serious vertigo

[Lucie]

You guys are very wise on these topics so I thought I would put this out there and see what you think.

I think it was shortly before this school year started(early August) I had horrible spells of vertigo. A couple of days I flat out could not get out of bed. I went to my family physician who referred me to an ENT. I did not see the ENT at first, as I started feeling better, however, about two weeks after school started up I began getting dizzy again. But this time it was dizzy spells all day- in my dorm, in the cafeteria, in class(particularly in class, sitting still in a class room is the worst). It has made my life a living hell most of the time. Of course I went to see that ENT, who did a couple of ear tests and told me nothing. However, she did tell me that I might have asthma(???? So what?? I guess shortness of breath could contribute to all this) and to get an MRI. The next week I had one of my worst dizzy spells. I could not get out of bed for half the day. I was afraid I would fall if I tried.
I used to have terrible anxiety, and for a long time I had been free of that person prison/hell that anxiety creates. But I think this vertigo has thrown me back in to it, fully. I am constantly anxious and thinking and worrying about dizzy spells. Over the weekend I went to the movies with a friend and halfway through I had to get up and leave because I was getting so lightheaded. I felt like I couldn’t breath and I was petrified.

This morning I woke up and started crying. I don’t want through a pity party. But MY GOD. That’s how much I did not want to get up.

I have noticed that places where I’ve had dizzy spells, like a particular cafeteria, freak me out to the point that I can barely be in there. Like this morning I was in that cafeteria for 5 minutes. I felt dizzy getting my food. Sat down and felt seriously dizzy and more or less bolted. I have not been missing too many classes due to this(do to sheer willpower, I guess) but this morning as I was walking across my lovely campus I felt like I was going at a 45 degree angle. It was completely freaky. Mornings seem to be the worst. But these dizzy attacks come all the time. It reminds me of when I used to have panic attacks and I spent my whole life worrying about them and trying to avoid them. I keep having the same sort of irrational thoughts: like I’ve developed a huge fear of fainting. And I’ll convince myself that my heart is going to stop.

I don’t drink, I don’t smoke. I used to work out until I had a dizzy spell in the gym and haven’t been back in about a month. I have good friends. Good grades. I’m involved in activities other than school. What am I doing wrong? I never thought I would have anxiety like this again.

[Toomutch]

Have you had the MRI done - sounds like a good idea...
I have had vertigo before and I know how awfull it can be.

Keep us posted.

[cinderellawkids]

I get similar vertigo, associated with cold hands or clammy hands. My doctors claim its anxiety attacks

[MCake]

Vertigo is really, really horrible, I'm sorry you're suffering Lucie.

I had similar symptoms, saw an ENT, a neurologist etc to no avail. A pdoc finally diagnosed anxiety and panic, and I started taking medication to treat it (together with my ongoing therapy). This may or may not be your case.

Here are a few DIYs that might help:

- Breathe properly: Try breathing exercises, they can help a LOT. This might sound silly, but many people simply don't breathe properly. Shortness of breath, ragged breaths, holding your breath etc can cause blood carbon dioxide levels to rise, making you feel dizzy and panicky. Exercise can also cause this, btw so, if you hit the gym again, monitor your breathing techniques (if there's an instructor around, s/he should be able to teach you the proper exercise breathing techniques)

Basically, make sure you inhale deeply (through your nose not mouth, filling up your "tummy" like a balloon), hold it for a moment, then exhale thoroughly (through your mouth, pursed lips, deflating your "stomach" completely). Use this technique throughout the day; wearing loose clothes may help. A friend of mine got really miffed at her doctor because he was staring at her cleavage as it turned out, my friend was wearing really tight clothes and holding her breath, and her doctor *was* in fact checking her breathing.

- Cut back on caffeine. If the vertigo is related to anxiety, caffeine may really make you feel worse.

- Eat several small servings of food throughout the day, as dips in blood sugar might make you feel faint. So graze throughout the day.

- Ginger may help. I used to eat caramelized ginger and drank ginger tea. Ginger can ease vertigo and nausea.

- As hard as it may sound, try to relax. Psychological stress can also cause dizziness and vertigo (this is called somatization, and it's not an "illness"). Don't *expect* the dizziness to hit. Anticipatory anxiety sucks, it's a vicious cycle. It's actually quite easy to break this cycle, but if you leave it unchecked it might spiral out of control before you know it.

- The most important one: prod, hound and badger your doctors for a solution. If they brush you off, see another GP. Be relentless. I REALLY had to put my foot down after seeing several doctors who said "oh, it's just anxiety, don't worry about it!". Well, you may or may not be suffering from an anxiety disorder but, whatever the case, you need reassurance and treatment if appropriate (if it's an anxiety disorder, *you* should get to choose whether you want to take medication or not, there are other alternatives that work just as well as meds).

Please feel free to PM me. Good luck

[Lucie]

thanks you guys. My doctor ran a couple of blood tests and told me today that all of that looked okay(anemia, etc), and urged me to go get the MRI. I really want to get it over with now!

[Lucie]

so i got the stupid MRI over with, and apparently there's nothing wrong with my brain. they did tell me to go to a neurologist though.

at this point I think the almost constant dizziness I'm experiencing is from severe anxiety caused by the vertigo. I HATE THIS.

[MCake]

Lucie, I suppose you're relieved that your MRI results were normal It rules out potentially serious health conditions. I suggest that you see a mental health provider, along with the neurologist, to consider other causes for the dizziness. Have you tried any of the tips I listed? I'm sorry you feel so bad... PM me anytime

[Stubborn1]

I just had an mri with dye. Did you have that? I also had a bran scan with a different dye. None of it hurt. They didn't find anything. I did have a virus (like a cold) and that's when the vertigo came about. Now I only get it when I get off of elevators and sometimes in a car.

