Dizzy, Anxious AF & OVER IT! New here! My symptoms. Advice?!

Ears, nose and throat
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Sorry for the lengthy post, if you dont read it all please skip to the very bottom for my real question! sad Looking for advice on this particular thing.

Its been a little over a year now for me.

At first I started off with random little dizzy spells here and there which would be gone in 30 seconds.

I remember the 1st time I REALLY got dizzy I had went to my chiropractor two days prior. I've never had a bad experience with a chiropractor & I still go today, but this particular visit he adjusted my neck & I feel like that is what set all of this off.

A little about me: I'm 27. Live in Jersey. I've always had bad ear infections growing up & TMJ symptoms (diagnosed last year when this all started). I have bad allergies literally all year round. Always been a nervous & shy person. But the past three years my anxiety has really sky rocketed ! sad

So last year all this started. I experience dizziness in two different ways. One is like im swaying. & the other is more when I'm laying down I feel like my body is literally spinning in circles.

At first I saw a TMJ Specialist. Because accompanied with my 1st real vertigo attack, my jaw felt like it was tightened shut with a frikin bolt! My whole jaw & neck have never been so tense in my life. He told me that was the problem. My TMJ was causing the vertigo. Now while the custom orthodontic mouth piece helps with my TMJ & stabbing pains in my head it did NOTHING for my vertigo sad

On to the next one. I saw my normal doctor who did blood work & everything was fine. I got an MRI of my brain because I'm scared something serious was wrong & nothing abnormal was found.

I saw an ENT & Balance therapist. This is when I was actually diagnosed with vertigo or BPPV (Episodes of dizziness and a sensation of spinning with certain head movements.)

I was seeing the balance therapist once every week. Then once a month. Every time I went I would tell him exactly the things that I notice:

-My eyes were a factor, even today. My eyes cant STAY focused on something for more than 5 seconds... I had to literally stop wearing striped shirts because the lines made me dizzy. I have a weird thing with depth perception on certain things.... & MOVING MY EYES too much (EX: using a computer, walking through a store, just looking around too much)

-I feel like my eyes kind of jump sometimes.

I'm going to the eye doctor this week actually. I am going to explain all of this to him & see what comes up. I feel like my current prescription (-4.50 in each eye) is maybe too strong? I wear glasses & if i dont need to be wearing them I dont. It helps ALOT to just NOT see. lol.

-Even like right now, using a computer screen where my eyes need to focus on something or if I'm scrolling, it really effects me... I cant do it. Typing this I have to stop every minute or so lol.

He prescribed two minute exercises that actually did help & the ENT prescribed me Anti-Vert or Meclazine. I started taking it & it was like a miracle. It didnt make it go away completely but it HELPS. I can somehow get through my days working. I'm also lazy and forget to do the exercises even though it literally takes two minutes...

A month or so ago, I took Antivert to get through work & it actually made me feel worse because for some reason a symptom of the medicine is DIZZINESS! HOW?! wtf.

So i stopped taking it, up until about a week ago.

My vertigo comes & goes. I'll be okay for a few weeks then it comes back and takes over. I'm currently being taken over by it & thats why I'm here. I don't know why I haven't reached out in forums before.

Some other things:

-I have really bad anxiety. Dizziness & anxiety are symptoms of each other. FUN. Its like a never ending cycle for me!

-Driving is actually ok for me. I know some people cant drive. But its when I STOP the car that I feel symptoms. Being a passenger is sometimes a problem for me, but I usually just take my glasses off and try to relax.

-I'm a hair stylist. I need my eyes to focus, I need to NOT feel like I'm going to pass out from vertigo/panic attacks while cutting someones hair. I legit dont know how I've gotten through this week of brutal veritgo sad 

-I've partially accepted this is my life. But it really sucks. I DONT do anything because either I'm already dizzy or I'm afraid I will get dizzy from vertigo & anxiety sad

Going out at night to a loud place with lights is OUT of the question, I dont even think about it. So my life consists of working, coming home & watching netflix & occasionally doing other things if I'm feeling up to it sad

I want to go to Whole Foods today & I literally cant because I feel so bad today sad

HELPPPPP ! 

MY QUESTION!!!

Has anyone flown on an airplane with vertigo?! See, I hate flying already. But I'm legit more afraid of my vertigo going crazy during & after my flight that it will just completely ruin my trip!

Any other advice too would be greatly appreciated!

HELP HELP HELP! sad 

I plan on reading a bunch of posts which I'm sure are similar! UGH!

-Sincerely,

DIZZY AF, ANXIOUS & OVER IT!

or Lauren (:

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Your dizziness may have been caused by that initial chiropractic adjustment. Find a neurosurgeon who will have your vertebral arteries scanned. They may be obstructed, keeping blood and oxygen from getting to your brain. I have had vertigo 24/7 for 15 months and am going to have surgery soon for Bow Hunter’s Syndrome, which is the source of my vertigo. It’s in my neck. Yours may be too. Good luck. 

