Feeling of falling

Yes I do go all hot and sweaty but think it's because a get a panic feeling as I can't stand straight without leaning on something. It's so hard.

Hope we find some answers soon I will keep pushing until I get an answer.x

boy do I know this feeling!! It first started for me in June 2015. 8 months later and I'm afraid to tell you I'm still at the mercy of this illness. BUT I think had I accepted it for what it was at the start and took proper precautions then I would most likely be well now.

So here's what you need to know:

You are NOT dying.

It is not any of the terrible things you think.

It is a virus.

It affects your inner ear and your vestibular system and is systematically infecting you.

It is probably the Epstein Barr virus (get a blood test for this from GP). You probably have a mineral deficiency too (test for B12, vit D, magnesium and zinc). Mine was zinc.

To beat it you need to take 6 weeks at least off work and go on COMPLETE rest. Spend as much time as you can lying quietly. Don't read, watch TV, cook, clean or wash your hair. Just lie there calmly. As much as you can. It is made worse by sensory over-load (certain lighting, movement, TV programmes and noise.) as you get better KEEP resting. Rest more than you need to.

Showers can make it worse because of heat, standing etc.

STOP taking the inner ear meds as these can stop symptoms but also stop your body's natural healing process meaning it goes on longer and can in some people never heal as a result of over using the meds. (This is fact not pseudo- science.)

IF you must take something because perhaps you are leaving the house for a medical appointment then take cinnarizine. You can be prescribed it for the ear or you can buy it in chemist (it's brand name is sturgeon 15 and it is marketed as for travel sickness.)

TAKE a good quality multi-vitamin, a daily berrocca effervescent, a daily odourless garlic capsule (natures antiviral can buy in health stores or amazon they don't make you smell), and take echinacea drops 3 times daily (takes these 2 weeks on then 1 week off to stop resistance building.) all of these things will help your body fight the virus.

EAT as many veg as you can. Try to 'eat clean' no processed foods, refined sugars.

REMEMBER you have a bad virus. A very bad virus. You might only feel it as dizzy spells and heart flutters now but trust me it gets a hell of a lot worse if you don't treat it with respect at this point.

STOP drinking milk. You are likely to find the virus has made you lactose intolerent. I bet those heart symptoms come on worse after you have had a cup of tea or some cheese. Common with viruses that people become lactose intolerent for a few months. (Again a medical fact not theory.) on this note try taking a combined wind relief and antacid when these spells happen. You may find sometimes it is linked to acid reflux.

TRY two tbsps of apple cider vinegar plus a tsp of ground cinnamon in a glass of water just before you eat a meal. This helps stabilise blood sugar which is a contributor to this feeling too. It is a thread of hypoglycemia. (Thank you virus!)

Be WARNED I stopped trying to push through it too late. I like all of you was told initially there was nothing medically wrong with me except perhaps a very slight inner-ear or visual vertigo thing. I too was told it might be anxietey or panic attacks. Three months later I was HOSPITALISED with an ongoing infection!!!! 4 weeks after I started doing all the above my blood work showed the infection had finally cleared. I have been left with a horrible post viral syndrome, arthiritis for a month in my joints followed by fatigue issues and ongoing issues with the original symptoms (but only when I really over do it thankfully). I have an appointment with an infectious disease consultant this week who I know will be diagnosing me with CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME. This is due to the length of time I have now had these issues. However as I have seen vast improvement since doing the above I am confident I will shift all symptoms eventually. But it is likely to take more than a year at least. BE WARNED AND TAKE NOTE TO LET YOUR BODY HEAL NOW!!! Please please please don't do what I would have done at the start and think that this must be different to what you have because it's not. I am part of a post viral group full of people who made that mistake a paid the price.

De-stress and rest-up xx

You shouldn't have to work this hard to find out what is wrong.

I found your post very interesting and helpful as I have been suffering with VN for 13 months and have tried many things to help aid my recovery.

