For the last eight weeks I have been feeling pretty good. Most days my Meniere's symptoms are minimal and manageable. In the past, when I would have a week long stretch of feeling this good, I always felt like cousin Oliver (my code name for the onset of vertigo symtoms) was hiding around the corner just waiting to catch me off guard. This time it is different for some reason. I have not had any dizziness or vertigo for the last two months. I still experience tinnitus, brain fog, some ear pressure and the occasional headache but nothing like a couple of months ago. Maybe my holistic approach to living with Meniere's is starting to pay off.
A few months ago I purchased a book called "Let's Get Better" by Meniere Man on Amazon.com. Not sure exactly who this Meniere Man is - but the book is a good read. He talks about his experience of being diagnosed with Meniere's in his mid forties. He focuses on diet, exercise and alternative treatments in managing his Meniere's. Of all the books I have read, this one has been the most down to earth and helpful.
His approach to living with a chronic condition like Meniere's makes the most sense to me. By making my body as healthy and as strong as possible I have more of a fighting chance to find a place where I can live with this chronic condition with the least amount of restrictions.. I am not big on taking meds to manage the Meniere's unless my doctor can give me a logical reason why I should take them. I am also not ready to have any invasive procedures done at this point either ~ the success rates are not high enough for me to risk a poor outcome.. Fortunately, the ENT I have now takes a conservative approach to helping me manage my Meniere's symptoms.
I am now focused more on stabilizing my symptoms rather than stressing about how to make them go away. Which I don't think will ever happen anyway. I have better days and worse days. Fortunately for now, I have reached a point where I am able to coexist with my symptoms and lead a fairly functional life.
2 comments:
Your comments are so helpful to me. I am curious as to how you manage this disease holistically. I was just diagnosed with Meniere's. I am able to drive and still can do my job teach at a local community college. I try to keep stress to a minimum. Meditation has helped me. Also I too don't like the idea of doing meds. I take an occasional sudafed since its also pollen season and I feel stuffy. Maybe I'm misinterpreting my symptoms. I'm not sure what my options are. My ENT didn't discuss anything about options. I'm getting a second option at the House Clinic here in Orange County. Thanks for your blog! Debbie ca/usa
Hi Debbie,
By holistic I am saying that I am focusing more on managing the Meniere's through living a healthier lifestyle vs using meds and surgery. Prior to being diagnosed my lifestyle was not as healthy as it could have been. This is what seems to be working best for me. I do take Zyrtec-D and Tylenol when I need too. The one thing I have learned through all of this is that what may work for one person may not work for another. It's more about finding a balance for me, so that I can live a functional life with minimal symptoms. As for doctors, I have discovered that their opinions can vary greatly. So just keep asking questions until you are satisfied.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for your support.
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