"I really didn't have a life of my own," says Gilbert, "I couldn't drive—I didn't feel safe." His wife would tell him, "You walk like you have been drinking," and the 'fullness' he felt in his ear was causing a loss of hearing in his right ear. Everyday activities such as shaving, shampooing or any activity that involved moving his head became a real problem. Gilbert could not work on his computer and began to lose a great deal of weight. He states, "I had a real feeling that my life was coming to an end" and "it was a very depressing feeling." To complicate matters, he found that the vertigo medication he was taking in combination with his high blood pressure medication appeared to drain his energy, altering his mood as well. "I had always been healthy. In fact, I have never had an operation in my life, and the last time I was in the hospital was when I was 19 years old."

After suffering for approximately nine months, Gilbert was diagnosed as having Ménière's disease. The outlook wasn't promising. Surgery was presented to him as an option to help him regain some quality of life, but the procedure would have involved severing his vestibular nerve with the risk of losing hearing in that ear. To Gilbert, this was not a viable option. He felt as if he was "at the end of his rope" and that he would not be functional anymore.

Then, one of the specialists Gilbert was consulting, Dr. J. Douglas Green of Jacksonville, told him about a new therapy available that might reduce the severity of his symptoms. He also told to Gilbert how it had been used successfully in Europe for a number of years. The treatment utilizes the Meniett^® device, a low air pressure, non-destructive, non-invasive therapy. Longing for help, Gilbert asked if Dr. Green would consider him as a candidate for this treatment. Dr. Green agreed. The first step was to place a vent tube into Gilbert's ear, which was done at the doctor's office. Gilbert says, "It certainly wasn't painful, and it is very comfortable. In fact, you don't notice that you have it implanted." Dr. Green also demonstrated the Meniett device for Gilbert and explained its extremely simple operation. Gilbert estimates that for him, each treatment takes about five to seven minutes.

The effects were felt almost immediately. Gilbert states that he noticed that he began to hear better on the drive home the afternoon Dr. Green showed him how to use the unit. "In fact, it came as a shock to me," Gilbert says. "When I went up the stairway to my home I could hear the sounds of my clothing rubbing—you know how clothing rubs against the other piece of cloth? And I was able to go that afternoon and walk on the beach. Now, it's significant

that I say 'walk on the beach' because I couldn't walk anymore than three or four blocks without feeling sick. It took me maybe about a month and a half to really gain my strength, but I'm back to walking four miles a day."

Since Gilbert began his therapy using the Meniett device, he set a goal for himself—to go back to work. He felt that if he were able to do that, he would be well on his way to being 'normal' again. Three months after he began using the Meniett device, Gilbert states, "I was able to go back to the court in Tampa…and I worked a full week. I could have worked more if I wanted to. They were 8-hour days and there was a day that was a 12-hour day, with absolutely no problem."

"I will say that this treatment really surprised me. It has been very effective, very easy to do. I am now functional, able to work, and I certainly feel a lot better so I cannot say enough about the equipment. And I thank you very much for the opportunity of being one of the first ones to use the equipment. Meniett and local pressure treatment is only to be used after doctor's prescription. If you wish to order a Meniett and have a doctor's prescription, click here.

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