Hey everyone - I'm new here, 56 yr. old female. Going for MRI tomorrow and scared to death of some horrible brain problem. Symptoms for last 5 months are off balance, ear pressure and fullness, nausea, occasional feeling like I have to sit down because my whole body feels some strange weakness, sometimes feel like something is pushing down the top of my head. Symptoms are worse over the last few weeks. Sudafed seems to help a little but only for a short period of time. Refused 2 of the vestibular tests because who wants to be in a rotating chair when you're so off balance. I'm gotten much comfort from these boards and often find myself here in the middle of the night when frightened. THANKS!

Miss...sounds like many of the symptoms I have had. My hope is everything goes fine with your mri.

I would go to a dizzy specialist....if MRI is fine.

Hey everyone - I'm new here, 56 yr. old female. Going for MRI tomorrow and scared to death of some horrible brain problem. Symptoms for last 5 months are off balance, ear pressure and fullness, nausea, occasional feeling like I have to sit down because my whole body feels some strange weakness, sometimes feel like something is pushing down the top of my head. Symptoms are worse over the last few weeks. Sudafed seems to help a little but only for a short period of time. Refused 2 of the vestibular tests because who wants to be in a rotating chair when you're so off balance. I'm gotten much comfort from these boards and often find myself here in the middle of the night when frightened. THANKS!

Hi Missjoy

Yep---MRI---is standard---right out of the medical "cook book"---when ur off balance and they suspect a vestibular issue...which is only one part of the the "Cook Book" the remainder is the Vestibular testing and strange as it seems---when ur off balance---is just the time---and in some cases the only time---that the testing will be(or could be) definitive---while they(Doc's) do the best the can---the testing is all "indirect" and there for---a probability---of what you may have,i.e., the probability is more likely then not u have...

Hopefully---u can get to see a "NEUROTOLOGIST" which is a Neurologist who continues(usually under a fellowship) an additional three years---specializing---in the the vestibular/brain intergration/connection...usually located at Univ/R&D Centers---most ENT's are not trained---for in depth---vestibular injuries...(however some are)...

:cool:

Thanks for answering - after reading these boards for so many months, I've become familiar with the specialist you mention - neurotologist. Depending on the outcome of the MRI, I will find one. I do have an appt. at the Cleveland Clinic balance and vestibular clinic but couldn't get in for almost 2 months. I'm sure everyone is nervous about their MRI, and I'm hoping that it's vestibular, because the thought of some other brain disorder is too frightening to think about. Of course, I've been all over the internet researching brain stuff. It's going to be a long weekend waiting for that dreadful phone call with the results.

Thanks for answering - after reading these boards for so many months, I've become familiar with the specialist you mention - neurotologist. Depending on the outcome of the MRI, I will find one. I do have an appt. at the Cleveland Clinic balance and vestibular clinic but couldn't get in for almost 2 months. I'm sure everyone is nervous about their MRI, and I'm hoping that it's vestibular, because the thought of some other brain disorder is too frightening to think about. Of course, I've been all over the internet researching brain stuff. It's going to be a long weekend waiting for that dreadful phone call with the results.

Hi Missjoy

Good on the NEUROTOLOGIST---and the Cleveland Clinic is one of the best in this area---on the MRI---they can usually tell---from the symptoms---whether it is a "Central"(brain) or "Peripheral"(Vestibular)---the symptoms of each are very pronounced---u can read about the difference of each from a symptoms standpoint---but going to:

http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/index.html

(from/in the sticky--Information Archives)

U will see---they are quite different---however from a medical insurance standpoint---etc......

:cool:

Hi MissJoy,
MRI's are just the common thing they do when you come in dizzy and they suspect a central nervous system (brain) problem that is causing it. BUT keep in mind this is a routine test, so don't go down the road of worrying about brain tumors. I did the same thing. i started crying at the doctors office when she said MRI, and she told me not to worrry, more than likely it's my ears, but they just have to rule it out. Everything will be okay. Your symptoms sound very much like a vestibular problem, and something that will get better with time. hang in there, and as hard as it is, just go in there and don't think the worst. Everyone on these boards have similiar symptoms to you for us it's in our ears. Plus, at the end of the MRI, you can see a very cool picture of your brain. At least I thought it was neat.
Let us know what happens.
Take care,
Joy

You guys are the best. I'm teary eyed just reading your responses. It means so much to have your support.

