Hi Hbep, Kathy, Ruth

I am dizzy again and have been for nearly 2 months. It is soooo disappointing. For a year I had dizzy spells that only lasted a couple of weeks followed by weeks of being dizzy-free. This spell has just gone on and on and on. I am always tired because of my baby and having broken sleep so I can only put it down to the fact that I am not able to fight it off as well as normal. I cannot take the Ami or Sando because I am still breastfeeding, but am seriously considering weaning in a few weeks time if this dizziness doesn't go away. It has been coupled with lots of headaches, so again is pointing towards MAV as the cause. I am also clenching my jaw a LOT in the broken sleep that I do get, so that is not helping!!

Anyway, I just needed to vent. I know my old friends can sympathise with me. On the positive front, my little boy is doing really well. He is 12 weeks now and getting cuter an cuter by the day! :)

Jen

Hi Jen,

As much as it's nice to hear from you, I obviously wish it wasn't with this news. You know everything you say sounds familiar. You've read my hayfever thread - I'm actually, aside from sudden horrible allergy induced breathing and nose probs, doing ok again on the dizzy front again. I stopped the oral antihistamines which I think were the culprit. Most of the probs now are around my period. BUT I did go through a lot of stress a few months back, was sleeping badly, clenching a lot, lot of face pain and headaches and the dizzies hit with a vengeance. It cleared up once I got better sleep and the stress was under control. I now know that lack of sleep and particularly broken sleep are migraine triggers for me, as is clenching. I also had a friend to stay for a few days recently on the back of having completed a work deadline. I was already tired and then stayed up half the night chatting and went out a lot. I had a bad few dizzy days then. I guess what I'm saying is it's almost certainly exactly as you say, lack of sleep, or broken sleep, throw in some clenching, the migraine problem makes a return. I think the good news is that the sando worked for you. In your shoes I'd probably go with your plan, and maybe wean your baby in a few weeks then hit the drugs again if you're still dizzy. It's a pain, I know, but they will raise your tolerance threshold and you will probably be able to weather the lack of sleep without getting dizzy.

On a hopeful note I have a friend who had lab about ten years ago, she recovered completely, but had a resurgence due to lack of sleep after having her first child. She is now completely back to normal, it just took a little while.

Really sorry to hear about this Jen, but you got your health back before and I know you will again. This is just a bit of a set back.

Wishing you well,

best,

Hi Jen

Good to hear from you :wave: although I'm sorry you have had a rough time lately. If it is any consolation, I have also had a bad patch and it has really been getting me down.
I suspect with the new baby and all, that the lack of sleep is probably contributing to it. Hopefully it will settle down.

Boy I am getting sick and tired of explaining this condition to people. I now have a part-time job (have been there 6 months) and have already taken 10 days off sick! When it's bad I can't do ANYTHING, let alone work. I had actually been doing pretty well lately. I am much more active, but every setback feels like a kick in the teeth. Sorry to whinge - this is the one place that folk really understand.

I had been wondering how you were doing Jen. And hbep and all the others.
Keep your chin up. Things have gotten loads better for most of us and that is what I hang on to when I have a rough patch. :)

Take care
Ruth
xxx

Hi hbep - you must have been typing the same time as me!
Good to hear from you. You were a rock for me, and I shall never forget that. :)

You're right. Tiredness is often a contributing factor for me too. Plus viruses.
Are you managing ok with work?

Ruth
xxx

Hi there
For Jen and Hbep, the two of you were talking about lots of clenching. Have you seen a dentist to have a night guard made? I was getting tension headaches (prior to my labs) and my dentist noticed my teeth were uneven from grinding and clenching at night. He made me a night guard which I just wear at night and it made all the difference in the world.
You may have already looked into this but thought I'd suggest it...
On the sleep front, I work shifts and after my night shifts I am a mess for a couple of days. Nothing like a good solid 8-10hours to help with the foggy head!
HOpe you are all well.
FC

Jen:
So sorry to here you are dizzy again. I am usually holding at around 98% of the time but I always say my biggest culpret is lack of sleep and stress. I have never had a baby but I know all moms are so sleep deprived in the beginning. Is this dizziness you are feeling now the same as it was previously or is it a new type of dizziness.
I was talking with Hbep about how the pollen has really thrown our systems out of whack. Last night my husband and I were walking into a restaurant and I had a brief moment where I lost my step and went to the left. I certainly handle these moments better but still certainly have lapses where I am more off than usual. You have just given your body another whole new experience to get used to. You know Jen, it's not just a little something new introduced......it's another life altering experience. Hopefully it won't be much longer when your body accepts all that has happened. I wish we could share pictures as I'm sure your baby boy is incredibly cute.

all the best,
Kathy

Sorry you are are having rough patches jen and ruth - really hope you both feel better soon. Ruth - how many days do you do? Have just started a 3 days a wk teaching job but teaching is a v tough profession so am really working full time and at weekends...feeling shattered. Such a physical job esp with the age I teach.

