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Vestibular Neuritis Help please

Posted , 5 users are following.

melody08508
melody08508

Hello again :-) I posted a week ago thinking I had Labs but it was kindly pointed out it may be VN as I didn't experience hearing loss. Anyway, I am nearly on week 5 of it now but I am a lot better. I'm not dizzy anymore but when I wake in the morning I feel quite unsteady on my feet. As the day progresses I am doing a lot better but once it's the evening I feel quite sluggish and nauseous. I can only stomach one meal a day and that's lunch. I feel way too sick to eat dinner. I am also still dealing with anxiety, mostly when I'm driving and I'm stuck at traffic lights. I think it's because I had a bad panic attack at the lights when my VN first started, and now I have in the back of my mind that if I have another panic attack at the lights I'm stuck! I am back at work, and I can do most things ok. I find supermarkets abit tough, and loud busy places but I'm working thru it. I have a doctors appointment on Wednesday as my GP had spoken about referring me on for balance therapy. My question is, can these sorts of "after effects" be quite common? Can they take awhile to completely disappear? Is there anyone else who also had anxiety with VN, but found it went away once they were 100%? I'm so grateful I'm no longer dizzy but I just wish I were 100% again! What's the typical time frame for VN? Sorry for all the questions, I felt quite alone until I found this site. Appreciate any info or anything advice :-)

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • helen91488
    helen91488 melody08508

    Posted

    Hi, melody. I've been suffering with this exact thing since December. It goes away almost ....then back it comes. My ENT consultant said it doesn't have a definitive time. Frame. We are all different but he did say anxiety will feed it. Vicious circle I know cos it's the VN that's caused the anxiety for me. We just have to try and be patient and get on with life as best we can. I've been off sick most of this year so far, only working when I've had respite from it and the worry about my job doesn't help so I know how you feel. Just take care. Xx
    • melody08508
      melody08508 helen91488

      Posted

      I'm sorry to hear that :-( I woke up in the middle of the night and had vertigo and was really bad for 3 weeks. Iv been feeling better and better each day so I hope I'm on the up, and for good! So over it! It's a hard cycle with the anxiety, I'm not an anxious person at all so it's upsetting I now feel this way. Do u do any exercises to help with ur VN?
    • helen91488
      helen91488 melody08508

      Posted

      I was prescribed betahistine which sort of stopped the dizziness. I'm weaning myself off them now which is why I feel I'm back to square one. I'm starting the exercises today!!! Xx
    • melody08508
      melody08508 helen91488

      Posted

      I was prescribed them too! I took them for the first week and then stopped. I also had nausea pills and stemetil but side effects of that is dizziness and nausea! Odd! So I'm not on anything now but St. John wort tea for stress and homeopathic drops :-) Iv heard the exercises work really well but they will make u dizzy until u adjust so bear that in mind :-) I bet in a few months u will be a lot better :-)
  • eleftherio33095
    eleftherio33095 melody08508

    Posted

    Yes it is common.  It depends on how the central nervous system compensates for the peripheral problem.  Vestibular exercises will help in this regard.

    Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

    Clinical Neurophysiologist

    Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

  • simone_bev65236
    simone_bev65236 melody08508

    Posted

    Hi melody I didn't know there was such thing as balance therapy im going to find out with my doctor if I can be referred im desperate for help
    • melody08508
      melody08508 simone_bev65236

      Posted

      I think it's called vestibular therapy or something. I'm in New Zealand but we have balance and dizzyness centres that deal with the inner ear stuff and help to refocus the brain. Definitely ask as people say it's helpful
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