Dizzines, head spins, head pressure, anxiety
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hello, my name is Alvis, im 20 years old.
I wanted to share my story with you and maybe get some help. Right now im lightheaded, dizzy, anxious for one one week. I think it maybe had something to do with my fall, but im not sure. I was drunk that night, was walking and lost balance, falled on right side of head, no vomiting, no memory loss. Just the next day i felt like crap, not only hangover, but my head was hurting soo bad on the left side. It was in July btw.. Then after that i felt weirder, had episodes of lightheadness and i knew something was not right, i never had these things before. Then about 8 days ago it all started, i was working and just felt like i have weekness in body and lightheadness, i felt terrible, my ears kinda "closed" for some 15 seconds, horrible feeling. That they i went home and sleeped all that day and from that day i feel like crap, my left side of head feels like pressure in there and behing eye. I was sleping for 2 days and felt worse and worse. It was so bad i couldnt walk out off bed few steps, that was last drop, my mom called parademics, I was taken to hospital, they did blood test, ct scan to my head, I had to wait like 6 hours until they told me results, and there was moment when i was sitting and felt worse condition in life, i was about to pass out, they then put me in bed, and i felt better within hour... After waiting for 6 hours they told me everything is okey, ct scan good, blood test good. Then some ear doctor came to see me, she said it could be bppv, so they sent me home with some medications. I had to take Medrol for 6 days, the first day of it was just hoorible, my heart was pounding, couldnt sleep, i felt worse then before. So i consulted my family doctor and she told to stop taking them, so i took them for 3 days after that i felt terrible side effects, my headache was soi bad, the worst ever, i felt my whole body was weak. Noone told what I have, i dont think its BPPV maybe im wrong. I kept reading online about my symptoms and possible things that i could have, i was just getting more and more anxious, scared, just feelt soo bad. I gotta say, before that i did 3 xrays to head, neck, all good, and i did ultrasonography to head, all good.
On 21 october i went to neurologist, she told me that everything seems okey, that i need to relax and only think possitive, she asked me questions what I wanna do in future and things like that, that helped with my anxiety, but not with my dizziness, vertigo. Right now Im waiting for 29 october, i got visit otolaryngologist, for consultation and audiogramm. It seems so far away, and i can just guess whats wrong with me... Right now symptoms are: vertigo, dizziness, when i move my head side to side its much worse and start to feel pressure in head, if i hold my head straight, almost no dizziness, im sensitive to light, i cant sit long time to computer or smartphone, max 1 hour, if i sit longer i get weird feeling and dizziness, i hate going to sleep now, when i lay in bed i feel like falling, everything is spinning, if i lay on any side it gets even worse, like my head is spinning, but others thing stay in possition, pluss if i lay on sides i get more head pressure. What helps me walking and making myself something to eat is medical haed holder, its used for neck injuries, but it helps me!! Well the dizziness is less with it and im taking betahistine 24mg 3 times a day and it makes dizziness less. And i got some pain arround hearth, but that could be from anxiety and all time that i sleep on my back. I just wanna get back to normal life, its soo hard with dizziness, cant do basic things, im listening to motivational speechess and videos that is what helps me everyday. I was thinking maybe its like message from higher powers, that i need to change, because i really need to had some bad habits, drinking, smoking and things like that. Right now im making something like diary, i write down how i feel everyday and i wrote things that i need to accomplish, when i will feel good I will start doing them one by one!
But right now i just wanna faster get healthy again. I was wondering are there people like me who struggles with all these problems like I do? I read some posts on forum and there are people with similar symptons that i have. Maybe someone had this thing like me and is healthy right now and could give me some advice what to do and where to go?!
I will be waiting for replays 
, and keep posting how things are going.
Have a good day!
0 likes, 26 replies
laurence76206 alvis48886
Posted
Everything you have described is exactly the same as me. I was diagnosed 8 Months ago with Vestibular neuronitis (VN), after becoming dizzy on the 19th December 2014, if you are feeling able google VN this is also very similar to Labryinthitis. I also struck my head so have never been sure if this brought on the symptoms or whether (as the consultant suggested) it is virus related as I also had a cold sore in my eye.
Unfortunately I have now been unwell for 10 months, don't though be disheartened by this as most people will recover within 6-12 weeks and you have age on your side.
I am seeing an excelllent consultant in Leicetser called Mr Peter Rea, he specialises in this type of condition. If you do though get diagnsoed with VN or Lab's you are likely to be told to avoid the following:
Alcohol
caffiene
Chocolate
reduce salt intake
Takeaways
Citrus
You will also be told to stop taking any tablets as these should not be taken for longer than about 3 weeks as they stop you from compensating (getting your balance back).
