off balanced feeling again..... - Allergies Message Board

golsoam · 08-02-2004, 03:14 AM

i am getting allergy shots every week as i am allergic to everything and get dizzy and off balanced when i am sick. my episodes of being off-balanced are getting farther apart but does that mean they will gradually go away? i hate this feeling and have been dealing with this forever. i have tried all kinds of allergy meds OTC and Rx and have had a CT scan and MRI done which showed i have clear sinuses. i am guessing i just get fluid in my sinuses at times and this makes me dizzy, not sure though. i just hope that since they are getting farther apart that means i am getting better....anyone had any similar experiences??

chigs489 · 08-02-2004, 09:02 AM

I'm going through the exact same thing, and my doctors indicate the sinuses are clear of infection (2 endoscopies later).

It's a kind of off-balance, lightheadedness, especially when I get up from a chair -kind of like having water trapped deep in the ears. I also have sinus pressure, especially around the nose (rhinitis) and Ethmoid Sinuses (between and around the eyes.

I'm at my wits end with this. I had surgery to correct a deviated septum in March, but now I'm miserable again (although not as bad as before surgery).

I saw something on the web about "Rush Immunotherapy", which is an accelerated immunotherapy option. They basically give you shots every 4 hours under hospital survellance. Normally, allergy shots take 6 months to work -this can work in a matter of days.

Allergy medications don't do anything for me, except make me tired. Steroid nasal sprays make my nose bleed, and they have nasty side-effects. Astelin contains preservatives which irritate the sinus tissue. Irrigation works, but if you go overboard, that too can irritate the sinus tissue.

sneezydiva · 08-02-2004, 09:55 AM

I have had that feeling in the past also. I truely believe it's caused by sinus congestion. Just because your sinuses aren't infected doesn't mean they aren't congested. A way to test for this is to take a decongestant and see if it makes the dizziness go away. It sounds like the shots are helping you. The longer you take them, the less allergy congestion you will have. Also, have you evre thought about irrigating your sinuses? I've been doing it for months, and it has really helped me a lot.

golsoam · 08-02-2004, 09:58 AM

exactly how do i irrigate my sinuses?

sneezydiva · 08-02-2004, 01:47 PM

There are many ways to irrigate sinuses. The cheapest, but messiest way is to get a ear bulb, that's normally used to clean ear wax. Then mix a saline solution of 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with 8 oz of water. Fill the ear bulb with the solution and gently squirt into each nostril. A little more effective, my allergist recommends using Entsol spray. It's a saline spray with an aresol like delivery system. You just press the button and a fine mist of saline goes deep into your nose. It is a little pricey (about $15) but it is well worth it in my opinion. You need to ask the pharmacist for it. It's non-prescription but they keep it behind the counter for some reason. The most expensive, but most thorough, is to buy a pulsatile sinus irrigator machine. You can also get an attachment to water-pik devices for a little cheaper if you already own a water-pick. You use the saline recipe above with the irrigator, and it flushes out mucus etc.. from your sinuses. I use both the irrigator and the Entsol spray. I would recommend trying the cheaper methods first to see if irrigating is for you before spending big bucks for the irrigator. Hope this helps.