I really wanted to spend a bit more time on the ear pressure that has been bugging me this week and the tinnitus which has been going crazy too, but Dr S didnāt want go there. In fact he said that the tinnitus is unlikely to go but I would get used to it and I should see an ENT about the ear pressure as it could a Eustachian tube issue . Hmm. Also wanted to ask his opinion about having the flu jab as I have read conflicting opinions. So it seems I am back to the drawing board.
Or ā¦ it could simply be the very last symptom to go and long after youāve left his care (I theorise that that is why some doctors donāt believe it goes, because people leave their care and its the last symptom to go - thereās no point in the hassle of doctors appointments for a small bit of tinnitus, right?).
Yes, Iāve been coming to this conclusion recently ā¦ but it may be lots of knock-on effects of things interacting and some vicious cycles.
e.g. Something is causing significant fluid/mucus in my (middle) ear and this in turn makes it block up a bit, which in turn could be causing pressure issues (and mild hearing loss from the dried gunk). That gunk cracks when dry when moving jaw sometimes.
Yes you are probably right that it is because the tinnitus is the last thing to go - I can live with it as sometimes I donāt notice it - especially when I am at work for instance. I find the ear pressure a bit discombobulating and quite annoying that it can come and go as it pleases without any noticeable cause. I recently had 2 weeks of hardly any pressure and felt normal. I think my ears are quite dry and I wonder if the perforated ear drum on the left ear, which is the worst one re pressure has anything to do with it. That ear also had part of the mastoid bone removed when I was a toddler because it was infected. My family has a history of ear problems so genes might be part of it too!
Maybe I have got a bit of water in my tubes from swimming - I should wear ear plugs but canāt find any that will stay in my ear.
The air pressure has been going up and down this week so that could also be an issue.
I am currently looking at the Eustachian tube threads on here to check symptoms and advice. Definitely a fab resource!
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You should absolutely get that fixed, imho, or at least monitored to check it is healing (if slowly) by a highly regarded ENT surgeon. Thatās not something you should leave as risk of additional infection from things getting in from ear canal (although this is contentious as middle ear is exposed via eustachian tube too).
Itās also bound to be affecting your hearing and tinnitus (as physical response will be different to fully healed drum).
You are right James I should get it fixed - the doctors I have seen over the years mainly comment about the perforation and have never suggested I see an ENT specialist so I have always assumed it is of little consequence. I know better now!
I used to get lots of ear and throat infections as a child and had glue ear in my 40s so my ears have taken a bashing.
I was surprised that Dr S said the ear pressure was unrelated to the Migraine variant balance disorder as all the symptoms started together a day after after my Power Hoop class. I suppose he must be right as I am not dizzy any more but when my ears are feeling full I am a bit light headed.
Perhaps swimming is not the best thing to do without ear plugs!
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Hi jan
I thought ear pressure was always part of MAV? Wonder why now Dr S thinks its an ENT issue. Ive had ear pressure for 4 years and my neuro has always accepted it as part of my Vestibular Migraineā¦well at least she knows i have it but has never suggested seeing an ENT consultant.
How are you doing these days Jan. How is work?
Jo xxx
Guys please always bear in mind MAV is a diagnosis NOT an aetiology.
For those with ear problems that could very well be the source of your MAV. My ear injury definitely is. It could be as simple as having injured your ear with a cotton bud or barotrauma from landing in a plane with a blocked Eustachian tube. They are incredibly delicate and intricate.
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What you bn reading abt the flu jab then relating to MAV? Iāve had it several times, and due another. Jan, with perforated ear drum you really need earplugs swimming. My friend with same wonāt shower without them even, Must admit I think tinnitus is one if last symptoms to go. I think it will. Mine is going now. Sometimes I goes days without it. It returns when balance āchallengedā but is less than it was. It was 24/7 for several years. Agreed with @turnitaround there. Helen
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Hi Helen - all nonsense probably from one of the facebook groups! Serves me right for looking. I have never had the flu jab so wasnāt sure if it was a good or bad thing - my parents swear by it. My GP surgery has run out of it at the moment so Iāll have to wait for the next round!
I am having trouble finding ear plugs to suit - one set doesnāt fit the shape of my ears, and another look like the MigraineX ones for ear pressure and flying. The instructions tell me not to use if I have a perforated ear drum without my GPs advice - I must admit it does look rather lethal with a long prong to put in your ear. I have also tried the water proof ones that you can mold into the right shape, but they usually fall out so I am going wrong somewhere. I think I am shape dyslexic.
The tinnitus was improving but over the last week has been getting louder alongside the āplugged upā feeling. I can live with it as long as the vertigo doesnāt return!
Hope all is well for you. Jan x
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Still not clear. What about the flu jab? Supposedly itās a dead vaccine so cannot give you active symptoms of fllu. All it can do is prevent you against whatever flu viruses it contains. This year, first time UK we have two different flu jabs and which you get depends on your age on last day March 2019, so most probably you and your parents wonāt get same one anyway. Those over 65ās on the date get three flu types covered, those under get four, the difference being younger ones get Japanese flu cover, olders donāt, not this year. Of course itās only effective at all if you catch the matching strains. Which the NHS choose depends on decision made months back by whoknows? And last year flu jab rafed at 30% effectiveness. Reason this year for two different jabs is because olders have poorer system at utilising it and this year the jabs have been treated to improve that. Excuse was no time to include four but cynics say itās funding. Lots of older plp seem to believe the flu jab helps with all coughs and colds but I donāt think thereās any medical evidence of that at all.