Good to hear from you and hope you feel better soon

CL.

Hi Kathy and CL!
Thanks for the support. I think today is the first day I feel a lot better in about 10 days. Last weekend was the worst vertigo I have had in a long time. Had to resort to anti-sickness pills for a couple of days. It does get me quite down as it totally interferes with your life when it's bad.
CL - I work 18.5 hours a week spread over tuesdays-fridays. A lot of the time I am fine with it, but any more would be too much. It is a busy job, but there is no real stress which is good! I can imagine how difficult teaching must be in comparison!
I still feel a bit judged by people though - you know, the fact that I have a part-time job and am 28 years old - but that is probably just me being a bit paranoid!
Good luck with the teaching job. I am sure over time it will get easier. Do you think the VRT has helped? I found it helped me immensely in the long run, but it does cause great difficulties in the early stages.
Take care

Ruth
xxx

Ruth:
So Nice to see you posting but never nice when you are going through a rough time. How often do you get these 'bad times'? You don't post as often so I assume you are doing good most of the time. I know Hbep went through a rough spell but seems to have pulled out of it. You will just never understand this stuff. Right now I am working a full time job but since I work for the state, you are only allowed to work 40 hours and you have to take a lunch break and must have 2 days off. There are difenitely perks to this job. They need to make up for the lousy pay. I know I still could not work at a restaurant and do what I used to do. Nor do I want that any more!
Anyway, I read in your last post that you were having a good day and I hope they continue for you. Nice to hear from you. :D

all the best,
Kathy

Hi Ruth

Well done for managing the job, sorry you get these setbacks.

I'm doing about 24hrs a week in school and lots more out of!! I have decided for Sept I will stay at this amount, cant hack full time teaching yet, so am looking for jobs as this is temp.

Hmmm havent done VRT for past 3 weeks as simply dont have time to breathe let alone twirl my head/body around 15 times a day!!! Have told my CBT man the prob and he says not to worry Im doing more than VRt with teaching anyway. Have my VRT review on May 20th so will inform them then. Teaching and VRT just doesnt mix but once my inspection is over this week, I must try and do a bit more VRT at least.

I think Im a tad better but not much...but hoping this job will speed compensation a bit. Feeling better mentally with having CBT and london by my side. Though Ive had some rough moments mentally this week. 2 1'2 yrs is a long time to carry a 24/7 vestibular problem with NO sign of normality, not even one! But I plod on like we all do on here...what else can we do?

Hugs xxx :wave:

Hi guys

I can honestly say that reading your posts has made me feel better. There is nothing like talking to people who know exactly what you are going through! And you have reminded me that I AM going through a major life-changing event right now and of course sleep deprivation and broken sleep will cause havoc with this beast. It always did make me feel worse and this broken sleep is nothing like anything I have experienced before. How could I have expected anything else? You have renewed my faith in the fact that it will pass eventually.

Maybe my baby boy sensed my anguish with the dizziness because last night he slept through the night for the first time ever. I am still celebrating! :)
Of course I woke at 3am as normal and virtually waited for him to wake up. He eventually woke at 6am. Next time I'll stay asleep now that I know he can do it!!

Re the mouth guard question...yes, I have had a multitude of mouth guards. I currently use the NTI which works ok. Put it this way, I feel better than when I don't wear it!

It seems to have been a time for set-backs. Sending non-dizzy vibes your way...

Jen

Sorry Kathy, I didn't answer your question. The 'dizziness' I describe is that vague, spaced out, not quite balanced feeling - worse when in shopping centres, busy places and late at night. You all know what I mean!! :)

It's not the original true dizziness that I had back in 2002. That has never recurred thank goodness.

Glad to hear he slept through the night Jen! :)
I agree about the support here. Apart from my friend who also had labs, this is the only place I feel people really understand.
Am much better, but today had a few blips and it is making me short-tempered and snappy, which, trust me is not in my nature at all. Now I feel bad for being stroppy with my family. I think the stress of this last setback has made me feel a lot of anger which is not good!
CL - take it one step at a time. I realise how lucky I am when you say you have had no respite from this for over 2 years.
Kathy - I had 7 weeks of being well before this last spell. I do get odd days inbetween with minor probs.
Bit short on time at the mo, will check in tomorrow again.

Also sending non-dizzy vibes to everyone. :)

Ruth
xxx