 Disclaimer
Meniere's Australia encourages contact between people who have Meniere's. Knowing how others have experience and coped with Meniere's can help you feel less alone. However please note that the advice, opinions and information given in, or implied by these personal stories remain those of the stories' authors and are not in any way endorsed by MA.
 The Silent Terrorist
Married for 3 years and just started my own accountancy practice, I had my first child of four and the second one was on the way. Everything was just right. We were a happy family!
Early in April 1989, I was invited to a fun trip on Port Philip Bay on the tall ship the ‘Alma Doeple’. I never got sick while at sea; I love fishing and I am out there as often as I can. However, at the end of this trip I was quite dizzy. I could not work out why I got so sick as the weather was fine and the sea was calm.
‘… dizziness... buzz noise in the right ear…surroundings spinning...severe vomiting ’
The next day I went for my normal walk on the beach and started getting light headed again. This time the dizziness was accompanied by a buzz noise in the right ear. This noise was quite annoying and never left me, except it varied in intensity.
Later in the month celebrating Easter dinner, I suddenly felt my surroundings spinning. I had to hold my chair and could not stand up. This was accompanied by severe vomiting which lasted at least half an hour.
‘…they couldn’t pin point what caused the problem... ’
I was taken quickly to the Williamstown Hospital where I was checked but they couldn’t pin point what caused the problem. I was sent home, but for the rest of the day I was sick. That was the day I experienced my first Meniere’s attack although I did not know what it was at the time.
‘… confirmation of Ménière’s...’
A few weeks passed without any problems and I concluded that it might have been a virus. However to my surprise I experienced my next attack while at work. Once again, it started with dizziness followed by projectile vomiting. At this stage I knew I had some issues. Visits to my doctor did not reveal much except she felt it could be Meniere’s disease. I requested a referral to see an ENT specialist.
I consider myself to be a very positive and ambitious person. However with these attacks, I felt hopeless and down. The fear of another attack was real and I wasn’t sure how to cope.
The ENT Specialist did some of his own tests; he believed that I had all the symptoms of Meniere’s but to make sure he sent me to the Alfred hospital for other tests. These revealed some degree of tinnitus, loss of hearing and…confirmation of Meniere’s.
I was given the news that there were no cures and had to live with this silent terrorist. The disease progressed to burnt out level. This means severe dizziness without the vomiting. Over the next ten years I had to cope with the disease, continue to grow my practice, be a father of three girls and a boy and try to have a normal life.
‘Meniere’s now ruled my life. It made me a prisoner’
In 2003, my marriage of 18 years collapsed. Stress and worries made my Meniere’s worse. In the last 3 years I was afraid to go out. I was afraid to drive as I had attacks while driving. I stopped going to the gym and as a consequence I put on a lot of weight.
I enjoyed ballroom dancing and even that had to stop. I was away sick more often and got behind with work. The whole world was collapsing. I did not care whether I lived or died. From being independent, I was now relying on other people for help. I was scared living on my own at home. Being on 8 stemzine tablets a day made me drowsy. I was at the lowest point. I felt my life at 47 was over. Meniere’s now ruled my life. It made me a prisoner.
‘A machine called the ‘Meniett’ was my hope’
I got on the Internet on several occasions to learn more on the disease and in February 2006 I came across a glimmer of hope. A machine called the ‘Meniett’ (www.meniett.com) was my hope.
My morale was up and for the first I felt there was some light at the end of the tunnel. I discussed this matter with my ENT specialist who explained that this procedure does not necessarily help everyone but it might work for me. I suppose he did not want to put my hopes high. I had nothing to loose except constant dizziness. I was willing to try it. In June, I was admitted to a day procedure at the Freemason’s hospital.
Well here is the good news! Since the procedure and the use of the Meniett for ten minutes a day, I have not experienced another attack. I am now doing something to reduce my weight, I’ve started to go out a bit more and plan to commence ballroom dancing again. In addition, I have not taken one stemzine tablet for the last six months.
I believe I have won the war against this silent terrorist. I am once again in control of my life. Since than I have expanded my business through a merger, taken my family on a cruise, am driving and go out without the fear of an unannounced attack.
Don’t ever give up. Take calculated risks and don’t stay in your comfort zone. It’s only the end of the world if you want it to be. Give the ‘Meniett’ a go, it might change your life. It has changed mine. There is nothing to lose except the constant dizziness and the feeling of being sick.
Joseph Matina - MA member
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