Meniere's Disease Support Group

I was plugged on and off for about 3 weeks then it just stopped. Vertigo did not cause it or release it so try not to worry too much...

Bos.

pbaker-

Dr. Friedman is doing the surgery and it is at St. Vincent Hospital. I going to spend the night there at the Seton Guest Center, then will be back in Long Beach for recuperation. I do have one of those airline pillows, somewhere. I'll start looking for it this week.

Thanks,

Pete

Good luck Peter and glad to hear that pbaker and afortner45 are doing well. I hope that all of you have the same good results that Miriam and I have had. My hearing did not improve, the tinnitus did not go away, I still feel plugged occasionally, but NO VERTIGO! Life is good! The rest can all be handled and dealt with. Interesting that some of you were told no Motrin and my surgeon told me to take 2 every 4 hours the first three days to keep the pain down. I was also prescribed phenergan suppositories and valium but didn't need them, thankfully.

Keep us all posted on your progress.

Loree

question for all i had surgery on friday and felt great saturday and all day sunday until i got some terrible balance/vertigo and went to bed at 8 and woke up today feeling groggy. is this normal????

afortner45,

It probably depends on what you did on Saturday and Sunday while you were feeling great. You may have pushed your body a little too much and it is telling you so. I had those feelings, but it was after I had worked for a week (went back to work on Monday after having surgery the prior Tuesday). By Friday afternoon, I was off balance - not actually vertigo, but definitely unsteady and I pretty well slept the weekend away. Did you get sick with the vertigo? Did you take a valium? That might leave you feeling a little groggy also. I am stabbing in the dark here but wish you well.

Loree in Phoenix

Has anyone seen any success in the shunt sugery helping with the ringing? I am still holding strong with no dizzy spells for 2 1/2 months, but the ringing has gotten much worse. Any thoughts?

Anthony, I don't know of anyone that has received relief from the tinnitus after having the surgery. In fact, I honestly don't remember anyone finding anything that makes the tinnitus go away. I certainly didn't get any relief from that, so if you are not having vertigo issues, surgery is not something that I would consider.

Loree in Phoenix

I had some vertigo 3 days after recent sac surgery after being on my feet the day prior, but much shorter duration of the "spin" part than my patterns of vertigo pre-op. Hans in there. I waited to return to work as there is no light schedule there and I worked today. Tired but quite confident. Try to relax a fortner and take activity gradually. On follow-up I was assured that we all heal at different paces. Most surgery offices encourage a call post-op if there are qestions or concerns for the RN to address or MD if needed.

Both at 1 week post-op and 2 weeks (today), the view into my ear canal (MD then RN) showed swelling -maybe the "pluggedness" feeling and the MD assured me it is to be expected and takes a while.

I also had some vertigo after my op, really scared me, but quite normal and passed after about 2 weeks.

Good Luck to all that have recently had surgery or have surgery planned in the near future. For me, the sac decompression shunt surgery, was the best decision I made in regards to my MD. I have had two dizzy spells (since my surgery on 9/30/10) that lasted about 30 minutes, one while I was driving. With this type of dizziness versus the vertigo I use to have, I was able to finish driving home. I've also had several quick dizzy spells that last a minute or so, then pass. My tinnitus the first 3 - 4 weeks after surgery was much louder. That has gotten better.

At my follow up visit to the Dr. 4 weeks post op, he said I had water behind my eardrum and had me hold my nose and blow.....with that I heard crackling in my ear and shortly thereafter had one of my 30 minute attacks. Since, I haven't had anymore 30 minute attacks, but I still have short dizzy spells. Dr. says those come and go so quickly because I have fluid and then it quickly passes thru the shunt which is what is suppose to happen.

I flew from Houston to California a week ago and my Dr. told me to use Afrin nose spray.

One hour prior to take off, I was to blow my nose, do 2 sprays into each nostril and then repeat in 20 minutes. I'm grateful to say I had no problem with either flight. He also said that if I had pressure build up in my ears, to hold my nose and blow as it would release the pressure. I was never told not to blow my nose after surgery.

Regarding allergies: for those of you that take Zyrtec or something similar, did you have allergy testing done, and you do have allergies; or do you just take the Zyrtec as a precaution? I go back to the Dr. on Dec 20th for another follow up visit, but he also wants me to have allergy testing done as well as a hearing test. I have never taken a daily zyrtec etc.

Has anyone ever thought that flourescent lights affect their head? My office has that type of lighting, and it seems that shortly after getting to work, my head starts to feel off. I asked my Dr. about this but he said he hasn't heard of that before.

Also, I use to feel very nauseated when traveling on winding roads at different altitudes, and since the surgery, while on a road trip where we did that type of driving, I'm delighted to say that I had no problem. My husband was shocked. We had

no idea that the surgery would help this also.

So far, I only have positive things to say about this procedure. And like my Dr. said, we have to give it six months. I haven't posted in a long time and apologize if I got a bit carried away. I hope this addresses some things that haven't been mentioned.

Thanks to all of you for your wonderful feedback and insight.

Congrats to Miriam & Loree for your 1 year milestones!!!!!!