Does anyone have Menieres disease?

[Grockle]

I'm a bit freaked out now

I don't know really-I knew it was a possibility but I really expected to be told that it was all in my head and that I'm ok. The dr vaguely mentioned permanent hearing loss but didn't really say much to me. And i'm sure i read somewhere that you have to declare Menieres to DVLA which made me worry.

Is yours manageable?

Thank you for responding

My husband has it. He was diagnosed a couple of years ago, though in hindsight he was having symptoms for a couple of years before that. The initial period of adjustment was hard. I was very worried. But it is now under control and much more manageable and less a focus of our life. I am happy to answer questions if you have any.

Thanks Wiifit - How does it effect his day to day life? I know everybody is different but I just wondered how well he is able to manage it. Does anything help the tinnitus? Was it a problem at work? Does he drive? I have so many questions!

He wears a hearing aid in one ear for the hearing loss. He does have tinnitis quite badly at times, but there is little that can be done for that. We have a sound machine (like white noise) in the bedroom at night which he finds helps. He does not drive but that is not related to the MEnieres. He works in a normal job in the city of London and his job is not affected. At the moment you would not know he has the condition but we did go through a time when he first started having the vertigo attacks that things were very scary. they were regular, fairly public (ended up in an ambulance once) and no fun for anyone. But he learned to recognise the symptoms of when one was coming and could go and lay down immediately and take a pill which would help enormously. Attacks tend to come in clusters and we have been attack free for a while, but you just never know when they will start again.

Oh dear, it sounds as if it's been awful for you at times. Am glad it is better now. It's the tinnitus that is really bothering ne. It's just so loud and intrusive but is the one thing you can't do much about. I am beginning to tune it out at times which is helpful but it's so wearing!

Thank you for your help