I've been suffering with constant dizziness and headaches for over a week but I don't know why
Posted , 5 users are following.
I'm a 26 year old female. I'm not sure if this is relevant, but I have a history of migraines with aura (shimmering/flickering visual disturbances) but it's been a few years since I last had one. When I was younger, I had a lot of problems with my ears. I kept getting infections, they eventually had to do a small surgery to help the infection drain. About a month ago, I had a flu with a mild fever. At the end of it, I felt extreme pain in the back of my head whenever turning my head to the right but this only lasted a few days.
A little over a week ago, I was getting ready for bed, I remember turning my head quickly to the right, and then I suddenly felt a sharp stab of pain in my left temple. Then, I suddenly felt really dizzy. I stumbled backwards and fell on to the bed. It looked- and felt as if the room started spinning so much it made me feel really sick. I nearly threw up.
My partner got me into a sitting position which helped to stop the spinning. I was really scared. After a few minutes, I lay down. It helped a little bit but I was still really nauseous and dizzy.
This lasted a few hours until I decided to call NHS 24 to ask for help. I spoke with a doctor who said it sounded like a migraine and that I should take some painkillers. They called back a few hours later to check up on me, and told me to phone my GP in the morning if it got worse.
I managed to get some sleep, but as soon as I got up again and walked around, the dizziness and the pain came right back. I called my GP and they prescribed me Stemetil. It helped with the nausea and the vertigo, but I'm still dizzy almost constantly. The pain in my head keeps coming and going. It's not just on the left side anymore. It almost feels constant too.
The first day, I couldn't sit up for very long. On the second day, I felt a bit better and I could sit up for longer periods. After a couple of more days, I've tried going for some walks with my partner. Normally, it's okay for the first 10 minutes, but then there are points where I'll get a sudden 'attack' which makes me lose my balance. I'm not sure how to describe it. It's almost as if the floor is tilting, and my vision is zooming in and out.
I tried going back to work today, but I had another sudden attack after a couple of hours and they sent me home. It's been really bad since the attack. I still feel dizzy and it's very difficult for me to focus with my eyes. I have slight astigmatism and short-sightedness but my vision definitely seems more blurry than usual, almost like it's shifting focus. It also seems like my head is constantly rocking back and forth.
I called my GP again and they've prescribed Cinnarizine instead to see if that will help. They also told me to look up the Epley Manoeuvre on YouTube and try to do that. I'm not sure that it's working.
I'm not sure what's wrong with me. Is it a migraine? Is it inner ear problems? I don't know what to do and I'm finding it really difficult to cope. I don't know if my supervisor trusts me enough to come back to work yet.
If my symptoms persist, I'm worried if it will be difficult to get a referral to a specialist due to Covid-19. Has anyone else struggled with this?
I don't know what to do. I don't want to put too much pressure on my GP/NHS as I hate to be a bother but I don't know how much more of this I can take. Please, help me.
T.L.D.R
Suffered from dizziness and headaches for over a week but not sure why
0 likes, 8 replies
justin93 Cemilie
Posted
I mean if you get migraines ready and now you get this dizziness it could be that you migraines have now progressed to vestibular migraines which will give you the exact symptoms you are talking about. It is hard to say. Dizziness and symptoms related can mean many things. Just based on your history its sounding migraine related! My advise is to start a journal now. Write down everyday how you feel, what you do that makes it worse or better, food, water and caffeine consumption. Just to have data to provide doctors if this continues for you. I have been having issues for 3 years and currently have had issues constant for 1 year straight. I am 26 as well ! Not saying anything like that will happen to you. Believe it or not dizziness is one of the most common symptoms people get at some point in their life. You may have this for a bit and never get it again ! All I can say is keep track of things. DO NOT panic..i know that's hard. Lots of us fully understand how you feel and we are in it together. Be your own health advocate. Doctors are ready to just push you through. You have to fight. It is your life ! Keep me updated with everything ! I know it is hard to see doctors atm with covid. Try to relax your mind 😃
Cemilie justin93
Posted
Thank you kindly 😃
Keeping a journal sounds like a great idea. I'll try it out. My dizziness seems to have gotten worse somehow, but not sure if it's the new medicine still kicking in perhaps. At least the pain in my head is not too bad at the moment.
44mag Cemilie
Edited
My problem of 15 years is outlined above. In short I have Bilateral Vestibular Loss.
It requires a detailed examination. my two previous diagnoses were Mild
Parkinson and Chronic Inflammatory Polyneuropathy, and both were wrong.
One thing the previous Neurologists DID not check or consider was my Middle Ear.
That's my problem for 15 years....... suggest you have middle ear examined, not
just checked.......... My symptoms were hearing loss, vision impaired and no balance...
Cheers..
Cemilie 44mag
Posted
I'm sorry to hear that 😦
My GP doesn't seem too concerned about me at the moment, but if it persists, I think I'll have to ask for a referral. It was my middle ear that I had problems with when I was younger too. I'll keep it in mind.
44mag Cemilie
Posted
after 15 years I have come to the conclusion Neurologist are not up on middle
ear problems (vestibular) relating to balance. My opinion alone.........
44mag
Posted
I have to agree with you. It took me 12 years and a number of Neurologist
to diagnose my vestibular condition. Two diagnoses before vestibular were
Mild Parkinson and C.D.P.D. both wrong.You might want to catch up to
Vestibular Trials at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Such trials have
been going on about 10 years or more. It deals with an instrument
embeded behind an ear to improve messages lost due to vestibular.
They have ads for volunteers with the trials. I tried in 2018, but was
not accepted. Middle ear is a VERY detailed examination which, I think,
most Neurologist have no knowledge. check it out. My problem is still
heavy head, slight vision problem, deaf left ear and 50% right ear and just
about no balance even with a walker. good luck
hmoosey Cemilie
Posted
classic vestibular migraines. you do need a specialist. i didnt get better until i found the right doctor and right medication. its scary as hell. and i felt i was dying and had a brain injury. look up dizzy clinic - research otolaryngologist or nuero-otology. these are different from a regular nuerologist. its been 2 years now. i will soon be tapering off my medication ive been on for 18 months. there are several that treat vestibular migraines. i am on norotryptiline and a beta blocker. it saved me. look it up. this just doesnt go away without treatment.
Cemilie
Posted
Just an update.
Headache seems to have settled, but I'm still feeling dizzy and constantly having difficulty focusing. I get attacks of vertigo at least a couple of times per day and they are the worst in the evening. Usually, they are triggered by certain head movements but it doesn't seem to matter which way I turn my head whether it's left/right or up/down. After an attack, I feel really unwell. When I try to do the Epley Manoeuvre for right side, it can sometimes bring on an attack. I try to do it at least twice per day.
I would really like to see a specialist, but I'm not sure if I'll get told no if I ask my GP for a referral? I know it's difficult times what with Covid-19 and I wonder whether they're wanting to use the 'wait and see' approach before wanting to refer me. I'm just not sure how long I should 'wait and see'?