Hey Board,

I would LOVE to know who I am chatting with so intimately about my woozy head and anxiety.... :)

So:

User Name: Wowwweee
Age: Turned 40 in January
Male or Female: Female
State: New York
Onset of Symptoms: April 1990. You name it, I've had it! lol

There are so many nice newbies on here, I can't keep track! lol

Hey there,
That may be me. I have spoken to you about this. I am dizzy girl, age 26, female, New York, onset of symptoms, 5 weeks ago, spaced out, constant lightheadded, cant read ( i get really dizzy), anxiety, pressure in my head, and sometimes nose (that's weird right?). It's simply stinks. I had an MRI today to rule out the obvious. Wish me luck. :wave:

Good idea wowwweeee. I get a bit confused too about who everyone is...I think its fine aslong as we are vague and dont give much away.

Emsybobs. 24 years old. Female. From England. Symptoms started 18mths ago.

Dizziness in head, imbalance, disequilibrium, motion - shifting, exaggerated movement, trampoline walk/ship, Mild tinnitus, ear popping, middle ear fluid (on and off), ear pressure - coupled with the fatigue, cognitive stuff that comes with vestibular disorders.

Diagnosis: by an ENT and Neurotologist = Uncompensated Labyrinthitis. Currently 6 weeks into VRT...slowly getting there.

xxx :wave:

Wowwweeee

Good idea. Let's at least try to personalize this to the extent we are allowed!

Barnsley, 40, female, Oregon. Symptoms that started 12/28/2002 were BPV room-spinning vertigo when turning my head slightly back and to the right followed by ferocious brain fog, trampoline walk, anxiety, slight movement sensations, loopiness in library stacks and grocery stores, short-term memory problems, transposing of letters when writing or typing.

After 16 months I'm happy to report 100% has been reached. Here's hoping I stay here (fingers crossed). :bouncing: And that everyone else joins me (and Subs).

Terri

Hi,

Willsmommy, female, scottish, 30 years old..........3 years with this.

Started out as labs and then I think maybe got a bit of bppv and also uncompensated vestibular dysfunction.

Symptoms - well pretty good now, I have them all day every day (never feel normal) but compared to last year I am fully functional and they are mild and not all consuming.

Mine started out with sever spinning vertigo, intense dizzyness, major imbalance and etc. Tramploine walk, sea legs, felt v v v v v drunk, everything visually bounced up and down and shifted, felt petrified and v v v v nauseous.

Now its much less, feel still but get bits of motion after exercise and doing stuff. No nausea to speak of really. Dizzy from time to time. But tends to be more a buzzy feeling/pressure behind my eyes and nose.

I am sort of not to bad balance wise, v v v slightly off balance, more like I feel a bit off all the time.

Ok hope that helps. xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi!
I am female, 46, of course, live in Missouri! I started out July 12, last summer with severe vertigo which was diagnosed by my GP as lab, but I believe now that it was BPPV. Had Epley done several times in fall, which seemed to help the "spinning" but off balance, lots of head pressure, anxiety, head very heavy, struggled to go shopping or just do anything basically out of my "norm".
I am in my tenth month and my symptoms are still stiff neck, heavy head some days, little bit of imbalance when walking (very mild). Get terribly painful headaches at times which I think are either migraine related or TMJ related.
Anyway, am gaining but VERY slowly. I also am doing eye exercises and am scheduled to see a PT for my neck problems.
Vicki
I do miss seeing where everyone is from. Makes the boards seem less personal,for sure! It is interesting that most are female. Does anyone know what that means?

Hi, I'm Madeleine, 57, originally from Wales, UK now 35 years in Israel. BPPV kicked in last summer after being in bed with herniated disc. Had Epleys, good for a while, relapsed, another epley with a relapse - due to my own stupidity - so yet another epley, now have exercise to do at home. Have had 6 wks+2days with NO symptoms - the longest ever. Just the odd feeling that I am about to be off balance, but doesn't happen. I dare to think I am over the worst and my brain has finally managed to compensate more or less fully. Do sometimes get a moment's unsteadiness when I get out of a car, but since I read these and other boards that the worst thing to do is NOTHING, I make sure I keep moving and the feeling passes. Oh yes, I should mention that I do get v. slight spin when I do the exercise but it is much less than when I first started so am optimistic. Learnt more on these boards than ever the docs. can tell me. Thanks everyone and here's hoping we'll all improve and get better.
Madeleine

Hey Woweee!

I'm Scott, originally from Toronto, Canada. Moved to Australia (Sydney) in 1986. I'm 39.......just like Madelaine, my back went crazy. I spent two solid days in bed with a muscle spasm in the lower back...then, a day later, on the 30 Aug 2003, I walked outside and the whole world was moving. I was *extremely* viral for 2 weeks - it was viral labyrinthitis they said. The next 3 months were shocking - major angst, depression, tremors, vertigo, could barely sign my name. :eek: And now? Still feel off balance, slightly drunk at times, light-headed + head fog, some residual anxiety and one h*ll of a sore neck and shoulders. I think I'm getting closer to a full recovery but still don't feel quite myself.

Too bad we can't put a picture up...be nice to put a face to the names on this board.

Cheers....Scott

Hi,

Not been on here long but I'm Lizzy 33 years old from Lancashire, UK. Had Labs/VN since end October last year, never had spinning just off balance, mild tinnitus, ear popping, jiggly eyes, got worse at Christmas (very very sick), getting better since February. Now functioning at 95 - 100%.

xxxx

Hi……….user name Lizbef but actually really called Joy. Age 51 from a small village in Buckinghamshire UK.

Everything started around 3 years ago waking up with an exploding head sensation – GP said virus and prescribed antibiotics – no effect. Eventually neurologist diagnosed BPPV and attempted to fix things twice with the Epley but failed.

Had a lot of stress recently which has made things worse but problem is still mainly when I turn onto my left side in bed – so I just don’t and consequently never really sleep well. In all other ways like Willsmommy I never really feel completely normal but just carry on. Exercise doesn’t seem to affect me too much – I walk a lot and also run both outdoors and on a treadmill.

Nice to know a bit more about you all.

xxx
:wave:

Hiya....

My name's Leigh, I am a 24 yr old woman from Perth, Australia. I have been suffering with this for around 21 months. The idea of my 2 yr anniversary is pretty scary!! I have been diagnosed with right vestibular damage and recently been diagnosed with secondary BPPV as well.

My symptoms are , dizziness, imbalance, feeling like I am moving, visual distortion, ocassional nausea, occasional spinning vertigo, jiggly jumpy vision, fulless in right ear, mild tinnitus.

Well thats me!

