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Vestibular Neuronitis: Returning to work & driving

Posted , 14 users are following.

Helianthus
Helianthus

I had a sudden onset of vertigo and vomitting whilst on holiday in Poland. Completly hit me from nowhere. I was admitted to a Polish hospital where I stayed for 8 days. I had various tests whilst at the hospital, such as MRI, CAT scan, hearing tests and caloric test. Since returning to UK,  after much pleading I was referred to ENT department. I have had further hearing tests and a caloric test. The consultant has said he thinks I have VN, but can't explain how its happened (virus, infection or something else) but I have lost all balance in my left ear. I am in the process of recalibrating my brain with eyes and muscles. It has really been a roller coaster ride of vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, fatigue. I have been ill for 3 months now and am making progress but very slowly, it often plateaus for a period of time. I am moving as much as possible and doing balance training exercises. I am not taking any medication.

I have recently returned to work, doing half days and I am finding it really hard. After working a few hours, I need to sit for a while before I can drive as my brain feels like a shaken snow globe. Driving can feel sureal, it takes maximum concentration and also shakes up my snow globe brain. Driving for around 30-40 mins appears to be my limit. 

I wonder how others find their return to work, were any changes made in your workplace? 

I would also like to know how VN sufferers find driving.

 

0 likes, 32 replies

32 Replies

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  • chris1303
    chris1303 Helianthus

    Posted

    Hi,

    I've been and am in the same boat....crazy as this may sound I found cycling helped a lot...it would floor me the day after but I seemed to recover above where I had been before. I always used to cycle so have missed it a lot over 5 or 6 months but perhaps all the effort needed to balance has "pushed" the retraining hard...maybe give it a go when you finish for the summer? Wishing you the best

    • SarahCuda
      SarahCuda chris1303

      Posted

      As much as you want to just rest, when diziness occurs, moving does help!   It helps to "reprogram" your brain & eyes to way they were before.  
    • Helianthus
      Helianthus chris1303

      Posted

      I was thinking about trying cycling. It requires similar skills to driving but is much safer! It feels like I need to relearn everthing. I find it diffult to predict what is or isn't possible, just need to try everything. 

      Could you share how long your recovery has taken and whether you are fully recovered. Is it 6 months and counting? 

    • chris1303
      chris1303 Helianthus

      Posted

      Hi, I had flu at the beginning of February and pretty much have been housebound/sofa since. I saw many GP's, finally forced a referral to ENT and Otologoist for testing. My inner ears are now fine apparently but I'm still recovering - though on a positive note I am getting longer periods of freedom and fewer of dizzyness. I have found walking 5 or 6 miles a day to be a good thing too, I guess it's all about the retraining. I feel good today....but I've been here before!
    • Helianthus
      Helianthus chris1303

      Posted

      Ha Ha! Yes, you can never relax when you're sensing recovery as it smacks you right back down the next day. I've been trying to walk 5 miles each day for the past month, turning my head left and right, up and down as much as I can.  I've come a long way from only being able to walk very short distances if at all. But it's not enough! I yearn to feel normal again.
  • brenda71967
    brenda71967 Helianthus

    Posted

    Hello. I am so sorry to hear that you have to suffer with this horrible disease. I have had this for 2 years now. Everyday feeling like you have described. I have been thru every test you have and still no answers for me. The ringing in my ears is loud and constant. One ear always feels full and pulsates with my heart beat. Never any relief. I have loss some vision in my left eye and I have double and blurry vision. It never gets better. I have been to 3 different eye doctors that just suggest I wear contacts. I have tried every strength of glasses out there and nothing helps. I have had a couple of decent days in 2 years but just a couple. For the most part I have suffered everyday for 2 years now. There are nights I pray not to wake up. It's horrible and no doctors seem to know what it is. I have stacks of doctor bills, hospital bills and NO answer! Like you, mine came out of no where too. It hit me while I was driving. I stopped driving for about a month and decided I had to drive but there are some days that it's spooky to be on the road. I have done physical therapy also to help with balance but the PT released me because he said I was wasting my money. I have tried Valium and numerous meds but nothing helps and who can function thru their day on Valium!! Sorry again that you are suffering. Just try to keep moving no matter how bad you feel. I have gone down with this a lot that put me to bed for a few days. I am actually in a bad flare right now and have been for 2 solid weeks with no breaks. It's bad again. I actually feel fluid running back and forth in my ears. We'll hang in there and please keep in touch if you come up with a miracle cure.
    • Helianthus
      Helianthus brenda71967

