The Dreaded Attack

Bunny is always there for me, even when I am sick

As I stated in my first blog entry, living with Meniere’s has become a part of my life, a part of who I am.  I’ve learned to live with my daily symptoms, my dietary restrictions, the meds I take to control it, lifestyle changes to accommodate it, and so forth—I am sure you get the picture.  The most difficult aspect for me, as I am sure it is for anyone with this disease, is having an episode or “attack”.  I hadn’t had one for a while, maybe 8 months or so, but I have just now gotten over one.  Enough for being strong. I can’t think of anything worse while I am having an attack than what I am going through during that time.  When it is all over and I’ve gotten back to status quo, then I can think of many things that would or could be worse.  For those of you who are inexperienced in these matters, let me describe to you how an episode feels for me.  My head explodes with pain and my ears feel the size of Good Year blimps.  I can’t hear anything, let alone the dropping of a pin… or a bomb.  The noises in my head are louder than sitting in the first row behind the band at a HS football game (btw, high school football is huge here in TX). Vertigo starts the nausea, which is greater than the morning sickness I had with all 3 of my kids combined.  Always, the very worst part is the 2 Vs – vertigo and vomiting.  To spin so violently that my husband, Ed, has to lift me off the bathroom floor and get me to the bed is not my idea of an enchanted evening.  I vomit not only my guts out but also all the rest of my internal organs.

feeling a little better now

Whenever I have an episode, which I call an “attack”, since that is certainly what it feels like, it will be similar to what I have just described.  The difference for me is in how long it lasts.  This time I would give it a five on my 1-10 scale.  I started having increased tinnitus (ear noises), ear fullness, headache, and decreased hearing after getting up in the morning.  As the day progressed so did my symptoms.  By late afternoon the vertigo and nausea started and by 7 PM I was vomiting.  The vomiting lasted off and on for about three hours.  Throughout the night I still had all the other symptoms.  By morning (around 9 AM) I started feeling somewhat more human again, aside from being totally wiped out as if I had run a very long marathon.  Of course, since I have never run a marathon, let alone walk one in my entire life, I am just assuming how that would feel.  That day I did nothing of any consequence.  It is important for me to just lay around, rest, and be lazy.

back to status quo--yeah!!!

Anyone who has Meniere’s disease will have attacks similar to mine, but each of us will have our differences.  I know the one thing that is the same for all of us, that is when we have returned to our norm we are relieved and extremely grateful that it is over… and hope never to have another, ever!  If you do not have Meniere’s (lucky you), you can’t really understand how devastating it can be and how helpless it makes you feel.  So for those who do have Meniere’s, sharing your feelings and experiences, information like this blog, or web sites such as www.dizziness-and-balance.com with your family and friends will help them to understand your illness and assist you through the difficult times.  There is nothing better than help and understanding when you are sick…especially if mom can’t be there taking care of you anymore.