patient has experienced
    cessation of further hearing loss plus a total stop of his vertigo
    (from Meniere's).

    I've been on the same treatment--125 mcg twice a day of
    compounded aldosterone for seven months. (I get the
    compounded aldosterone from a Canadian pharmacy.) To
    date, although my balance is still poor, I have recovered 30
    dB (at 250Hz) in my nearly-deaf left ear, and about 20 dB
    each in the rest of the test frequencies. On my still "sort of
    functioning" right ear, I got back 20 dB across the test
    frequencies. My discrimination came up to 95% on my right
    ear (from 70%), while the discrimination in my left ear rose
    from 20% to 65%. Also, it stopped my serious recruitment!"

    This is great news for people with hearing loss from AIED
    (autoimmune inner ear disease), people with Meniere's
    disease and people who are losing their hearing as a result of
    aging (presbycusis)!

    Aldosterone is a naturally-occurring hormone (technically a
    mineralocorticoid [steroid]) made in our adrenal glands. It
    plays an important part in regulating our sodium and
    potassium levels--both critical for normal hearing.
    Unfortunately, as we age (that means you and me brother),
    not only do our potassium levels drop, but so do our
    aldosterone levels. This results in some hearing loss.
    Furthermore, some people have below normal levels of
    aldosterone in the first place, and thus, they too have hearing
    problems.

    Researchers have discovered there is a direct link between
    blood levels of aldosterone and our ability to hear normally.
    Thus, for people with lower than normal aldosterone levels,
    taking bio-identical aldosterone supplements can help restore
    their hearing, and even help with related issues (balance,
    recruitment, discrimination, etc.).

    If you want to know more about aldosterone therapy and
    where you can get bio-identical aldosterone, check out the
    easy-to-read article "Take Control of Your Hearing Loss
    Before It's Too Late" by Dr. Jonathan Wright. The link is
    http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_282/ai_n19170311.
     
  2. June

    June New Member

    Re: New Treatment for hearig loss and maybe MM?

    Thank you. Anyone know how to tell if your hearing loss is aied or MM? My oto debated this with himself. Apparently it is not so easy to know.
     
  3. jim1884again

    jim1884again advocating baldness be recognized as a disability

    exactly the case with me, so we treated it as if it was--you know they have blood test (very few labs can actually perfrom it--they sent my blood to NY), but there are, according to my neurotologist, a significant number of cases in which the tests are negative but autoimmune processes are occurring

    if my oto and ENT didn't know for sure, I'm definitely not knowledgable enough to know

    the interesting thing about the article is his suggestion that it is the aldosterone boost we get from taking steroids rather than the immunosuppressant effect that helps the hearing
     
  4. Goomeri Spinner

    Goomeri Spinner New Member

    Now that has pricked my ears up ;D ;D ;D Thanks you Sherry darlin :-*

    I will be keeping that one in my favs for future reference especially if my hearing goes out again like it did a last month :'(

    Must research this more

    Love Maggie
     
  5. Caribbean

    Caribbean New Member

    Thanks for this one... :)
     
  6. rich904

    rich904 New Member

    This seems to be very interesting. I have done some research and printed out several articles. Plan on asking my ENT, family doc and Shea Clinic about this during the next month. I need to hear from these people why they think this won't work for me (us). Interesting thing about it is that this is a "mainstream" solution. It will be interesting to see which docs, if any, are warm to checking levels and seeing if it applies. What do others here think?
     
  7. Trinity

    Trinity Bilateral Menieres 20 years, 24-7 symptoms,

    I have been following the study too. I am in contact with a man on another forum that is taking aldosterone and has a remarkable improvement in his hearing. He was ready a CI and now is not a candidate. I have also been in touch with the University that is doing the research. I am very interested in being a part of any clinical trials that they may offer in the future. I ran this by my ENT several months ago, but he said he needed much more information. I am going to give him the article. My concerns are that it is a hormone and from what I understand has not been given to a woman as of yet. It may react differently . I did have my internist check my alsosterone levels and they are on the extreme low side. All my other electrolytes were in normal range. I plan on following this very closely since it sounds like it may be the answer for many of us. Much more research has to be done and some of specialists need to show interest in the research. Hopefully the House Ear Clinic in LA has picked up on it. Please keep me posted if you have any further information and I will do the same Carole
     
  8. rich904

    rich904 New Member

    Carole, wow! Now I am really encouraged! I will get the articles to my ENT Monday. Maybe he will do the blood test to determine the levels. Seems that is the way to start. Things that look encouraging can get shot down in a second by the experts, but I really seem to relate to everything I have read today on this subject. I will keep this thread and your info handy and report back. Little bits at a time, and pretty soon it all adds up. Maybe this is one more piece of the puzzle. You know the line..., " a billion dollars here and a billion dollars there; pretty soon you are talking about real money"!

    Headnoise, thanks for posting this info!
     
