I keep getting asked why I am disabled. Maybe this will clear it up for some. Feel free to ask questions. I am always happy to provide some education.
For those that don't know Meniere's Disease is a disease of the inner ear. It causes too much fluid build up and that affects balance and hearing.
I was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease last December. Six years after I made my own self diagnosis. Yeah, i am great at stumping the doctors. This disease has been a nightmare and has disabled me to the point I may never be able to work a normal job again. I have lost two awesome jobs to this disease.
Meniere's affects my daily life. I am constantly dizzy, falling down, bruised up to the point I look abused. My attacks cause me to be bedridden. I throw up for hours on end, many times ending up in the ER to get IV fluids. I have a constant ringing in my ears plus it sounds like a fire alarm is going off in my ears at all times. I have a 80% hearing loss in my right ear and 30% in my left year. My hearing is constantly fluctuating.
I often get asked how it feels. I have constant pain in my ears, fullness, popping, and annoying ringing that keeps me up at night. When I have an attack it feels like I have the flu and spin like on the tilt a whirl. I typically lose 25-30 lbs in 2-3 days when I am having an attack. I can't walk let alone drive. I get totally helpless and at the mercy of the disease.
I happen to fall in the 10% that has bilateral Meniere's Disease. I have it in both ears. I will continue to lose my hearing until the disease takes all or most of it. I read lips a lot of times. I plan on learning sign language in the next year or so.
Unless you live with this disease you have no right judging whether I am disabled or not. Three doctors refuse to sign off on me returning to work. Believe me, I would much rather be working than filing for disability at 31!
Here is a link to a great page about Meniere's Disease. Meniere's Page - Symptoms
I am just trying to educate people on "hidden" illnesses. Yes, I may look normal but my insides are screwed up. I am not complaining, this is just something I live with and deal with.
As for treatments. I failed all of the conventional treatments such as diet modification and medications. I had surgery on both ears in April. I have a $4,000 device that pulls fluid off of my ears several times a day. Yet, i still have 3-6 attacks a month plus many little spells of dizziness. I hope one day they find some way to help those who live with Meniere's Disease before we all lose our hearing.
Thanks for reading. I hope you learned something!
For those that don't know Meniere's Disease is a disease of the inner ear. It causes too much fluid build up and that affects balance and hearing.
I was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease last December. Six years after I made my own self diagnosis. Yeah, i am great at stumping the doctors. This disease has been a nightmare and has disabled me to the point I may never be able to work a normal job again. I have lost two awesome jobs to this disease.
Meniere's affects my daily life. I am constantly dizzy, falling down, bruised up to the point I look abused. My attacks cause me to be bedridden. I throw up for hours on end, many times ending up in the ER to get IV fluids. I have a constant ringing in my ears plus it sounds like a fire alarm is going off in my ears at all times. I have a 80% hearing loss in my right ear and 30% in my left year. My hearing is constantly fluctuating.
I often get asked how it feels. I have constant pain in my ears, fullness, popping, and annoying ringing that keeps me up at night. When I have an attack it feels like I have the flu and spin like on the tilt a whirl. I typically lose 25-30 lbs in 2-3 days when I am having an attack. I can't walk let alone drive. I get totally helpless and at the mercy of the disease.
I happen to fall in the 10% that has bilateral Meniere's Disease. I have it in both ears. I will continue to lose my hearing until the disease takes all or most of it. I read lips a lot of times. I plan on learning sign language in the next year or so.
Unless you live with this disease you have no right judging whether I am disabled or not. Three doctors refuse to sign off on me returning to work. Believe me, I would much rather be working than filing for disability at 31!
Here is a link to a great page about Meniere's Disease. Meniere's Page - Symptoms
I am just trying to educate people on "hidden" illnesses. Yes, I may look normal but my insides are screwed up. I am not complaining, this is just something I live with and deal with.
As for treatments. I failed all of the conventional treatments such as diet modification and medications. I had surgery on both ears in April. I have a $4,000 device that pulls fluid off of my ears several times a day. Yet, i still have 3-6 attacks a month plus many little spells of dizziness. I hope one day they find some way to help those who live with Meniere's Disease before we all lose our hearing.
Thanks for reading. I hope you learned something!