Menieres disease: Anyone had surgery or gentamicin injection?

Roselyn - I had the gentamicin shots in my ear 3 years ago after 12 months of debilitating vertigo and increased hearing loss. Happy to report that the treatment completely eliminated the “spins” but also the hearing in that ear. I don’t regret the decision one bit. Feel free to DM me if you’d like more info on my experience. Hang in there - it’s difficult for sure!

Yes yes I would like to know more about the gentamicin surgery in your ear. I found a doctor in Sarasota Florida that does this but unfortunately it is to far from Springfield mo .
They have the Silverstein institute.
Could I ask what doctor you found? Lucky you. Thank you Joann8

I have been recommended gentamicin injections in my right ear because of bad vertigo for years. I am not concerned about the procedure itself or loss of hearing which is very bad anyway.
I am very worried about the vertigo after the injections, how bad it is, how long it lasts as well as the loss of balance because at 80 I am afraid I may not be able to regain it. My balance currently is not great but I manage very well without a cane etc. I would really appreciate it If anyone could please advise me or tell me about their own personal experience post gentamicin especially how long it takes for full recovery. Thanks.

I spent several days at the Mayo Clinic about 8 years ago testing for Meniere’s. I was experiencing severe vertigo, tinnitus, ear fullness and hearing loss. They couldn’t come to any conclusion and asked me to come back in 6 months. I was very discouraged and tried other remedies to no avail. I then started having drop attacks and ended up in ER a couple of times for injuries. Finally went to the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX. They started with gentamicin injections that stopped the vertigo and drop attacks for 6 months. Because of the drop attacks they then performed the labyrinthectomy surgery. I am now symptom free - no vertigo or drop attacks. I use BICROS hearing aids and that works great. It was a terrible 8 year journey with Ménière’s disease. I’m so thankful for the ENT team at UT Southwestern for their persistence in working with me to find a solution. I have my life back - free at last!

In his late 70's my dad's vertigo from Meniere's became really disruptive. He had one eardrum surgically "destroyed". He had very little hearin in that ear. The vertigo stopped and never returned.

6 years ago I had numerous Gentamicin injections but unfortunately these did not work so my ENT opened up behind the ear and inserted medical wading into the area where the destruction of the balance nerves, this obviously did the job, however my hear lose at the time had settled down to this particular left ear, when I mean settled down my hearing lose would change randomly from one ear to the other, I’d be interested to know if anyone else suffered a similar condition, anyway to the gentamicin wading into the left ear this was removed and a cochlear implant was put in place as well as a labyrinthectomy carried out, my balance was absolutely shot so numerous visits to the Vestibular Physiotherapist with a bucket in hand, because the initial treatment was hell too say the least, after about 8 to 10 treatments I had enough, I still feel very light headed and my eye focus lags, come the 14th of September this year 2026 I will be having a second cochlear implant placed into my other ear as my hearing has deteriorated to a degree that behind the ear aids do not function, As most of you will agree it’s been a long hard road, I do remember the words of a professor who specialises in this field, you are going to go through hell and he was definitely not wrong,
Finally I very much sympathise with all of you people and wish you well for the future.

@talnyc Hello there i know exactly what your issues are as I am 70 years old and I’ve had the gentamicin treatment, the recovery time is all about doing exercises carried out with your Vestibular physiotherapist along with your self motivation in doing the exercises at home, with me I’m still very unsteady on soft lawn or loose gravel, don’t attempt to walk at a fast pace as this can lead to falls, as you would have expected so far the Gentamicin injection go these are nothing to worry about.
I have noticed that your comments are a little way back 2024 and you probably or hopefully gotten over the worst of things by now,the other thing to remember is Menieres is different for most people but not all. I wish you well for the future

@ggr I suffered with Meniere’s for a number of years, the actual process of recognizing that you have Meniere’s is a very long drawn out process in itself, mine started in 2013 test after test after test and in between all of this was a massive amount of illness, drop attacks, loss of all body functions, then carted off to Hospital via ambulance it was so dam cruel.
Then come 2019 / 2020 things started to happen first of all gentamicin injections over a period of a month to try and destroy the balance nerves unfortunately this did not work so a small procedure to open up behind the ear and pack surgical wadding with in the incision that has been soaked In gentamicin then closed the wound up leaving this for 1 month, during this time deafness had set in or at least what little hearing I did have had extinguished to nil. One month latter the wadding was removed a labyrinthectomy was carried out as well as a Mastoidectomy and a N7 Nucleus Cochlear Implant was fitted, 2 weeks after surgery switch on was done then after a week or two when things started to settle down hearing exercises started by using an app on my phone called I Angel Sounds this app I highly recommend as it’s very practical and keeps a record of your progress, my audiologist was the one who recommended and set it up for me . The other thing that had to be rectified was my balance so off to a Vestibular Physiotherapist to start to have the right ear to compensate for the left ear. This was also a bit of a journey having to have treatment at the Physio’s as well as exercise’s at home, my balance is not to bad at this current moment as for my left ear and my cochlear implant it is fantastic on hell of an invention, my Meniere’s symptoms have diminished dramatically to almost nothing.
I have now lost hearing completely in my right ear so come the 14th of September 2026 I will be having my second Cochlear Implant fitted however this one I’m hoping is going to be a lot less complicated.