I've been suffering with dizziness and a weird sensation in my head for 6 months now. I've been to the doctors and only today been reffered to Vestibular Rehab. I still don't really have a proper diagnosis from the doctors it feels like nobody really understands what im going through which is really frustrating and upsetting. I feel badly when im moving my head about but even when i'm just sat down i can feel awful too. Its such a strange feeling, i never feel like i'm going to fall over but my head doesnt feel right.
I'm 20 and studying physiotherapy at university and finding it so hard to keep up with my studies and actually cope with my life. I have good and bad days mostly bad. I have anxiety planning my day ahead because i'm scared of how i'm going to feel. Its ruining my life and after a recent breakup with my boyfriend im finding it really difficult to deal with my emotions aswell because of how dizzy i feel. I'm a really active young woman, i'm a powerlifter and workout nearly 4 times a week which is a real struggle sometimes as the dizziness will hit me when im standing up from laying on benches etc. The gym is my only outlet from it all and i feel like that is being taken from me too as it sometimes makes me feel worse. I just want to feel normal and have my life back.
My doctor has prescribed me betahistine which haven't helped yet but ive only been taking them for a week so hopefully soon ill see some changes. I've read alot about labyrinthtis as my mum occasionally suffers with it too. Does this sound like labyrinthitis? The docs thought i was anemic but my blood tests all came back fine.
If anyone has any advice or support to give me it would be much appreciated. I feel very alone and cant see any light at the end of the tunnel.
Hi Teri wish I could help out with this balance lot of us have going on ,no one can fathom it out ,but seems more joining the ranks daily .
I've had it going on 4 years this summer ,you name it I've tried it I've had 4 eye tests ,not eyes or eye pressure .
most on these sites have done the same ,even the exercises ,ENT visits ,bearing in mind ,we're going to different ENT's still no outcome to solving this issue .
Look up Brain and Spine foundation ,I did get a free booklet ,that explains these different balance issues ,but not the cure all for it ,it does give you the exercises ,go look them up .
I've tried antihistamines ,magnets no help .
What does your mum say ,as you say she has odd bout of it .
Your young to have this,but it's bad for any age ,keep going back to your Dr ,sit on them if you need to ,take your mum with you to .
I have had it 4 yrs as well. It looks like I may have found out my problem. Look up SCM muscle. It's a muscle in your neck and it can do some bad things to you when it's messed up. I am doing dry needling for it and I think it has helped. Look up dry needling as well.
Hi Teri -So sorry youve joined our dizzy club. Has your GP sent you for a scan as they need to rule out anything serious. Prob go on to see an ENT who could do some tests to see if its BPPV. If not, then need a neurologist to help you. Ive got a diagnosis of silent migraine but then my symptoms are not just dizziness but I have trouble with lighting in shops and offices and everything seems too bright for me. I did have jumpy eyes but thats gone now by having botox. I have low lying headaches which do turn into full migraines quite regularly. Been on loads of medication for past two and a half years but nothing works as yet. Pain behind eyes and bad sinuses too. Obviously balance issues. I wish there was some way they could make a proper diagnosis but I think they are guessing which is not good. There seems to be a lot of reasons for dizziness and it is totally debilitating. Hard to function doing anything but funnily enough, trying to carry on seems to be the best thing to do. Weve all been terrified and scared stiff and some of us have had panic attacks over it, including me. Its so scarey. Sorry to hear about your boyfriend. Stress makes the dizziness much worse. Try and look after yourself and relax. The less stress, the better you will feel. Keep going with the tests you need to rule stuff out. Be careful you dont hurt yourself at the gym with the dizziness and dont stress over a bloke, your health is more important. If in doubt eat chocolate !! Were all here for each other. xx
Bless you thankyou for your reply, sorry to hear you're suffering too and have done for 4 years. It scares me to think it could last that long for me. How do you manage to cope with it? Does it still effect your every day life or do you just learn to deal with it? Im trying to learn to cope with it but its so hard when im such a busy and active person. I will look up the brain and spine foundation exercises thankyou for the suggestion! My mum has never had it for as long as me so she's a bit stumped! She usually just recovers after a few weeks.
Absent an impact to hearing, sounds like Vestibular Neuritis. An Otologist (Otoneurologist) is the best doctor to seek out for this condition. The vestibular therapy will help if you do in fact have a vestibular issue. Just need to take it slow. I would also suggest a low sodium diet to aid in reducing fluid on the inner ear. You may also need to be checked to rule out BPPV, which is easily resolved with an Epley maneuver. I am in month 11 of Vestibular Neuritis and still have some funny feelings in my head. It will get better, it just takes time and patience. You cannot control it and most doctors outside of an Otoneurologist know much about it. Anxiety comes along with it and greatly impacts recovery.
My GP hasn't sent me for a scan do you think i should call them on monday and ask for one? It scares me thinking it could be something quite serious I went to see a ENT and he did some tests but i was having a really good day and didnt feel very dizzy (typical) so i don't think he concluded anything from the tests only said to come back in 3 months for a balance test! which i thought was a ridiculous time to wait. Anyway I called the GP today and finally twisted their arm to send me for some VRT so hopefully that will help and i will maybe get a diagnosis.
Sorry to hear you're feeling badly too and I really hope they get to the bottom of it for you. What is your next step for you? Hope it gets sorted soon. You're right it really is debilitating and the more i dont function the worse i feel for just moping around with it. But when i do function i feel rubbish too. Aww thats really sweet of you thankyou, that made me smile. I am trying my best to not stress but this dizziness is such a vicious cycle as im sure you're aware of! You are completely right though my health is more important I need to concentrate on getting better!
