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Dizzy for a year and a half, losing hope

Posted , 6 users are following.

courtney3567
courtney3567

i’m an 18 year old female college student. all of this started in november 2018 when i hit the top of my head so hard it felt like my soul left my body. i was diagnosed with a mild concussion. i feel like i should mention that i had a sinus infection and my ears were clogged around the same time also. ever since then i’ve been constantly dizzy and it’s only getting worse- this week has been particularly bad. it feels like i’m not moving even though i’m stationary- it’s most comparable to being on a boat but it can get as extreme as being on a rollercoaster with really intense swoops. i started going to physical therapy in december 2019- i tested positive for bppv but even after that was cured i’ve still felt extremely dizzy with no relief. i'm almost certain that i have pppd but my doctor had no idea what it was when i told him about it. i’ve been dealing with depression for years but this has made it spike to new heights. i cry every day because i get no relief. i can’t even sleep normally- i just lay in bed, feeling the waves of dizziness until i eventually crash from exhaustion. no doctor has been able to help me. i'm honestly becoming really suicidal because of this. i really don’t know what to do anymore.

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  • Emis_Moderator
    Emis_Moderator courtney3567

    Posted

    Hi courtney3567,

    We note from a recent post which you have made to our forum that you may be experiencing thoughts around self-harm. If we have misinterpreted your comments then we apologise for contacting you directly. But if you are having such thoughts then please note that you are not alone in this, and there are people out there that can help.

    If you are having these suicidal thoughts then we strongly recommend you speak to someone who may be able to help. The Samaritans offer a safe space where you can talk openly about what you are going through. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems better, or just be there to listen.

    Their contact details are on our patient information leaflet here: https://patient.info/health/dealing-with-suicidal-thoughts, which also offers lots of other advice on how you can access the help you may need.

    If you are having such thoughts then please do reach out to the team at the Samaritans (or the other people detailed in our leaflet) who will understand what you're going through and will be able to help.

    If you are based outside of the UK.

    The Samaritans is a UK based charity, but they also have suggestions for how you can access help in other countries.

    Please have a look at this page https://www.befrienders.org/directory

    Patient

  • she7119
    she7119 courtney3567

    Posted

    You can and will get relief. Please try to keep going even if it is bad. Can you describe a bit more in detail what therapy you have tried and if there is anything at all that improves it

    • courtney3567
      courtney3567 she7119

      Posted

      my physical therapist has been trying the type of vestibular therapy that purposely brings on the dizziness so that i get used to it (i think it's called habituation). i haven't been making progress with it.

  • rocksolid
    rocksolid courtney3567

    Posted

    Try and be specific. Where is your pain and what does it feel like? I have what doctors believe to be Occipital Neurolgia. That is a nerve that starts at the base of your neck and goes over the top of your head. My neck is tight and hurts on the left and right side. I am not dizzy like vertigo but spaced out all the time. The pain I feel feels like the top of my head is on fire sometimes. It hurts when I touch it. Try and tell us stuff like that if you have any types of symptoms. You might want to go to a different Neurologist.

    • courtney3567
      courtney3567 rocksolid

      Posted

      it's not painful but it's extremely debilitating. it pretty much feels like i'm always rocking on a boat/swaying. it gets worse when i sit up/stand up but even when i lay down i'm not free from the sensation. long hallways and shopping malls exacerbate the symptoms. i'm also always nauseous and my brain is always foggy- i lost a lot of vocabulary and i can't form sentences as quickly as i used to.

    • eagle33050
      eagle33050 courtney3567

      Posted

      snap. all symptoms i have to a tea. foggy brain, swaying, like im on a boat and no relief from laying down. I've just jyad to crawl on my knees to the bathroom. i was feeling exactly how you were today.

  • teresa03176
    teresa03176 courtney3567

    Posted

    please please dont giv up, i have been where you are! are you in the uk? i was diagnosed with vestibular migraine /ppv and it has taken 7 months to get a diagnoses! you need a referral to a neurologist, i am currently trialing different drugs , there is help out there, you just dont have the right doctor. mine the think was hormone related given my age, your could be the same given your age. stress is a major factor as is correct migraine diet. I should point out , it is a silent migraine as in you dont actually get a headache! fuzzy head and dizziness possible tinnitus. i tried the excerises but did not do anything for me. you are to young to be wasting your life suffering when you dont need to be, there is a lot help out there. i can point you in right directions if you want to contact me . hang in there xx

    • courtney3567
      courtney3567 teresa03176

      Posted

      i'm from long island new york. i told my physician about pppd and he had no idea what it was, but he wound up prescribing me sertraline (zoloft).

    • teresa03176
      teresa03176 courtney3567

      Posted

      Hi courtney ok so at least you have tried one medicationwhich is a start. there is no quick fix to this, there are so many medications to try ,you just need the right specialist! mist of these medications take up to three months to work! the are a combination if drugs like beta blockers calcium chanel blockers and low dose antidepressants. research the vestibular diet which is a must not even decafe drinks as the still have 7% caffeine in. Sleep is a big trigger as is to much sleep! Healing only begins when you except that this is happening and its not magically going to disappear!! I know its vert difficult to live with and stress is a major trigger

      You must not let the doctor just fobbb you off!

      .you have to push to try other medication as the are out there.Let me know what happens, by the way how long did the give the last medication ?

  • rocksolid
    rocksolid courtney3567

    Posted

    Have you had a blood test? Low vitamin B12 can make you feel crappy. If that turns out fine look to go see a neurotologidt. They specialize in the ear only. That's tologist with a T

    • courtney3567
      courtney3567 rocksolid

      Posted

      i've had every test in the book- they all come back normal. i saw a neurologist about it and he blamed it on migraines, but the medicine he gave me didn't work.

  • eagle33050
    eagle33050 courtney3567

    Posted

    hey i feel exactly the same. i was told it could be bppv but i still feel dizzy like I'm on a rollercoaster and thought i could have something similar. i first got mine after a ride on a rollercoaster and still feel like im on it. i have to sleep with 5 pillows and like you i crash out with exhaustion of the constant swaying.

    im in bed at the moment not being able to move my head as i had an episode of vertigo after doing the eply manoeuvre which i thought was to treat it not make me feel like this which lasts for weeks i hope you get answers and get relief. i also suffer with depression and also have severe anxiety. i know how your feeling because today feel so hopeless. i cabt even get referee cause of covid its a nightmare

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