I have suffered with dizzy spells on and off for quite a few years now. They would last roughly 4 hours or more and then go,no after effects.
This past year, however they are becoming more frequent,still the same thing,dizziness lasting a few hours,but what's more worrying for me now is that i can't keep my balance, i can't walk without feeling i'm falling over,if i'm in a car it feels like the car's leaning,sometmes i can just sit and feel like my head is moving inside.
I went to see the dr last week as i am very anxious and he has referred me to an ENT specialist,he said it could be one of 3 things, Menieres Disease,but he was unsure cos he said it's something more common in older people,although i have since read it can start at any age, he said i could be BPV,but said that wouldn't explain the feelings of loss of balance i get beforehand or viral labrynthitis. I am going out of my mind with not knowing and also this is taking over my life,i don't go out socialising as much cos i daren't,i am developing a phobia. I am due to get married in 3 months and i'm petrified this is going to spoil my day,or worse still the honeymoon afterwards.
I know people are worse than me but i feel so fed up with it all,i can't cope and sometimes feel i don't want to live this existence.

Hi

If u go to the information archives---first post on the board (sticky)---it has a lot of info on inner ear problems.

Of the three things the Doc named---BPPV is the easiest to fix---Menieres--happens---but is kind of rare---Lab is possible---and also listed in the sticky---

Did the Doc---do any tests---or perform an Epley maneuver?? Prescribe any medicine??

:cool:

He looked in my ears and got me to follow his finger with my eyes but that was all. What's that manouvre?

Hello,

I second what Subs has said. Have a look at the information archive at the top of this board. There is a brilliant site called Dr Rauch's online otology clinic which has short and excellent film clips where a doctor explains about different conditions.

One thing your doc didn't mention which could also be a very likely cause for your episodes of dizziness is a condition called migraine associated vertigo -MAV - sometimes also known as MAD - migraine associated dizziness. This is a type of silent migraine (often there is no headache) that causes intermittent (and sometimes continuous) periods of dizziness and/or vertigo. Most regular docs don't know much about this. And some ENTs aren't that wised up about it either. Often people have a history of migraine in their family and/or are migraine sufferers prior to developing the dizziness. Although sometimes it just shows up. When the dizziness is intermittent as you describe and last only a few hours at a time - migraine is a very likely suspect - especially if you have no hearing loss - which is more often the case if it's menieres. The two conditions can look very similiar.

The specialists who know the most about inner ear/dizziness disororders are called neurotologists - different from neurologists. Although some neurologists do know a lot about MAV.

There is an excellent clip about MAD in the site I mentioned, along with lots of other conditions.

One thing I would say is don't let the fear about this take over your life. As your doc said, it is probably one of the conditions he mentioned or migraine. None of these are life threatening. Although dizziness is scarey it won't kill you. Even if you do get an attack when you're out, you would cope. I have dizzy episodes, and I do a job, socialise etc etc.. as do many people on these boards. Dizziness is scarey at first but the key is not to get stressed about it, this makes it worse and not to let it freak you out. You will feel a lot better with a diagnosis, if you get nowhere with an ENT I suggest you seek out a neurotologist who will undoubtedly be able to help you.

best,

i wish i could follow your philosophy of just get over the phobia of having dizziness or lightheadedenss and not let it affect my social activities..however, no matter how many times I tell myself when walking into a grocery store (or attempting) that i'm NOT going to pass out..the fear of it always wins over and i end up leaving.

I have been back to dr's cos my ear is starting to give me grief...she said i have a bit of catarrh in my eardrum. She prescribed sudafed but also presctibed betahistin 8mg to take for 10 days. So could catarh caused balance problems and is betahistine ok?