      Posted

      Crikey Brenda you're having it rough. I was really worried when I had pulsetile tinnitus and pressure/fullness of ear. I just didn't know if it was doing any damage, make me deaf or if the tinnitus would change and get louder/more annoying like the horror stories you hear. The consultant dismissed my concerns, and pschologically, that helped a lot. I haven't suffer from either for over a month now.

      I can relate to your comment about the road being spooky. It felt really surreal for me at first. Walking in a public place felt surreal too.

      I am trying to move as much as the fatigue allows. Movement must be key for a miracle!

    • anne05147
      anne05147 Helianthus

      Posted

      as a community nurse i drive daily but had to stop for a month when my symptoms were too severe and it was unsafe. I no longer drive in the dark anymore if i can avoid it as that is just too much to compensate for it seems.
    • Helianthus
      Helianthus anne05147

      Posted

      I've not attempted driving at night, I imagine it'll be too challenging. During daylight hours, do you feel you are able to drive any distance or is it restricted?
    • anne05147
      anne05147 Helianthus

      Posted

      Initially i had to concentrate really hard, this was exhausting, when exhausted my spinning worsened, so i have learned to try and do things more slowly and pace myself.  I have contacted Occupational Health and they say i should work within my limitations, so therefore on occasions another colleague would drive if i found i was having a bad day, but now i am 2 years into this condition and, thank God it is getting easier and recovering from bouts of BPPV/MAV faster.  I have really had to learn to pace myself and can no longer do things as fast as i use to.  I do try to drive only short distances within a radious of about 30 miles maximum otherwise the duration of the drive can become a bit stressful, which further increases dizziness.  I would no longer consider driving the distances i use to as would find it too exhausting.
    • bose1414
      bose1414 anne05147

      Posted

      I have been dealing with the same issues for 5 months. I can barely drive more 30 mph. Brain MRI came back normal. I'm told by the ENT that it is VN/dysequilibrium. Mine gets worse when I drive on 4 lane rd as well. Has any one dealt with this? someone else said it could be my neck. I see a neurologist next wk. any insight from anyone dealing with this would be appreciated.

    • Helianthus
      Helianthus bose1414

      Posted

      A year has passed since I wrote this post. I had to stop work as I returned too soon and made my condition worse. I rarely drive now, but when I do it's not as bad as I mentioned at start of post. 

      However, I do need to pace myself. I don't think I could drive any great distance. At the moment the furthest i've driven is a 50 mile round trip. It all depends on what I am doing once I arrive at destination. I fatigue easily, and this brings on symptoms. 

      I think driving on a 4 lane road would be far too stimulating and a brain overload.

       

  • tarale
    tarale Helianthus

    Posted

    Hey! I thought I would post on here to see if I could get some better understanding of vertigo. I am a chef and was at work when I had a very severe vertigo attack I was sure I was having a stroke, I was then rushed to the emergency where they did a bunch of testing and then told me I have BVVP this was 6 days ago and I am still having problems balancing, I have vomited a few times due to the dizziness and my head just feels so full of pressure I am worried as to when I can return to work if I can? Right now I feel that I can't take on any stress and multi-tasking is without a question something I can not to at the moment. I have that "shaken snow globe feeling" the whole thing is horrible. I am just wondering what others are doing to speed up recovery?

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