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Labyrinthitis/ Vestibular Neuritis.. I hope someone can help :(

Posted , 15 users are following.

megb4387
megb4387

Hi everyone. I am new to the forums and this is my first post on here. I am a 26 year old female suffering with Labyrinthitis/Vestibular Neuritis and I am seeking some answers. First off I would like to give you the jist of my symptoms and what led up to this.

In the end of February I had a really bad cold/light flu. I slept for three days with a fever, runny nose, etc. After that I went to my Urgent Care center and they dismissed it as a virus and said it will work its way out. The doc checked my ears and said that there was fluid in my left one. I left, and was fine for a bit. Shortly after that, I began experiencing "woozy" spells. I would feel as if I was off balance or as if my brain wasn't properly working. I went back to Urgent Care thinking I had a brain tumor (I have really bad unmedicated anxiety) and was freaking out. The doc there checked me out- and gave me the shorthand neurological exam (checking my reflexes, how I walk, looking my eyes, etc.) She again said I was fine and assured me my brain was working fine. And again I left. I thought that this was a bad case of anxiety lasting for weeks and felt some relief after she said I was ok. Please note: during the last 6 months I have been under a heck of a lot of stress- A LOT!

A few days later and I was still feeling out of it. I moved home with my parents (I had been living with my boyfriend for a year now) and sat on the couch and cried. My mom immediately booked me another Doc appt with my regular GP (not the Urgent Care center). My Doc saw me and insisted I was again neurologically fine and told me I have Labyrinthitis. I was hoping this would pass and it didn't. I went back a week later demanding antibiotics and took them for a week and nothing. I also saw an ENT specialist during this time who barely even looked at me and said, "I think you're fine but I can schedule an MRI to be safe." I have not had the MRI yet and probably won't, I have had a hearing test which came back completely fine, and full blood work which came back fine.

The symptoms I have are- feeling out of it, like I am constantly moving even though I am not. Even sitting on the couch I feel like I am moving. If I move too fast I feel weird. I don't feel like the room spins, just that I am weird and off balance. I feel like my eyes don't catch up to my brain fast enough. I get lightheaded and weird. It really stinks. These symptoms are worse if I am out in public or somewhere really crowded. I did take off a week from work but then went back. I am not one to sit around but this is making it hard to live day by day and is even affecting my relationship. The only time I feel normal is driving, if that makes any sense.

Can anyone tell me how long this lasts? Again, been going through this since end of Feb, so roughly a month. I have been googling VT physical therapy exercises and have been doing them myself twice a day. I don't really have anyone to talk to about this. Nobody really understands how rough and scary this is. Will it ever go away?

0 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • lee12427
    lee12427 megb4387

    Posted

    Hello. I think I have exactly what you had. May I ask how you're doing right now, after posting 3 years ago? "feeling out of it, like I am constantly moving even though I am not. Even sitting on the couch I feel like I am moving" this is exactly what I feel right now, 24/7 except sleeping. Do you physically wobbing, like others can see you swaying back and forth or left to right? Because I have. I hope you're doing well.

    • weesson
      weesson lee12427

      Posted

      Has anyone found help for this? Pls respond back. If we all yell we can be heard!!!!
    • jessica39365
      jessica39365 weesson

      Posted

      How r u feeling?? I’m at 10’weeks of this and it’s hell.. I need some hope.
    • lee12427
      lee12427 weesson

      Posted

      Yes. I did visit a specialist. He told me I wasn't physically wobbling. I passed all the tests. It was extremely reassuring that he saw nothing wrong in me. Now that I think about it, I didn't have labrinthitis; it was generalized anxiety disorder. I am symptoms free probably a week or two after the visit.

    • lee12427
      lee12427 jessica39365

      Posted

      My advice is see medical help. Make sure you're properly diagnosed with the disease. Or else it could be anxiety or panic attack, mimicking labrinthitis.

  • jeff76766
    jeff76766 megb4387

    Posted

    This is a late reply, but this is my life to a tee! I’ve been struggling with this for just over a year. I ran on the treadmill for the first time to be healthier, then that day I felt extremely dizzy and out of it. It went away for a few days, but then I had a bout of panic attacks. I then got a sinus infection and had fluid in my ears. Then acquired a terrible out of it feeling that made me have frequent panic attakcs it was so unsettling. I describe it as not being all the way here. Along with this, the dizziness and moving feeling. I dread lying on the couch, sitting still, trying to sleep, it always feels like I’m spinning or swaying or like my body parts get jerked in directions. Doc thought it was anxiety, was on meds for 9 months and they didn’t resolve this problem so I’ve been off of them for 6 weeks. I have an ENT appointment next week, praying for a solution. It’s also extremely hard to do anything in public or even hang with friends because I never feel well!
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