I just had vertigo recently and it was horrible. I am so sorry you have to go through that.

[anubus]

I definately feel your pain!! I have been suffering from vertigo for about 3 years now, which started after getting a tooth partial "fixed"
A week later came severe ear pain, and extreme dizziness...ended up in the ER because the dizziness was SO SCAREY that it turned into a severe panic attack.....was SO BAD, I thought I was having a real heart attack.I haven't worn the partial in years (only wore it for two weeks) but my vertigo continues!! I have researched extensively, and have tried everything to cure this, to no evail.

I have been to 4 ENT docs, because I also "feel something" in my ear, but all docs & tests say nothing is wrong with my ear. And bloodwork is all normal. One ENT suggested it may be TMJ, and referred me to a dentist. The dentist said I needed to have a tooth pulled.....(didn't stop the dizziness). I even tried an eye doc.....a $200 pair of glasses didin't help (makes it WORSE.....ugh). My regular doc insists it's anxiety, and prescribed Adivan which I am deathly afraid to take becuase in my mind I am afraid the meds will make me dizzy....:wtf2 Once you feel that craziness of being dizzy, you're afraid to do ANYTHING.......URGH.

I can defiantely relate to being SO afraid to go places where you experinced dizziness in the past!! I do the same thing. And I can understand your situation. I too used to work out in a gym, faithfully. Five days a week walking 4 miles per day, and lifting weights 3-4 days a week...I LOVED going to the gym...then came this awful dizziness, and just THINKING about working out makes me sick to my stomach. And I used to LOVE to go to the tanning salon.....can't do that either anymore, and it sure is frustrating!! I feel like my life is ruined by vertigo And I used to LIVE at the shopping malls, clearance sale shopping.....now the mall makes me dizzy...urgh.

Although I don't have any real solution (wish I did!!), I have found some things that help a little, kinda make life bearable to work or in your case survive school classes. Try the ginger as another poster suggested. I buy ginger candy from a health food store, and it seems to help alot. I recently started taking ginger capsules, but whether it's my imagination or not, they seem to make me weird. But the ginger candy helps (the one I buy is brand name Reeds). Also I started taking Omego 3's or fish oil regularly, and seems to definately help. And one of my best tricks, suggested by an old timer doctor.....HOT SAUCE. Sounds weird, but it DOES WORK. I keep a constant supply of hard boiled eggs in the fridge, and when I feel dizzy I'll eat 2-3 eggs (I throw away the yellow part) with lots of hot sauce. In fact, I know a girl who carries hot sauce in her purse anytime she goes ANYWHERE. She also gets dizzy, and swears the hot sauce WORKS. It kinda clears your airwaves/head/etc.....I don't know WHY it works, but it does.
And I hesitate to post this here, because this is an alcohol recovery website......but 1/2 glass of red wine also seems to help. Maybe if mine is related to anxiety, the wine relaxes me? I'm not sure, but if I am having a really bad vertigo day, 1/2 glass of wine helps. Not too much though......or it can have an opposite result....more dizziness......ugh!!

Sorry this is so long, but your post hit home with me. I hope some of the things I mentioned help you. And please if you find any better solutions, post them so it will help any of us with similar vertigo.

[cinderellawkids]

I agree with Mattcake and anubus. I still suffer as well and occassional fainting, MRI and neurologists cant find anything, good self care and other relaxation tips help the most

[hilltopprincess]

Hi Lucie. OH boy do you sound like your telling my story. Almost exactly I went through these same steps starting five years ago. After thousands and thousands of dollars in doctor bills, this year after suffering from Post Partum Depression I saught out a therapist after a nervous breakdown from being dizzy ALL THE TIME. Up until this point the doctors kept saying it was vertigo and gave me motion sickness meds. DIDN'T help a bit. Reason being, my dizziness was and does get brought on by anxiety and panic. Your mind can be having a panic attack without you even knowing it is going on. I feel so sad for you because all of this not knowing what was going on has led me into having agoraphobia (the fear of the fear). ANyway, long story short, I am positive you need to seek mental health therapy, and get on some sort of medication that will help with your anxiety. My doctor has me on xanax xr, 1 daily, prozac and straterra for attention deficet. This combo works for me, but you may need a different combo....I started out taking a xanax just as needed, then went to three a day, but the peaks of the xanax was so much to handle, with my level of anxiety, my doctor put me on xanax xr which is a time released med that keeps your anxieties to a minimum. PLEASE skip all of the Doctors from here on out, I too did the CT scans, MRI's, ENT, balance tests etc, and all the results were fine, and of course all this is a process of elimination, but I truly in my heart believe that you need therapy for your anxieties. Especially since you have a history of it. PLEASE keep me updated. I feel like I know you just from having this terrible thing in common. Good luck to you, and make sure YOU LIKE Your therapist. If you find you don't feel comfortable....keep switching until you find one you like.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[Lucie]

thanks for all your great posts you guys.
it's taken some time, but it's gotten a lot better(I don't want to jinx myself!). I haven't had an episode of vertigo in awhile.
I had some pretty bad anxiety from it, but seeing my therapist has helped a lot. It takes time, but I feel like I'm getting better at acquiring coping skills to deal with my anxiety that I experience on a daily basis.
also, I started sleeping a lot more. that was a huge help.
I know that a lot of my dizziness is due to anxiety, so just knowing that is actually a comfort. I would rather it be anxiety than a tumor!