About four months ago I started getting this sort of spacy/detached feeling every now and again. It was almost like I had been drugged. It came on suddenly, like something just snapped, usually in the afternoon/ late evening. It felt like someone had thrown a gauze blanket over my brain. It went on like this for about a month, the episodes beginning earlier in the day and the sensation getting stronger.... but I always woke up in the morning feeling fine. Then Nov. 26th the "fog" fell while I was making breakfast and I have been struggling with it ever since. At first I thought it was a sinus infection ( I have talked to friends who felt almost the exact same way with a sinus infection,) and a month of antibiotics did seem to help a bit, but the fog never really cleared up. Now it seems like I have good days and bad days, sometimes I feel like I am living in a dream, detached, blurry and I can barely get anything done but I'll get a day every now and then when the fog sort of lurks in the background. Also, mornings are always good. I get at least an hour of good time every morning, but for the most part this is a pretty steady state thing. So far I have seen two allergists, two nerologists, an ENT and a psychiatrist about this. So far everything checks out normal but I really, really don't feel normal. Can inner ear disfunctions cause this type of thing and if so is an ENT the doctor I should be seeing or is there some other sort of specialist? Also, what are some tests that can be done to determine inner ear dysfunctions? This problem has made the last three months so terrible and is threatening to take me out of school, any information at all would be greatly appreciated.

Goodness yes it can be inner ear related! I know exactly how you feel. Sorta dizzy but not really spinning. You could have/had an inner ear infection and not even know it. I had the same thing for almost a year! Keep pushing til you get some answers. They (the primary care doc, and the ENT) told me it was my sinuses/anxiety/depression. But it wasn't at all! Finally I went to get tested at an otoneurologists (also called a neuro-otologist), and he told me I had inner ear damage from a virus that was long gone. The damage never heals, but you can do exercises to help your brain compensate for the lack of balance. It sounds scary and it might take a while to heal. Everyone is so vastly different when it comes to healing and symptoms. I'm fine now that I know what my problem is.

Sometimes anti-anxiety drugs help so that you don't "freak out" from the dizziness or spaciness. They certainly helped me. I became severely depressed and anxious because I thought I was crazy or dying. Remember you are your best advocate in the medical world! Bring a loved one with you to the doctors if you need help being tough and demanding to see an otoneurologist.

Drea711, I've been having symptoms just like you. I go to an ENT next week, so hopefully he can give me some answers. I feel fine in the morning too, and occasionally a day or two. Then other days, I feel as if im in a fog, and kinda what loralei feels...........kinda dizzy, but not really spinning........ Loralei, what kind of test did the otoneurologists do?? And are you doing much better now?? I had this same thing happen to me about 4 years ago, and seen an ENT then, and he said an inner ear bone had disenegrated (sp?) but he prescribed me a diuretic to keep the fluid off my ear and it helped. I also gave up caffeine and went on a diet, and was doing great, until December, and it hasn't went away this time. I just know its really scary, and I don't feel like doing anything anymore.....i'm just scared it'll happen when i'm out somewhere. Hope you start feeling better Drea, and Loralei, thank you for your information. Love, Deena

They do all kinds of crazy tests, some are kind of interesting. One is this surf board type thing with scenery in front of it. They harness you in and put electrodes on your head an a camera on your eyes (eye movements are actually key in diagnosing inner ear problems). The surf board thing moves as well as the scenery. It's kinda scary and tough to keep your balance. But well worth it. Then they put me in this spinning chair in a pitch pitch dark room. That was scary for me cuz I'm a bit claustrophobic. I almost had to have the lady stop, but she talked me through it over a microphone. They flashed lights in the room and stuff. There was a camera on my eyes and electrodes on my head. It seemed very high tech but I guess it's been around for many years.

None of them are painful, and it was kinda interesting. Finally the doctor just watched me stand on a styrofoam pillow to see which way I was compensating or leaning. He had me stand still with my eyes closed and bent my head to see my eye movements. And in a few hours, my test results were back. Acute viral labyrinthitis (sp?) damage in the left inner ear. It was weird, he said that the damage done was irreversible even with surgery. I got so upset about that.

He didn't have an easy fix, but I got signed up for physical therapy for positioning exercises. They really helped me. Medicine like meclizine can help some people, but it didn't work for me. It's been a year and a half and I'm almost better. I still get dizzy and weird feeling but zoloft has helped me not freak out. It's a long process and not many people understand the time and toll it takes on you. But we all understand. And good luck. Things will get better. It might take time and patience but it will. The inner ear is still kind of a mystery to doctors.

woops double post

I am feeling much more relieved after finding this inner ear board and am now pretty much sure that whatever is causing this wierd fog is inner ear related. I have literally tried everything over the past few months and have seen (including primary care physicans and university health center doctors) about fifteen doctors. That is fifteen different people with probably close to 200 years of medical experience who told me I wasn't getting enough sleep, having an allergic reaction, having migranes without the headache, having anxiety issues and just plain telling me nothing was wrong. So thanks so much for the reassurance and I am going to try to get in to see the neuro-orthologist ASAP. You're absolutly right about being your own advocate though, it is really the only thing that has kept the anxiety and depression this sort of thing brings along with it in check.
I have a few other questions I was wondering if you could answer for me Lorelai (or anyone) like why it is I don't really feel dizzy persay? I don't have any balance problems, things don't spin, it is just the sort of foggy/blurry/living in a bubble type sensation. And being that I am not actively dizzy, will balance exercises and that sort of thing help with the fog? Also, has anyone ever heard, read or experienced a link between inner ear and vestibular disorders with oral Herpes infection (HSV-1) ie: cold sores. I have struggled with cold sores since I was four but they have been pretty much under control for the past few years except for this fall. I had almost continuous severe outbreaks throughout sept, oct, and nov... when all this stuff started. It could just be that my body was fighting a big viral inner ear infection but I was just curious being that Herpes resides in the same nerve ganglia region that the vestibular nerves are (at least I think so. They are both at the base of your neck, I know that much). Anyway, thanks again for the reassurance, Lorelai and stick in there Deena. Whatever is causing all this wierd and upsetting stuff has a cause and some sort of treatment.