I note that you mention avoiding processed foods and refined sugars, these are two things I have not reemoved from my diet (although I eat very little processed food) as I have already removed so many other things (e.g caffiene, alcohol, chocolate, reduced salt intake, most dairy especially milk).  I was informed by my consultant that the reduction in salt wasn't neceassry for VN sufferers but was for anyone suffering with Menieres.  He did though tell me to avoid certain take-away meals such as Chinese and indian foods as they contain MSG (but I do occasionally have this).  I also try to keep my fluids up and drink plenty of water, ginger and camomile tea (with the occasional roobosh and decaf tea/coffee)

I have just purchased some  echinacea but am reluctant to take this as I do suffer allergies e.g hay fever. Do you think this has helped you? Do you ever have the odd 'bad' thing or have you totally excluded the foods you know upset your condition?  I am desperate to get well again (as we all are) so will take any proven advice as you state that you are now beginning to feel the benfits of avoiding these things.

Like you I had from the start tried to keep active and hence worked for the initial month of my illness before then getting signed off by my GP.  I think by not resting from the outset has hindered my recovery and my reluctance to give in to this thing by trying to do normal day to day stuff has probably not helped.  I was unfortunately dismissed by my employer in August due to my continued absence and all the stress and anxiety this caused has not helped my recovery but I have made some slight improvment since then. I do though wish the improvement could be more evident so will now try avoiding the things you have stated in your post.

Also like you I have ME or CFS, I was diagnosed with this over 20 years ago but was mostly recovered until getting the VN, this I think has aggravated my CFS (and vice versa) but not to a great extent.  I have the awful rocking sensation 24/7 which is exacerbated by any sort of activity but I do press on (e.g I have spent 4 hours on the PC today).  I was also told that sleep is a vial ingredient to getting well so try to rest/sleep when i am able during the day.  unfortunately I have never been a good sleeper and this may all be due to the CFS?

Anyway, any further help and advice would be much appreciated.  Terry (who I see has also posted) has been very good at giving me advice in the past and I am gareful for his help.

Best wishes

Laurence

I had EXACTLY the same symptoms as you!! Hot flush, strange kind of dizzyness, feeling pulled when I walk, heart palpatations, adrenaline rushes, it all suddenly coming over in 'funny turns'. I had same fears as you that I was dying or suddenly developed anxietey for no reason (previously never had panic attack or anything). And mine came on suddenly like yours. I was happy and healthy previously. I ended up with CFS type syndrome because I did not realise that this was actually a nasty virus at the start. Google esptein barr and labyrinthitis/inner ear it will come up as a cause. Have you had any blood tests done? Do you have an ever so slightly elevated white blood count?

really glad you found my post useful, I just want to do anything I can to help others start recovering from this debilitating illness.

I couldn't comment on hayfever and echinacea I'm afraid, perhaps take an antihistimine tablet before you take it?

Basically all my techniques have been based around helping the body to heal itself. Immune boosting supplements and plenty of easy to digest food full of vitamins. Yes I've certainly had the odd slip from the diet. It doesn't seem to do me any harm if it is say one meal once a week but the rest of the day and week have been healthy. Over Christmas I threw caution to the wind for a full week and indulged in everything naughty (but alcohol and caffeine). As a result I had my first ever new infection since starting the regime and had all my original symptoms come back for the first time since the very start! I found it real conclusive proof that for me at least, the diet and nutrition really works. I'm much healthier than I was before this illness so feel that once I'm better much good will have come from it.

I found that removing stress from my life helped too as that certainly inflamed my symptoms similar to yourself. Don't stress the job, I know it is easier said than done but once your better you will find life has more fun in store for you.

My CFS has been triggered by this illness, I did not have it prior to this and I am hoping it is more of an extended post viral syndrome as it is getting better. Rest really is the magic ingredient so make sure you are getting good quality rest. You don't need to be asleep, just quiet and not stimulated by tv etc.

Final thing on diet- I have a green smoothie each day made with a nutribullet. This really helps get all the goodness in for definite each day.

