As mentioned in my page Ménières & HERPES, there are
many published medical studies suggesting a link between Meniere’s Disease and
Herpes Viruses.
Acyclovir & Famciclovir
Acyclovir (also known as Aciclovir) helps to stop herpes
viruses from spreading to other cells. It is used to treat chickenpox, shingles,
and genital herpes. Acyclovir is available as tablets, capsules, an ointment, a
suspension or as an injection. Acyclovir can be used to treat recurrent
outbreaks.
Like acyclovir, Famciclovir can
help prevent herpes viruses from spreading to other cells. It is available as a
tablet for the treatment of cold sores (herpes simplex 1) and genital herpes
(herpes simplex 2). It also has a longer therapeutic effect than Acyclovir so
it doesn’t need to be taken as frequently throughout the day.
You may wish to discuss with your GP or specialist the possibility
of incorporating anti-viral medication into your Meniere’s management plan.
Be aware that these anti-viral medications are quite
expensive and can cost anywhere from AUD$120 to $420 depending on the strength of
the tablet and the quantity required. So if your GP or specialist were to let
you try Acyclovir at say 2,000mg/day for a period of two weeks, you would need
140x 200mg tablets, so two packs of 90 tablets, which according to the
Australian PBS would cost AUD$232.24 (the full dispensed price because this
medication is not listed for Meniere’s Disease). Famciclovir is also listed on
the Australian PBS for similar prices. Discuss with your GP or specialist which
one will be best for you to try.
My GP, who is quite holistic, let me try Aciclovir 200mg
tablets (2 to 4 tablets) taken three times a day. I found that I struggled to
take the tablets, because their shape was a bit jagged to swallow & there
were so many tablets* 6 to 12 (1,200mg to 2,400mg daily), so I ended up taking
about 1,400mg to 1,600mg which probably wasn’t enough for me to get a good
result. If my GP is in agreement, I will definitely try another round of anti-viral
medication in the near future. *(in addition to my other medication.)
If you would like to incorporate anti-viral medication into
your Meniere’s management plan, then discuss this with your medical
practitioner. You may also wish to print the abstracts for these two studies
below and show them to your GP or specialist.
“Randomized double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of famciclovir for reduction of Ménière's disease symptoms.”“Effectiveness of Acyclovir on Meniere's Syndrome. III. Observation of Clinical Symptoms in 301 Cases.”
This is also an interesting read but if you are considering an
intratympanic injection my suggestion would be to try Dexamethasone instead of Ganciclovir
(see my posts on Dexamethasone):
“Intratympanic application of an antiviral agent for the treatment of Ménière's disease”
This medical article testing Valacyclovir & Methylprednisolone
for the treatment of Vestibular Neuritis (the second most common cause of
peripheral vestibular vertigo) was also interesting:
“Methylprednisolone, valacyclovir, or the combination for vestibular neuritis.”
L-Lysine
Before trying either Acyclovir & Famciclovir, I suggest
you consider taking the essential amino acid L-Lysine. It is not a prescription
medication and can be bought over the counter from most chemists and health
food stores.
I can recommend Nature’s Own L-Lysine 500mg (200 tablets) as
it is readily available in Australia, however you could order The Vitamin
Shoppe L-Lysine (300 capsules) which I found much easier to swallow than the
Nature’s Own tablets. Also, the Vitamin Shoppe L-Lysine capsules come in bulk
which is very cost effective and worth the cost of shipping to Australia (particularly
with the current strong Australian dollar).
Nature’s Own L-Lysine 500mg TabletsThe Vitamin Shoppe L-Lysine 500 Capsules
My GP recommended I try a high dose of up to 4,500mg daily,
however “The John of Ohio Meniere’s Regimen” suggests up to 3,000mgs daily. I
suggest you start with the recommended amount on the bottle then consult your
GP before increasing to a higher amount.
The John Of Ohio Regimen - Jan 2010 UPDATE
Also you could try incorporating more dietary sources of
L-Lysine into your diet, such as:
Pulses/Legumes:
Soybeans, Lentils, Azuki Beans, Kidney Beans, Chickpeas and Navy Beans.
Fruits/Vegetables:
Peas.
Grains: Amaranth.
Meats: Beef,
Catfish, Chicken or even Eggs.
Dairy: Milk &
Parmesan Cheese (although it is high in Sodium which is a bit of a Meniere’s
no-no but a little would be fine).
HAVE YOU
TRIED ANTI-VIRAL MEDICATION OR L-LYSINE TO MANAGE YOUR MENIERE’S? If so,
please share your story in the comment section below.
