Prayers for Bilateral Menieres Disease Attacks....

[BrotherTony]

I have had bilateral Meniere's Disease for nearly 45 years. It starts acting up, and then just as suddenly as it showed up, goes into remission. For those of you who don't know why bilateral Meniere's disease is, it's a disease of the inner ear (bilateral meaning it's in both ears...one of the rarest types a person can have) that causes loss of balance, vertigo attacks, strong ringing or whirring in the ears, loss of hearing, migraines/cluster headaches and possible temporary loss of vision, and many other side-effects. I went through a series of what they call decadron injections in my left inne ear in May of this year, hoping to alleviate some of the vertigo symptoms caused by that ear in particular. It didn't work well. Now the right ear has come out of remission after nearly ten years, and I'm finding myself being challenged by it. It is not an easy thing for me, but is harder on my wife who has to work. She worries that I will fall and hurt myself around the home, which I have done several times over the past 21 years, and it makes her being 1 1/2 hrs away in the Northern part of the state worrisome for her. These past few weeks have been some of the worst I've had in the past 21 years of being disabled. Please pray that the Lord will continue to give me strength to rely on him for guidance and strength, and for my wife to have peace that I will not do anything to endanger myself while she is gone. Vincent Van Gogh has Meniere's disease in one ear, and suffered greatly from just one of the many conditions attached to the disease, the ever increasing ringing and whirring in the ears. It truly is enough to drive a mad man crazy. 

I would appreciate any prayers anyone would care to offer up. I had several people ask me why I am not currently active in ministry, and this is the main reason why. It often keeps me confined to a bed when the attacks occur, and can last anywhere from several minutes to severa days. My wife and I know that God has a reason for me having this disease. I have helped many others cope with it since I was diagnosed, and have led a few to Christ because of it. I won't complain about something God is so clearly using in my life and ministry. But, prayer never hurts. God says the effectual fervent prayer of a person avails much. I would love to have several days, weeks, months or even years with out these conditions. It does wear on the mind, body and soul. But, as Job said, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him...(Lanius paraphrase). I don't often reveal this condition, but I felt led to do so here.  I appreciate your taking time to pray.

Blessings and Thank you.

[SureWord]

I have seriously bad tinnitus so I can somewhat feel for you. I haven't experienced quietness for the last 20 years. It's the worst when I wake up in the morning and I can forgot trying to go to sleep without some background noise.

[BrotherTony]

1 hour ago, SureWord said:

I have seriously bad tinnitus so I can somewhat feel for you. I haven't experienced quietness for the last 20 years. It's the worst when I wake up in the morning and I can forgot trying to go to sleep without some background noise.

I'll be praying for you as well...It's a terrible disease, and most won't even talk about the disease or it's symptoms because there is a stigma attached to it. Most have Meniere's or tinnitus often feel isolated because not many really understand what is going on. I have been lucky in that I haven't felt so isolated. I have a cousin who was just diagnosed with it, and the tinnitus I've had runs in the family and has for several generations. I've used biofeedback fairly successfully until lately. But, the vertigo is not able to be controlled. It comes without much warning and is dangerous at times. There are many good treatments if you suffer just from the tinnitus aspect of the disease. Insurance wil usually cover most of the costs involved.

[SureWord]

Yeah, vertigo is not fun stuff. 

[Jim_Alaska]

I'll put you on my prayer list brother Tony. I don't have any of those things but my wife does have vertigo frequently, it is no fun.

I am disabled and at risk for falling. I have to be very careful, especially when I am alone, like out in the woods or away from people. I have Peripheral Neuropathy with no feeling from my knees to my toes. It results in me being very unstable on my feet. On a flat surface I cannot even stand in one place without use of my cane, I weave around like a drunk and cannot walk or stand for long periods. When I preach or teach I am barely able to stand long enough to get through the sermon, but God has allowed me to be effective in spite of this.

On uneven ground I am at a severe disadvantage and need two forearm crutches to walk, which makes it difficult because I have been an outdoorsman all my life. I can't walk into a dark room or be in the dark because if I can't focus on something visual I will certainly fall.

But again, my small woes seem very small in comparison to what you go through, I will certainly pray for you without fail.

[BrotherTony]

18 hours ago, Jim_Alaska said:

I'll put you on my prayer list brother Tony. I don't have any of those things but my wife does have vertigo frequently, it is no fun.

I am disabled and at risk for falling. I have to be very careful, especially when I am alone, like out in the woods or away from people. I have Peripheral Neuropathy with no feeling from my knees to my toes. It results in me being very unstable on my feet. On a flat surface I cannot even stand in one place without use of my cane, I weave around like a drunk and cannot walk or stand for long periods. When I preach or teach I am barely able to stand long enough to get through the sermon, but God has allowed me to be effective in spite of this.

On uneven ground I am at a severe disadvantage and need two forearm crutches to walk, which makes it difficult because I have been an outdoorsman all my life. I can't walk into a dark room or be in the dark because if I can't focus on something visual I will certainly fall.

But again, my small woes seem very small in comparison to what you go through, I will certainly pray for you without fail.

Ah...I see that we are challenged by one of the other things that have left me disabled. I've had neuropathy since 1997. I was on pregabalin for it until just a few weeks ago. My hands, arms, legs and feet were all turning blue, and I couldn't feel any of them. When I contacted my physician he said to keep taking the pregabalin...I had to stop. Since I quit taking it, my color has come back, but I still have little or no feeling. Yesterday I fell while my wife was at work, and she had to come home early. She's stayed home today to make sure that I don't have a repeat adventure! The diabetes has apparently damaged over 1/2 of the nerves from my hips to my toes, and from my elbows to my fingertips. You, too, are in my prayers. I don't know why the Lord has placed this particular challenge in my life except to keep me aware that I need him more than ever. Without his help, I wouldn't be able to walk, pick up anything to write or even to be able to punch the keys on a keyboard. I don't fear when I'm on my own, but I surely do a LOT of praying for protection and safety.

[Jim_Alaska]

Although I have recently been diagnosed with type two Diabetes, I had Neuropathy for many years before that. Mine is a degenerative Neuropathy, an actual disease where my nerves are degenerating, it is not curable and unlike yours, no medicine will help. I have an implant that is supposed to help, but it doesn't.

The only good thing is that unlike most people who have this, I have no pain associated with it. Just very unstable and weak.

Keep safe, be careful and stop falling.