Perfect Storm

---

Brought on by high stress and rode in car with window down for 5 hours. The air (warm and damp) wise heading my right ear. Came down with an earache, my family doctor the vesicles inside my ear and prescribe the proper meds however I couldn't tolerate them and threw them up. All three ear specialists in my town were away on a conference so I could not see a specialist and now it was the weekend I did not get care for 4 days.

The facial paralysis set in after the first 10 days and lasted for two weeks I have recovered from that almost fully there is a slight lag but not noticeable. The ear doctor knew what it was and correctly diagnosed me and kept telling me I would be better in 2 weeks. He did not refer me to a specialist that handled RHS, even though he had interned under this doctor that was just 30 miles away. When my balance became an issue and I showed up again at the ear doctors office, he sent me back to my family doctor who looked at me and said what do you want me to do?

 

I waited 3 weeks to get into a neurologist who had me walk across the floor and then tell me I can't help you and offer no further guidance.

 

I found my way to Dr Fuhrman in Pittsburgh and I had all kind of tests in one afternoon and then immediately saw him to interpret the results of this test. I lost 75% of vitality in the nerve in my ear that helps control balance. I was prescribed vestibular therapy and pursue that for 3 months with a great deal of help.

 

Well balance was an issue, my ear felt full all of the time and felt like someone was trying to pull it out side of my head. There was a constant attention that my brain was giving my ear that diminished my ability to concentrate and perform as I had before. I should mention that I work full time.

 

At almost two years into the stillness I developed yet another symptom, and that was full body tremors that looks like I might be going into some type of seizure. If I was overwhelmed with information or the need to make quick decisions, or if I was startled my whole body would shake uncontrollably and it could go on for several minutes. I tried to make a second appointment with Dr Fuhrman and he refused to see me with these new symptoms.

 

It was at that time that I found a chronology of a woman in the United Kingdom, who was doing a video chronicle of her Ramsay Hunt case. She briefly mentioned that she was using Bowen Therapy & I had never heard of that. I researched Bowen Therapy and was pleased to find I could connect with a certified therapist that was 90 minutes away from my home. In one treatment I regained such a sense of improved well-being within 24 hours that I was totally stunned by this. I continued with five more treatments weekly and noticed improvements and a greater sense of control over my life and my body. It was truly a return to somewhat of a sense of well-being.

 

Well I made progress my balance improved my outlook improved I was much more relaxed I still had the full body tremors with heightened stress. 5 years into Ramsay Hunt for almost 5 years, I found my way to a nutritionist who is making a difference in the lives of some people that I knew for other ailments. I am 6 months into the nutritional therapy and after 4 months the tremors are all gone. Even though I have had stressing situations that would normally prompt the tremors I am symptom free in that area.

 

I am very careful living in the northeastern part of the United States, to keep my ear covered and away from wind and chilly weather and even in warm weather I cannot tolerate wind on that year or it feels like a symptoms of Ramsay Hunt may return. I know that wind on this year precipitated the event along with a high stress. In my life.

 

So after 5 years I have made my peace with this disorder and I am continually thankful and amazed that God has given us such an amazing brain that can compensate so well for the loss of balance and allow me to live my life to the fullest and I wish the same for everyone reading this that they find their way through this illness in the best me and her that suits them.

 

I will say that for Ramsay Hunt symptoms none of the continuous medications that Dr wanted to put me on were of any benefit except for some periods of time where I took valium to control the stress. Everything else they gave me created side effects that rivaled Ramsay Hunt itself.

 

If you have found your way to this wonderful map and the Ramsay Hunt Facebook group, you are in good company and can reach out for answers to your questions. Please do not be discouraged your case is different than everyone elses your outcome can be total recovery or almost total recovery and the recognition that you yourself have the courage to face this and live a full and productive life. God bless