Thankyou for your reply chocolate will definately help! xx
Don't freak out about it. If you give the dizzyness power then it will be worse. Yes it could be something bad....but the truth is that is true for a small % of people. most people find it is a simple issue and nothing to get freaked out about so please try to relax. Blood test can rule out some things. Have them check your magnesium, iron, B12, and Vitamin D which most people don't have enough of because we don't spend a lot of time in the sun.
I think a good healthy diet plenty of rest and exercise forget the boyfriend there are plenty more fish in the sea you are so young start enjoying yourself, deal with the symptoms you have when you get them speak to your GP again perhaps some other medication would help.
Hi Teri I truly didn't think 4 yrs on ,Id be like I am dealing with this .mine is daily ,it will set anxiety off ,as I suffer from the dreaded tinnitus ( ear hissing ) ,so it's never a good day with that alone ,but I had that prior to the balance .i have had neck ache for past 9 years ,brought on from head virus ,which started my probs off in the first place .Like yourself I was always well .Just proves one virus can do all it has .
I Di have a neck scan 2 yrs ago that showed up 2 neck bones out of line ,had these put back in ,but think over 9 yrs damage had been done
Have you had any sports injury etc as you say you are active but just not registered it at such a time .Go see if you can get into a brain injury clinic it's not as it sounds. But been told they're though at checking things out .think my next look into doing .least your mum knows what you feel with having it herself .Its a spiteful thing to have ,just trying to walk in straight line at best of times ,so again that keeps you sitting an awful lot ,not what you want hey .
Get back at tell us how your doing ,and anything you've found that's helping etc ,always good to get feedback .Try and enjoy life ,don't let it rob you at such a young age .
Hi Teri - dont freak out, Im sure its nothing serious, although very serious to us. Its just best to get past the first stage which is the scan and then move onto the next one. I used to get vertigo from time to time and the betahistine always sorted it out. I hated it and thought I would sooner have a broken leg. It only ever lasted a few days. When this started and it lasted one week after another I couldnt believe it. I think the first year was the most stressful. Thats when I had the two panic attacks. I lost my best friend as she didnt believe there was anything wrong with me as there was nothing to see. I had to give up going to dancing classes with her and she thought it was because I didnt want to go, but it wasnt. I would love to go if only I could. She said she had never heard of anyone being dizzy before. Then after the diagnosis, I sort of began to get resigned to it. Now Im battling with my weight because of the lack of jiving. So I just concentrate on getting that sorted. Had a better day than normal today and when Im like that I take advantage and rush off shopping. I had so many aborted shopping attempts in the first year when I couldnt get to the shops or would just walk in and the lights were horrendous and I had to leave immediately. So I can tell its better than then. I used to spend every weekend in bed. Its a bizarre thing but very common. Try not to worry, yours might just go but best to get a scan then you can alleviate that bit. xx
Hello Rocksolid ,will check this out ,not heard of this .i look into everything that's brought forth. Be silly not to .All it might need is just one thing to turn things around ,see your 4 yrs in as well who'd have thought it hey ,not us for sure .
Darren on the Dizzysite ,has gone into varifocals and says he's somewhat better ,not heard in fortnight how he's still doing .
Thanks again for info. Will get back and let you know .Hope you've found.
Sorry to hear you are having such an awful time Teri. This should be a great time for you. I only what I've read on line and those who have had the therapy seem to really rate it. We don't value our health until we are poorly do we. Have you ever suffered from migraine? I have been a life-long sufferer and I that it can cause many strange sensations which are hard for others to understand.
I think we all must be patient who have this weird stuff as it seems it takes time to resolve. But don't lose heart Teri,try to keep positive. You are young, strong and fit and this can only be to your advantage! Hope you have a good weekend.
Rock,I believe you've found my answer to what's been going on ,I was amazed at what I've read I get mAstoid swelling. Just behind one ear the worst tinnitus one I've also got rhinitis again since neck ache began .Nothing has ever helped to relieving ,and yes eye pain. Prominent over one eye feels like it's in the eye at times comes and goes. And yes again to very watery eyes .Well I never Im telling everyone I know with my self same symptoms to go look it up ,I've had a neck tumor removed just 2 years ago just came up out of the blue wondering now was that the cause .Going to look up exercises on You tube then take this matter further .Thanks for this X
Hope your neck is the problem, then you can get it fixed. I had neck surgery about 4 yrs ago to remove a tumor also, lol. Glad you might have a solution. I just had some cortazone shots in my neck today so we will see if it gets better.
Hi Marlene I read SCM too and thats what I think mine is. Which it would be good if it is cos there seems to be a cure. Ive had two not so bad days today. Thanks to Rocksolid for enlightening us. x
As soon as I read it I just knew this has been my trouble ,down to the last dot ,It's seeing Dr after Dr ,repeating and repeating same symptoms ,I've given up till I saw what Rock solid placed .Feels like we've all had same problem going on to some description .Its been a miserable time all round .
Stress from having it. Cripples you even more .thats what I've found .
But why dont GPs know about this. And the neuro surgeon I saw with my neck scan, he told me I had a protruding disc at C3 or 4. I even have trouble swallowing and Im putting off going to the dentist cos my teeth hurt. My god. Ive been at the eye hospital asking why my left eye wont stop watering, Why dont ENT and neurologists know about this. Now Im really annoyed. Two and a half years and given up a job I loved. If it is this, Ill be overjoyed but livid at the same time.