I wish you the best of luck for your appointment on 29th October, it will be intersting to hear what you are diagnosed with.
best wishes
Laurence
alvis48886 laurence76206
Posted
Its horrible 10 months with vertigo, your vertigo is all time? Or you have some sort of "attacks"?
Probably stupid to ask, but did you do mri scan? What were the results? I just havent done it yet, my doctor told me there is no need to hurry and spend money, this condition is just terrible thats why i will do anything to stop it faster.
Oh and do you feel pain in your ear/s or fullness? Because i readed online those were symptoms of ear things, my ears dont hurt at all, and i dont feel fullness, it was just like 3 times when, i even cant explain, just feelt very wierd.
laurence76206 alvis48886
Posted
I have had two MRI scans and a scan of my neck they all came back normal. I have also had endless blood tests which have all come back normal. Lots of things can aggravate the condition e.g picking up another virus, certain foods, air pressue, lack of sleep. Most consultants will suggests physiotherapy to help you compensate and this is successful in 85% of cases. We are all different and we all heal at different rates but it does appear the younger you are the quicker you are likely to recover.
If you do have VN or Lab's you will probably expereince a lot of weird symptoms around your head and eyes, this is all par for the course. Anxiety is all part of the condition, I have learnt to accept it for what it is and hence my anxiety is not as bad as when I first experienced the illness as like you I was wondering all sorts of things.
For peace of mind it is worth asking to have an MRI scan, most consultants will get this done even after giving a diagnosis just to rule out anything else.
alvis48886 laurence76206
Posted
I got that pop feeling only one time, it was that day when I was working, that pop really scarred me, so from there I went home. I havent expierienced that pop feeling anymore, just like weird noises in my ears that lasted about 30 seconds, and it was only 2 times, for now.
And about 2 days i had some flu(well I think it was flu), my head was hurting, i felt weak, now it is gone. All there is left is this dizziness.
Sometimes i do get head pressure, but only on right side of head and eye.
I will see what otolaryngologist will say, but like you said need to do MRI scan just to rule anything else.
How are you feeling now? Are you feeling better, I mean less dizziness, or the same as from start?
laurence76206 alvis48886
Posted
My dizziness has unfortunately got worse over the months, this is not normal as most people will begin to feel an improvment. I was improving and my balance was compensating up to about 1 month ago. I was able to go for three walks per day all approximately 1 mile so I was probably walking in total around 4-5 miles per day (this includes pottering around the house and garden). I was beginning to be able to perform other tatsk more easily e.g using the PC, reading, cooking dinners etc. But 1 month ago whilst walking up a hill on a busy road I had another dizzy attack and tottally de-compensated so I am now back to square one. Again don't be disheartened by this as I am a rarity (lucky me!)
The physiotherpay does help and as others have said it is best to try and keep moving as laying in bed will slow down any recovery. When you have your app't on the 29th ask about physio as they will not always suggest this (they didn't with me and hence I was 6 months into my illness before eventually seeing a decent consultant, Mr Rea, and he organised it).
I too get occasional pressure around my head, my VN was most likely caused by the Herpes virus (as Helianthus also stated) as I had a corneal Ulcer which is a cold sore but on the yey rather than the lip. I had this in November 2014 and then had a dizzy attack on the 19th December. I am off to see Mr Rea again on the 11th November so am hoping he will be able to help me some more but at the memoment I am back to doing simple VRT (vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy) to start getting my balance back to where I was at a month ago and then hopefully begin to imrpove further thereafter.
I notice that Terry has joined the conversation. Terry has been a great help to me, he will give you a lot of sound advice so it is worth listening to anything he tells you.
All the best
Laurence
Terry6872737 alvis48886
Posted
alvis48886 Terry6872737
Posted
I even dont know, they asked me about fall, how I felt, did i lose memory, did i puke. Well and thats about it ( i remember the fall and i didnt puke, my friends were with me and they said i didnt puke)
After the fall my left side of head really hurted, but I went to work 2 days after fall, I have no idea is that fall somehow connected to condition i am feeling now.
