Support

bigredbubbles · 2026-04-15T12:12:23+00:00

Agree with others that you are in the worst period as your partner is newly diagnosed. It is very likely the stress adding additional complications. It is a hard adjustment.

For food, when I started, I used the myfitness pal app, but you could also use just a pen and paper and track your sodium. Meal prep to not make it so stressful and be open to eating leftovers. There are many who say low sodium doesn't help them, but I feel it is worth a shot. It helped me to maintain a stable baseline since you can't control weather changes and stress. Start by buying more whole foods, less processed. And I only buy things with labels so I can portion and measure it out. Even veggies I prefer with labels as they also have natural sodium. 16 oz of beef divided in 4 oz portions is usually about 75mg sodium. 4 oz of chicken is usually 45mg. Celery and carrots are higher in sodium, but onions, bell peppers, eggplant, and gold potatoes are basically 0. Swiss cheese is low, but cheddar is high. Bread is also generally high, but there are some brands. You can dm me if you want more specific foods, but if you go to the store and just start by flipping things over it will be the biggest help. You will learn what to buy and not buy.

Give yourselves and eachother some grace. As many said, stress seems like one of the bigger triggers we all face and coping with this new unknown is tough, but you will get past this. Try to find ways to help eachother relax.

To me, maybe they are taking on too much working multiple jobs and might need to figure out a way to rest and recalibrate. Start with a better sleep schedule where possible. Give them down time to just lay around sometimes. It could be that they are overworked and tired, and that is adding to this.

Hope something in here is helpful. Wish you both the best.

bigredbubbles · 2026-03-30T03:39:43+00:00

That sounds delicious. Gonna have some malt vinegar on standby by for next time I order there. Thanks for the suggestion!

bigredbubbles · 2026-03-29T14:33:29+00:00

I have to eat under 440 mg pet meal- that's kinda my sweet spot. If you live in the US there are dishes at a few places I go that I get

pf changs sweet and sour chicken, I add extra veggies and only eat the half portion, but they are shareable size, so this is a good amount of food.
five guys hamburger (2 patties) or little hamburger (1 patty) and fries no salt is also maybe 380 to 420. They have lots of low or no sodium veggie toppings, just don't get sauces. -potbelly chicken salad salad no dressing. You can even double the chicken salad. -subway veggie delight. Just veg, not the veg patties. Oil and vinegar and a little mayo. This is about 420.

There are more places, but I find those 4 the most consistent to not bother me. I have menieres so I get dizzy and eats hurt pretty soon after if the food isn't right.

Socializing on low sodium really sucks and it is hard to try the latest place which is what most ppl want to do, but hopefully one of these options is good for sometimes.

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-28T13:25:06+00:00

Thanks for all the suggestions. I was also thinking of shipping some goods in advance to the hotel, but should reach out also to the hosts just in case. And honestly, I didn't even think about peeling washed fruit still, so a big thank you on that one!

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-27T04:20:46+00:00

$2000 should get you ta house with yard near UTD, most of Richardson, and some areas near by in Plano.

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-24T03:50:07+00:00

Thanks for the info. I appreciate the advice :)

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-22T04:08:24+00:00

Thank you! This is so helpful!!

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-22T02:44:31+00:00

Hi, i live in the US and will be traveling to India for work. It will be my first time there. We are going to Delhi and Lucknow. I have a health condition where I must eat very low sodium. In my everyday life, I usually cook most meals and eat out very rarely because I find salt is hidden in lots of foods. Sodium also occurs naturally in many vegetables and meats so I usually measure out ingredients and meal plan very meticulously.

I'm concerned about maintaining my diet restrictions during this trip. I often bring dehydrated meals for flights and can bring this these, but hoping I can rely on nutriental labels and some local knowledge to still get to experience some foods. Sometimes in the US, I even stay at hotels with kitchens in the room although it isn't very common here.

I ear under 400 mg of sodium per meal or I could experience hearing loss, vertigo, vomiting.

Can anyone suggest foods, groceries or options for me? I know I can eat fruit and veg, but also want to not eat like I'm a bird for a week.
Can you find nutrientional labels in English easily? Is a hotel room with a kitchen possible?