Hi All
Mia, 36 from PA
First experience Sept 1999 to June 2000. Diagnosis Vestibular Labyrinthitis/ Neuritis
Second experience March 2003 to January 2004. Well actually I consider myself at about 99.5%. I still have weird moments.Diagnosis: Decompensated VN brought on by a severe sinus infection.

Hi!
What a good idea this is!

I'm Milly, female, 35 years old and live in Fife, Scotland.
My symptoms started over 8 months ago with severe balance, light-headedness and fatigue. No diagnosis as such but a few suggestions such as was labs but not improving due to neck.

Over the last few days my dizziness has been sooo much better ( am at around 90%) and I pray this continues.

Milly.

So glad somebody started this, thought it hadn't been done before because it was on the 'forbidden' list. I'm Ninamarie, Sydney Australia, though a Scot really despite 40 odd yrs down under. I'm 62 this year, amazing, my mind boggles. But you'd never know it! No honest, you wouldn't! Cross my heart and hope to die. Was a healthy, fit, energetic person, always learning, travelled a lot, Asia, Europe, U.K., but been to the states, Afgahnastan, Iran etc., so not a plodding, sit in front of t.v. sort at all. How life has changed. This thing hit in 1994, seemingly after a real bad flu like illness, unusual symptoms, not the normal dizzy, spinning thing, nobody knew what the problem was. My world slowly contracted. The medico's had a dozen goes at diagnosias but it was only last November that one very cluey one said "vestibular disorder". I was not convinced, but I am now. The input and feedback I get from this board has done more to convince me than any specialist, (though I am grateful to the doctor who finally got it right), that and the effect the vestibular rehabilitation therapy has on me. Even the vestibular therapist was convinced once I started to react to the therapy, "if you did not have a vestibular disorder, that wouldn't happen". No it hasn't helped yet, don't know if it will or not, but I keep doing it, very slowly now as it makes me sick and I react quite strongly to it. But I figure I may as well keep at it, after all what else is there.

Hi,

This is great but I hope we are allowed to do this. I'm a 41 years old female. I live is a small town in Ontario, Canada. I've been dizzy 24/7 and off-balanced for the past 2 1/2 years. My symptoms are a lot like the residual symptoms of labs (visual dizziness, pressures/numbness in the head with movement, desiquilibrium and other symptoms) but it didn't start like classic Lab. No flu before, no vertigo etc. Started with feeling unbalanced and dizziness quicked in later. All the tests are normal. I never had a real diagnoses for my condition. One neurologist told me that it was probably caused by a virus and most of the others told me it was due to anxiety.

By the way Dizzygirl I don't find your 'nose' effect at all wierd. I get it so bad it lifts my top lip up in a sort of snarl when it's at its very worst. Also inside the top palate of the mouth, like Brina said once (havens't seen any posts from her lately, how are you Brina?), feels like it's pushing your top teeth out. After all ENT does stand for ear, nose and throat, so don't suppose it's all that unusual that problem in one effects the others. Anycase I'm sorry you get it 'cause it can hurt, but at the same time every time I see somebody else post a weird seeming symptom that I get it lets me know that I have a correct diagnosis at last and to just keep working away at the therapy in hopes of a minor miracle one day.

Hi!
It is interesting that most are female. Does anyone know what that means?

I think that's because most men see themselves as this macho self-sufficient "I can cope" type and see exposing their symptoms as a sign of weakness, whereas women tend to share their feelings much more. James, Scott and others - don't take offence - I think it takes a BIG man to admit and share his feelings. Just a thought on Vicki's question.
Madeleine

hi all,

my name is lorraine , from england, i am 45 years, have 4 girls.

i originally started having vertigo attacks when i was about12 years.

though terrifying to begin with, over the years they distanced themselves out.

i would average them out now at about twice a year, the severe ones.

i started with tinnitus 12 years ago, no answers as to why this happened.

approx 18 months ago started with spacey, disconnected, low energy, issolated feelings, had night panic and palpitations ,stopped having any caffiene and aspartame to see if that would help....

approx 1 year ago started with constant moving sensations, started mildly and built in severity over several months, felt like i was in an plane in bad turbulance , push and pull , slight tugging feeling in my head, feeling of internal wave from inside my head , down spine to the feet....in the fisrt few weeks i felt tingling in hands ,feet and edges of mouth, possibly due to anxiety.....a pressure no pain behind my nose, top of head, then felt like pushing down on my teeth.....very weird........being still accentuates these sensations, being in a car when moving is the best time, but the sensations r there as soon as the car stops. i lye on 4 pillows as lying flatish makes it worse......

current dx peripheral vestibular dysunction.

thanks all

best wishes

brina

Quick one - nina v interesting what they told you about VRT having no effect (symptoms wise after) if not vestibular...that reassures me...I react horribly. MPaiement - Lab does not always start with vertigo as my neuroto told me - mine didnt...xxx

Hey Board,

I would LOVE to know who I am chatting with so intimately about my woozy head and anxiety.... :)

Hi, this is my first post and I though this thread would be a good place to introduce myself.

I'm Jim, 38 years old and live in the South East of England.

I've been diagnosed with labyrinthitis for the third time and have had this for about 6 weeks.

My symptoms are varying levels of dizziness, feelings of being 'not all there', 'pushed down by a big hand', trampoline walk (good description from people here!), occasional blurred and jumpy vision, mild tinnitus, neck ache, difficulty with vocalising my thoughts (which really surprised me), occasional heart 'flutters' (anyone else get this?), pulsing in the ears, and more. I've also experienced social panic, which I hate as I'm normally quite outgoing.

I'm due to go back to the doctors next week. I've always been advised that there's nothing that can be done, but now I know different thanks to all of you and will be going armed with plenty of information that I'll have picked-up here. Pity the poor GP :)

I'd better stop now or I'll start asking loads of questions which are probably already answered on these boards somewhere.

It's nice to know that I'm not alone in this. I can't work because it sets me off worse than jumping on the spot would, and I feel pretty useless because of it. This board has made me much more optimistic about beating the dizziness and getting back to normal. Thanks all!

Jim

Welcome to the world of the dizzies Jim :wave:

I'm relatively new here myself but can promise you’ll find good advice and support from everyone.......and they understand!!!

Emsybobs,

Thanks for that info. In a way I hope that you are right. It gives me hope that this could eventually go away. I don't know if you remember, but I said that wearing my reading glasses helped me a lot to allieviate the symptoms. Right now I'm trying not to wear them (well, keeping them on top of my head :D ) It's been day 4 now, it's hard at times but I've made it so far.

Hi Jim,

Regarding the fluttering sensation, before I got dizzy I started feeling that my heart was skipping a lot of beats. I had a stress test and a heart monitor (halter) for 24 hours. They said that I had a lot of PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) but that it wasn't dangerous. The dizziness not long after that. I find that my heart is not beating properly but it is not causing me any symptoms. It's not the cause of my dizziness but wonder if its related somehow.

