Dizziness

Posted by landonbird @landonbird, Oct 16, 2021

Hello, for the last few weeks I have had dizzy spells. I have had a mri and ct scan and they came back fine. They think it is vertigo and sent me to an ent where I took a test and will get the results on Wednesday of this week. Now it feels like my head is rocking, and it's not. Anything I can do at home to help this?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Brain & Nervous System Support Group.

Profile picture for Teresa, Volunteer Mentor @hopeful33250

I appreciate the additional information, @ritacous40 . This does sound like a confusing and frustrating problem. I suppose you have been seen by both an ENT doctor as well as a neurologist?

We have a mentor on Connect, @rwinney, who has also had some unusual vision problems and I would like to invite her to this discussion as well.

I would encourage you to keep posting and let me know how you are progressing in finding an answer.

Jump to this post

@ritacous40 I'm sorry for your eye struggles. What an awful place to be in with symptoms.

My vision problems came from Fuchs dystrophy which required cornea transplants and cataract surgeries. My vision was restored but I remained having terrible sensitivities to my eyes, among other odd symptoms.

It turned out that I had Central Sensitization Syndrome, which throws of the central nervous system. This syndrome can cause a multitude of symptoms. Here's a link in case you're curious:
https://youtu.be/8defN4iIbho
Sorry I can't be much more help. Will you please keep us updated on your hopeful progress?

REPLY
Profile picture for ritacous40 @ritacous40

I am waiting for an appointment with A neurologist since early July. Initially it was made for the seven week headache I had which was cured but I have kept the appointment open as a maybe he can help with the existing condition. Fingers crossed.

Jump to this post

Hello @ritacous40

In your previous post, you mentioned having an appointment with a neurologist. Have you had that appointment yet?

I'm looking forward to hearing from you again. Will you post after your appointment?

REPLY

To @hopeful33250
I still await the appointment with the neurologist and have also now requested a visit with an ENT specialist as from these Mayo Connect letters I am being asked if I have been seen by one. Canadian health system has taken a bad turn principally due to Covid and the weight on the medical system here. I will speak up as soon as I am graced with an appointment.

REPLY
Profile picture for Lori, Volunteer Mentor @loribmt

Hi, welcome to Connect. We’re community forum backed by Mayo Clinic but members aren’t medical professionals so we can’t diagnose or offer treatments. But we can rely on our experiences to offer suggestions.

Yuck, having dizzy spells is nasty. My mom, my daughter and myself have this happen occasionally and it seems to be seasonal in autumn and apparently familial. Though we’re not allergic to ragweed or pollen. Maybe it’s just the dust in the air. It generally happens when we wake up in the morning after sleeping on our sides. Though my mom was a back sleeper and it bothered her too. For us, it’s caused by post nasal drip seeping into the eustachian tube of the ear. If you can dry it out, that can bring relief.

What works for us is taking an over the counter antihistamine or a decongestant. My daughter who’s 38 and I take Children’s liquid Benadryl and only .5ml does the trick when the vertigo happens. So if you’re able to take that type of medication you could give that a try.

Another common reason for dizziness can be related to the displacement of crystals within the inner ear. There are maneuvers to help alleviate the problem. You’ve seen an ENT and your scans came back clean. So that’s really good news.

Were either the Epley or Semont Maneuvers tried for your Vertigo?

Jump to this post

Unfortunately I have suffered with vertigo on and off over many years but learned how to do the Epley maneuver which is very helpful. My main problem is from the vestibular area and the unsteady feeling I have through my eyes. They feel under stress the whole time although I can see perfectly and with glasses have no sight problems. This has been the hangover since 2016 but has become much worse in recent weeks. Hoping for appointments with neurologist and ENT specialists.

REPLY

If it is vertigo I found the room went round and round and learning the Eply Maneuver was very helpful. I learned from my G.P. but there are also very good videos which are clear to follow. I found that Vestibular problems caused everything to shake and I could see three of everyone. Both are similar but also different.

REPLY

I hope my reply went through - am having a few problems with internet today

REPLY
Profile picture for Rachel, Volunteer Mentor @rwinney

@ritacous40 I'm sorry for your eye struggles. What an awful place to be in with symptoms.

My vision problems came from Fuchs dystrophy which required cornea transplants and cataract surgeries. My vision was restored but I remained having terrible sensitivities to my eyes, among other odd symptoms.

