How has this affected your relationship with your employer?

Ears, nose and throat
1

Hi everyone

For some time i have noticed the following symptoms before i have become very ill with Vertigo.

Blurred vision,worsening of my tinnitus,being a bit more forgetful,being dissorientated at times,Migraines that would last up to a few days.

Now im constanty light headed and get waves of dizzyness no matter what im doing.I keep feeling a preassure build up just above my nose and inside my head and my brain feels that one side is higher that the other inside my head.

I cant go out anywhere on my own.

The symptoms are worse in the afternoon as the day progresses to the point that my waves of dizzy spells feel like an earthquake and sets me off crying.

I have been signed off with medication but am concerned about how this will effect me and my employer?

Has anyone been signed off for a while?

2

Hi Lucy.

Im sorry that you have been feeling so unwell but I too have had these symptons and have returned to work this week after 6months off.

Yes it does effect me with work and the more tired I get the worse I become.

I've asked to reduce my hours as full time job at this present time feels to much.

You could ask your employee to refer you to the Occ Health department who would be able to support you and your employee in making reasonable adjustments to your working schedule. 

Im interested to know what medication you have been put on.

Diana x

3

Hi Diana,

Wow 6 months off!

Thats real bad and i worry about when ille get back to work?

So far have been signed off for 10 days and given the following medication

Prochlorperazine 5mg,taken 3x a day.

So far it hasnt done anything to help with improving my symptoms.

Do you know if you can get extra financial help with having this condition for so long?I currently work part time and am on a till dealing with money and the public.

Have had to come off a couple of times leading up to this as felt very spaced out.

Lucyx

4

Hi Diana do read the letters on these sites,you will see how common this condition has become,and what me and others have tried to balance ourselves up,2to look for our Gill and Darren (dizzy ) We 3 have had it some time,done a lot of looking into its causes,plus having hospitals take a look.were still stumped,ours all stemmed from a virus of sorts initially.Mine began 3 years ago,still got it sad to say,I to have tinnitus bad now 8 going on 9 yrs.and rhinitis same length of time.again every day.that did start from a virus.At present I'm trying strong magnets on wrists so far no luck. Nearly a month into wearing them.Next to try is the Tapping Therapy.you do that yourself.Tablets haven't helped Drs or over the counter medicines,wish there was a positive to this condition I could give you,but I've hit a brick wall,I now tell it as it is. Never stop looking for the answer is what I say Diane.Maybe dr in your area may have the right answer ,and meds for it..If you get something that even improves your balance ,all on this site would like to be first to hear of it.Ditto from me Stress will aggravate that and tinnitus more I know that much,not easy by any means as you know only to well by now.Keep on site,best I've done since I found this site.that there are others going through their day with it.go have a read ,we do try to keep it light some days,get a break from it so to speak .xx

5

Hi Lucy, I've had this problem for about 11 years now but I was a lot better for about ten years when it only came up in certain situations being ill with a cold etc. I got it again in November last year because I made the mistake of going back to fulltime office work which triggered it again. It will improve over time mine took about year but the best thing you can do as hard as it is, is to stay active and positive because your brain needs to compensate for the damage done this does take time. I saw a physiotherapist a few months ago who specialised on vertigo problems and I've still got the exercises she gave me if anyone wants me to send them the exercise program to help compensate. 

6

Hi Charlene I'm up for the exercise programme you have.,thanks for the offer, so you to have had this a fair while,some say it goes for a while only for it to return,odd how this condition behaves,I've never worked on computers ,etc only this year did I get an I pad,so mines not the result to a computer etc.Can be any number of things doing this to so many,only in past few days a local chap who has this condition said his take on it was the Magnetic Field doing it ? Then I showed him the magnets on my wrists.How weird was that.we laughed.i don't know how people cope having to work ,having this condition really don't.once again thanks for your offer,every bit helps .xx

7

Hi to you both.

I totally agree about keeping active which is vital even thought you feel awful.

Marlene if you have the exercises that would be great.

Lucy, I dont know whether this condition would be covered by DLA (disability living allowance) .The best people to contact would be CAB as well as talking to your own GP 

Like Marlene certain situations (cold, tiredness ) seem to be a trigger for me. 

I came off that particular mediation as it made me feel worse, but thats how I felt.

KEEP GOING as it does settle with time (some of the symptons condition but you learn how to deal with them I think).xx

8

Hello Marlene.