Hi Jim,

Regarding the fluttering sensation, before I got dizzy I started feeling that my heart was skipping a lot of beats. I had a stress test and a heart monitor (halter) for 24 hours. They said that I had a lot of PVCs (premature ventricular contractions) but that it wasn't dangerous. The dizziness not long after that. I find that my heart is not beating properly but it is not causing me any symptoms. It's not the cause of my dizziness but wonder if its related somehow.

That's interesting - thanks MP. I'm wondering if it's related, too. It seems to have started at a similar time to the dizziness and I mentioned it as a symptom last time I saw the doctor. She arranged a short ECG test at the surgery last week but it was only a few minutes on the couch and didn't prove or disprove anything. I was warned that I might need a 24hr test to improve the sample and as I'm going back there next week, I'll enquire about getting it done. Thanks for your reply!

Welcome to the Boards Jim!

Sorry to know you are dealing with disequilibrium issues too. I bet if we all held hands, we could circle the world - there seem to be so many of us dealing with the same stuff. I wish you, as I do everyone, better days ahead.

My heart skips beats also. And at times I also feel like my heart is not "working right". I experience a fast heart rate a lot, and sometimes the rapid beats can make me anxious with worry.

I also feel at times that I am not breathing correctly or that my body forgets to breath in rhythm. Anyone else on that?

Anyway, regarding the skipped beats, I went to my cardiologist a few times for this (mostly for racing beats). I had the halter monitor a few times, plus the Echo and EKG a few times. I have a heathly heart and for that I am very thankful.

I was told that there are two kinds of skipped beats that a person can have, and blessedly, I have the kind that can be scary, but do no harm. Skipped beats CAN cause a person to feel unsettled, provoke a headache, or cause dizziness. Even the skipped beats that are not harmful. Sometimes a skip for me can REALLY be felt, and this may cause me to cough or feel "off" after it happens.

There are some heart conditions that can cause a person to pass out. That's why when a person does experience dizziness, it's always a good idea to remember to get the ticker checked out too. Yuor doctor can tell a lot from listening to your heart, having an EKG, and getting an Echo(cardiogram).

Once all tests have ruled out that your heart is healthy, there are some medications that a person can take (if they choose) to help alleviate these symptoms - this can be in the form of something like valium, BETA blockers, or even Benedryl antihistamine. Always get your doctor's approval when it comes to meds!

For a person that experiences skips, for some people they can be extremely scary and even provoke anxiety attacks. It's good to stay off caffeine, exercise when you can (easier said than done for a person who is off-balance), keep hydrated (dehydration can cause skips), and try to maintain calm when possible - something else that can be hard to do when dealing with imbalance issues.

Sorry you are unable to work right now. Jim, you're NOT useless. You're just a person dealing with dizziness. I went through quite the time with my symptoms. I have many posts onder my old user name (Wowwweee) as well as more current posts. Sometimes just coming to this Board on a "bad day" makes me feel better.

Hugs. xo

Jim,

Welcome! Yeah, I got the heart flutters too. Weird, 'eh? Also the social anxiety (luckily I've only had it 2 or 3 times), which is bizarre, like you said, when you've never been that way before. This inner ear crap is just a total confidence zapper, and I think that's just part and parcel of the anxiety issues. Also, like you, I've had difficulty vocalizing my thoughts (coming up with the right word), which also feels like short-term memory blips, and I've also transposed letters (like a dyslexic) when both writing and typing. Who knew this stuff affected so many areas of the brain (or else that all of these functions were tied up in one small part of the brain)!

The good part is that I'm living proof that you do get better. Only slightly spacey occasionally now (I had BPV), but for the most part living at 98-100% after 16 lovely months of VH (vestibular hell, for those in the know here on the boards!).

You wil get better. Stay tuned here. Like you said, the people here can help you to know more about this vestib stuff and how to take charge of your own health than any doc could ever hope to. The people on this board are incredible, and soon enough you too will consider all of us friends :)

Cheers!
Terri

PS, Where in south east England? My best friend was born in Hastings, though she married an American and lives in Virginia now.

PS, Where in south east England? My best friend was born in Hastings, though she married an American and lives in Virginia now.

Wowwwweeee and Terri,

Thanks for your kind words. I feel I've kind of hijacked this thread - sorry! I won't repeat myself, but all your words are useful and help me to make sense of what I've got. Today it's been great to find that the 'side' symptoms which don't appear directly related to dizziness probably are, and it's a load off my mind to know I haven't got something else at the same time. It's also quite a shock to find that some of you have had this for an awfully long time and I count my blessings that I've only had this bout for about 6 weeks and others before have gone away quite shortly.

Wow (can I call you that? <g>), I've managed to dismiss over-use of caffeine. Even though I love coffee and tea I've been careful and I've also been making sure I drink enough water and do exercise, even though it's difficult to do it when you feel like I.... we do :) After I read your post earlier I managed 30 minutes on the elliptical machine (about 7 miles on a machine similar to a treadmill) and it's done me the world of good. Surprisingly not making me any more dizzy, which is some relief!

Terri, I live in Maldon, a small town on the east coast of Essex. Essex is the county to the east of London north of the Thames. If you search for Maldon on the UK multimap site it should give you an idea of exactly where it is (I tried to post a link, but the board wouldn't let me).

Thanks again to everyone who has welcomed me here. You can probably see how you've lifted my mood and I'd just like to say thanks again for doing that. Now to see if I can switch off the computer and walk through that door without bumping into the frame... wish me luck :)

Hi Jim, when you say you did 30 mins ont he treadmill thingy...did you not feel off when you got off? I still feel motion when I get off the treadmill abd I am more dizzy for a while then it subsides...Just wondered...well done for doing it! :)

xxx

Jim,

Keep up the good work on the ellip machine. You'll continue to find that staying active does really help you to feel better.

And, oh boy(!) am I familair with where Essex is just now. Tomorrow I'm defending my master's degree thesis, which I have written about Barking Abbey in Essex. Barking is now subsumed by London, but in the 16th century (the period which I'm writing about) it was still part of Essex. I'm actually headed there in June to commune on the abbey site (buildings were torn down in the 1540s, but the parish church is still there, parts of which date to the 12th c).

Cheers!
Terri

Hi Jim,

Good for you on the elliptical machine - what exactly is that? I go on the treadmill about 30-35 mins. most days and feel great - no dizzies afterwards. Just curious to know if you managed to avoid the door frame....

Terri,
Good luck with your thesis - first Scott, now you. Let us know how it went. My cousin lives in Barking, my husband comes from Chingford. I'm originally from Cardiff - stillm iss the good old UK.