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I agree with Janet's advice, and I was going to also mention perhaps an MRI of your cervical spine. Cervicogenic vertigo is real. Cervical spine problems can also CAUSE TMJ issues/symptoms. Since your anxiety is bad, anti anxiety meds might be a good idea. I'm sorry I don't know about the plane, but I would think your Dr could advise you on meds to take to minimize any effects if they happen.

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From maybe February-July I was feeling small dizzy spells, then it would go away. At first I thought it was from my neck being so tense all the time. My neck is always very bad. I will definitely do this. I don’t have medical insurance as of right now so it’s adding to my stress ): I don’t want my neck to get worse if somethings really wrong. Ugh!! Thank you for sharing ! 

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My TMJ gets worse when my neck feels out of place & vice versa /: likE right now my neck has been killing me for a week. I have insane knots all in my upper back and shoulders which is causing my neck pain right now ): but it’s all connected ugh. 

I currently take CBD capsules to help my anxiety. They do help but I’ve noticed every couple months I have to up the dose /: so that sucks because it’s rather expensive.

Thank you!

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I am on a boat most of the time!   I flew last week and it was no different for me than riding in a car. I would suggest to get someone to push you in a wheelchair to your gate and also same when leaving airport.  Take nausea meds and if you have it take a Valium to calm your nerves.   Also when riding in the wheelchair look at the ground or keep eyes shut.   When on the plane don’t look around a lot or look out the window.  Open a book or something to just look at.   And remember you are NOT alone in this!  There are more that have issues than you realize!!

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Try cinnazarine it can help

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interesting. i do take meclazine (generic antivert). same thing or does it do something different?

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Hi Lauren,

Your story is similar to mine. I've struggled with anxiety and depression for most of my life. I'm an introvert (and proud of it!).

I've had vertigo since Dec 24, 2017. It's been over 8 months since I first got it. I went to the doctor and he couldn't find anything wrong. I wasn't prescribed any medications for it. At first it was completely debilitating. I couldn't sleep, watch tv, drive, eat food, go on my computer or even look at my phone without it triggering symptoms. For about a week I literally was sitting at my desk at home on my chair just staring at a blank computer screen and just sitting there. Luckily it was the holidays so I didn't have to go to work. I remember new years eve I was just sitting on my bed with the tv off and just went to bed early. It was pretty brutal.

Eventually I was slowly able to function again and drive, sleep again, eat food and go to work. It took a good few weeks though. I still had to be really careful with bending down to pick things up, slowly get out of bed, not turn my head to the side to fast. Lay on my stomach with my held tilted up to not trigger any symptoms.

I think it was caused by getting out of bed too fast one day. I was taking an afternoon nap, I woke from a deep sleep and jumped out of bed. The rest of the day I was fine. The next morning the vertigo was hell and it was something I never experienced before. What made things worse was that I was already struggling with other problems such as headaches/tension(caused by other reasons but that's a whole separate issue). I also used to clean my ears with q-tips so of course I stopped that as well.

So fast forward 8 months later and it's improved quite a bit without any medication. Though I still struggle with it. Driving is fine when the car is moving but I do have moments where I just don't feel quite right. What sucks even more is I like driving fast but I have to be careful at times! When i'm stopped at a light the dizziness starts acting up. Sometimes when I'm at a shopping mall when I turn my head to the side it's as if it's almost too much for my brain to process(think of it as a computer game loading the levels or images as you move along) and needs struggles to process everything that is going on. Some days i'm completely fine and others days i'm not. Which is frustrating.

I used to go to a chiropractor but after some neck adjustments that didn't go so well, combined with my headaches and tension I decided it was best to stop going. I remember my family doctor would say going to a chiro is ok but don't let him touch your neck. Have you considered taking a break from your chiro for a while?

To answer your question about traveling on a plane, I will be going to the USA next week and I can let you know how my vertigo/dizziness symptoms are. I will take gravol with me. I'm not too concerned as the flight is only 1.5 hrs but it's still in the back of my mind obviously and there is some worry. 

I think with enough time things will recover on it's own. And be careful with the medications you are taking.

All the best to you.

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When my vertigo is bad driving is actually not a trigger for me. Being in the backseat is def worse but when I’m driving im ok. It’s when i stop the car (like you said) then I start to feel uneasy.

Shopping is not easy at all for me. It’s the walking and looking side to side that triggers it. The physical therapist I was seeing for my vertigo has this crazy machine that you step into & you’re looking at a blank screen. But it’s shaped like a circle & it has a projector on the back that projects stripes and different things onto the blank screen in front of you. All you see (even in your peripheral) is this screen. I call it the torture chamber. But what it does is record your balance because the part where you put your feet measures where the weight in your feet is going as you “lose your balance”, it’s actuslly really cool but I hate it lol.  At times, the feet part actually move so it realllllly messes me up. ( I mention this because One of the “tests” projects a store with a long hallway with shelves on either side. And you have to look side to side)

FORGET IT I’m if food shopping and I want to read labels. Ugh. I have to go in knowing EXACTLY what I need. I cant browse ))): 

My neurologist told me to not let my chiropractor crack my neck either & it does scare me to hear that but my neck is so bad and I get horrible headaches ): I try to not go until it’s really bad. /: but sometimes I legit have a migraine for days !  It’s the only thing that helps ):

I hope to hear back about the flight !