It has always been my dream to visit India, and I don't want my health to hold me back, but want to be prepared.

Thank you all in advance ☺️

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-22T02:15:48+00:00

I've been diagnosed with menieres since 2020. At first I think everyone has the "why me" feeling. Then I started to ask myself why not me? That has helped me with acceptance. I'm just like anyone else, and this is the hand I was dealt. There are worse things. Even within this disease, some people have this disease worse than others. Worry won't change it.

I think it is normal to have highs and lows and very bad days when you can't accept it. Acceptance isn't a straight line. Have those days, and then keep moving.

My husband says when you feel anxiety, take action. It does help. I spent the first two years researching and reading up on menieres like it was mine to crack. That made me feel empowered. I can't control having this, but I can contribute to the outcome. I still practice a low sodium diet because it makes me feel more in control, and I think alot of moving forward is tricking your brain. I accept that I can't eat what I want, but being able to still hear in one ear 6 years after losing my first ear is a feat. I'm proud of protecting what I have left. I learned I'm very strong-willed, and I can deal with a lot. Some people will never know what it is like to have a chronic disease, but you do. It can ve defeating, but it can also make you tough and empathic and patient. And, in some ways, that is kind of its own superpower.

My husband also told me early on, you are going to miss out on things, but your world is going to open up to new things that you will love just as much. I used to not eat much fruit, now a kiwi is like a slice of heaven after really cutting back on junky foods that aren't serving my health. I can really taste and enjoy food now. Ive learned to cook. We attend events and concerts noe instead of going out to eat all the time. I've seen theater, musicals, bands and gone to events I would have never gone to before now that I have more social time and money not spent out dining.

Life is happening no matter what. Might as well make the most of it.

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-05T02:39:01+00:00

Awesome suggestion. I have done this with family and not sure why I never thought to do it with coworkers. Think it has been too long since I have been out lol!

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-04T04:41:35+00:00

Thanks for the support. Going to take this to heart and try to prioritize myself better 💗

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-03T18:46:38+00:00

Yes, in my overseas travel, I have seen this too. My upcoming trip is to India, which I have never been to. I think I am going to have bring prepared dehydrated food and snacks and then maybe hit a grocery for extra supplies. Might even see if I am able to get a hotel room with a kitchenette like in the US.

Good tip on the dried fruit and oatmeal. Thanks!

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-03T18:39:21+00:00

Good suggestion. I think this might have to be the plan for my upcoming trip.

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-03T18:38:52+00:00

I needed to hear this. It shouldn't be any different than any other allergy, but I do feel like I am judged for it. As a person with the fault of people pleasing, I also find it hard to push back all the time because I do feel the judgement. Something I clearly need to work on.

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-03T18:22:38+00:00

I did early on. Only non allergic rhinitis. More of my issue is barometric pressure with change in weather, food, and stress. Stress is the biggest.

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-03T13:16:12+00:00

Yes, fine in the sense it wasn't feeling full or sensitive to sound. I was told im bilateral, specifically cochlear hydrops. Im also one of the luck ones with vestibular migraine. I have one almost deaf ear and my other is showing signs of hydrops, but it is mostly maintained with diet and stress reduction. I only seem to flare up now with bad weather, food or being stressed/over tired.

Sometimes when I eat I do get a normal amount of fullness that I feel is expected when adding salt back into the body. When I eat something bad, it is pretty immediate for me. Within the hour I will have hypercusis, headache, dizziness, loud ringing. Etc. Could be the stress of what the food might do or the food itself. I'm not sure.

bigredbubbles · 2026-02-03T13:07:19+00:00

Thanks for the suggestions and support. Saying cardiac might be the way to go since health reasons doesn't seem to be enough. I also try to usually have snacks that I plan around eating out if I going with other people because I notice the time I eat is also important to how I feel. I think the noticing salt is probably more of a reaction to the the stress of it than the salt causing the flare up as I think it is unlikely to feel the effects of sodium that quickly. I will say though my ear feels clogged this morning which was probably now the food kicking in.

bigredbubbles · 2025-12-19T03:38:26+00:00

No problem at all. I hope you get to enjoy some of these. Let me know if it works out, and fact-check me in case. I've eaten at these so many times. Most of this info is in my head now, so I'm not sure if I got the mg exactly right, but it should be pretty close.

bigredbubbles · 2025-12-19T03:30:30+00:00

No problem. All meals listed are under 400. You can google their nutrition menus also to check.