Sorry about your āear dyslexiaā. I once remember an optician who told me I had the wrong shaped nose to wear glasses! Because I complained they kept slipping down.
MAVās all āup and downā. Iād imagine the stress wound up your tinnitus. MAV doesnāt take much to wind up.
@jojo65. Ah. Interesting that. Really proves Dr Hain spot on. He says Effexor is most effective for Visual Vertigo and particularly in people who have adapted to vestibular migraine. Most interesting.
The ear pressure depends I suppose. I only got it as late on-set symptom-so mine must be from migraine and itās so similar to the rear head pressure too. But itās āchicken and henā for some so history becomes very relevant (@turnitaround knows his and that it caused his MAV) in diagnosis, and with difficulty, when thereās comorbid conditions as with @Janb. Thinking on it, only other time Iāve ever had ear fullness/ear pressure was when I had Mumps as a child although Iām sure my pet golden hamster I then had must have felt it carrying those pouches full of seeds back to his den a few times too.
@turnitaround. Timely your cotton buds comment. Heard earlier on radio huge sums NHS spent extracting a long list of bits of things (biros,pencils,beads etc) from childrensā ears, and cotton wool buds from UK adults. Helen
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Not to mention the cost to the environment of the plastic pollution they cause!
Used to see wooden ones in the shops. I could never work out what they were invented for in the first place. I used to watch a sister-in-law using one to wipe babyās nose and I used to shudder at the thought of what might happen if baby moved suddenly. Doesnāt bear thinking about. Helen
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Sorry - I didnāt really explain did I! I was looking at a thread on Facebook where lots of people claimed that the flu jab caused their MAV/VM to worsen and set them back - which worried me slightly as I donāt want to get the dizzies again if I can avoid it. However many others said this was a load of tosh as the flu jab was fine for them and warned of the dangers of getting the flu, which would b****r you up - scuse the language! I think I took too much notice of the flu jab doom mongers! Thank you for the info about the flu jab Helen - I shall now feel more confident about going for it.
Haha - my ears are obviously the wrong shape for ear plugs. I did see someone swimming with what looked like a head band in swimming cap material - I should have asked where she got it. I suppose I could try a swimming cap, but i never look as elegant in one as other female swimmers I see - I am so vain! xx
You are spot on as usual James. I forget that my ears are extra vulnerable ! 
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Iām not particularly advocating the flu jab. Success rates are pretty pathetic - 30%. I do wonder what odds the bookmakers would give you of catching the flu in the crowded surgery waiting to have the jab! Would be interesting comparison to the 30% success rate, maybe! Up to you. Iāve had two both with chronic MAV and was fine but of course donāt know if with the newer structured one things would be different. To actually compare youād need to know which jab theyād had, those on FB I mean. Anything can wind MAV up. Could be coincidence. Sometimes it does just seem to happen for no apparent reason. Itās unpredictable.
Interesting Dr S told you to maintain on the Piz and the diet until September 2019. Dr Silver has also written that up for the meds too. Just goes to show how long term MAV proves to be, Bit surprised he said same about the diet and if I were you Iād look into its deficiencies particularly regards to calcium for mature ladies now. Iām sure it will prove deficient. Have you found it hard to stick with? Iām trying the John Hopkins one, went OK for about 3 weeks then this last week Iāve flopped dismally. Just so bored with plain, plain, plain, I almost stop eating a proper main meal at all. Helen
Success rate isnāt great, but it didnāt cost me anything other than 20min wait time. Seems like a good ROI to me. Didnāt notice any changes in MAV, which is expected.
Having the flu is awful, and with MAV its really really awfulā¦
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Ho hum I might just give it a miss and see what happens! My husband doesnāt go any where a needle so we can both take our chances . Trouble is I am a target in my job as I work with students - bless em they come in and cough all over you and tell you they are not feeling well. You can tell I am a Pisces - always seeing both sides of the case and unable to make a decision!
I was surprised about that too and I am a little concerned that I am deficient in some of the essentials . My hair is very thin by my hairline and I am not happy about that and think that I must be lacking in something - I shall investigate whatās available off the shelf, or maybe speak to my brother the pharmacist
I have got into a bit of a routine re my diet, but it is a bit boring 
. . I am probably ingesting MSG without realising it but am sticking to the 6 Cs fairly well. I am still eating out but try not to have things with too much sauce or Gravy. The hard bit is not having lemon which appears in quite a few Italian dishes. Trouble is I have no idea what reaction I would get if I did eat some of the forbidden food. I am missing chocolate and nuts the most - especially the nuts. Jan
My 10 cents:
Iāve been ~100% for a month or so now. I only restrict caffeine. Thatās it.
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Well, that was going on last yearās figures of course. Depends who peered into what crystall ball when what we get this time around and we wonāt know how successful it was til next summer, youāve probably built up an immunity with the students and continued exposure. Less one mixes lower it seems to get, immunity that is. Thatās what I found and of course if the Other Half gets it, you are doomed. Iām married to a Pisces. He must be the exception. He doesnāt see both sides although heāll never make decisions, not even about what he wants to eat. He always says āWhatever you likeā but really means āAnything you cook that I likeā! Helen
Does that infuriate you? My husband gets cross it when I say I donāt mind which is my stock response to lots of his questions around food, holidays, which pub shall we go to etc etc!
Ha ha Helen you are on top form today!!! I still love you my friend even if you do have " the wrong shaped nose". You make me laugh even when i feel like a disorientated dizzy duckš¦
Jo xxx
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