Medway balance clinic

Ears, nose and throat
1

Hi everyone

I'm enquiring if I can be seen at Medway maritime clinic and I remember someone posting on here that they had been there. Apparently, it's a centre of excellence for vestibular disorders and you get seen by a neuro otologist. Has anyone been? I wish I could find who posted about it. Thanks for any help x

2

Hi,

I am assuming that you live down in Kent, unfortunately  I do not have any details for that particular clinic but I do currently see the top neuro otologist in the  UK.  His name is Mr Rea and he works out of the Spires Hospital in Leicester.

Sorry I could not help with the other details.

Good luck

Laurence

3

Hi Laurence

Thanks for your reply. I actually live in rossendale, Lancashire so Leicester is nearer to me. I'll look Mr Rea up as it may save me the long journey to Kent!!

4

Hi Laurence,

I know that you ahve been struggling a long time with this stuff.  Have you been able to find any relief with Dr. Rea?  How are you doing overall?

Terry

5

Hi Pinky,

That would be much closer for you.  Just for interest Mr Rea will be on TV on the 31st March helping a lady who had been dizzy for many years before seeing him.  It is channel 5 and called medical Msyteries.

Best Wishes

Laurence

6

Hi Terry,

Good to hear from you again.  My VN was further complicated by migraine so Mr Rea has prescribed some medication to help that and to help me sleep better.  I have been feeling some improvment these past 2 weeks so hopefully I will begin to see some more improvment over the next few weeks/months.  

How have you been, has you dizziness now completely gone?

Laurence

7

Not completely gone but, to a point that I can function.  I am around 95% recovered and feel that the remainder may be something that I have to live with.  My GP told me last week that once there is damage, and the neuro signals have to find new paths, that it just feels different to the brain.  My issues are more equilibrium related and I find some environments give me problems.  Large open areas make me feel a little off balance.

Hope that he can help you find the relief that we are all seeking.  This is truly a strange disorder and it is complicated by so many things. 

Best wishes.

8

Hi I believe it was me who posted about the balance clinic in Gillinghan Kent. I live in Bristol and have made a couple of journeys there staying overnight before and after the appts. It is rather challenging but worth it to see the fantastic team there.

You need to get your GP to make a referal, they see people from all over the country and beyond. Please dont hesitate to ask me any questions.

Jan

9

I think you are right about having to live with a small percentage of dizziness as it seems many sufferers do not totally recover.

I am probably at around 70% but the thing holding me back is the lightheaded/faint feeling I get.  I am hoping the tablets will also sort this out.

I have recently had an ECG but I am pretty sure that will be ok.  I think the faint feeling is also due to the VN as I know others have complained of this.

best wishes

Laurence

10

Hi jan

Thanks so much for replying. I searched for ages and couldn't find your post. I got in touch with Medway today and spoke to mr surenthian's secretary and was told he does a clinic in London which is nearer to me than Kent. Is he the neuro tologist you saw? How are you doing? Did he do any balance tests like the goggles or putting air/water in your ears etc? I don't feel I've ever had any proper assessments done and have been like this for 17 months. I really know I need to see a good neuro otologist now, if anything to put my mind at rest and know I will get better.

11

Ok it's in my diary and I'll look out for that. I'm really looking for a drug free route as much as possible as I'm not on any meds.

12

Hi Pinky,

Mr Rea will always take the drug free route to begin with, unfortunately for me I am also suffering migraine which is aggravating the VN so hence he has prescribed something for that.  Just like the Medway clinic, Mr Rea also has an excellent balance clinic testing for everything, this is at his Londion Road clinic also in Leicester.  He has helped me greatly. 

The Medway clinic also sounds great, you are now spoilt for choice.

best of luck

Laurence

13

I've phoned up both places now. Mr Rea even had availability this Thursday but nobody can take me then. I think I'm going to go private as I'm fed up of waiting. Did he diagnose MAV for you? How long have you had this? Yes both places sound good. I guess it's now where I can go to be seen the quickest.

14

Hi, do you know where he does the London clinic?

15

Hi, his secretary said he does one at Harley street once a month I think. I'm waiting for her to come back to me with dates.

16

Oh that will be provate then.

17

Yes the nhs one is the Medway in Kent. It's expensive but I don't think I can wait 2 more months to see someone who knows what they're talking about!!

18

Hi, yes I saw Dr Surenthrian after having all the usual tests in Bristol and getting no where with what the problem was. I saw him in Tunbridge Wells initially at the Sprire private hospital there, he does a clinic there once a month. Once I saw him he was keen to see me at his clinic at Medway which is NHS.

I cant honestly say I am "better" but learning to cope, gaining confidence in walking, learning to be less anxious all helps to improve life generally, and the team at Medway have gone a long way in helping me to do that.

Jan

19

That's good to hear that you're seeing progress. Can I ask if that's through VRT? I haven't had any thorough testing done anywhere and not progressing with VRT. All I've had is an MRI and bloods done. I thought if I can have all the range of balance testing done, at least I'll know it's vestibular and not say coming from my neck. I could have had all the tests done last October but foolishly cancelled them as I thought I was getting better. I have an appointment with this same place next Friday but they're not doing any of the tests but just giving me VRT. I feel like I'm going round in circles, so to speak, and not getting anywhere. I've read up on this Dr and he sounds good too.

20

Hi Pinky,

I also went private and still am.  Mr Rea diagnosed VN initailly but as I am still suffering and after providing him with a further list of symptoms he has also diagnosed silent migraine.  These are likely brought on by my poor sleep pattern and tension around my neck and shoulders so hence he precsribed me something to help my sleep and the tension which in turn will help the migraine and dizziness.  I do feel like I am making a slow improvmenet since starting on a low dose, the diose increases over the next 2 months so I may feel even better over the next few weeks.  I also carry out the VRT prescribed by his physiotherpist, Andrew Clements, no doubt you will get to see Andrew also.

Mr Rea is an extremely nice men and very knowledgeable.  He carries out lots of seminars on the subject and treats peaople from all over the world so you will be in good hands.

Best wishes

Laurence