Madeleine

Hi Jim, when you say you did 30 mins ont he treadmill thingy...did you not feel off when you got off? I still feel motion when I get off the treadmill abd I am more dizzy for a while then it subsides...Just wondered...well done for doing it! :)

xxx

Hi Emsy, strangely no dizziness after I got off the machine yesterday! This is how it tends to go for me - one day I'll really be feeling dizzy, and another it subsides and I think "great, it's gone". This morning I feel very dizzy and vague, probably because I just had a shower and that seems to be the easiest way to start the dizziness off - and it's not really something that can be avoided :)

I'm going to try another session on the machine later and see how I get on (or fall off, as the case may be!).

Jim x

Hi Jim,

Good for you on the elliptical machine - what exactly is that? I go on the treadmill about 30-35 mins. most days and feel great - no dizzies afterwards. Just curious to know if you managed to avoid the door frame....

Hi Madeleine, no chance meetings with door frames in the last 24 hrs, I'm pleased to say :)

The elliptical machine is a bit like a stand-up exercise bike with hand-grabs. Your feet move in an elliptical motion, never leaving the platform and taking about 75% of the effort. Your hands assist with the remaining 25%. As the feet and arms are always in contact with something it feels a bit safer than a treadmill for a dizzy person, although you can take your hands off. If you do a web search for 'elliptical cross trainer' you'll probably find a picture which might explain it better than I can :)

Jim x

Thanks Jim - looked it up and found a picture - looks good. All these things are really rather boring unless you have the TV on in front of you, which I do. I was concerned at first if the moving image and the moving me would get the dizies going, but I'm fine with that. Hope it's the same for you too.

Madeleine

Madeleine,

Thanks for your well-wishes on my thesis. So sweet of you! Your cousin lives in Barking!!!!!! As I mentioned, I'm headed there in June to actually visit the site. The monastery/abbey church doesn't exist anymore, but I'm still interested in visiting the site (they've been doing archaeological work there for some time) to commune with my girls (the 16th century nuns whom I've written about).

Terri

This all conjures up pictures of ghosts, headless nuns, buried remains...hmmmm! Sorry - am a thriller-mystery-murder fan. Love these old stories.

Madeleine

All this talk about exercising is making ME woozy!

I can exercise now, but somedays it's t-o-u-g-h. For the longest time, even a gentle walk down the street was pretty awful. I usually like someone along with me for this reason.

But over the years I am better, and do the shopping and walking thing solo now. Some days, even after all this time (10 years), it's a challenge, physically and emotionally for me.

I have a membership at our local YMCA. I have found that even moderate exericise (lifting weights, NO treadmilling) is beneficial. Anyway, they had a funky chin-up machine at the gym where you kneel on a pad that goes up and down; how high the pad goes depends on how how far you are able to do your chin-ups.

Well, let me tell you - after about three chin-ups on this fancy machine, I needed to get OFF, fast. The thing was, in order for me to get off of it, I needed to push the pad back down. I did NOT want to do even that, because I knew exactly how I would be feeling and reacting afterwards. The girl who was showing me how to use this machine was great - she helped me off of it, and hung out with me while I HUNG ON to the machine with both feet on the ground, until the trampoline in my head stopped.

I was able to go back to the other machines in about ten minutes, after I got my sea legs again. But, OH MY.

Did you know that everyone has the same feelings of motion after a person stops doing something, like walking on a treadmill? That's normal. However, for us, that sensation is heightened and lingers.

Even swiveling on my work chair for me is an adventure. I am better now, but in the past, even on slight small swivel to turn to answer the phone used to be quite the ride.

And to think I used to LOVE that feeling when I went to amusement parks. I think those days are definitely over for me! lol

I am much better on elevators and escalators, but I usually will take the stairs instead.

Get this - DANCING is easier for me than walking. GO FIGURE!

Big hug to my fellow woozies. xo Enjoy the day!

I'll guess I'll join in if I'm invited...

I'm a 27 year old male, I live in South West UK.

I've been ill for nearly 5 years. - and it sucks

I've been diagnosed with "peripheral vestibular dysfunction" probably caused by a virus. Though as I'm worse in a lot of respects now than I ever have been I guess that might be wrong...

For the first 6 months it was mostly visual perception problems, and feelings of "wwooooahhh I'm going to flip over", but it changed to more of a dizziness feeling and imbalance (and of course the horrid feelings in visually challenging environments). Around last christmas it changed, and now I feel totally imbalanced and have the visual perception junk and, keep getting days where even the simplest head moevment makes me spin - as a result of this I managed to herniate a disk in my back in the new year.

I also have a whole load of other symptoms which started a couple of years ago (muscle pain/weakness in my legs, double vision yada yada yada - which at the moment are credited to anxiety).

I'm just about to start the whole "battling with doctors" thing again. I gave up on them a couple of years ago - time to start again.

Hi Billy,

Welcome to the boards! sorry to hear that you have this battle too, I hope very much that you persue the docs again, there has to be an answer for this whole thing out there. have you had all the tests? Ilia

Yes Billy1234 think most of us know what you mean re; battling the doctors. Doesn't seem to much matter which continent we're on, we strike the same attitudes. Think it's only a very few who get the dream run. Doctor who knows & understands, correct treatment etc., and with perseverence & good luck, a recovery. But you're right to try again, just to give you some hope, it took me eight years, at least 6 G.P.'s 2 ENT's, 5 Gastroenterologists,( my guts affected, strange but true) and 7 neurologists, dozens of tests & a myriad of possible diagnosis, plus every possible alternate medicine treatment you can think of before I got the correct diagnosis. The 7th neuro knew right off. Enough to make you tear you're hair out, but at the same time I'm so glad I eventually walked into his office, I almost didn't go I was so fed up with the lot of them.

Bryan 29 New Jersey. Started summer 01' Im like Billy1234 Im about fed up with doctors and not feeling right. Im getting a doppler next on the neck. That and an eeg is the only test i did not get. I got the works done. Im tired of hearing anxiety. I spend most of my time on the brain posts. They should combime the sities; the symtpoms are about identical. I made one sad observation, noone seems to get better on these sites!

Welcome, sad Bryan, but please cheeer up. It's true, there are people here who have been fighting this thing for years, but there are plenty of people who are also having success. May not be 100% and it's very much a process of two steps forward, one step backward (not always in that ratio). You didn't say what your diagnosis is.

There are some great people here - well, let's face it, we're ALL great - and there are some really knowledgeable people too who I'm sure can offer you some comfort and support.