Thank you for this . I've been ready the site for a while as I felt very isolated with the condition.

like you I have tinitits which is worse when I'm tired.I know i'm going to have not so good day when its loud.

Like you it started with a viral infection which I had 3months previouly.Felt.  awful for a long time but GP kept saying " your ears are fine, no infection.its just a cold. ...well in December I became so poorly I feel of the toilet and had double vision, it was then that my GP referred me to an ENT surgeon who diagnosed Labrynthitis. "...

Its an awful condition and one of the reasons for reducing my hours is because of the tiredness and stess and im just not quite the person I was before if that makes sence.

Diana xx

9

My life to hasent been the same like yours and others on this site, beggars belief hey Another virus situation that's the fore runner for majority of us,it was my trigger to all that's gone on.No health issues until then only saw a GP 3 times in 7 yr period prior.How long have you had the Tinnitus ?I don't like it high,I don't like it low either ,if it's in the middle as I call it I can as day goes on I ignore it  to some degree.im lucky it's never bothered my sleeping,once I'm settled May take 30 mins or so ,but I know lots get sleep deprived,again how hard is that then to have to go to a job next day.now your Lab on top to go with it.Try the exercise  Charlene offered never know till one tries hey,give it a go.

 As you work see what your Dr says,about the working side of it,or maybe the consultant would advise you,as they deal with this daily.Questions you don't think to ask at the time,but an important one to you and others who need to work.Glad I'm not faced with that.How are you to drive? I'm okay no problem there,again I consider myself lucky more than most.who that affects. When stress is mentioned,it's hard not to be stressed,as your living with it.one thing I've learnt over this time is Meditation,now that's the one thing,I've found of any benefit, not for all but practise makes perfect for the question of stress,works better than any pills. Others on site will give advice on work issue Darren will no doubt have that answer for you just as Charlene has just write the info down .Chin up xx

10

Well the ear felt full for months and like a dull ache.

The tinitits came on slowly and hit head on when my symptons were at their worse.So really since Jan and I have hearing loss on the side of the tinitits. 

I don't wake up with it but it gets me down when its really loud.

Work is another matter,.I work as a Social Worker and im going to see how I get on with the reduced hours, im on phased return at mo so 2hr a day but was exhausted

Driving seens fine but find it hard for ling distances but think thats more linked to being tired.

Yes I will continue with exercises as they do help.

Consultant has advised reduced hours or change job's.

You have been brilliant. Thank u.xxx.

11

When my tinnitus began,it was when head pain subsided,then it felt like I was deaf,but could hear okay when spoken to,that was a weird experience,then this hissing began following,mentioned this hissing to my husband,who then said I think you have tinnitus,as he'd had it for over 30 yrs,again if you've never had these symptoms ,you got no clue when others mention this condition,I feel guilty I had no idea all the yrs he'd had this,what he'd been put through( I knew he had tinnitus ) but he's had no balance issues,touch wood,but he knows me could be him at any time.It is a case of walk in my shoes on all of this,this is what Drs need to take on board ,there are videos with the different noise tones Drs can get,to enlighten them on this condition patient have.Understanding of it goes a long way ,I now tell people if I have bad day with it,ie the phone ,to many people talking in a room ,I walk away it's so over powering to the ears,plus it takes your concentration away to the listening of phone or others.

  Carry on doing what you find helps,one thing when loud I put on a hair dryer,that can help drop it down somewhat.just wish it would help with the balance at the same time.

  I did join the tinnitus association,they do a quarterly magazine, and informs you what progress thy are making.plus there site has a forum ,like this one go check it out,well worth a look

   Like all jobs,you need to concentrate,so I'd go with what the dr said to you,

I look at it this way,you didn't ask for this,it just happened,but it's how you deal with it ,so peoples need to understand ,it could be them so easily tomorrow as it happened to us. Keep in touch with this site I've had its benefits.advice and some laughter along the way.think of you,Charlene and Lucy xxx

12

Thank you.

The hair dryer tip is good. When I though about what you said I know if I put the radio on louder it helps.

I've looked into meditation and mindfulness, their seem to be a few this way which are linked to gentle yoga groups.think I might try them out.

Have any of you managed to do exercise?.

Any advise would be great.

di xxx

13

Hi Diana,And another day of it ,Radio,TV,all good to have background noise on,I've tried various exercises past 8yrs.you name it I've done it but always willing to try others.

