1. Community
  2. Ears, nose, throat and mouth
  3. Vertigo and Dizziness

Labyrinthitis, Anxiety and Brain Fog

Posted , 18 users are following.

kieran81408
kieran81408

I've been suffering with Labyrinthitis for a two months now, the dizziness seems to have gone except for random moments. The worse part is even though the dizzness is going away i appear to have constant anxiety all of the time, it is worse when i wake up in the morning and my head doesnt feel the same. Has anyone had this brain fog type feeling and is there anything i can do to help it, will i recover from this?

1 like, 37 replies

37 Replies

Next
  • eleftherio33095
    eleftherio33095 kieran81408

    Posted

    You appear to be describing dizziness that is becoming less intense over time.  If the dizziness goes away completely eventually, perhaps the anxiety will go away as well.

    Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

    Clinical Neurophysiologist

    Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

  • Terry6872737
    Terry6872737 kieran81408

    Posted

    I experienced the same issues.  I believe that the issue with waking up feeling that way is that we have no control over our head movements during the night.  The anxiety feeling is associated with the residual VN feelings.  The way it makes your head feel is similar to how constant anxiety feels.  Did you have anxiety before the VN issue began?  The brain fog type feeling took 7 or 8 months to resolve for me.  I also found that issues with sinus or colds added to the feelings as the increase in fluid made any recovery progress lessened by the different feeling of the added fluid.

    You will recover if you have made that much progress already.  Are you doing vestibular rehabilitation exercises?

    • Terry6872737
      Terry6872737

      Posted

      Also try sleeping on a couple of pillows versus flat.  That helped me.
    • kieran81408
      kieran81408 Terry6872737

      Posted

      Thanks Terry, it sounds reasuring.

      No ive never had a problem with anxiety until now, i constantly have this bizare feeling in my upper chest and feel quite restless.

      I've not been shown any exercises, just told by doctor

      To relax and it will pass. What makes me feel worse is thinking ill have this for a long time.

    • Terry6872737
      Terry6872737 kieran81408

      Posted

      You need the VRT to aid in recovery.  Everyday activity is just not enough to recover from this.  The vestibular system needs to be challenged.  I have read that anxiety, the body's fight or flight control mechanism, resides in the vestibular portion of the brain.  This is what causes the sensations, the anxiety.  When the body feels that it is out of balance it creates anxiety.  I also saw a video yesterday that talked about the brain having 3 executive control functions, breathing, heart beat and balance.  When either of these are challenged it will shut other things down to regain control for these to function.  That is what creates cognitive issues, brain fog, and the fatigue associated with this condition.  It is extremely taxing on the body to try to maintain balance with a damaged vestibular system.

      You will recover from this.  It just takes some of us longer periods.  I am 32 months in from my onset but, I had a similar bout several years ago and recovered in 2 to 3 months.

    • Persian
      Persian Terry6872737

      Posted

      Hi,

      Please help me! I'm 8 weeks into 24/7 constant swaying, bobbing, walking and standing like on a waterbed and even feel like I'm floating in outer space when I lay down. I only feel better driving or on a bus or treadmill (stress test at dr). I think I have Mdds

      How do I get better like you did?

      Anyone?! How do you cure yourself because no doctors know how to help me.

    • Fuzzyfoot
      Fuzzyfoot Persian

      Posted

      I totally relate to the driving or walking making me feel better.  Have you had any sinus problems? I'm at week 10 and I'm starting to finally feel like a human again. Weeks 8-9 I had some really bad bouts though. Hang in there!! 

      Have you had any sinus problems / ear fullness? The things that seemed to have made a big difference for me was very hot baths for a solid 30 minutes, and an ear clearing maneuver. You know how you plug your nose to blow and pop your ears? This one has a twist, breathe in and out kind of like a pump, sucking and pushing, but do it very gently because you don't want to blow an ear drum. Do this about 10 times back and forth, it always seemed to alleviate symptoms for me.

      The biggest breakthrough I had, was using xylitol nasal spray very liberally. It disrupts the biofilm in your sinuses and helps like crazy to finally open things up and help your ear drain stubborn fluid that is hanging around. I tried neti pots, steroids, sudafed, antibiotics, but the xylitol seemed to tip the scale over in my favour. Read up on it, the brand I got was xlear, it's super cheap and worth a shot. It's also backed up by clinical evidence based university research, it's not moonbeams and healing crystals type crap haha. 

      You're on the home stretch man! Chin up, you will *NOT* feel like this forever, and you *WILL* get better I promise you!!! 

       

    • mohoo
      mohoo Persian

      Posted

      Yes me too .. I feel better while driving or on treadmill  and even while using escalator ... is that means ( MdDS) 

      Cause I don't think that there's another thing that make u feel  better while driving .... evrytukg related to dizziness is worse while driving ...

