I am 22 and have only just be diagnosed with Meniere's, my hearing loss is by far, (so far) the worst symptom, however, my vertigo is beginning to reappear and hang around for days. I just wanted to see how many people are my age with the disease, or who had been diagnosed at my age, to get a feel for how the disease develops. My greastest concern is this is going to get much worse.
hi there - just wanted to respond because i'm right there with you in the age department - i'm 25 and been suffering since my first vertigo attack when i was 22. but i don't have a for sure diagnosis. the multiple doctors i've seen don't agree on whether i have Meniere's or MAV. either way, i'm dizzy and young!
You're certainly not alone! I had my first problems with MM around 20, but my doctor at the time kept brushing it off as a virus. I've had noticeable hearing-loss in my bad ear since then, but I never connected the two until about a year ago when my severe symptoms set in. Unfortunately, I don't have much positive to share with you about it, other than your not alone You've caught it early and hopefully respond well to the easy, less invasive treatments (like diet and waterpill). My doctors have told me that that is enough for the majority of people. It's really easy for Meniere's to get the best of you emotionally (at least for me it is). I would try your best not to fret about what the future may hold for you. Statistically, you should be in the majority of people who are helped with early, non-invasive treatments.
Actually, I didn't have a DX until about 2 years ago, no symptoms even to complain about until about 3 years ago. But now that I know, some mild symptoms I think were present since about 10-12 years old, but mild stuff that basically just made me look like a clutch. As far as the actual vertigo, I know in my case, and have heard it from others, the vertigo gets pretty bad for a while, but after a point, Vertigo gets more mild, but hearing loss is worst...
I was having issues with attacks in my late teens and early 20's. I was not diagnosed for many years later, though. I am completely dissabled now, with symptoms in both ears and permanant nerve damage in the one that was affecting me back then. It seems that it may have been caught early in your case, though, and hopefully you will respond well to treatment. I have heard multiple times from the docs I have seen since dx that had I been able to treat early on, that I would not be in the boat I am now. Consider yourself as lucky as you can that you were diagnosed at such a young age, and while you still have the capability of fighting off some of the nastier issues you would face without treatment. Either way, hang in there. You have what it takes to fight this, and you have the time to fight it well.
Hi Aus-tom - It's important to remember that we're all different. My progression of the disease doesn't mean it will happen to you. I had my first vertigo attack at 7...Vertigo continued - increasing in frequency - for the next decade, along with the hearing loss and tinnitus. I had a cochleostomy 11 years after the first vertigo episode. That led to a remission for 3 years and then minimal symptoms (occasional vertigo) for an additional 3 years. The tinnitus and hearing loss stayed with me the whole time. At that point I began having noticeable symptoms in my other ear...I had become bilateral. The other ear seemed to get worse much faster than the first. 3 years after I went bilateral I had a shunt and my first high dose gent. Major vestibular rehab followed (2 years)...followed again by 3 years of vestibular remission. 2 more years of increasing attacks - another chemical laby....and that's where I am today. I'm 37, profound hearing loss and 0% vestibular function in the 2nd ear...moderate/severe hearing loss and vestibular function in the 1st ear. But as weird as it sounds - given enough time -you get used to almost everything. Although I've had to cut back on some things - I'm still active. I love to hike and climb. Whatever else you do - keep living your life. Find ways to do the things you enjoy.
Hello and welcome. I was dx'ed not quite as young as you--age 27. I have been able to function quite well w/ MM. I have bad spells, but also long periods with minimal symptoms. In my case, I respond quite well to diet/exercise/low alchohol/very low caffeine lifestyle, and seem to be responding very well to chiropractic treatment. It's so hard not to worry about what's to come, but keep in mind that everyone's progression is different. One difficulty about being young w/ MM: it is really difficult to convince people that you are hard of hearing. They expect it from older individuals, but not from an otherwise healthy-looking twenty-something. I get lots of funny looks when I ask people to speak up, and I have to continually remind even those who know me well not to assume I can hear them when they're on my left! take care, Katie
Hey there! Welcome to our little family I was diagnosed at 16, but had symptoms starting early childhood. Tinnitus was my first symptom. Then hearing fluctuations, then vertigo. It stayed pretty low key and consistent (I had bad times, but they didn't last too long and my hearing always came back). At 23 it got real bad real fast. I had a VNS and got my life back and did really well for a long time. Then last year it came back again. We discovered the nerve cut in the VNS had regrown (very rare). SO I had a laby last fall and am doing good once again. I'm now 30, deaf in left ear, no vestibular function in left ear, and now bilateral. But as others have said, everyone's experiences are different. I had one doctor who told me that those who get it at a younger age tend to have it worse, but I don't know if that's really true. One big thing for having it young is you tend to heal and recover faster (in general). Try to keep yourself in as good of health as you can otherwise and try all your non invasive options first. Now that I'm bilateral, I kinda feel like I'm starting over. I can't have any destructive procedures if it gets bad since my other side is already dead, so my doc and I are trying to be as aggressive as possible early in hope that it won't get worse. Hope this helps Kris
I was dx'd at 23. Can't really tell you how it'll progress as it's different for all of us... Hang in there... Hope you have a spin free day and that your Tinnitus is music to your ears... Liz and Lilly
Hello, I was diagnosed at 17 with my first symptom at age 12. Had most of my trouble start at age 16. I am now 33.