Here's hoping things will soon get better for you

Madeleine

Welcome bryan...there are many on here who have reached 100%. U must remain hopeful. What is your diagnosis, how did it start and has it improved at all?

can you list your symptoms? xxx

Thats good to hear!!!! I have dizziness, room tilting, tilting under my feet when I walk, sparkly vision, uncoordintated feeling, feeling like i am floating, weakness and a weird feeling 24/7 especially in my head and eyes. I had 2 brain mri's, blood tests, neck mri,evoked potentials, been to all types of docs. I do have stuff in my right sinus(looks pretty big) that showed up in the brain mris but all docs said that they very much doubt that is causing the symptoms. No real diagnosis except anxiety. Im (like all of us) fustrated I was a big time athlete and am tired of sitting in the house. Thanx for the reply...

Have they mentioned/ruled out inner ear? Have you done VRT???? I would see a neurotologist. Your symptoms sound like inner ear. If your mri was clear its not brain plus you'd have more symptoms. How did it start? xxx

Welcome guys!!!

You will find good friends here that understand exactly what you are going through and will give you great advise.

Hi Wowwee, :wave:

What a great idea you had getting to know everyone.
It sure makes a difference when you have some idea who you are talking to and where they are from.

My name is Carmen (female) and I also turned 40 in January and I live in South Australia.

I notice there are a few others from Australia too. (Hi to all the Aussies out there) :wave:

I read these boards regularly even though I don't post a lot of the times. Everyone on these boards have helped me so much with my Labs and all the different symptoms I have.
There is always someone on the boards that is experiencing exactly what I am. I am so glad that we are able to discuss our problems with other people who are going through the same thing.

I too have seen an ENT, and had that test where they put water in your ears and make you feel even worse than when you walked in. I had the hearing test done as well.
After all the tests I had done I was told that I had a floating crystal in my ear which was probably dislodged when I had my continuous cough that lasted 6 months. I was told it takes 12 months to go away. That was back in 2000. I am still waiting !!!!!


Take care and thanks again.

One of the newbies here... nice to know who we are all comiserating with! ;)

User Name: DSKnicker
Age: turn 35 in May
Male or Female: Male
State: Connecticut
Onset of Symptoms: Aug 4, 2001

Gez
Male
21
Manchester, UK
Constant vertigo, Unsteadiness, Heavy head, 'not with it', Mild headaches
My story:
Started experiencing vertigo in Jan of this year, went to docs and was diagnosed with viral lab and given stemetil. After 3 weeks symptoms started to get worse then had an extremly bad phase that lasted a week, suffered really bad vertigo and a feeling of being below deck on a ship, had bad headaches and a constant ache at the back of my neck.
No pain in ears or loss of hearing, had a constant feeing of being not with it and felt detached from everything and everyone. Saw ent specialist in March, diagnosed me again with bad case of labs and said was just taking a long time to compensate.
After seeing specialist he gave me some vestibular exercises to do, which involved moving my eyes/head basically making myself dizzy and not worrying about it. Have gradually tried to get my life back together, back at work full time now, but deep down havent felt myself since this started. Suffer with anxiety which has in turn ruined my social life, even simple things like going to the cinema or eating out have become a task.
Had a vestibular assessment done 2 weeks ago, where they made me look at lights moving with sensors attached round your eyes, then that awful test where they put warm water in your ears which made me feel awful, which brought on a rather nasty anxiety attack !
So just waiting for the results to come through (any1 from the uk will know how long this process can take !) seeing the ENT consultant again on 11 august, so hope to find out more then, anyone else in a similar situation ?
Also does VRT stand for vestibular rehab treatment, if so does anyone know if they have groups like these in the UK and how to get onto that sort of course ?
Plus would also like thank evry1 whos posted on here and took time to read thru, its been a great help already just hearing other peoples stories and knowing i'm not alone...

Hi to everyone,
read these post quite late, always the last one!

Name Shen
Age 21
Live in Nottingham UK
Female

Got dizzy sept2003 after a meal out had a panic attack when i got home went to work next day as normal but didn't feel right and got worse to the point where i couldn't walk talk or see people and was frightend to go out the house as things looked strange (i too, as everyone on here was very social loves drinking and clubbin) i was put on stemitil and cinnarizine as they thought i had labs, but then saw a specialist and she was convinced it was MAV or vestibular migraine.

My symptoms are getting better slowly (i'm on stemitil and an anti depressant) and doing VRT at home, so i'm in hope this will get better.

Gez i know how you feel, VRT is vestib rehab thearpy, I'm not sure on the groups in the uk, i'm trying to sort one out now, need to talk to my specialist see if she can point me in the right direction.

I know its a pain but you will eventually feel like going out i thought i never would but i was out on the weekend and although it wasn't a massive night out i was glad to be dressed up and having a chat with friends.

Its a slow process but it will come.

Shen xx

Hi All,

I had an hour to kill at work so thought I'd create a spreadsheet with all who have submitted their details here. Too bad I can't email it out to people. Easy way to keep track of who's who!

But here's some stats of those who wrote on this thread:

Females:19
Males: 6
Top Country: UK, 11 people (44%)
Average age: 38
Most common illness: labyrinthitis (52%)
Average length of illness to date: 23 months

Note: this data is obviously skewed because it only reflects those who posted. There are likely as many who have recovered but no longer post so don't be discouraged by the 23 month thing. Just thought it would be interesting to see how these numbers looked from those who posted. Also, I added Subs into this too and he's 100% well now.

Keep posting newbies!

Cheers.......Scott :cool:

Scott,
You can add my data to your list as well.
Age: 30
Location: US
Gender: Male
I've had this thing since October of '03. I still don't have a firm diagnosis.

BIlly2310 43 male tucson ARIZONA BPPV 6 YEARS NEVER GIVE UP!

Jezzie---57---NC---Retired teacher--working part time---Constant dizziness since 02---better now---still off balance---Spent summers of 02 and 03 in the bed mostly---constant noise in my ears since I can remember---use to get dizzy when I had colds but went away---in 02 stayed!!!! They think malfunctioning eustachian tube and ear damage from radiation treatments. Just finished VRT.

Never give up, and never surrender. Remember that. :)

Here goes, then...

User Name: dogologist
Age: 32
Male or Female: Female
State: Wales, UK
Onset of Symptoms: November '99 - couple of weeks of feeling a bit 'fluey' with stabby pains in the ear, then woke up in the middle of the night with full-blown labyrinthitis. Antibiotics had no effect - got slowly better and then shad another bout of labs, which was milder but never entirely went away. Still not really functioning as anything you'd recognise as a human being, because two different GPs refused to believe me or refert me for 3 years, but I've just found a good 'un and waiting to see Linda Luxon in London. My main symptoms are feeling horribly spaced out all the time, generally off balance, anxiety, falling sensations, stabbing pain in the ear, tinnitus occasionally, sore throats, swollen glands and feeling generally 'fluey' all over. This board is a God-send, though!
Ann

Hey Shen,

When you say you have MAV or Vestibular migraine, do you get bad headaches ? What sort of pain do you get ? I have read a few posts on here where people have talked about this and the sypmtoms sound really similar to mine.

