Does Anyone Else Have Meniere's Disease & Prescribed Diazepam?

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I was wondering if anyone else had Meniere's disease and was prescribed diazepam for inner ear vertigo relief? I was put on 5mg. diazepam immediately after being diagnosed 16 years ago, so I have have had a sporadic use of the drug, relatively heavy at time from very little depending on who long I was in a bout with the vertigo. It would sometimes last for only a day or two to as much as a month or two.

 

It would be nice to compare notes with someone that has a similar situation of sporadic use for sporadic health issue.

 

Thanks!

 

<b>On The Mend</b>

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Before I started on Xanax for panic disorder (first for an accidental halcion addiction), I took Valium for Meniere's too. About once a month? Worked well for that. Meniere's can be an unlivable-with condition, but it's intermittent. I took usually 20 mg. Valium when it would come on and sleep off the dizzy attacks. Other meds people use with varied luck. Some are okay with dietary restrictions. Mine were keeping me from being able to attend school, so medication it was. I wouldn't compare Valium much with Xanax. Valium made me g-r-o-g-g-y and didn't help me with panic attacks.

 

I guess that was for about five years?

 

It required no taper or anything of the sort. But that was like once a month. Halcion is more binding to GABA receptors. I took it nightly and had a bad withdrawal after four months of nightly use. Didn't even know I was in withdrawal.

 

Check out VEDA.org if you need info about Meniere's disease. They're a great organization. You will find tons of people there who have intermittently taken Valium for this crippling disorder.

 

My very best wishes!

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Hi blueorchidlady,

 

Thank you for your personal perspective and history with diazepam and Meniere's. I haven't been so fortunate, I have had bouts that last for a couple months straight and then had the lighter vertigo in between the bad ones. I am now with the belief I may have for years had additional dizziness in between the major attacks in the form of withdrawal symptoms and not the normal cochlear hydrops (fullness in the ear) cause of vertigo, it can be a vicious cycle.

 

Thanks for the Meniere's website referral, I've had this disease for so long (16 years) and have had a lot of time to research the treatments and the coping with this, but this diazepam withdrawal issue is a bit more new to me with it's insidious nature of being very sneaky and seemingly lulls you into it's trap.

 

It sounds like you have the Meniere's well controlled or may be in remission now, I hope so!

 

 

Thanks again for the reply!

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I had a 3 month episode of Vertigo, before the benzos. I took an antihistamine called Meclozine and it cleared right up. 

[[On...]]

I had a 3 month episode of Vertigo, before the benzos. I took an antihistamine called Meclozine and it cleared right up.

 

Thanks DaveyP,

 

I use the meclizine(a.k.a. bonine or dramamine II) as my first line of defense or general dizziness, but "had" been using 5 mg. diazepam for the persistent attacks of vertigo.  I will just have to stay with the meclizine and safe alternatives since these withdrawals are worse than the vertigo is. Or at least the vertigo is shorter a few minutes to several hours duration depending.

 

Thanks again for the info!

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Personally, I'd take this withdrawal over a severe vertigo attack anyday. Glad I don't have to make that choice! I've lost half my hearing and the vertigo has largely subsided these days. The vertigo left me vomiting, dehydrated, and beyond immobile with double-vision. For some, it's lighter. For me, it was in no way light. I was offered surgery to sever the nerve because it was so severe. Meniere's patients regularly take benzos though. They have a lot of experience with them. Especially because it's a long-lasting condition requiring management.

 

Other medications and treatments are tried by Meniere's patients. Meniere's is famously hard to diagnose and can be confused with other disorders, to make matters more complex. Some of the medications and treatments used by Meniere's patients are: betahistine (SERC), meclizine, scopalomine, prednisone, and diuretics plus a low-salt diet. Basically, anything which might calm down the vestibular nerve or reduce swelling. Sometimes migraine medications can help if these are contributing factors. I've probably forgotten a few, but these might be of assistance.