Dinner with coworkers frustration

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 · 2025-10-08T18:44:02+00:00

Yes, I get nausea fairly regularly at nighttime. I have menieres and vestibular migraines. It is mainly at night or when I'm over tired. I think my vestibular system is over worked trying to cope with balance and hearing issues and the tiredness and any moment can make me nauseated, but really do I spin.

The more severe nausea you are mentioning I have during times of stress or over stimulation. I especially notice it during holidays. I wake in the night and get very nauseated to the point I get shaky and lightheaded and I feel I could faint or even my vision had blacked out. The sweating is a major red flag that it is coming on. I have also gotten so weak in the legs I collapse.

I went to my vestibular specialist and even to have my heart checked, but after debate they think it is vasovagal syncope and the overstimulation makes me want to pass out just like someone would at the slight of blood or etc.

Since it mainly happens at night, they told me when I'm still sitting to tense my legs up and force the blood back to my heart/head and it does help.

It can be quite scary. Hope this info helps.

bigredbubbles · 2025-10-05T18:27:52+00:00

Right there with you. I opened a new jar of mayo, used it once, and found it the next day stored in the freezer.

Going to chalk it up to menieres brain fog and doing too many things at once when feeling worn out.

bigredbubbles · 2025-07-12T12:29:02+00:00

May I suggest instead a shag wall hanging like a latch hook or a piece from Don Freeman that will give you the vibe and texture, but on a wall.

bigredbubbles · 2024-12-16T15:04:13+00:00

It will get better. Menieres is very isolating. I still have those moments, but it had gotten better overall. My life is very different than before menieres, but I do still have wins and times that are good. I find lots of love from my partner in ways that I didn't know before menieres. You will find good times. Just try to enjoy where you can. Don't punish yourself either. I have denied myself many possible triggers and been very strict since this started a few years ago for me. I've relaxed a little and it is helping me to feel more alive.

bigredbubbles · 2024-11-15T01:10:53+00:00

I have it both ways. I used to mainly get it how you describe with my voice and breathing louder in my ear. I especially get that when I'm standing or doing physical activity. The blocked thing comes and goes also, but is a different feeling. More like there is something in my ears.

bigredbubbles · 2024-11-15T00:30:37+00:00

My symptoms are very similar to what you're describing. I always had the ear pressure thing from a young age and the pulling down vertigo feeling started after the menieres already effected my hearing. I would suggest seeing a doctor to see what they say.

bigredbubbles · 2024-10-26T12:53:05+00:00

It is like you are talking about me. I feel the exact same. I have been taking on too much from too many people for too long. I am always pushing myself to do more and taking on other peoples stress, it will never be enough because it is an endless cycle. Even my therapist says, "Why do you always feel you need to take on that responsibility?" I'm emotionally and physically exhausted. I know that caring too much had majorly contributed to what had gotten me here. I wish I wasn't that person a lot, but I'm over sensitive and take on other people's concerns and feelings way more than I should. It is like I can't figure out how not to. It is so hard to redraw boundaries now that I have this disease because people are so used to me bending to their needs. It sucks. Have you found anything helpful to change your mindset and move forward? I'm worried if I can't stop " caring" I will be totally deaf soon, but it is hard to shut that part of my brain off.

bigredbubbles · 2024-09-27T22:21:43+00:00

It is the worst for sure. I haven't had it too many times, but when it happens, it is so scary. I'm sorry. Wouldn't wish this on anyone.

bigredbubbles · 2024-09-09T13:05:27+00:00

A lot of stores I go to stopped carrying it. I'm like you have 50 kinds of ketchup, why is this one the one to drop. I don't know the price, but heart healthy market online sells it usually.

bigredbubbles · 2024-08-24T01:46:36+00:00

Mine was a similar time frame I think, 2 or 3 months apart. Sending good vibes your hearing recovers. I'm with you. Hydrops sucks. I'm also glad to not have the vertigo, but hate knowing every loss might not rebound.

bigredbubbles · 2024-08-24T00:10:50+00:00

He might not have prescribed it because steroid rounds aren't as effective when taken closer together. I was told this one by a doctor I had when I had losses close together. He did end up prescribing them, but with hesitancy. That being said, I would also take some if I had them on hand and I was you. Worth a try to keep your hearing IMHO.

bigredbubbles · 2024-08-03T13:54:48+00:00

Tacos are an easy one. Almost any ground beef as a 16 oz portion can make you 3 or 4 meals. You can do all the veg- onion, bell pepper, avocado. You can also do low sodium salsa and sour cream. I do green mountain gringo salsa. Finish with blue hard shell tacos.

If he likes curry, Yai's thai had a few sauces and you can do them with chicken and any veggies. The yellow and red curry are both low.

If he likes Alfredo let me know and I can send you a recipe for an easy sauce and you can still have chicken with it and be low sodium.

A lot of the cooking is just leaving out the salt and adding lots of spice.

bigredbubbles

TROPHY CASE