Also do you find the stemetil helps with vertigo and dizziness ? I've stopped taking it now as the specialist said it can delay the adaptation process, so i only really take it when i feel really sick or if i'm doing something thats going to bring on anxiety, i was given cinnarizine too and it did nothing, do you take them both together ?
Thanx for kind words b4, i try to take small steps, i think i may be a bit depressed too, i have good days and bad days, but i generally feel very 'up & down' and find it hard to cope at times.

Gez x
:wave:

Hi 'Gez,

You write to Shen, "Thanx for kind words b4, i try to take small steps, i think i may be a bit depressed too, i have good days and bad days, but i generally feel very 'up & down' and find it hard to cope at times". That just touched me, because I know how crappy this can make you feel and how difficult it is to maintain a good attitude in the face of frustration and fear. It just made me a bit sad to read that, because you sound like I did when I was having a rough time. I was very depressed and anxious for a long time over my condition, and for a very long time I did not do much of anything.

I just want to tell you that I'm thinking of you, and "been there, done that". I've had many, many days of baby stepping. :) Big Hug.

Hi Gez

With the MAV i don't get really regular headaches or migraines, i get a headache like other people do when they are tierd or stressed, i just get the dizziness instead of the headache thing i reckon.

The stemitil was given to around November 2003, i was in such a mess back then! I did find the stemitil worked for me and eased the dizzy/off balance feeling, i did also take the cinnarizine with the stemitil together for a while, but i found the cinnarizine didn't help me much so i came off it and carried on with the stemitil, I found out that it slows down any compensation but i just don't feel confident enough to come off it yet, (Wednesday i had a really bad day in bed crying feeling really out of it, although ive not had a day like that for so long, when i do it reminds me of how scary it can be!) I asked my specialist about the stemitil she said it could slow down the processs of compensation, however it wouldn't stop it all together. I do plan on coming off it but i need to control my nervous-ness and anxiety first!

No need to thank me for the kind words, i know how much it means to have a bit of encouragment, i always need reassurance lucky i have a fantastic family and great friends around me. I somtimes can't believe that being off balance and dizzy can bring on so many other things (depression, anxiety etc) I sometimes feel guilty about people being so patient with me as i can be awful some days.

Really try to remember that one day it will go away, I imagine myself back to my old self, it often makes me upset but if you think of something enough times it will be attracted into your life ( if you know what i mean) example; i had a really crap job once and i used to wish i didn't have to go in some weekends, i would wish that i could be signed off work for a few months so i didn't have to go in, now i have been signed off for 4 months. So now i'm careful for what i wish for!! ( its a theory that helps me anyway)

Hope you begin to feel better v soon

Shen xx

hi all! :wave: i don't post much on here, but have been coming to this board for a couple months now reading everyone's stories/symptoms and i just want to thank you all for sharing... You've all helped me tremendously in trying to understand my symptoms and i feel optimistic that one day i'll feel "normal" again.. well, here's my stats:

Age: 24
Female
Las Vegas
Onset of symptoms: Jan 2004
--vertigo (more or so in the beginning when looking left, up or down), tilting feeling, trampoline walk, jumpy vision, mild tinnitus, ear pressure, pressure between eyes and bridge of nose, grocery or shopping in general a challenge, crowded places make me feel pretty bad (i guess too much activity for me to take in), bright lights or glares get me woozy and walking in the dark can be a task...
Diagnosis: been to 2 GP's, 1 ENT and so far they're trying to say it's my sinuses/allergies, but i don't agree... gonna have a CT scan done next week and then go from there.. but alot of people on here have advised me that it's probably labs... and by how my symptoms seem to be very similar to everyone on here with labs, i'm leaning towards that... i guess my ENT and i are gonna be arguing next time i see him... :D

thanks all again for sharing your stories! :)

Thanx Wowwweee and Shen,
everyone sounds so nice on here, i guess its all coz we've had to put up with so much crap and have become more tolerant as a result.
What do you guys (and any1 else whos reading) think about anti depressents/ anti anxiety medication ? I've heard paxil mentioned a lot, does it help ? Would be grateful of any input on the matter, also i'm seeing the ENT specialist in August and would i be better off discussing it with him or my doctor ?
Cheers Gez xx

hi!
I'm on anti depressants for the migraine thing firstly, but it will also help me with the anxiety i get too, I've been on them for 4 weeks and they seem ok, they told me to give them six weeks before making up my mind but they seem to be suiting me quite well, ( i get the odd bad day still especially just after the time of the month) my doctor has told me to take a herbal thing for the anxiety called Angus Castus suppose to be very good for mood swings and anxiety but something that needs to be taken for six weeks before any results.

I hate staying in on a friday night!!!!!!!

Shen xx

I've been on 12.5mg of PaxilCR for 2 weeks now and am supposed to up it to 25mg (that's where they want me to be). So far it's made me a little nauseated and sleepy, but nothing much. I haven't been on it long enough to give you a full report, but when I do I'll be sure to let you know. I would ask both docs about the meds. My neurotologist suggested Zoloft, but it didn't agree with me so I had to move to the PaxilCR.

Hey All Newbies,

Thought I'd bump this up as there are lots of new people around and I can't keep track of who's who etc. It's nice to know a little more about who we're all chatting to! Cheers

Hey to all:
Name: Dizzy2
Age: 40
Gender: Female
Place: California, USA
Onset of symptoms: November 2004 (5 fun filled months)
Symptoms: Started as sudden vertigo and nystagmus. Went to ER where I was told I had BPPV and an anxiety attack. Trouble driving at first due dizziness and feeling woozy like I might pass out. In the beginning, I also had bouts of rapid heartbeats, sweating, shaking. Could not handle being in the store, for some reason that made me so sick, again like I might pass out. Been to ENT, GP, Allergist and Cardiologist. Have an appt. on Monday to see a neuro-otologist. What I am left with now is off and on feeling of being dizzy and off-balance, eyes feel twitchy, still get the woozy/drunk feeling at times. Ears get plugged up, ring, pop and get earaches at times also. Sometimes have headaches and stiff neck and upset stomach, but had that prior to vertigo. Tests have been normal so far. Found this board just 2 weeks ago and I love it! Thanks to all for the caring and support! :wave:

Hi Scott,

Just caught on to this thread. Great idea. Can't remember where I was in July 04, Thought I was on here then but who knows. The brain wasn't functioning at 100% then either!