Hi MissyJoy,

It does sound like a vestibular issue. When I got it, my first thoughts were about having a brain tumor. But I was told (by a GP and neurologist) that first signs of it usually are headaches and seizures. Did you have a neuro examination? On my examination I was told that I didn’t have any major problems with brain but was sent to have an MRI done just to confirm it. I’m like you, I agonise when I wait for test results. I also take any referrals to tests like you. If they send me for a test it means they suspect something. This is wrong, so far they’ve sent me for tests to confirm I don’t have it. So take the situation as if the glass is half full and not half empty.

Take care
Alex

Hi Alex - Saw a neurologist who referred me for the MRI and he did a few things which I guess would qualify as a neuro exam...you know, walk a straight line, can you feel this pin ***** etc. What's your conditon? Have you even gotten relief from any over the counter med?

Hi, my story is here http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=442394
Doctors don’t know what it is but suspect it may have been a viral infection in the inner ear.
No meds have relieved my symptoms. I’ve been on citalopram for 5 weeks now and it helped me greatly to relive my anxiety.
Another thing I would recommend is to stop researching on the Internet. At least for the time being. I used to spend hours looking for my symptoms. I thought I had all kind of neuro disorders. The worst moment was when I started to have fasciculations all over and Internet suggested it could be a motor neuron disease. I waited two weeks for an EMG/NCS test. During the test a doctor repeated exactly the same test on my right biceps three times while he did it only once on a calf. I thought that was it, he was suspicious and repeated it to confirm. Then I had to wait another week to see my neurologist who said the results were “entirely normal”. During these 3 weeks I slept only 2 hours a day, there were days when I didn’t eat at all. I thought I was going mad.

I don’t want to say I’m not worried, but I’ve calmed down and can get on with my life.

That's funny (not ha ha funny) about your research and worry. I love to research and have always had the philosophy that more knowledge is comforting. I would rather expect the worst so that I am prepared.
The tech who administered my vestibular tests reprimanded me for knowing what the test was about from the internet, and assumed that was why I refused two of them. Like I said before, I think I would almost rather suffer with the horrible symptoms than be spun around in a chair or have water in my ear. What did you think of the vestibular tests and am I the only one that refused them? I've read (there I go again with my research) that they aren't all that accurate anyway.

That's funny (not ha ha funny) about your research and worry. I love to research and have always had the philosophy that more knowledge is comforting. I would rather expect the worst so that I am prepared.
The tech who administered my vestibular tests reprimanded me for knowing what the test was about from the internet, and assumed that was why I refused two of them. Like I said before, I think I would almost rather suffer with the horrible symptoms than be spun around in a chair or have water in my ear. What did you think of the vestibular tests and am I the only one that refused them? I've read (there I go again with my research) that they aren't all that accurate anyway.

I think the test are worth doing for the information. For my caloric test (water in the ear) I got dizzy from my normal ear but it was a normal response and the dizziness went away the moment I focussed my eyes on something. It wasn't bad at all. My bad side, where I showed a 99% loss, had no response, so no dizziness for me. That was just my experience. I didn't have the rotary chair test done.

One more thing, I think they don't like all the research for two reasons: 1) sometimes we DO come to false conclusions (learning enough to know it could be something but not have the training to know why its definitely not) 2) It shows how little they know about all this and how unable many of the docs are in putting all the pieces together.

Good points Joni!

My calorics test was OK as well. I got dizzy from both ears but a doctor showed me a small red light when it was still dark and asked to concentrate on it. Few moments later most of the dizziness went away. 15 min later I was driving back home.

I actually respect my neurologist because when I ask him questions (and I told him from the beginning that I got a lot of stuff from the Internet) he doesn't say "stop reading it" amd doesn't reprimand me but explains everything and even draws diagrams. When I brought him my MRI films he put them on a lamp and spent 15 min going trough all of them and showed major nerves, inner ear, different parts of the brain and why it was normal. He does the same with all test results.

Alex.

Sounds like you have a great neurologist. Do you think looking at a red light in the dark would help when dizzy (other than after caloric test)?

I honestly don't know. May be others will comment on it.