For anyone else who stumbles across this post - I want to be clear that I am sharing this info because it is what has worked for me when I had VN followed by a post viral syndrome (google it one often follows the other.) I had the EXACT symptoms described at the start of this thread and they gradually developed into even more profound symptoms over some months (unbalanced when walking, very sensitive to fluroscent lighting, moving traffic, noise.) I continued to work to the point where I was bed-ridden. I am a journalist by trade (was a deupty editor at a New York based international magazine) so after I had exhausted the help of doctors I applied my research skills to finding what had worked for others who RECOVERED from this.

I interviewed people who had recovered, I spoke to functional medicine practitioners (GPs of 13 years who belive in getting to root issues not just treating symptoms.) My advice and regime are built from that and for me it has worked. I am not 100% recovered yet but I have gone from 15% at my worst to 85% at my best. I think time is probably the final component.

Most people who do not recover in the first 6 months recover after 18 months.

If you are only a month or so into this you may not think my story is a reflection of your own, I wouldn't have at the start, but I wish someone had told me to put into action the diet and supplements I have suggested back then because I fully believe I would be 100% recovered by now had I started the regime earlier. You know inner ear issues are caused by viruses. Start giving your body what it needs to heal the virus.

Good luck in your recovery!

The white blood slightly elevated is same as me and because it is so slight they tell you it might just be because you smoke or are stressed. They were testing me after some months for autoimmune issues and discovered I had some antibodies high (anticardiolipin IGG if you're interested). These combined with the white blood were proof that I had an active infection. They told me I just had to wait for it to pass. This was after three months of it being active. I started my research and discovered there are lots of ways to help your body fight a virus through vitamins, garlic, echinacea etc. I thought by that point it was worth a shot, I needed to feel I was actively doing something to get rid of these symptoms. It worked. 4 weeks after my regime my blood work showed normal white blood and the antibodies had gone down to normal too.

Crazy the things you get!

Try taking some 'bachs rescue remedy' in a cup of chamomile tea when heart sensations come on to help calm you. I used it for about a month and found it helped a little. It's not your heart. It will eventually get better xx

Many trhanks for your detailed response it is very much appreciated.  When you say green smoothie are you talking about a vegetable smoothie.  I have started drinking fruit smoothies to help with any sugar cravings I may get by no longer eating so many cakes (I don't eat chocolate though).

I do take a very strong fish oil supplement and a multivitamin, this has always been part of my daily routine.  I am finding that most of my dizziness is due to a lightheaded feeling and a feeling like I am about ot pass out, this has got worse over time but is different to what I experienced from the start of the illness.  Like you I also noticed that I began to develop new symptons over time so I am hoping by eating even more healthily some of these will start to ease.  I don't feel that the CFS is that bad as I do not get many symtoms associated with this but I do feel as though there is a virus contnually going around in my body.  I mentioned this to my consultant but he doesn't agree.

Anyway, it is very encouragaing to hear that you have improved from 15 to 85%, I feel that I am at around 60% but have been stuck around this level for months.  Once again thanks for all your advice.

Best wishes

Laurence

I want to thank you for your post and recommendations. I agree with Laurence, your recommendations are very helpful..., and not only for fighting the virus, but also rebuilding the body's strength and immune systems that could have been compromised due to other causes. 

I read that some people are not sure if they have the virus...

Yes one will not know if they have Epstein Barr unless specifically tested for it's antibodies. The CDC reports that about 90% of adults have the antibody, indicating that they got the virus at some point in their life. This is something that can pass through body fluids, for example, when accidentally using the same utensils, cups, through kissing, etc., so easy to acquire. If someone gets it in adult age first time (vs in childhood or adolescent years), they may experience more symptoms  and takes longer to heal. In terms of treatment/prevention, vaccines are being developed, but none available yet. Therefore it is important to strengthen the body's own immune system, to fight the virus. And of course if the virus have caused certain conditions, such as VN, specific treatment for that particular condition is also needed.