Anyway -
I live in NE PA during the summer and sunny Daytona Beach, Fla, in the winter.
Female - age 63, sort of married (LOL) - mother to one great son, an airline pilot....

Diagnosed with VN/MAV in April 03. Disequilibrium, brain fog, tinnitis, ear pressure MAJOR anxiety, panic, depression, neck pain. You name it, I've experienced everything that comes with this. Feeling quite good now at 24 months but currently dealing with withdrawal from Ativan. It's a great drug for the anxiety and panic I was getting and it literally gave me a life but now I want to get back to where I was emotionally prior to any of this, if I can. Hoping the weird eye pressure, fuzzy vision and head squeezing symptoms are from the Ativan and not the VN/MAV Time will tell.
This board has been a life saver for me. There is a wealth of information available here and the experiences shared are tremendous. I feel as though I've made some life long friends. Wouldn't a convention be great! Putting names and faces together would make it more real...
Thank you, everyone for your unselfish support and understanding and also for always being here and listening.

Peace to all,
Linda

hey i am kinda dizzy myself i did'nt even get your screen name just woowee lol. i'm from new york too but i am living in florida for 19 yrs and i am anewbie here too and i am lost too. so we have something in common. lol are you on meds. or it's naturally you . no hard feeling but i am just curious because there are some people with some story and it's really interesting how much you could learn from all this. wow .. i like this site and specially if you have something that is worring you and you want some answers well you came to the right place jack.. lol.. well take good care of yourself and enjoy the view lol of stories to show and tell. god bless america

Hi im mooshoo1,alias nikki.My symptoms started in 2000,violent spinning and nausea,was told by GP that i had vertigo.Was given medication that seemed to work and sent to ENT for tests,which showed damaged sinues but nothing else.Symptoms lasted 3mths then went away,over three years i had mild attacks which the meds helped with and it didnt really affect my way of like at all.
But since June of 2004 i have had a terrible attack to which i am still suffering,its been 10mths of pure hell,nausea constantly,v v v v of balance walking and standing a nightmare,not sleeping,headaches,loss of confidence,un-able to work,Been for MRI showed clear and more blood tests,now 2weeks into VRT,NO SIGNS OF ANY IMPROVEMENT YET.

oh yeah and im 38,from bedfordshire in england.And female.

Hi
Im Tesss. Just turned 29 in March. I live in the UK, in Surrey, and Im female.
It all started for me on the 29th October last year. Had a major attack of vertigo, blacked out many times. Had another attack a few days later and major dizzyness set in. It was diagnosed as VN and I was told it would take 3 weeks to clear up ha ha! I also had major fatigue and ended up being off work until the middle of January. I had got back to driving and was well, but had another vertigo attack in Feb while driving. Ever since then I have suffered pretty constanty from dizzyness, being off balance, nauseaus, lightheaded, disconnected feelings etc. I am not able to drive very far.
I haven't asked for any tests because I thought it was all clearing up but I am thinking now of going back to my GP.
I also have endometriosis, pcos and suspected gerd (since before the vn) which also cause me huge problems.

I think this board is great and I have had huge amounts of support from it so hello and thank you everyone.

Hi Everyone,
Was working and just got back to catch this interesting thread!
I am female, 39 years old (big 40 coming up and I am determined to make the next decade the best of my life)
Viral Labs onset Dec 11 2001, compensated fully 2 years later but still showed symptoms when overtired or stressed out, ENT told me this was how I would "wear my stress"
BPPV attack July 04, home epeley worked (didn't find out about it until 2 months after attack!, thought I had another attack of viral labs)
Still not 100%, I do the epeley when I am feeling like its coming on again.
Past two months had the skipped heartbeat, glad to hear I am not alone. I haven't even gone to the Dr with this because I know he will put it down to stress which I would agree with. It is getting better as I am getting better.
Live in Ontario, Canada
Have managed to stay active. Going to the gym and working out is probably the best thing we can all do for ourselves. IT is like a VRT workout and gets the endorphins running which is great when feeling depressed or anxious. Besides, if you are feeling lightheaded or spaced anyway, may as well try and get into shape anyway. Although I have felt like I may pass out, I never have actually done it and always feel so much better while working out. In fact when I am busy and active I find I forget about my symptoms, they are at there worst when I am lying around feelingsorry for myself.
Interesting stats, Scot have you worked out a mean age for this group? Seems to be very middle aged and primarily female. Probably too small a sample to get any real meaning out of it.
Have a great day! It's sunny out so I am going out to push the last of the snow off my brown lawn!

Female, 25 yrs old, Live in UK. Started Oct 2002 after viral illness, 24/7 dizziness, imbalance etc, never went though improved slightly since then. Am under a neuro-otologist who has diagnosed me with uncompensated labyrinthitis (left ear) and am doing VRT/having CBT.

Thank goodness for these boards! xx

Hello, don't know how I missed this thread but here goes..50, female, Oklahoma,USA. On April 11, 2003 woke up to room spinning round and round. The spinning everytime I moved lasted for 4 weeks, then went to this HORRID 24/7 motion. Walking feels like the ground is shifitng. Standing still feels the same way. Blurry, jumpy vision. Headaches, neckaches,aches and pains all over. 4 epleys stopped the room spinning vertigo, but didn't touch the motion. Have the flip-flopnheart too--cardio says hearts ok, after many tests.My heart was already beating too fast and have been on Toprol for 4 yrs for that. After Audiogram and ENG with Calorics was dx with perphial vestibular dysfunction secondary to BPPV. After one year of VRT--the docs "gave up". I just wish this ship would dock and let me off!!!!ANYWAYS, am seeing a new GP and have an appoinment at a new ENT Clinic in June. Found this board about 7 mths into this and it has saved my sanity. Belle

Hi - my name is Shirley and I am from the DEEEEEP South - USA - Georgia - I am 55 (female)and have had labs or vn since last June - I keep getting better each month - but if I am stressed or have a cold then I still get a little off balance - Plus the anxiety is the last thing to leave - Thanks to all of you over the months for your imput on these boards - without people like Woweee, Scott and a few more that are so honest about everything - they just make us feel like we have a personal friend that keeps saying don't give up - YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Praying for all

Hi...this is a great thread...
I am 42 this month, female, from Northern Indiana but live in Northern KY. I am a mom to 4 and a student of sign language interpreting.
Started July of '04 with feeling "dizzy" constantly, ear pressure, pain, fullness. GP said "vertigo" and sent me off to ENT. Over the course of months all tests came back "normal" (tympanogram, audio exam, ENG/caloric, brain MRI)
In the meantime of course I'm dealing with panic provoked by driving, GERD, shaky feelings like my legs will give out, adrenaline rushes, etc. etc.
I still have the "swimmy" head occasionally but the worst part of it is the brainfog...(it has really scr**** up my plans to become an interpreter when I can barely put two coherent words together in English...)
My Dr. concluded I have MAV because I do get migraines but I think there are some other neurological issues underlying the MAV...so who knows?
It's so nice to hear from everyone and get to know you all a little better.
:) Elisabeth :cool:

Hey everyone!
I'm a 34 year old female living in Berkeley,CA (right across the Bay from San Francisco).
My symptoms started in October 2004. It started with hearing loss, then came the tinnitus and last, but not least, was the dizziness and loss of balance. I've been diagnosed with VN as of February, but all my tests (MRI, ECoG, ENG) came back as normal. MAV is still a possibilty, but I started VRT in March and feel that it's been helping me a lot.

