Meniere's Disease and Diet

I have been having problems with hearing loss and tinnitus for the last 15 years. About four years ago I developed severe vertigo. When I have an attack of vertigo it is much more than simple dizziness. It feels as if the entire world is spinning out of control. It's the most helpless feeling I've ever had. After an attack I have to lie down and am usually so exhausted I sleep for several hours. Initially the vertigo attacks were infrequent (about once a year), but nonetheless incapacitating. I once had a vertigo attack while in a movie theater with my husband. I told my husband we had to leave immediately even though we had only watched a little of the movie. I barely made it out of the theater with the help of my husband and then got sick all over the parking lot. Even though I had three previous attacks of vertigo, this one was so violent I told my husband I thought I had food poisoning from the movie snacks (I had cinnamon donuts and coffee). So we rushed to the hospital. After determining I wasn't dying of a heart attack,  stroke or food poisoning I sat for 2 hours in the ER waiting to see a doctor. She gave me some anti-nausea medicine and sent me home. I made an appointment with my family physician who ordered an MRI which showed nothing wrong. However my vertigo continued and increased in frequency. I thought it might be connected in some way to my hearing loss and tinnitus so I made an appointment with an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor. After more tests he determined I had Meniere's Disease.

Although many theories have been postulated as to what causes Meniere's Disease, it's origin is still unknown. The symptoms are tinnitus (roaring or wooshing sound in the affected ear), vertigo and hearing loss. It is diagnosed by a review of the patient's medical history and by ruling out other causes. Also in my case tests showed I had an undiagnosed inner ear weakness from birth which may have been a contributing factor. I also have thyroid disease and it is also thought that there is a connection between autoimmune disease like hypothyroidism and Meniere's Disease.

While what a person eats does not cause Meniere's, symptoms may be alleviated or lessened by reducing the amount of sodium in the diet. Caffeine should also be eliminated. My doctor also told me to drink cranberry juice as a diuretic since excess fluid may cause the symptoms to worsen.

Doctor Joel Fuhrman's Eat to Live program is an ideal way to eat for people with Meniere's Disease as well as other medical problems because unlike highly starchy diets which can cause water retention and bloating, the Eat to Live program with all it's fruits and non-starchy vegetables helps release water from the body. Dr. Fuhrman also encourages a low-salt diet of about 1000 to 1500 mg. of sodium a day. He also discourages drinking coffee.

Although I will have to live with hearing loss and vertigo for the rest of my life, I feel the Eat to Live plan by Dr. Joel Fuhrman will help me to cope with my symptoms.