Thank you! Best wishes !

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I have been dealing with something along these lines for over 3 months now and I have been seeing a chiropractor for about 5 months for back issues when I started a desk job.  My right ear has been feeling kind of blocked and I have been getting dizzy when I get up sometimes and when I look at my phone or computer.  I have been to the ENT about a month ago and he said it wasn't an inner ear thing and have been going to the chiro 3 times a week and it doesn't seem to be helping and she is cracking my neck each time when I go. I am very tense in the neck and upper back and I am so anxious.  You are really the first person I have seen that has the same exact symptoms as me.  When I am driving and moving it is not bad at all but when I come to a stop I feeling off balance feeling.  I also am very nervous because I am flying on October 6th and I am trying to get it fixed by then I can't seem to shake it and its giving me anxiety and I feel so depressed also and my girlfriend and parents don't want to hear it anymore but I am so scared that something is seriously wrong.

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I always felt like I was so annoying too. When telling me ex boyfriend about it everyday. It’s frustrating when the person can’t physically see anything wrong & you feel like absolute s**t. I wanted to fly at the beginning of October too and I’m legit terrified. Especially I’d be flying again two days later. I feel like I will need 3 weeks o recover !

I take CBD for my anxiety it definitely helps if you don’t already take something for it. It gets expensive but it helps & I personally don’t really want to take Xanax or something similar everyday /: 

Even today at work I didn’t feel good while I was sitting down but when I got up to cut someone’s hair I felt okay.... it’s so weird. Usually it’s the other way around. 

My headaches get very bad when my neck needs an adjustment. But I’m really wondering (after reading other posts on here) if there  is something wrong with my cervical spine /: once I get medical insurance I’m going to check it out. Anything involving my head and neck really freak me out 😩 

Please update me on how you felt during & after flying!  best wishes !

It’s so frustrating. I just want to feel normal and not think about it 😩

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Hey Lauren. I have had experience with having vertigo and then having to fly right after.

I had a trip planned on December 2, 2016 with my boyfriend.

So during the night at around 3am, i turned over to the other side of my bed and that’s when I had vertigo for the first time. It felt like my bedroom was spinning. It stopped after a few seconds when I turned my head the other way. It freaked the hell out of me. So I got up and decided to get ready to go to the airport in a couple hours. I tried to shake off the weird feeling and did my makeup and got ready. I still felt uneasy because it got me nervous.

So me and my boyfriend got to the airport and I drank water and ate some food and I was feeling better. We got on the plane..the flight was like 2 1/2hrs. I actually felt fine on the plane ride and didn’t have any problems. And at that time I still had no clue what happened to me earlier in my bedroom. 

So the rest of the day I was fine and was able to do stuff.

But then the next morning in the hotel room, I turned over in the bed and the room started to spin again and I freaked out and yelled for my boyfriend to come help me and calm me down. I was telling him that the room was spinning and I felt so uneasy. He tired calm me down. So I just rested and relaxed on the hotel room for most of the day because I was just so anxious about what happened.

My boyfriend called his mom and asked what it could be and she said that was having vertigo because the crystals in my ears moved around when I was turning over to the side in bed. She said just to relax and it’ll eventually clear up on its own. The next couple days on the trip was fine..I still felt alittle uneasy but I was able to walk and go to the beach for alittle bit.

But I wanted to go home so badly cause i felt traumatized having this happen to me being so far away from home. 

So finally it was time for us to go home and I was excited to get back and I flew on the plane and I was fine..I rested the whole time on the flight and had no problems with vertigo on the flight. And I went back home and started to feel better. So I guess I didn’t really have a problem with flying then. 

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I’m terrified I’ll be okay during the flight and get a back attack when I land & have to walkthrough the airport& get into a car afterwards ugh. 

I don’t want to be sick the whole time ):

Thanks for sharing your experience ! Best wishes!

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Yeah I’m terrified about traveling too. I haven’t been on a vacation since 2016 because I was so traumatized about what happened before on my last trip.

I finally got some courage and I’m going on a weekend vacation with my boyfriend in October. We’ll be doing a 3hr road trip. I’m nervous and anxious about being in a car for a few hours but my boyfriend said he’ll make frequent stops if I need to take a break being in a car.  So if I do well on this trip, maybe I’ll be ok to go on a plane next year. 

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I would still be nervous too ): but atleast you’re on the ground & can stop and get out of the car for a little. Being on a plane, I have

no where to go but my little seat ))):

I wish the trip I want to take was driving distance ):

Best wishes.