Meniere's Disease & Law School? Forum

[bdm261]

So after about a month of non-stop ringing in my left ear and a sense of pressure or feeling like my ear needed to pop, I went to an ENT yesterday. I did a battery of hearing tests and was told that the hearing function in my left ear has severely decreased and I was given a pamphlet on Meniere's Disease and told I probably have it.

I looked into it further online and it really describes a lot of the crap I've been feeling lately: tiredness (I sleep 3 or 4 hours then wake up around 4 A.M. and remain awake til my alarm finally rings at 7:45), the constant tinnitus, pressure or fullness in the ears, balance issues, hearing loss, and "brain fog." I also learned that it supposedly gets worse until you completely lose your hearing in the affected ear and it can sometimes eventually go to the second ear.

Pretty much left me completely depressed and wondering if I can still be a law student (or any kind of functional employee even). The fact I lately have to read the same sentence 3 or 4 times to comprehend it really worries me. Basically no cure for it besides bullshit internet quackery.

Does anyone have any opinion on this or have the condition and manage to be successful in law school and the legal world? I'd like to know if this situation isn't completely hopeless.

[BlueJeanBaby]

So after about a month of non-stop ringing in my left ear and a sense of pressure or feeling like my ear needed to pop, I went to an ENT yesterday. I did a battery of hearing tests and was told that the hearing function in my left ear has severely decreased and I was given a pamphlet on Meniere's Disease and told I probably have it.

I looked into it further online and it really describes a lot of the crap I've been feeling lately: tiredness (I sleep 3 or 4 hours then wake up around 4 A.M. and remain awake til my alarm finally rings at 7:45), the constant tinnitus, pressure or fullness in the ears, balance issues, hearing loss, and "brain fog." I also learned that it supposedly gets worse until you completely lose your hearing in the affected ear and it can sometimes eventually go to the second ear.

Pretty much left me completely depressed and wondering if I can still be a law student (or any kind of functional employee even). The fact I lately have to read the same sentence 3 or 4 times to comprehend it really worries me. Basically no cure for it besides bullshit internet quackery.

Does anyone have any opinion on this or have the condition and manage to be successful in law school and the legal world? I'd like to know if this situation isn't completely hopeless.

First thing I would do is get a second AND third opinion. I feel like those symptoms can be common of a series of things (I literally get similar ones when my allergies are bad) and I would want to make sure that was the cause before I stressed about my entire future.

[manofjustice]

Sorry man. That sucks. I don't know how I would react if I learned this news.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001721/

I perused through this, and I think the key is the answer to this question:

To what extent is the "brain fog" and difficulty sleeping, which, among the symptoms you describe seem to be the only ones that could seriously impact your ability to study law or "be a useful employee," caused by the disease or your depression caused by the disease's physical symptoms or your shock of learning that you have it? If these symptoms get better the less depressed you get, then TCR is to treat the depression--which seems more treatable than Meniere's disease.

[tigyrgrl]

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[bdm261]

First of all, do get a second opinion. Meniere's is not a condition that you should deal with maybes on.

Next, if it is determined to be Meniere's, it can be lived with, dealt with, and people can exist happily with it. The men in my husband's family, including my husband, all deal with it.

It is pretty much a condition that you have to treat the symptoms.

Always carry breath mints, chewing gum, crackers, or jerky to address the pressure in ears. For the vertigo, stay hydrated and carry Dramamine, or MotionEaze (an oil you place behind your ear for nausea). When you are flying, make sure you get a window seat to avoid constant getting up and down as it can exacerbate the vertigo in some people. Low salt diet is preferred, and a lot of it has to do with water retention which can make the symptoms worse. When you exercise it is strongly recommended that you do it with another person if vertigo is a problem. Avoid overheating because it can bring on sudden bouts of symptoms. Sleeping cold seems to help with some symptoms.

Don't let it deter you, as it is a medical condition that many folks live with for decades with limited lifestyle damage.

Thanks for the reply. Was really flipped out when I was first diagnosed and started reading about the condition online and getting the impression that sufferers end up unable to work and on disability. I'm a little over the initial shock lately and decided I'm not going to let it ruin law school and kind of just "dealing with it."

I am getting a second opinion Tues but I like the idea of carrying gum all the time and will probably start doing that.

I've pretty much started doing everything I have read about online such as taking various vitamin supplements so we'll see how that goes.

Thanks again.

[Teflon_Don]

I hope you don't have it. But keep your head up. There's also surgery to correct it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_dz772FVgg

[Trajectory]

Jeez, I cant imagine being side struck by this type of news while trying to get into law school and carry out a full time serious profession! Sorry to hear this, I think your going down the right track so far in dealing with it and not letting it stop you. For sure 2nd and maybe 3rd opinions from doctors. I wish you the best of luck!