Concerned about Meniéres/How do you get diagnosed?

[Meeko505]

Hi all - wonder if anyone has any experience with this.

This last week I had an attack of vertigo and nausea, with some ringing in my right ear - though I've had on and off tinnitus for years so didn't think much of this last bit. The vertigo and nausea was on and off but got worse in bed at night, so bad that the first night I was dreaming in spins and felt painfully sick until I managed to sleep.

It's easing off now after a few days, and I've seen a GP and I'm physically fine. It could be a vestibular migraine, but I've been referred to the hospital to check my hearing just in case it is Menieres. I've had similar incidences before with vertigo lasting a day or so, but never anything this bad. I also just found out this afternoon that my Granddad had Menieres, and this to me makes it seem slightly more likely that it could be this.

I'm concerned that a) they'll do a hearing test and everything is fine, but the hearing test isn't being conducted during the vertigo attack so won't my hearing perhaps be fine then anyway? and b) I've read that hearing loss often doesn't occur early on in Meniéres anyway?

I guess I understand that if it is Meniéres I'll probably find out one day because it'll progress, but it's tough feeling like it might be but I can't get a proper 'negative' result now.

Any experiences?

My GP suspects I have it, though I'm not convinced. I've had some on/off hearing loss and dizzy spells, but not lasting for more than a few seconds, not in bouts that last for days. And no nausea.

Anyway, my GP referred me to ENT and I had one appointment in feb where I had a hearing test, which showed loss of hearing in the affected ear despite me not thinking I was suffering at that time. I was then referred for MRI but Covid happened.

If you have Menieres like I do your hearing loss will not improve.

It is very debilitating and can be embarrassing if a sudden attack comes on, you look like you are totally drunk falling all over the place.

I take to my bed, focus on one object in the room, use Stemetil for the nausea, and have a small supply of valium which really does help with bad attacks.

The intervals between attacks are receding thankfully this is nearly two years later, but the unpredictability of when and where episodes will happen is awful.