One you might try if not already,Look at an object in front of you in the distance,take 10 forward paces,whilst still focused on object slowly turn your head side to side,then stop count to 10 ,then do the reverse whilst walking backwards.all the time still focused on that object.Do that few times a day,see if that helps.

  I'm sat outside,it's sunny,had 2 sneezes,it can reduce face pressure when you have sinus pain ,another problem people get with this,plus continual ear infections,as I do,call it a dull earache.

id tell anyone be wary of anyone giving you head therapy,that's led to problem getting worse,make sure their training is spot on.A Cranial Osteopath better for the head,better to if he's referred by a hospital.

  I've always said Air pressure has a bearing on a day,for this head condition, wether it be Tinnitus,sinuses,or the different balance conditions one has,keep a diary I say..Keep on site takecare xx

14

Hi All

I'm 56.

Last September 2013 i rolled over in bed and everything rolled with me.Initially i thought i was coming down with something.   I have now had BPPV for past 7 months. I continued working but have taken time off sick past month as my balance was worsening.  I have seen ENT and was originally told that a head injury 18 years ago could have caused my problems as following that injury was as left with  partial deafness and permanent tinnitus. They confirmed BPPV as my eyes were affected by nystagmus when they did the epley.

One morning i got out of bed and fell to the floor from dizziness as my left side was so weak. One morning i crawled around for about an hour because i felt so unsteady.  I use to be worse in the morning but have improved and now i notice it gets worse after being up for a few hours.  Tiredness definitely increased my symptoms.

I have now paid to see a private specialist as appts with ENT were few and far between and i did not feel i was making any improvement.  I have had the epley manouver twice now, once in March and again last week and was told by the consultant that he can help me recover back to where i was before this started and has also given me a list of foods to avoid as i get a thumping in my left ear and dull ache in ears sometimes and thinks this is also involved in my balance problems.

I also took stemetil when all this first started with no effect and then betahistamine with no effect.

My vision is also affected on occasions and i feel as though i cannot see clearly and everything appears out of focus. 

I had an MRI in April and was all clear. 

I am hoping to return to work but feel that i have lost my independence as although OK driving due to stiff neck find it hard to reverse on occasions and as a community nurse i spend a lot of time driving.  I feel unsteady getting out of a car and going up and down stairs and do not know from one day to the next whether symtoms will be mild or severe.  It's all very unpredictable and also hard to explain to people who haven't experienced it but sometimes i feel exhausted.  In the past 7 months I had one week where i felt i was really improving and then it returned the following week.

I am concerned that i may have to resign from my job but hoping to find a way through this and doing my best to adapt.

Wishing everyone well.

Best wishes Anne. 

15

Hello Marlene.

Thanks for the tips...they are so useful.

First 3 days back at work last week and have come down with a sore throat and cold....and increase in my unsteadiness .

I find that I get like I get popping sounds in my ear and tenderness round the bottom of the ear, a tell tale sign for me that I'm coming down with a cold. ...its really only appears when im stressed. ...does this rung any vells to you and the others on the site?.

My tiredness and tinitits also increases at this time.

Any suggestions welcome.xx

16

Hi you've not had a good start back at work,I've never cared to be in any shops down air conditioning,don't know what it is ,but don't feel good for few days.,so I avoid being directly under those blowers,just an observation in this past 8yrs,don't know if it's there air con not being cleaned on regular basis,and it's circulation ? 

   My ear lobes swell up ,where I now avoid wearing earrings.been to dr with it,and she could see it from her chair how swollen they were,I was given an antibiotic Discolor? 

  Wonder if you've now got M E,that gives you fatigue as you describe,think low immune system from a virus brings that on,check it out . I've started taking Vit  3 past two weeks,and Vit C every day..Plus when I lost over 4stone in weight in 4 months from that virus a nurse told me to get Metatone,as I couldn't put weight back on.as my immune system was knocked out,got all Vits in,took a while,but it worked..check that out.still keep that on standby.Handy to take if your off colour,boost you up.may help with the tiredness Diana.

 You need to pace yourself to getting back into work,not easy to do hey.

  My ears are the pits,your not on your own with that. Make sure you drink and eat,even if not hungry.xxx

17

Hi Anne,sorry you've got this as well,it's an awful condition to get,was going to reply yesterday but my server been playing up,gremlins.

