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Brain fog, dizziness, vision problems, head pressure, headache PLEASE HELP

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Elise93
Elise93

Hi everyone!

I don't know where else to go, and was hoping someone could please help me. I'll start off by saying I'm a 23 year old Caucasian female. Going on 5 months now, I have had absolutely debilitating symptoms which have hindered my daily life. I feel these symptoms every moment of every day.

It started with dizziness and a persistent brain fog. I just thought I had a bug, and tried to go on about my life. However, my symptoms have never gone away. This "brain fog" I am talking about is a feeling of complete mental confusion, I have no memory, I cannot concentrate on anything, it feels like there's a dark blanket on my brain clouding all my thoughts. I have extreme disorientation and haziness. I feel like I'm always in a dream like state.

I am constantly dizzy and feel a pulling sensation, as if I'm ready to fall over at any moment. It feels like there's air inside my head, and I'm always very lightheaded. Whenever I try to drive I feel this pulling sensation pulling me down.

Another problem I have is with my vision. I am having very blurred vision and have double vision. Everytime I look at something up close it is extremely blurry and I cannot see at all. My perception on things has completely changed. I feel like everything looks very odd and strange and I don't have the right depth perception. It's like I'm in a horrible dream like state all the time.

I have been having headaches and head pressure as well, and having horrible pains behind my eyes. The pin starts from the back of my head close to my neck and continues up my head and the sides of my temples. My eyes hurt so bad, and it feels like knives are jabbing my eyes. My head also feels extremely heavy all the time.

All these symptoms have been causing me severe anxiety, and I have been having panic attacks from them and feel like I'm dying. It is causing a strange disrespity sensation, where I feel like I'm not even here anymore and there's a detachment from myself and my body. I have had to drop all my classes at college and quit my job because these symptoms make me lay in bed all day long. I have been unable to drive for months and can barely get up to walk around. If anyone could please help me or know anything as a suggestion to try.

I have been to my general doctor, 2 ENTs, 1 neurologist, have had 2 MRIs, a hearing test, VNG, multiple blood tests, and no one knows what is wrong. I can't live like this anymore. Any help is greatly appreciated.

-Elise

14 likes, 1771 replies

1771 Replies

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  • debbie82116
    debbie82116 Elise93

    Posted

    Hi Elise

    Sorry you're suffering...been there! Your symptoms are identical to what I had....twice! Cudos to your GP cuz i think you have vestibular neuritis!

    If you do, it goes away.....eventually. Anxiety makes all symptoms worse. I learned that the hard way. My first bout lasted 2 years. My 2nd only 4 months.

    I am 98% better. If you want more details, please let me know.

    Debs

    • Elise93
      Elise93 debbie82116

      Posted

      Hi Debbie!

      Thanks for responding! What did you do to make this go away??? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!

    • debbie82116
      debbie82116

      Posted

      If you have VN, you've had viral damage to the balance nerve in one of your ears. Your brain is getting mixed signals because it is dealing with one good and one bad ear. The only way to correct this is to see a therapist trained in vestibular rehab. You will be given specific exercises which involve moving the head and eyes to retrain your brain....almost like when you've had a stroke. The exercises WILL make you dizzier at first but TRUST ME they will get easier as your brain is retrained. If you are having anxiety, please know this is normal!! Afterall, you are dealing with sensations that are very scary! I get that!! I saw a psychiatrist to help me deal with the anxiety and i took a mild antidepressant to calm me down. I couldnt sleep or eat and thought i was dying. It was the most horrible thing i had ever been through....

      But it went away.....when i got it again, i knew how to deal with it and it went in 4 months. Do not lay in bed. You must do these exercises, you need to go for short walks, you need to eat healthy and stay positive. Go for a massage once in a while and take care of yourself. Only you can help yourself!

      Good luck my friends.

      Debs

    • Elise93
      Elise93 debbie82116

      Posted

      Thank you so much Debbie this is really encouraging to me! Did you also have feelings of derealization and horrible brain fog and unable to think or concentrate? This is one of my scariest symptoms sad nothing looks right in the world and everything is very distorted and foreign looking sad thanks again!

    • DrewATL
      DrewATL Elise93

      Posted

      ...derealization and horrible brain fog and unable to think or concentrate??

      ^ right there with you Elise93- exact symptoms. PM me anytime.

    • debbie82116
      debbie82116 Elise93

      Posted

      Yes! Absolutely! In addition, I experienced:

      -neck pain

      -headaches

      -vision disturbances

      -pain and fullness in both ears

      -pressure on the top and back of my head

      -fatigue

      -severe anxiety

      -nausea

      -felt as though something was pushing me forward

      -general malaise

      -felt like walking on a trampoline or boat

      The list is endless....

  • Jay1806
    Jay1806 Elise93

    Posted

    Elise, and all fellow sufferers, I'm so sorry for you.

    First had similar symptoms about 12 years ago, after multiple appointments with Neuros, ENT, GPs etc. Multiple tests including EMG, MRIs, audio engineering, etc etc, even spent a lot on Lyme testing of which the resulting strike off of the investigating private doctor lead me to be sceptical of his 'positive' results. NO test was conclusive and eased (never fully) after about 18months.

    I must state I have very limited hearing in my left ear (progressive since childhood),

    After 10 days bed rest following a deuodenal ulcer bleed/repair the full blown version of my dizzy/unsteady spells have returned. Three months in, I'm terrified. Anxiety, fasciculations, limb weakness have all joined in. I'm in a situation now where I have been put on the waiting list for a Labyrynthectomy in March. Apparently if the body heals itself in the meantime I can cancel???

    I have a general medicine physician appointment as a second opinion in three weeks because I need to be sure it's my ear before going ahead with such radical, irreversible surgery, although there's not much left in my left ear, to awake from the procedure with only one working ear and it not to have been that is a massive worry. If I knew the opp will take away these dreadfull debilitating symptoms I would have it tomorrow, but I don't 😫

    The anxiety is simply unbearable

    • Elise93
      Elise93 Jay1806

      Posted

      Oh no Jay I am so truly sorry for all of your symptoms they sound horrible! Is the labrtthectomy supposed to help with regaining hearing in your ear or what is the goal for that?
    • Jay1806
      Jay1806 Elise93

      Posted

      All hearing would be irreversibly lest on the left side. The sole aim is to alleviate the imbalance. Just can't be sure 🙈

    • Terry6872737
      Terry6872737 Jay1806

      Posted

      Is Intratympanic Injection of gentamicin not an option?  Seems less invasive and at a low dosage, from what I understand, kills the balance nerve but, spares the hearing.  Is the balance function in the right ear at a healthy level?  My understanding is that that, and age, dictates the level of balance recovery after a labyrinthectomy.

      Did you have a VNG, or related test, performed to detect the balance function of both ears? 

      Tough decision for you but, we all would do most anything if we felt it was the ultimate cure/treatment.

    • Jay1806
      Jay1806 Terry6872737

      Posted

      I'm 41 Terry. I had a radical mastoidectomy about 10 years ago so I see the presumption that it's all left side. Recent hearing test before he offered me the op shows low levels left in that ear.

      Can't find it now but I'm sure I read gentamicin is only performed if you have adequate hearing?

      No recent test, but had a whole host of them 10 years ago so I presume they are now acting on clinical history.

      Thanks for your reply. It's like living a nightmare

    • Elise93
      Elise93 Jay1806

      Posted

      I'm so sorry you're in so much pain Jay! I hope you all the best with your operation. Please let us all know how it goes! I'll be praying for you!

    • Jay1806
      Jay1806 Elise93

      Posted

      Thank you Elise, I'm terrified of the uncertainty 😫

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