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Could I have a balance disorder?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Bookworm33
Bookworm33

Hello, I'm hoping I can get some advice. I've suffered from dizziness for nearly two years. My doctor (who recently retired) told me it was due to anxiety, and that it would go away in time. I do have a panic disorder, but with counselling, my attacks are now few and far between. The dizziness, though, has never gone away.

I've noticed in recent months that I get dizzy from the oddest things--walking in dark areas, sitting near someone in a rocking chair, facing a revolving ceiling fan, watching a parade go from side to side on TV. I also wake up dizzy most mornings, and sometimes dread turning over or sitting up in bed because of how it makes me feel. 

My ears have started ringing, and feel "full" with pressure, but my new doctor hasn't found the cause yet. I have had 2-3 incredibly minor vertigo episodes, where the room tilts up and down for only a few seconds and then stops. Sometimes it looks like objects in front of me are moving on their own. I usually feel as though I've just gotten off a fast merry-go-round. The room itself doesn't spin, but my head feels as though I've just gone in circles, most of the time.

It's not so bad I can't function, which makes me wonder if it is really my imagination. I keep telling myself it's stress or lack of sleep causing anxiety, but after researching balance disorders I'm beginning to wonder if that's true. I've been to so many doctors in the past two years--I just wonder if I've got enough symptoms of a real problem to warrant going to a specialist about this. (I'm so grateful for ANY advice offered!)

1 like, 34 replies

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  • Bookworm33
    Bookworm33

    Posted

    Much to my surprise (and relief!) I was able to get an appointment with the ENT yesterday! He told me a lot of my symptoms are very common for someone with inner ear problems, which eases my mind greatly. My hearing is perfect, and there's no fluid or anything else wrong with my ears, so he said it's either all inner ear, or headache-related. 

    (I do have headaches often that I attribute to lack of sleep and stress, but they're not usually very painful, which is why I never thought they could be causing the problem. He said even minor headaches can put my brain out of whack and cause a dizziness problem, though.)

    I go back in one month (the earliest I could get in) for 2 hours of balance tests. That will either confirm the inner ear cause, or rule it out in favor of the headache cause. If it's inner ear, he seems confident that some physical therapy will help a lot of my symptoms.

    In the meantime, I've bought a nightlight, and it's helping me sleep better, at least. I don't get so dizzy in my dark bedroom anymore, and I don't have to have an actual lamp on all through the night. 

    So, we're making progress!

    • anne05147
      anne05147 Bookworm33

      Posted

      Hi Bookworm, glad to hear you got an appointment.  I have 2 problems BPPV and silent migraines.  The consultant told me not to get the 2 confused.  I have felt much better since adjusting my diet as recommended and commencing on medication which i hope i can stop once i am able.  My visual problems and balance problems he said aren't related to BPPV but to silent migraines.  I had got used to a dull ache in the base of my skull and thought it related to neck pain, i use to also wake with a dull ache behind my eyes, they have both now gone.  I never took much notice of either because they were so minor.

      Hopefully, however slowly we will all make some progress.   I do now have some tools to work with by not overloading my diet with trigger foods, for me caffeine, cheese and chocolate and also being aware that my visual problems are not related to BPPV, so now have something to work with.  I can still have these trigger foods so long as they are in moderation but i do think cheese is something i may need to eliminate completely.  Since adjusting my diet i have not had any visual problems as bad as before and feel them fading into the background and my balance is better than it has been for a long time as i have been having these problems for past 2 years almost to the day when all this started when i rolled over in bed one night. Hope you continue with your improvement.  

    • Bookworm33
      Bookworm33 anne05147

      Posted

      That's great that you have some ways to make your symptoms better! The ENT said he's definitely leaning toward the headaches as the cause of my problems, but we won't know for sure until the balance tests are over. I think I've just gotten so used to the minor headaches I do have that I never thought to connect them to balance problems.
    • anne05147
      anne05147 Bookworm33

      Posted

      of course not, neither did i.  It wasn't until i was asked that i actually realised that the dull ache could be part of the problem.  I also use to get a thumping in my ears that i just took for granted.  I go back next month to start some exercises but as my balance is now so much improved i am hoping that i won't end up worse off as i have to drive and work as a community nurse.   I had a bit of a wonky day today but i have been drinking quite a lot of milk lately so may have over indulged as i do like milk.  Bad isn't it when a glass of milk can have the same effect as a brandy as far as balance is concerned,  must be a bit of a wusssmile
  • Bookworm33
    Bookworm33

    Posted

    I finally have an update, but not the great news I was hoping for. I went in for balance testing this morning, and got to follow red dots with my eyes and spin around in a chair in the dark (that was fun *eyeroll*) and have air blown into my ears to make me dizzy while they tracked a bunch of data (that was even more fun...*eyeroll and sigh*). After 90 minutes, the technician told me that everything looks completely...normal.