  9. Trinity

    Trinity Bilateral Menieres 20 years, 24-7 symptoms,

    Thanks Rich Please keep me posted. My hearing is so bad right now and I don't think it is ever going to get any better. That and the sound sensitivity, tinnitus and pressure have greatly altered my life. I just keep researching. Please stay in touch. My e-mail is [email protected] Carole
     
  10. MedievalWriter

    MedievalWriter Ryan's Rose Pvt Ryan Winslow KIA Iraq 4-2006

    I'm watching this carefully. Please everyone keep posting results. Thanks--
     
  11. LisaB

    LisaB New Member

    Wow- this is certainly very exciting. Thanks for sharing this!! I hope this information doesn't get lost, I wonder if it would be worthwhile to add to our menieres database as an ongoing researched treatment? Very hopeful. Lisa
     
  12. rich904

    rich904 New Member

    GREAT NEWS! Today I typed up a summary and attached the printouts on this subject I found this weekend and took to my ENTs office at 1:30 pm. He called me while on was on my walk home from work... about 5:50. He said this information is very interesting and he sees no reason why we should not do a 24 hour urine check on the aldosterone. Then, if it is low, he is open to prescribing. I am so very pleased! He is going to have the bottle with the stabilizing solution ordered then have the nurse call me. He warned that he has seen many treatments that were thought to be the solution, only to be disappointed. But he said that there is no harm whatsoever in checking the levels and if indicated, trying a dosage under monitoring. I got especailly excited about this as I had a bout in the hospital earlier this year with kidney issues and there is a close relationship there....

    I'll keep up the posts. Anyone else have any experience with this?
     
  13. Trinity

    Trinity Bilateral Menieres 20 years, 24-7 symptoms,

    That's great news rich. I didn't have time today to get the information to my ENT, but I am going to call and make an appointment. They did my aldosterone levels with a blood test. I wonder what the difference is? Keep in touch Carole
     
  14. rich904

    rich904 New Member

    blood vs urine for aldosterone---24 hr urine is apparently more accurate. Got that from one of the articles I read. Carole, the other fellow you have been conversing with who is having success with aldosterone, does he have Meniere's, or is it age related without all of our extra goodies like vertigo, fullness, etc? I am not sure that anything I have read regarding this has mentioned Meniere's specifically, tho the mechanism that it seems to work on sounds like the same thing we are fighting. I figure all roads lead.....
     
  15. Trinity

    Trinity Bilateral Menieres 20 years, 24-7 symptoms,

    Rich I am talking to a guy on a Meniere's disease forum. He has had Meniere's for about 25 years. He had lost almost all his hearing, still had vertigo and all the other miserable symptoms. In his case his hearing has improved about 30%, I believe, but he says he is still experiencing vertigo. The other man has had a decrease in his vertigo and in his hearing.. I wonder if I need to do another test? I am still waiting to see how much more information comes out. Like, I said before, I don't think it has been used by a woman and that concerns me. I am going to go on the other forum in a few minutes and give you the information on how you can join that forum and talk directly the person receiving the aldosterone. Carole
     
  16. Trinity

    Trinity Bilateral Menieres 20 years, 24-7 symptoms,

    Ok Here is the information on the other forum for anyone interested. I think you need to sign up to be on this forum, but that is easy. It is [email protected] . In your heading ask about Adlosterone and I am sure they will get back to you with information. The Man's name is Don. Keep me posted carole
     
  17. oaktree8

    oaktree8 New Member

    Hi all,

    I heard about aldosterone through a Meniere's email list I'm on, and read about Dr. Trune's research. I called him, and he referred me to Dr. Wright's clinic, since he just does the animal research. I found that to do to join the trial, I'd have to do tests through the clinic, and teleconsults, and all together it was more than I could spend at the time. Also, my doctor said that my aldosterone levels were high. I'm going to request a 24 hour test, if an HMO will do it. Does anyone know?

    I'm still interested, because it just makes so much sense that MM would have something to do with the adrenals. You know in Chinese medicine they always say my diagnosis is kidney deficiency, and Chinese medicine says if there's a problem with the ears, it's because of the kidneys.

    Thanks for this info!
     
  18. Trinity

    Trinity Bilateral Menieres 20 years, 24-7 symptoms,

    Hi Kaiser is an HMO and they the blood test for me Carole
     
  19. rich904

    rich904 New Member

    Carole, Thanks for the referral. I will get on the other board tonight and try to make contact. There are no guarantees here, but it sure looks like a full follow-up is in order. If Meniere's is a set of similar symptoms that have multiple origins, then this would fit. It also makes sense that problems in different areas of the body would affect the delicate balance system that is going on in the ear. We'll see how it all plays out. I'll report back as I learn more. Rich
     
  20. Rick

    Rick New Member

    ...One option that might be considered is approaching this from a preventive standpoint. For aldosterone to be low, there must be a reason. Adrenal insufficiency http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic16.htm is probably the most common cause. This has been talked about quite a bit in the past but I don't think anyone figured it might be the aldosterone specificlly.

    ...After i was on the Glycemic Index for a few months, my hearing recovered from a 50 db loss to a 30db loss. I think that's right at a 40% improvement. The distortion and/or speech recognition problems went away. I know everyone's tired of hearing about the glycemic index but the diet corrected my Hypoglycemia/reactive hypoglycemia which is a cause of adrenal insufficiency.

    ...So my success is very similar to what the article on the thread talks about. While I attributed it to the GI diet, it may just have been that my adrenal gland finally got to recover and restored my normal levels of aldosterone.

    ...Mental Stress, Anxiety, and/or depression are also causes of adrenal insufficiency according to the emedicine article and I think many have commented on how stress effects the symptoms.

    ...Allowing the adrenal gland to recover and function normally is the best answer but that's not always possible, so aldosterone may be the answer, but I recommend some very good research first. The first thing I saw was that aldosterone raises blood pressure and depletes potassium so it can cause some real health issues. I'm a big supporter of the "steroid" meds (not the anabolic ones) but a person needs to understand how they work and the risks. Aldosterone may not have the same issues, I couldn't find anything drug information for aldosterone. But Corticosteroids will suppress adrenal activity which is why they're given with a tapering dosage.

    ...I'm not trying to scare anyone but just reminding everyone that we should do our homework.
    Rick
     

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