Months of Dizziness and "Floating" Feelings

Hi Kevin, thanks for replying. My ENT also mentioned doing some PT, but said it would only work if I had the loose crystals you're talking about. Since he thinks it's more likely to be vestibular inflammation or something of that nature, PT wouldn't work for me. Of course, it's worth a try if the symptoms don't subside, though. As someone who has MD, do my symptoms sound like MD in your personal opinion?

My onset was different. I was losing hearing in right ear for while...then bang, a few years later the dizziness came then the vomiting. I feel like a space cadet most days similar to you...such as like I am about 3 seconds behind the rest of the world. Inflammation can mess with you...but doctors make the best decision by your symptom description. Any use of steroids yet?

Interesting. No use of steroids at this point. I haven't had permanent hearing loss of any kind. Every now and then, I get ringing in my right ear that literally lasts less than 20 seconds or so, and it is sometimes accompanied by my hearing going muffled or it feels like there's a cotton ball in my ear. But as soon as the ringing stops, the fuzzy feeling in my ear goes away as well. And like I said, it lasts for such a short time. And that's been happening to me for a number of years with no other symptoms, and it never really bothered me. I'd just plug my ear for a second and swallow, and it would go away. In my left ear, I get only the ringing. And as I mentioned, my hearing and ear pressure tests came back looking fantastic to the ENT. I'm at a loss...

I would say those symptoms are so far away from a MD attack. I would do the following to see if it helps. Get a steroid nasal spray a decongestant and some form of drying agent like Benadryl. This will drain and dry. It is worth s shot...that is what helped me during my early symptoms.

Im so afraid I'm developing Ménière's disease, I've had worse symptoms then what Marisa is describing. Kevin is MD terrible?

Thanks Kevin, I hope you're right and that what I'm dealing with isn't Meniere's after all. It's hard to just take your doctor's word for it when you still don't feel like yourself and there's all this information floating around on the internet to read. My husband discourages me from surfing forums like these because I'm easily stressed and worried, especially when it comes to sickness.

Hi Melissa. No, my eyes don't seem to bother me. I haven't had any neck injuries, but I do crack my neck often (multiple times a day) and I carry tensions in my neck. I'm a big worrier and stresser. You could say I'm a hypochondriac, honestly. Early on, vestibular or "silent" migraines were mentioned briefly, but none of my doctors have pursued that theory further. Since I get the ringing in my ears, I'm convinced it's an inner ear issue, and I'm terrified of having a vertigo attack even though I've never had one. My maternal grandmother has Meniere's so I've been on edge for the past four months waiting for an attack to happen. I know, that's no way to think about things. Some days I feel good about everything and am able to think "if I was going to have an attack, it would've happened by now...it's been 4 months!" On the other hand, sometimes it causes me a lot of anxiety, especially on days where the dizziness is irritating me. As I mentioned, I'm a naturally anxious person, so I know part of me is overthinking and making it worse. I keep trying to remind myself that the ENT said Meniere's isn't likely and that if I did have it, my symptoms are very atypical and unusual. 

 

People with vestibular migraines get ringing in the ear too. They also can get virtigo. Your symptoms do not sound like menieres what so ever at all! I have symptoms closer to MD then you do. Have they done vestibular testing to you at all? I'm in Michigan and I saw a dr up at the university of Michigan and he's very smart he deals with really ill people with menieres and he told me in order to have menieres you have to have 20 minutes to 8 hours of virtigo, tittinus during the virtigo, ear fullness and hearing loss, and irregular eye movements. Without those things he said you cannot be diagnosed with menieres. I am the same way as you, I am so worried about having an attack, I'm not kidding you sound exactly like me and I've had virtigo before, it's miserable and so scary, ever since then I barely leave the house because I'm afraid. I've been dizzy for over 4 months now, daily, I have that weird jolt feeling in my head too. It's super annoying. When I sleep I even feel it. I'm starting this drug called nortriptline, it's for vestibular migraines. I'm a mess right now. I can't stand this feeling and , I keep thinking I'm going to get virtigo, it's torture. Have you talked to a psychologist ever?

It's been suggested that I speak with a therapist just to help with my anxiety in general. However, I'm in the middle of a transition in life and I haven't wanted to get familiar with a therapist only to have to leave. My husband is in the military, and we are about to move back to our hometown in 2 weeks (thank goodness, I'll finally be with family again after nearly 3 years of being on the other side of the country from them). Once I get settled, I may consider seeing someone. So far, my family members have been my "therapists" over the phone through all this. I'm sorry you feel so anxious, like me. It truly is hard when everyone else wants you to just get up and move along. Anxiety is a struggle in itself.

Marissa, As former teacher and 64 year old with severe menniers. Here's a tip you need to stay ahead of this game. 1 Start now plenty water and no salt. 2 . Do Menniers exercises daily turn head right to left eyes closed and eyes open. Practice shifting head at 3 different objects. I would go ahead on take beta histamine or natural supplement pink bark. Finally the game changer learned this at Shea clinic in Memphis. Walk in room with eyes closed back and forth, practice in drive way walking longer distances eyes closed. Do stairways up and down eyes close. I currently can almost waLk mile in neighborhood look maybe 1 or 2. The blind walking stops the falling Attacks. I like you hated falling have not fallen in over year credit blind walking. Retrains brain for balance and gives you load of confidence. So do not do like many of us have full blownI menniers and  daily ringing over the top say 9 out of 10. I like we said in tutoring kids u can play catch up or get ahead. You can get ahead of this start today. Blessings

I truly hope I don't have Meniere's. I know it's treatable to an extent and that you can live with it, but I don't deal with sickness of any kind very well, and I'm terrified that this all is just the onset of Meniere's.