    I was absolutely convinced something was going to show up today, so I'm really disappointed that after all that, we're not much closer to an answer. The good news is that we've ruled out a problem with my inner ear...the not-great news is that I still have no idea what's causing all these symptoms. And now that things keep getting ruled out, I'm starting to wonder if I am just imagining all this after all.

    I go for a follow-up with the ENT/Neurologist next Tuesday, and we'll start looking at other possible causes. Sadly, that's all I know for now.

    • gillian76726
      gillian76726 Bookworm33

      Posted

      hI bookworm, well I am sorry to hear this news, but so I am not surprised either.  
    • gillian76726
      gillian76726

      Posted

      Sorry screen froze again!  I have had all those same tests and got the same 'normal, results.  Tbh I reckon unless you are way over with vertigo they don,t show up much at all!!n After 5 years I am left with a diagnosis of 'chronic Disequilibrium'!  Even my GP though that was meaningless!!  cUruosly the only test I failed on was the standing on one leg and balancing, eyes open. And eyes shut, both bad the the latter worse.  .did,you have that one?  
    • gillian76726
      gillian76726

      Posted

      Freeze again!  Maybe you do have MAV, I seems to be a ,favourite, diagnosis for Drs these days.  I!have been looking at some other cases like Auto Immune Ear Disease as I have an immune problem.  also something called EVA which i read about on the VEDA site, so have a look at those and see if anything 'chimes'
    • anne05147
      anne05147 Bookworm33

      Posted

      your news has probably left you with mixed feelings.I too was also convinced they would find something because i was so affected.  I know you haven't got a diagnosis, which is mostly what we want, followed by an effective treatment, but I think, for myself,  it was good to know that from all my balance testing they couldn't find anything wrong or seriously wrong.  The silent migraines and the meds i am on now have left me feeling a lot improved along with paying more attention to my diet, so that i don't overdo foods that might be exacerbating my condtion.  Trying to remember to drink more fluids and not have too much sugar has helped also.  I have now switched to brown sugar.  Keeping as far away from processed foods as possible, with the odd indulgences. Rarely have caffinated drinks, but can tolerate it in small quantities, whereas before i had loads.  I think i can eat whatever i want now only in moderation.  I very much doubt you are imagining it because for myself it all just started out of the blue and would be the very last thing i could imagine affecting me despite having quite a vivid imagination of all the other things that might go wrong for me this was never one of them.

      I hope you get somewhere with your follow up appointment.  All best wishes.   

    • Bookworm33
      Bookworm33 gillian76726

      Posted

      I believe the next area they're going to consider is headaches and whether they could be causing the trouble. If I do have migraines, they'd have to be the "silent" kind that don't cause pain, because my headaches are usually very mild. 
    • Bookworm33
      Bookworm33 anne05147

      Posted

      Thank you so much for the encouragement! When I was a teenager and my anxiety was brand new, I had so many tests for things I just "knew" I had wrong with me, but the tests always came back negative because it was all in my head. This is just bringing back those memories, I guess.

      It sounds like you've made quite a bit of progress, and I hope when we do find a solution I can adapt that easily! I'll try to stay patient in the meantime...

    • anne05147
      anne05147 Bookworm33

      Posted

      You're most welcome, we are all trying to adapt but i do get angry with lazy doctors who try to put a lot of things down to anxiety or depression rather than checking out symptoms first.  Even if it does end up they can't find anything wrong at least they made an effort to have a go at doing their job thoroughly.   It's bad medicine to fob people off who could be seriously ill.   You'll get there eventually, hang in there, deep breaths help.smile   I know there are things that trigger me off, like dehydration, not eating regularly, tiredness and stress so we are all learning through this experience.
  • Bookworm33
    Bookworm33

    Posted

    Got "official" confirmation today from the ENT that my ears are perfectly fine. So the suspected cause of all my troubles is now headaches. I'll start physical therapy for 4-6 weeks as soon as appointments can be set up, and I have to go to a Neurologist at the end of November. I'm hoping the physical therapy will help and we can find an ultimate answer!
  • Bookworm33
    Bookworm33

    Posted

    It's been a while, but if anyone is still interested, I do have one more update. I had 4 weeks of physical therapy, which showed I probably did have some kind of inner ear issue in connection with headaches. The therapy really helped that problem, although I still have a bit of motion sensitivity. But it's greatly diminished from what it was a few months ago.

    I saw a neurologist who prescribed magnesium oxide and a very low-dose antidepressant to help me sleep at night. I'm sleeping through the night again for the first time in a couple of years, and I'm back to using just my regular pillow instead of sleeping with my head propped up! I'm still using a nightlight for now, which (if I haven't mentioned it before) seems to help any vertigo when the lights are off by allowing me to focus on nearby objects. Maybe I'll get adventurous and try to do without that, too!

    I'm on the headache medication for six months, and then they'll wean me off of it, and I'll see how I feel without it!

    I'm feeling so much better--I'd say about 98% back to normal! It's such a relief!

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