I think all the people and advice on this board have helped me the most through this whole thing. It's so nice to be a part of a group of people who understand what you're going through.
- Cori

Hi everybody--this is a great thread!

User Name: schao
Age: 26
Female
Live in Phoenix, Arizona
Onset of Symptoms: July of 1999

Dx in February 2005 of uncompensated VN with an abnormal ENG--right inner ear damage. Have been doing VRT--havent seen any improvement yet--hopefully sometime soon!

I'm a 58 year old female living in NYC. I've suffered with bouts of dizzyness and anxiety for over 20 years. Throughout the years tests always came back negative. I finally gave up on doctors and I lived with this condition. Somehow I was always able to function.

In February '04 I was sitting in my office when I felt a "burst" of fluid from the top/side of my head into my right ear. I was temporarily deaf on that side for a few minutes. In the weeks that followed, I had "wave-like" feelings down the side of my neck as well as my arm. Along with the sensation of dizzyness I had visual trouble including the inablity to read or focus my eyes. I was cloudy and lightheaded. I couldn't think clearly and I was in a constant state of anxiety.

I was given an MRI to rule out stroke. I went through a complete battery of tests given by an oto-neurologist. It was discovered that my left ear (not the one that went temporarily deaf) lost 47% of its vestibular functioning and the right about 30%. No explanation given other than a possible virus.

I was sent for vestibular therapy. My physical therapist believed that I might also be suffering with MAV. I was sent to a neurologist who specializes in MAV and he told me he believed that I have MAV in addition to my original diagnosis.

Today I am on Zoloft and a calcium blocker for my condition. I am much better, but not well. I am still left with pressure in my head, visual disturbances and an unbalanced feeling (although I never fall over and can walk a straight line) 24/7. At times I still get anxiety and very sad about my condition.

On the plus side I can now read, drive and function better. However, if I don't see any more improvement, I intend to seek out other doctors about my condition. I am going to take a "wait and see" policy as I'm not too thrilled about putting myself through the ordeal of finding doctors and testing.

I'm so glad I found this board. I pray all of us get better.

Lynda

Wow, this is my first time over here and im amazed!! I come from an anxiety board and this stuff here is amazing me. I started out in 98, with a diagnosis of positional vertigo. I was soooo scarred, thought i had brain tumors or something, so the vertigo was actually a reliefe. Well, untill now 8 years later, im still spinning, and have general anxiety, ocd's and lots of other fun stuff. Im finally going back to ent to see if they'res anything they can do for me. Dont know what you guys are talking about with many of your abbreviations. what are labs? (that's the only one i can remember to ask about :rolleyes: ) I have many anxietys that cause my brain fog's, but on the moments of non-anxiousness, im really ok ;) Only thing for me is, if im not dizzy from anxiety, im vertigoing. (hehe,,,hey dizzy2,on my anxiety board im dizzy1, and to asl lady, i have been a student of asl also..it's certainly a passion of mine, though i didnt continue like i would have liked)

So anyway, im "in my 50's ;) ) a female, and also from california.

Hi phobic...welcome to the inner ear boards. If you check out the information archive at the top of the page it will give you all the abbreviations. (kind of like learning a new language)
Sorry to hear you are one of "us" but glad you joined the conversation!

Thanks aslme :) That helped a lot. Yea, it's not too fun this dizzyness, but it's a whole lot better not being alone with it ;)

my name is boomerue, I live in Australia, and I am married with 3 grown up kids, and I am 56 years old.
I have had dizzyness loss of hearing, ringing in the ears, for 14 years, and it does not get any better with time.
My doctor, said that I have got oscol that is thinning of the skin in the ear drum, and the hairs dont stand up.
I also have thyroid, I have had that for 15 years.
I get bad headaches, my eyes have been funny for the last 12 months, I got new glasses, but it has not helped at all.
I love this board, everyone is so friendly and nice, and I think that there are a lot of people out there, that are much worse off than me.
2 years ago all of my syptoms went away, I was back to normal, it lasted for 12 months, and then it all came back again, much worse than it was before.
but you have to keep smiling, and get on with your life, even though most days it is hard to get out of bed.

MY turn...
screen name: longtime (due to how long I think ive been sick)
male 49 yrs young
south bend, IN (I am a r.n.)
I tell you this not because I think I know any more than ANY of you, just to let you know this hits health care workers/professionals too.. its been frustrating because I m in the helping people business, and how can you do that when you feel like crap.????? ok... more on symptoms
I had a sudden onset of severe inner ear/head pressure in JULY 2002. I am in my 32 month???? yikes. went on antibiotics and decongestants. I had only medical hx. of sinus infections maybe one or 2 a year. but this was TOTALLY different.. way back in my head. dizziness, vision changes, lightheadedness "brain fog" felt like I was behind celophane, headaches, etc... lets see I have been to about 8 drs (gp, 3 ents, 2 allergists, immunologist, ear surgeon) and NOW have an appt with a neurotologist next week... I have been thru "hell" but slowly feeling a little better (on my own??) had tried multiple runs of antibiotics,and all the new decongestants until the allergist said it wouldnt help and put me on an "old" one called STAYHIST. that with some prednisone kenalog injections I started to get some hope back... I still suffer DAILY from brain fog, headaches ear pressure, sometimes dizziness, lightheadness, or ringing in ears (varies) and have tried the "unconventional" ways too. acupuncture, homeopathic, herbs vitamins, massage therapy (actually massage therapy is a wonderful thing and would recommend it to all of us who have pain in neck/shoulders and are STRESSED! take it as a medical expense! I do a nasal bath daily or x2 for sinuses, and keep taking analgesics, antihistamines, and prednisone.. if I miss any of this regimen for over a day I can tell.. the fullness/pressure gets worse, the drainage builds up and I feel really wierd in the head..
thanks for this board, thanks for answering. and DO try to answer on here when someone says help help it does make a difference... JIM