Figured I might need to start my own thread as the other thread I posted in is years old. My symptoms are as follows: my head feels heavy like a bowling ball, swaying while standing and while sitting. Feeling like I am falling forward sometimes, mostly I feel as if I am falling backwards. Sometimes, if I am not paying attention, I find that I am falling backwards and have to catch myself. Also busy environments makes me feel worse, like shopping for instance. Turning my head back and forth makes thing worse. Caffeine makes it worse. Since this started I have not been able to work. It all started this past December when I was driving and I had turned my head to the left to look at a new restaurant that had just opened up and when I turned it back, I had this horrible dizzy sensation in my head, the environment was not spinning though. It passed after about 15 seconds, but totally freaked me out. I had the next week off from work and it seemed all week long I was feeling off balance, but it didn't bother me too much because I didn't have to drive. Then I had another spell, this time worse. Also when I walk, I feel as though I am drunk. This has been practically 24/7 since it has started. Even in bed, when lying on my side, I feel like something is trying to push me over on my back. When I walk, I have to lean slightly forward to keep my balance. Even my brain feels fuzzy, sometimes I am grasping for words and even temporarily forgotten how to spell a few words and had to look them up. Primary care doc tried to say it was water in my ear. Gave me an antibiotic for 10 days. Did not help dizziness. Checked my heart, not the cause. Went to ENT, I hear fine and no BPPV and no water in the ears. I am scheduled for balance testing. Got my primary care doc to test my b12, since recent blood work showed high mcv, which means enlarged rbc, which could be from low b12, but test showed I have higher than normal b12!? What? I have been on metformin for years and it is supposed to impair absorption of B12! I have tried to supplement to keep my levels up though. B12 deficiency can cause balance issues among other things. Blood work also showed my tsh numbers are rising every year, so possible thyroid involvement, will need to get this checked out also. I have also been exhausted and sleeping more than usual and my limbs feel like they have lead weights attached to them. So, in other words, I am beyond frustrated about all of this and I am looking for help and answers. Thanks!
Hello,
The balance-vestibular testing should show if it is something with your inner ear or your balance nerve. It sounds like it could also possibly be something called migraine associated vertigo which I have been told does not have to have a headache. Actually, to have it, the migraine part is the dizziness, so I would see the neurologist also and ask about that.
Feel better.
Thanks for your reply. When all this started I was having mild headaches on and off. I work for the local school system so I thought I must be fighting some new cold or something, whenever I start getting sick, it usually starts as headache or in the throat or both, so I never gave it much thought. I have had moderate headache pain with nausea about 2 times prior to all of this, but never really considered it a migraine. My ENT even asked if I get migraines, to which I told him what I wrote here. I guess it is an avenue they are considering.
Hi .. B12 deficiency occurs when you have either gastritis/ gallstones or low functioning gallbladder, do you have any indigestion issues going for long time ? did you did any endoscopy,hida or ultrasound scan to rule out if this is due to indigesion issue?
It took me 2 years of stumbling around with visual disturbance to get a diagnosis of MAV, silent migraines. At the time I was also severely depleted in Vit D. Much improved than I use to be but still have days when it is better than others. All best wishes you get some answers.
Not fun .I have dizziness almost 3 years now. I dont work (Bus Driver) .Doctors find noting and tell me to go home .
I have lost of the same symptom dizziness you have fore almost 3 years now. Neurologiste find noting and told me to go Home .