Does this sound like Vestibular Neuritis?
Posted , 31 users are following.
Hello, this is my first time posting. I have a serious health issue, but the doctors haven't been able to pinpoint what it is. Basically, I've had six weeks of dizziness and unsteadiness. It sounds like Vestibular Neuritis, but please let me know what you think.
On June 9th I got some kind of stomach flu or food poisoning. I had severe vomiting and diarrhea. Other than a canker sore under my toungue, I was starting to feel better. I was exercising again and working again.
While walking across a bridge in the park on June 14th, I suddenly got a fear of heights. I felt the same sensation the next day while sitting at a traffic light, that happens to be on top of an overpass. I felt panicky.
As the week went on, I was getting panicky in the car every time I had to stop at a light. I had to look down at the sterring wheel because the cars criss-crossing in front of me was making me disoriented.
Then I began to get dizzy spells throughout the day, plus I felt a permanent unsteadyness 24 hours a day. A lot of times I had to concentrate hard to walk. My eyes were not going where I wanted them to go. Work really brought on the systems. I started missing days. I also had to have people drive me around to places. One time I had heart palpatations when there were a lot of people around me. Eventually I asked for a leave of absense.
On the 26th, a dizzy spell got so bad I had to go to the hospital. It was mainly disorientation, not like the room was spinning. I was still able to walk around the hopital, but very slowly, and had to concentrate hard to do it. MRI showed no tumors or stroke. They said it was a middle ear issue, perscribe some medicine and sent me on my way.
So far I've seen one ENT, but other appts are coming for nearologist and another ENT. My hearing test was perfect. The ENG/caloric test came out normal, which surprised me. He suggested I might have Mal de Debarquement Syndrome.
I became became imprisoned in my home, and I started to feel physically weak as the days went on. After learning about vestibular exercises on the Internet, I decided to start doing them on my own. They seem to have helped with my balance and with my eye-darting issues. I now go for very long walks. I am starting to drive again too. However, everything feels totatlly different than it did before this all began.
There were a couple of nights where my brain was doing odd things. I got hot flashes (even though I'm a guy) and heart palpatations in the middle of the night one time.
My persistent systems right now are:
-suceptible to dizziness when on the computer, watching TV, doing quick head turns, being inside stores
-high-pitch ringing in my left ear
-fullness in my right ears that comes and goes, almost like there is fluid in them
-harder to concentrate
-unsteadiness as I move. Sometimes it's a "bobble"; othertimes it's like I'm leaning in one direction or another. Sometimes it's almost normal.
-sensitivity to sound, like the bath water running
-misidentification of sounds. I sometimes think the garbage truck is outside, only to figure out it's our air conditioner.
Let me know what you think. I would like to begin living a normal life again: return to work, use a computer and watch TV normally, be able to drive long distances without worry. I'm thinking it's VN, but I did not have an "acute" spinning phase, plus the caloric test was normal. The canker sore may be relevant because I've read that the herpes virus can attack the nerve.
5 likes, 302 replies
marie43202 Kevin5555
Posted
I'm experiencing very similar symptoms as you. Mid July suddenly experienced dizziness throughout the night. Soon developed fullness and pain in ears and needed to keep unblocking eustachian tubes (which I was told was the possible cause...kind of fed up with docs at this point as it is all a guessing game it seems). Past month it is more difficult to walk, at night, it feels like someone is pushing me to left side and I am fighting to walk straight which has aggravated cervical disc degeneration...like I really needed that too now. Anyways, I thought I was getting better until I went for balance testing. OMG, not sure but the audiologist had to spray water not once, but twice in both ears, cold then warm which brought on the vertigo. Up until this point, I only had a feeling of unbalance and dizziness. I have never been the same since that appt. Last night, went for a walk and could barely make it back. Vertigo and nausea at its best, all through the night.
Yes, stores (particularly grocery stores, malls) definitely set me off.
Has anyone else had this experience after a balance test? Balance test was performed a week ago. Results next Monday. Apparently, hearing is good, my right side is weaker due to what is occuring on left side. That is the only info I could squeeze out of the audiologist. I have to wait for my ENT dr to shed further light on this.
Other than pressing "confirm travel booking" on air carrier website, (had to cancel, lose $ on long awaited vacation...Rrrr), not sure what brought this on.
fasthorse marie43202
Posted
kel2015 marie43202
Posted
I had my ENG test 3weeks ago. I was extremely dizzy that morning, but the test did induce vertigo. I had light vertigo/ severe dizziness for 4-5 days after the test. My ENT was on vacation, so when he finally called about the test, I was told that everything was in normal range and that he wouldn't be able to do anything more for me.
marie43202 fasthorse
Posted
marie43202 kel2015
Posted
kel2015 marie43202
Posted
marie43202 kel2015
Posted
I forgot to mention that preceding my initial dizzy episode, I had been suffering 2 weeks of constant headaches. I kept blaming it on the weather. Which has me guessing is this migraine induced vertigo, cervical vertigo or any of the other 101 explanations...thus the frustration.
Anyone else experiencing headaches, ear fullness and dizzyness (primary symptoms). I also tried acupuncture (3 sessions so far). Helps with the nausea. Apparently my energy levels (Chi) were extremely low (no surprises there). Also receiving Chiropractic tx for neck as another thought was trapped nerve. That does help ease neck pain.
kel2015 marie43202
Posted
rmazusa marie43202
Posted
Head feels "full", neck sore at base, swelling comes and goes around my left lymph node, not really that much "ringing", but the dizziness makes up for it. Again, not fall over dizziness like for some here, but when I look down and then look up again, it's best not to be driving for those 2-3 seconds.
Have had MRI, CAT, blood tests, etc etc.
R.
chris1303 rmazusa
Posted
chris1303 rmazusa
Posted
marie43202 kel2015
Posted
fasthorse marie43202
Posted
marie43202 fasthorse
Posted
marlene21102 marie43202
Posted
fasthorse marie43202
Posted