  You've done a lot regarding this yourself ,no mean feat to trying to get the correct help,never known so many people with it since I found these sites.every day it seems more and more.but what's causing all this ?

  I had an MRI,few yrs ago,when I had tinnitus,all clear like you.

  I'm fine driving,your one of the unlucky ones it affects,hard when you work.Since I've had the tinnitus I've developed anxiety,think others with balance and tinnitus have,due to the stress of condition.

  It's knowing what to do and where to go to getting the help you need for it,like all on these sites we continually look,and look.

   Drs are at a loss,I've had Stemitel,and Betahistine tablets,no help ,didn't touch the problem,tried the travel wrist bands from a chemist, now I'm on a free months trial of Acupatch ones,no luck there either, I'm at a complete loss at to getting back to my normal healthy self prior to the virus(head) that began all of this off.

  I've looked into the hormone side of it all,wondered if answer lay there.

whats your thoughts on that ? Its interested me for to the ages everyone are who get this tinnitus and balance,is there a connection,and is it more females than men who get the balance problems with both symptoms.

   Sad day if you have to give up your job .i know I couldn't work having this,of late my ears have been dreadful,like jet engines it's so high,find it hard to concentrate,how about you,? Another question do you have high blood pressure ?can that be another cause ? .

   Stay on site,more of us looking,maybe we will come up with something to the cure for it  often wonder to if tinnitus high,the balance is worse ? Take it easy ,as best you can xx

  

18

Marlene thanks for your reply.  Yes i do think hormones have a LOT to do with it.  I was on the pill for 39 years, yes long time, which was stopped by GP in 2012, fair enough, but since then have gone into a downward spiral of health problems. Arthritis, neck pain and now this.  Eventually GP agreed to putting me on HRT and arthritis improved and then the following year all this balance problem started.

I do get upset as feel i am losing my independence but i am going back to work on Monday and seeing how i get on.  My manager said he will work with me but another manager said wasn't so helpful and just said 'can't you retire'.  Well still got bills to pay. The ENT specialist reckons i can get back to where i was before all this started with their input and on a restricted diet, no chocolate is one of the restrictions.  I don't mind if it helps. I'm really clutching at straws trying to find a way forward but i now have to do things much more slowly and that's difficult to remember as i was a bit swift. But we really have to try anything, cos quite frankly this problem affects every aspect of just moving about and getting on with your life.

The rheumatology doctor i saw in 2013 following the pill being stopped said my arthritis had been caused because when the GP stopped the pill it dropped me into total withdrawal.  Hormones affect every aspect of our life for good or bad and recommended that in future i see only a female GPsmile

I've had high BP in the past but not now.  I know my tinnitus was caused by a head injury and also left me partially deaf in left ear, but it is also my left ear that now has the BPPV.

I also asked if flying can worsen this condtion as came back from holiday in April and could barely walk straight, consultant says no.

Sometimes i stumble around like the drunken sailor and wonder if people think i've been drinking. 

in the past 7 months i had one week where i thought it had completely gone and then it came back the following week.

I try not to lie on my left side so that the crystals that get misaligned in the ear don't move back.  I try to get out of bed slowly.  I try to keep my head movements limited, try not to bend over but it's hard to do anything without bending over, backward, looking up or moving your head at all, so i just do whatever i need to do but limit it.

The consultant said try to carry on as 'normal', which is what i am going to do if i can.

Hope we can all find a way forward as this to me is a bit like an onion with layers and layers of possibilities which I am coming to think they don't really know much about.  Maybe one day we'll hit on something ourselves that really makes the difference.  Fingers crossed.  Best wishes Anne. 

19

Hi to you both.

Im sorry your feeling as you do...All on this site have a really good understanding of where your coming from.

This site is really useful and has made me feel less isolated.

I came off HRT some 5yrs ago and I think your right because mine started around that time too (but not too the degree I have it now).

what I have noticed is that if I have a cold or sore throat the ear where I have the tinitis become sore and I get a swelling on the side of that face, the tinitis also become louder, has anyone else experienced this?

20

Hi Diana

yes the ear with the tinnitus sometimes feels blocked and has a dull ache and the tinnitus becomes louder.  It's no doubt all related as is coming off HRT because my consultant at work says hormones like the pill and also no doubt HRT are like a steroid and dampen any inflammation.

Best wishes Anne.