The "Hanks Health" FAQ:

What's wrong with your health?
It is still unknown as to what is wrong. So far, theories are beginning to take shape but there are no solid conclusions yet. It has been two years since this began and it seems this is a complicated process. (Made more complicated when the physicians consistently bungle paperwork). Whatever the cause, the symtoms make life interesting to say the least. If you want the whole run-down, keep reading. It's all here.

Who have you told?
Everyone I can think of.
Aside from my doctors, friends, family and the government, I've written two articles on my health.

The first, "The Face of Disabilty" was published by the local paper, The Big Bear Grizzly. And it's linked to from The Meniere's Disease Information Center.

The second, "An Inconvenient Patient", is new and I intend to send it to every newspaper, news network, and politician I can think of. Again, The Meniere's Disease Information Center is helping to spread the word by linking to this article, too. It would be a HUGE help if you helped me spread the word. Either send out the article, write your own and link to mine, call an honest doctor (if you know one), anything... I really appreciate it.

What happened?
For almost twenty years I have had brief (ten minutes to an hour) spells of dizziness and other symptoms including weakness, loss of breath, nausea, and brain fog. All the while, my doctors said I was fine. Good glucose levels, good blood pressure, cholesterol, etc... I was otherwise completely healthy. I was athletic as a skater, bike rider, runner, paratrooper, hiker and martial artist. I wrote these spells off to stress and dealt with it when it happened. Over the years, the frequency of these "attacks" rose and in the latter part of 2004, I had to face the fact that I could no longer do my job as an Art Director in a timely manner (meet deadlines), due to the near constant brain fog and feelings of disorientation. I again assumed it was stress and set about trying to find a less stressful job. This website and the company Eye of the Dragon Productions are the results of that decision.

The week prior to 4/9/05 I was sick. I was in bed for four days with a 104.5 degree fever and flu-like symptoms. The fever eventually broke and I got better. (I don't know if this period of fever is related to what is going on, but due to the timing, I thought I would include it. One of my doctors suggested I may have already had Meniere's and the fever, if virus caused, could have made things worse. As yet unproven) Two days later, I went for a walk and felt very dizzy. I had been dizzy before, but nothing like this. It felt like G forces were pressing on me from all over, and my head was spinning. I made it home, and told a friend that I didn't feel well. For the next three weeks, I felt dizzy, as I described, at random, and my ears rang off and on. When I began "tipping" (a sudden loss of balance resulting in a fall), I finally grew concerned enough to seek medical help. I was told what I was experiencing was called vertigo. I was prescribed Meclizine - a.k.a. AntiVert, which had no effect. Several weeks later, the vertigo had not gone away. The ear ringing was constant now, as well as constant, overwhelming nausea. I went back to the doctor and was told that I may have Meniere's Disease. There was nothing he could do, and I should see someone else. It has now been almost two years and the process of diagnosis is still ongoing. As I know more, I will post it here.

What's it feel like every day?
Actually, the question is usually "What's it feel like?", but I felt I should establish that the following symptoms are an everyday, or near-everyday, event.

List of symptoms:
1) Constant:
Aural fullness, constant sense of motion, nausea, dizziness, vertigo.

2) Near-constant:
Ear ringing (at varying levels and pitches with both solid tones and "thrumming"). Occasionally goes away (for no longer than a week or so)

3) Random:
Loss of balance resulting in a very sudden "tipping" or fall (about 3-10 times a day, at random. Usually to the left), intense brain fog, slurring of speech, weakness in arms and other parts of body.

4) Mornings:
Overwhelmingly increased nausea, increased dizziness, increased aural fullness, increased vertigo. Due to the nightmarish levels of nausea and vertigo in the mornings, I usually can't eat until afternoon.

5) Evenings:
Increased ear ringing, dramatic increase of "tipping" events, slight loss of hearing.

Thank you all for your concern and your support.

Hank