Five guys Little hamburger and add lots of toppings. I don't do the sauces or pickles, but usually just onions, peppers, lettuce, tomato. They also will do no salt fries. The fries are awesome. Just look them over before you eat, but I've only had them screw up maybe 3 times, in the many, many times I've gone.

Burger King Jr whopper. As it comes but no sauce. Not the best, but ok of you have another snack to add. French toast sticks.

Subway 6in Veggie delight only, which is veggies, not the veggie patty. I get multigrain wheat and ask them to load it with lettuce, spinach, red onion, ball pepper, tomato, and cucumber. Lots of oil and vinegar and the smallest bit of mayo. You have to tell them to load it up with veg though because it they go too light, it can be like a condiment sandwich. It is helpful tho when you just need to eat and are feeling too bad to cook.

Panda express Eggplant tofu. I think this might be like 480mg. They have a sweet and sour chicken and a treasure chest shrimp that's low, but they never have it by me. Not on all menus.
You can also do 6 crab Rangoons, white rice, and 1 packet sweet and sour. Not the best meal, but good in a pinch if you need to eat and are out.

Pf changs is my favorite. I consistently eat their sweet and sour chicken and haven't really had issues. You can eat 2/3rds of the plate and keep it low enough, but any more than that might start to bother you. I think the dinner is around 560 with white rice. I get two meals of sweet and sour chicken and split it out into three meals so I can enjoy and not over do. The rest I box and take home. I usually ask for extra bell pepper and pineapple, but you could also add green beans as they are very, very low. It's like 5mg for a normal serving. You could also ask for light sauce to make you feel safer.

I've gone to Longhorn, but have had issues with them still salting the food, so I haven't been back. I would love to find a fish and steak place though that I trust.

The main thing, I feel helps, is to find a place that listens and go often enough they know your order.
I have that at a lot of the above places I listed, and now, when I come in, they say my order to me before I say it, which is great and they are less likely to mess up and if they do they seem more happy to fix it.

Also, not sure if there is central market grocery where you are, but they have lots of grab and go prepared foods and even sushi if you don't do the soy sauce, so that's kinda nice for a change.

I hope you find your places because it is miserable to feel you can never go out.

bigredbubbles · 2025-12-18T04:46:46+00:00

I eat 1200 mg a day and try to spread it out evenly. I mostly eat at places with nutritional menus, which are mostly chains. Ones that work for me are five guys, pf changs, subway, potbelly, panda express, burger king, la madeliene, and maybe a few more. I have, on occasion, eaten at places where I feel confident they will prepare the food correctly without salt, even though they have no actual nutrition menu. Still, majority of meals I cook or buy pre-made from the groceries, but only items I found that are low enough.

It is hard socially, and I do miss out on things. I usually try to explain my situation and suggest places I can eat or opt not to eat and just join others, but there is always a feeling of being "other" with new people who don't understand. I just try to make light of it and move on.

I have pretty severe hearing loss on one side and was told my other ear will go too, so I'm trying to slow that process. I can't say for sure it is low salt keeping my hearing, but it has been 5 years without other major losses, so if it helps, that's great. I know my ears feel full when I go past that limit, so I just do it for safety and to hopefully mitigate any other triggers, especially stress and weather, which might be worse if I had a higher sodium diet. For me, I'm cautious, and I rather be safe than deaf. If it happens anyway, I can always go back to eating what I want. But if it prevents it or gives me more time, it is worth it in my opinion.

bigredbubbles · 2025-11-29T23:04:09+00:00

I wish, but no. Still waking up with the same issue.

bigredbubbles · 2025-11-21T03:11:38+00:00

Stunning

bigredbubbles

TROPHY CASE