    • mohoo
      mohoo Persian

      Posted

      Yes me too .. I feel better while driving or on treadmill  and even while using escalator ... is that means ( MdDS) 

      Cause I don't think that there's another thing that make u feel  better while driving .... evrytukg related to dizziness is worse while driving

    • mohoo
      mohoo Fuzzyfoot

      Posted

      I have sinus pressure as well ...And now my dizziness is not strong as first 2 weeks ( I'm in 7 weeks now ) but when the prsssure on sinus and forhead comes ... I feel the dizziness . Not as before but still there ... so I'm wondering if my symptoms related to my sinus infections ... ( but it started with VN )

  • Kevin5555
    Kevin5555 kieran81408

    Posted

    I had the dizzyness, the brain fog, and the anxiety.  I beat them all after about 7 months.  When the vestibular system is malfunctioning, it sends anxiety shockwaves through the brain (network alarm).  I may not have the scientific wording right, but it anxiety goes with the territory.  Brain fog is the brain trying to figure out the confusing signals; it'll figure it out eventually.  My brain fog was so severe it would turn my into a vegetable for several hours.   

  • DrewATL
    DrewATL kieran81408

    Posted

    right there with you Kieran, I'm just about 5 weeks in to my VN/Labs I'll spare you the minute details which you can find in my prior threads.

    The anxiety was horrible early on and not helped by a borderline psychotic reaction to Predisone, however my mornings are better, and the rough patches (now later in the day/evening) are greatly helped by 1-2mg of Valium, I'm almost *me* again when I'm on it as it shuts down the overwhelming analytical brain of mine.

    I dabbled I'm VRT via online videos, they really aren't a challenge unless they require my eyes to be closed and balancing- not sure what that means, but going to hold off and speak with a specialist after the new year.

    Trust me, it gets better but also different, meaning you'll get moments of clarity and strength, a breather if you will then the notorious 'zig-zag' of recovery will push you back a bit.

    Stay busy, think positive - watch diet, try to move around and get decent sleep.

    Feel free to reach out in PM as well if you like.

    Wishing you a speedy recovery, and like I said I'm right there with you!

    • kieran81408
      kieran81408 DrewATL

      Posted

      Thanks for the info Drew and it's miles over here too haha.

      I'm trying my best to keep myself together, i've never had any problems like this so its all a shock to the system. The worse of it is the strange feeling in my head thinking i'm not right and just not feeling the same but its a good to know its not just me.

      My doctor has prescribed me cotalopram, 20mg per day to help with my anxiety. Im now onto my fourth day with them, its helping a timy bit but it feels like i can be bad on some days and not the next then i start to question myself, am i really getting better.

    • Terry6872737
      Terry6872737 kieran81408

      Posted

      The citalopram, Celexa, can take 4 to 6 weeks to reach full effect.  What type doctor do you see for the issues?
    • kieran81408
      kieran81408 Terry6872737

      Posted

      It was my general practitioner i went to see. Theyve booked me in for an appointment in a couple of weeks to see how im getting on.

      My dizziness has seemed to clear up except for random points in the day, my worse symptoms now are the anxiety, chest pain and this strange feeling in my head thats not normal.

    • Terry6872737
      Terry6872737 kieran81408

      Posted

      All part of it.  Can take 2 to 3 months to resolve.  Interestingly diagnosed as labrynthitis.  Did you have hearing loss, even momentarily?  You may even have some minor sensations after the main symptoms are gone.  Like turning a corner quickly and a quick moment of a dizzy sensation.
    • kieran81408
      kieran81408 Terry6872737

      Posted

      When i was taken to hospital they told me it was labyrinthitis but it wasnt a constant dizziness feeling, i would be okay most of the time then have these sudden neusea attacks where i felt spaced out but ive only had very minimal loss of hearing, not enough to cause me trouble understanding what people are saying but things do sometime sound a bit muffled.

      The dizziness now doesnt seem to cause me much of an issue however i do feel strange sometimes when turning corners or stopping and starting im my car.

    • Terry6872737
      Terry6872737 kieran81408

      Posted

      I would ask about vestibular rehabilitation therapy if it doesn't resolve in the next few weeks.  Labrynthitis and Vestibular Neuritis present the same way.  Labrynthitis involves loss of hearing, even if just temporary.  Both are treated the same way.  The SSRI, Celexa, should be good for the anxiety component.  I had those nausea attacks that came just out of the blue and an intense head pressure feeling with it.  

    • DrewATL
      DrewATL kieran81408

      Posted

      Totally here for ya- if we all keep supporting and following up, better days are ahead.

      I've learned such a lesson about how fragile health is, I mean this is just a massive wakeup call for me personally.

      I'll never forget this, and when I pull through I will definitely be around for others. Hell, I might be able to apply some of my talents/connections to raise awareness.

      Vestibular issues/disorders need more attention, like now.

       

    • mohoo
      mohoo DrewATL

      Posted

      Hello DrewATL  .. hope u doing well now ... I'm just wondering how was your recovery ? And after how long u got fully recovered 100% 

      Any help I will be so appreciated .

    • aspen77720
      aspen77720 DrewATL

      Posted

      Hey!

      They think I have the labyrinthitus which isn't the extreme vertigo, but where one day you just feel off kilter and dizzy and umm...it just doesn't go away.

      But having real problems with the off kilter 'dream' feeling, focussing and when think wobble or jump about. I'm in week 5. Really struggling and any advice would be super dooper helpful!!

      I just get a despondent feeling that this isn't getting/going to get any better, which isn't like me at all!

      Same as some of the others, never had anything like this. Generally fit and healthy just had a s**t stressy month before this came on. Boo. Boo to this :D

      Thanks so much, really feel for you all!

      Aspen

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.