It turned out that I had Central Sensitization Syndrome, which throws of the central nervous system. This syndrome can cause a multitude of symptoms. Here's a link in case you're curious:
https://youtu.be/8defN4iIbho
Sorry I can't be much more help. Will you please keep us updated on your hopeful progress?

Jump to this post

@ritacous40
I have just watched the video by Dr.Sletten and found it most interesting and clearly given. I dont suffer from the various symptoms and as I work out three times a week and have done so since a young teenager, more exercise is not needed. I will watch this again as it is informative.

REPLY
Profile picture for ritacous40 @ritacous40

@ritacous40
I have just watched the video by Dr.Sletten and found it most interesting and clearly given. I dont suffer from the various symptoms and as I work out three times a week and have done so since a young teenager, more exercise is not needed. I will watch this again as it is informative.

Jump to this post

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the video. It definitely is an interesting watch. I feel like anyone who experiences on-going unexplainable health issues could benefit from this knowledge, and even healthy folks too. As I like to say, keep it in your back pocket. Best of luck at your up-coming neurology appointment. I sincerely hope you get to the bottom of your symptoms and find relief. Be well.

REPLY

Please wait until you speak with your ENT as something you do on your own could exacerbate your symptoms. Try to calm yourself and rest.

REPLY
Profile picture for joyces @joyces

I'm a Menierian (person with Meniere's Disease). Until I was able to get on a good program of hormone replacement (low hormone levels are my personal Meniere's trigger), I had bouts of vomiting that usually lasted 12-15 hours, two to three times a week. I've been sick in all sorts of places...seeing things move past can always trigger an episode. I went to a fly fishing trade show in Boston: began to have a vomiting episode on the shuttle bus to go to the show arena to set up but was able to stay on the bus and get back to my hotel before the vomiting started. Was okay for the three days of the show, but, waiting for a flight to Portland early the following morning, I knew I was headed for a multi-hour vomit-fest. Staying in the waiting area at the airport didn't seem good, so I staggered onto the plane, where my husband and I fortunately had a full three seats, enabling me to half lie down with my ever-present kitchen trash bags. When the plan stopped in Chicago, I stayed on while the cleaners worked...no way would I have been able to get off at that point. Fortunately, by the time we landed in Portland, I was able to stumble off. More than half the people on the flight were returning from the show, so the word went around that I was a serious drunk! I've spent hours lying across the longest seat in a jet boat in the wilderness of northern BC, or flying down a wilderness river in SE Alaska. Once, three miles from my truck on a wild little river on the northern Oregon coast, I actually managed to avoid having a full-blown crisis by sitting on a boulder for 20 minutes or more, eyes closed, concentrating on listening the all the bird song around me. Once, I raced out of a confrontational meeting to decide upon a cover for a catalog, in order to spend several hours in the back of my van in the store's parking lot. A client once really wanted to go to a restaurant with overhead fans; I thought I could make it through if I totally ignored them, didn't look at them. However, the framed photos on the walls reflected the fans' movement, so I barely got back to my office before the vomit-fest began--saving having defiled the client's rental car. I lived that way for four years, doing lots of fishing travel, running booths at sport fishing shows, successfully managing a small publishing company. Once I got on a good hormone replacement program, all the vomiting stopped and I was able to begin serious VRT, which I've continued to do every day for nearly 40 years. At 79, I still do data collection on that wild little river, by myself, 20 miles from the nearest place to get cell reception. I also care for a small acreage on the coast and, yes, I get up on a ladder to clean gutters and paint when needed.

I moderated an online Meniere's discussion group for many years and learned that there are many people, often women in their 40s, who have serious problems with not only the dizzies but vomiting for hours. One study has been done in China that proves there's a link between severe Meniere's and low hormone levels (i.e., menopausal women). If hormones are started early on, lost hearing can be regained. The correct ratio of hormones (i.e., doesn't cause cancer) is one part estrogen to 2.5 parts progesterone. I've taken hormones, often in very large doses, for nearly 40 years. I DID have Stage 1 slow-growing breast cancer a few years ago, but don't believe it was caused by the hormones I take. First, I'd been taking hormones for over 20 years before I had cancer, and, second, my mother had both breast and cervical cancer and both are highly hereditary.

Jump to this post

Amazing what you have been through and thank you for sharing! I’m going to try HRT again! I stopped 3 yrs ago after questionable cells/polyp/uterus. I’ve been diagnosed with Ménière’s or vascular migraines, 6 months now. I’ll try anything! Thanks

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.