I've been suffering with Labyrinthitis for a two months now, the dizziness seems to have gone except for random moments. The worse part is even though the dizzness is going away i appear to have constant anxiety all of the time, it is worse when i wake up in the morning and my head doesnt feel the same. Has anyone had this brain fog type feeling and is there anything i can do to help it, will i recover from this?
You appear to be describing dizziness that is becoming less intense over time. If the dizziness goes away completely eventually, perhaps the anxiety will go away as well.
Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN
Clinical Neurophysiologist
Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology
I experienced the same issues. I believe that the issue with waking up feeling that way is that we have no control over our head movements during the night. The anxiety feeling is associated with the residual VN feelings. The way it makes your head feel is similar to how constant anxiety feels. Did you have anxiety before the VN issue began? The brain fog type feeling took 7 or 8 months to resolve for me. I also found that issues with sinus or colds added to the feelings as the increase in fluid made any recovery progress lessened by the different feeling of the added fluid.
You will recover if you have made that much progress already. Are you doing vestibular rehabilitation exercises?
Also try sleeping on a couple of pillows versus flat. That helped me.
Thanks Terry, it sounds reasuring.
No ive never had a problem with anxiety until now, i constantly have this bizare feeling in my upper chest and feel quite restless.
I've not been shown any exercises, just told by doctor
To relax and it will pass. What makes me feel worse is thinking ill have this for a long time.
You need the VRT to aid in recovery. Everyday activity is just not enough to recover from this. The vestibular system needs to be challenged. I have read that anxiety, the body's fight or flight control mechanism, resides in the vestibular portion of the brain. This is what causes the sensations, the anxiety. When the body feels that it is out of balance it creates anxiety. I also saw a video yesterday that talked about the brain having 3 executive control functions, breathing, heart beat and balance. When either of these are challenged it will shut other things down to regain control for these to function. That is what creates cognitive issues, brain fog, and the fatigue associated with this condition. It is extremely taxing on the body to try to maintain balance with a damaged vestibular system.
You will recover from this. It just takes some of us longer periods. I am 32 months in from my onset but, I had a similar bout several years ago and recovered in 2 to 3 months.
I had the dizzyness, the brain fog, and the anxiety. I beat them all after about 7 months. When the vestibular system is malfunctioning, it sends anxiety shockwaves through the brain (network alarm). I may not have the scientific wording right, but it anxiety goes with the territory. Brain fog is the brain trying to figure out the confusing signals; it'll figure it out eventually. My brain fog was so severe it would turn my into a vegetable for several hours.
right there with you Kieran, I'm just about 5 weeks in to my VN/Labs I'll spare you the minute details which you can find in my prior threads.
The anxiety was horrible early on and not helped by a borderline psychotic reaction to Predisone, however my mornings are better, and the rough patches (now later in the day/evening) are greatly helped by 1-2mg of Valium, I'm almost *me* again when I'm on it as it shuts down the overwhelming analytical brain of mine.
I dabbled I'm VRT via online videos, they really aren't a challenge unless they require my eyes to be closed and balancing- not sure what that means, but going to hold off and speak with a specialist after the new year.
Trust me, it gets better but also different, meaning you'll get moments of clarity and strength, a breather if you will then the notorious 'zig-zag' of recovery will push you back a bit.
Stay busy, think positive - watch diet, try to move around and get decent sleep.
Feel free to reach out in PM as well if you like.
Wishing you a speedy recovery, and like I said I'm right there with you!
Thanks for the info Drew and it's miles over here too haha.
I'm trying my best to keep myself together, i've never had any problems like this so its all a shock to the system. The worse of it is the strange feeling in my head thinking i'm not right and just not feeling the same but its a good to know its not just me.
My doctor has prescribed me cotalopram, 20mg per day to help with my anxiety. Im now onto my fourth day with them, its helping a timy bit but it feels like i can be bad on some days and not the next then i start to question myself, am i really getting better.
The citalopram, Celexa, can take 4 to 6 weeks to reach full effect. What type doctor do you see for the issues?
It was my general practitioner i went to see. Theyve booked me in for an appointment in a couple of weeks to see how im getting on.
My dizziness has seemed to clear up except for random points in the day, my worse symptoms now are the anxiety, chest pain and this strange feeling in my head thats not normal.
All part of it. Can take 2 to 3 months to resolve. Interestingly diagnosed as labrynthitis. Did you have hearing loss, even momentarily? You may even have some minor sensations after the main symptoms are gone. Like turning a corner quickly and a quick moment of a dizzy sensation.
When i was taken to hospital they told me it was labyrinthitis but it wasnt a constant dizziness feeling, i would be okay most of the time then have these sudden neusea attacks where i felt spaced out but ive only had very minimal loss of hearing, not enough to cause me trouble understanding what people are saying but things do sometime sound a bit muffled.
The dizziness now doesnt seem to cause me much of an issue however i do feel strange sometimes when turning corners or stopping and starting im my car.
I would ask about vestibular rehabilitation therapy if it doesn't resolve in the next few weeks. Labrynthitis and Vestibular Neuritis present the same way. Labrynthitis involves loss of hearing, even if just temporary. Both are treated the same way. The SSRI, Celexa, should be good for the anxiety component. I had those nausea attacks that came just out of the blue and an intense head pressure feeling with it.
Totally here for ya- if we all keep supporting and following up, better days are ahead.
I've learned such a lesson about how fragile health is, I mean this is just a massive wakeup call for me personally.
I'll never forget this, and when I pull through I will definitely be around for others. Hell, I might be able to apply some of my talents/connections to raise awareness.
Vestibular issues/disorders need more attention, like now.
Hi,
Please help me! I'm 8 weeks into 24/7 constant swaying, bobbing, walking and standing like on a waterbed and even feel like I'm floating in outer space when I lay down. I only feel better driving or on a bus or treadmill (stress test at dr). I think I have Mdds
How do I get better like you did?
Anyone?! How do you cure yourself because no doctors know how to help me.
I totally relate to the driving or walking making me feel better. Have you had any sinus problems? I'm at week 10 and I'm starting to finally feel like a human again. Weeks 8-9 I had some really bad bouts though. Hang in there!!
Have you had any sinus problems / ear fullness? The things that seemed to have made a big difference for me was very hot baths for a solid 30 minutes, and an ear clearing maneuver. You know how you plug your nose to blow and pop your ears? This one has a twist, breathe in and out kind of like a pump, sucking and pushing, but do it very gently because you don't want to blow an ear drum. Do this about 10 times back and forth, it always seemed to alleviate symptoms for me.
The biggest breakthrough I had, was using xylitol nasal spray very liberally. It disrupts the biofilm in your sinuses and helps like crazy to finally open things up and help your ear drain stubborn fluid that is hanging around. I tried neti pots, steroids, sudafed, antibiotics, but the xylitol seemed to tip the scale over in my favour. Read up on it, the brand I got was xlear, it's super cheap and worth a shot. It's also backed up by clinical evidence based university research, it's not moonbeams and healing crystals type crap haha.
You're on the home stretch man! Chin up, you will *NOT* feel like this forever, and you *WILL* get better I promise you!!!
Hi,
I happened to google online and you have literally just hit the nail on the head with my symptoms. I was wondering if you're feeling any better
Hi there, I was just wondering if 11months On you’re feeling better? I’m 9 weeks in and starting to get really down with it, I have a great few days then suddenly wham it’s back!! Feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel!?
How are you 6 months on??😁