Terry6872737 alvis48886
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Terry6872737 alvis48886
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From what I read those are part of any number of symptoms that you may or may not experience. I would not rule it out as a cause.
alvis48886 Terry6872737
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lisa08672 alvis48886
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alvis48886 lisa08672
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I have dizziness 24/7 too, today for me wad "bad" day, felt more lightheaded then yesterday. Yeah its so hard to stay positive, its a good thing i saw that neurologist, she helped me a bit with my anxiety. Before visiting her i was going crazy, every little thing that hurt, i was like OMG started to search in Internet symptoms, i felt my hearth is gonna explode and all sort of crazy things, it was really getting out of controle, now i realize i had panic attacks and anxiety was very high. Right now the thoughts are still there, but much less then before. And its good thing that I found this forum, its really helpful! I drink very much water too, green tea, no coffee. And taking some Neurozan (Memory&Brain Performance).
Its same for me, i cant sleep all day, then im just getting more crazy and anxious, just like you i try doing some thing
alvis48886
Posted
Doing some things, like walking outside, cleaning my room, just some simple things, its hard, but Im tryng. Ofcourse your young
. I believe we will all get through it, its just matter of time.
lisa08672 alvis48886
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alvis48886 lisa08672
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I can imagine how difficult it is for you with two kids. Its hard to take care of them even when healthy, but with this condition, I think its impossible.
Are you dizzy all the time, no matter how you move or hold your head? Because for me its easier to keep my head straight, im still kinda dizzy, but for me keeping head straight really helps, plus i use medical head holder that really helps me when moving arround, maybe it can help you to and my back muscles were under pressure all time, now with medical head holder its much easier.
lisa08672 alvis48886
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Helianthus alvis48886
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I'm not sure exactly what a medical head holder does, sounds like it could restrict movement? If you think you have VN, as nice as it feels not to move your head, you need to as much as possible - mainly doing vestibular exercises. For the first couple of months I longed for a head, neck and shoulder brace type thing! I only wanted to move my eyeballs.
I think the main test for VN is an ENG test (it includes caloric testing using either water or air - i've had both) Perhaps you should ask consultant about this.
I agree with Laurence regarding MRI scan
" For peace of mind it is worth asking to have an MRI scan, most consultants will get this done even after giving a diagnosis just to rule out anything else"
alvis48886 lisa08672
Posted
Yeah im off work, but its part time job, i need to study and go to high school. I live in Europe
lisa08672 alvis48886
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alvis48886 Helianthus
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Thats just horrible, living with vertigo for 7 months.
Medical head holder holds your head in just straight position, its used for neck injuries, but it also helps with dizziness, my neurologist adviced me it.
Thats the problem, i don't know what I have just yet, i found some exercises, but i have no idea will they help or do nothing.
Okey, thank you, I will have to ask about ENG test.
alvis48886 lisa08672
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Stay strong, Alvis.
Helianthus alvis48886
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Helianthus alvis48886
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laurence76206 Helianthus
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I notice that you also think the Herpes virus was the cause of your dizziness. I am also conviced that this caused mine as I told Alvis mine was likely caused by an eye ulcer which is a cold sore on the eye.
Have you felt any improvment over the 7 months? I am now 10 months in and although I did feel as though I was improving I completely de-compensated when wlaking up a hill on a busy road and find myself back to square one. My consultant is a little confused as to what could have happened and has told me that I either de-compensated due to my eyes and brain getting overwhelmed with all the noise of the traffic on the road or I had another event. I think what he means by that is I had another virus attack my inner ear? I keep hoping that they will suddenly find some magic potion that will cure all of this. My consultanmt Mr Rea is heavily involved in research for these types of condition and he has mentioned that some trilals have shown great promise so maybe in the not to distant future there will be an instant remedy!!
Best wishes
Laurence
alvis48886 Helianthus
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Helianthus laurence76206
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The recovery of this illness is excruciatingly slow! I returned to work in July, just for 10 half days then it was the summer holidays (i work in a school) but have been back to work fulltime for past 7 weeks. This has done me no favours! I think in my mind people would think I was pulling a fast one if I asked for more time off because I had already had 4 months off, well 5/6 months if you include the summer holiday.
Prior to returning to walk I had become quite active - walking 5/6 miles most days. I also introduced other activities to get my head moving spontaneously such as playing tennis, catch, shooting hoops, kicking a ball. I also did a little yoga (sun salutation), zumba, balance pad and hula hoop with my eyes closed afew times a week. All these things became easier with each practice.
Returning to fulltime work has broken me! The fatigue is insane. Symptoms I thought i'd waved goodbye returned. I had no energy to do VRT or any exercise for that matter. The consultant on Thursday has said I must get signed off from work and is arranging for me to see a specialist physio (hooray!).
I looked up your consultant, he really does seem to know his stuff. You must feel relieved to have him.
Your other event does sound unusual. Do you know if you have any balance function in damaged ear?