Hi i'm kinda new to this web site. what i mean is i posted along time ago now bout 2 years but i've been lookin in every now and then. my history is as follows:i'm 26 and i've been suffering with my dizzyness now for exactly 2 years and 8 months since the birth of my son. All i know is that i was perfectly fine before i went into hospital to have him then when i started to experience painfull contractions in my back i requested some pain relief, i was given diamorphine. a few hours later i was given a epidural to take the pain away. My temperature was high so it was suggested i had a emergency c-section as the baby could over heat. after this i was put on a drip of antibiotics for around 24-48hrs. Obviously during and imediatly afterwards i was aware that i felt unsteady as though the floor or i was moving as i moved about the ward i also had the sensation of being spaced out/drunk or now the term i use is brain fog. I didn't worrie too much or think to much about it for the following few days as i though that this must be normal and it would wear off. But then as the days turned in to weeks i began to worrie, i was finding it hard to cope with it and a new born baby. So i went to the drs. At first i felt silly and it was brushed off by the doctor as anxsiety (sorry bout spellin). but i knew it wasn't it was there 24/7 no matter how i felt it never let up. So i was eventually refeared to a ENT clinic. some tests where carried out and i was given eye exercises to do after about 2 months of doin them and no improvement i went back. The doctor there gave me a prognosis of Mal de debarqmen (Spellin!!!!). and told me it would go in time, but how longs a piece of string??? so disheartened i ploded on untill now, i've been refered to a different ENT clinic, had the same tests done!!! answered a couple of questioners and have had a consultation. from then i'm informed that my results will be forwarded to the specialist who will decide which is the best step to take next. this time i feel more positive about it and i'm just hopeing that theres some hope for me yet. I don't want to be stuck with this for life and i don't want my husband and son to have to go through it with me. I want the old me back and i know shes in there somewhere!!!

I am sorry to hear that you have had this for so long. I have a similar story. I was fine until I gave birth to my daughter last July. I did not have to have to have a c-section, but I did have an epidural and IV antibiotics. I have no idea if either of these things contributed to the problem. I did have an ENG study which showed a significant weakness on my R side. My neurotologist thought it was from pushing. The nerve function has since improved, but my symptoms are still there, practically all the time. I hope that you have success with your new clinic. Please follow up with a post to let me know how you are going to proceed. I am kind of at a stand still right now and am wondering what to do next. Good luck!

Its hard work looking after a baby when your dizzyness overshadows your day to day activities. All you want is to enjoy being a mammy for the first time and all that comes with it, don't worrie i've been there too.
I have read something similar about damage to the inner ear through childbirth (Pushing). I think in some cases it can be repared through surgerie(sorry i carn't remeber the name of it, i've still got "nappy brain" 2 years on!). None of which i think apply's to me as i had a c-section. I'm convinced either the drugs i had did the damage or the antibiotics, but the doctors don't seem to agree. i know its not going to be a speedy recovery if i've had it this long. I just hope that this second dr i've seen will give me a different diagnosis to mal de debarqment as theres no real cure for it just time, and i've already had it for almost 3 years. i've now just got to wait for a reply from the hospital which they say could be 6-8 weeks! thats the NHS in England for you!
What kind off sensation do you experience with your dizzyness? i hope you don't have to deal with it for aslong as i have. Finally has it put you off having anymore children? it did for me in the begining although i'd always wanted more. We've decided to try for another as i don't want this thing to dictate my life for me. It gets easier in a way as they get older, they can do more for themselves and now he's that bit older he'll hopefully be a extra little pair of hands to help.X

My off sensation is basically a feeling of constant movement, not spinning, but more of a rocking sensation. I actually feel better when I am moving and notice more when I am still. I do have some "normal" moments when I don't notice it, but I think it is because I'm distracted. If I'm looking to find it, it is there. I do have days that are worse than others, where it is constant. I have a hard time focusing, concentrating etc (that is probably because of the nystagmus). I pretty much have a mild constant headache - where it just feels like a head cold, only without the stuffiness. I can function well though and do pretty much anything. I just don't feel great. Are your sypmtoms similar? About the next child thing, that's a good question! My baby is 9 months and I'm 27, but I'd really like to get crackin on the next one. It took us over a year and half to get pregnant the first time, so I don't want to wait too long. My fear is that pregnancy will upset my symptoms and I really want to be able to take care of the one I have. So, although I'm not quite sure on when we'll start trying again, like you, I don't want this thing to dictate my life. We'd like to have more children, dizzy or not.

When i try to describe my sensation i have to say it feels like a rocking sensation too, thats probably why the doctor diagnosed me with mal de debarqment. Thing's also visually seem to look on a slant. On occassion when its really bad I also experience, what i can only describe as a G-force feeling . For example when i come out of elavators i still experience that lifting feeling you get just as it slows down to stop on your floor. Wierd!!! and very disturbing. Since this all started i also feel tired regually, unable to concentrate easily without distraction, brain fog, eyes unable to focus (but no problem with actuall eyesight) ect,ect. The only time i don't notice my symptoms is when i'm driving, or layed down in bed in the morning. I also find (i know this might sound strange) that it helps slightly when i put pressure with my fingertips onto my temples and push the muscle in that area forward slightly. It gives me momentary relief from the brain fog and eye strain.
Sorry if this is quite long winded i could probably add more but i won't(that would be just showing off) haha! About the more kids thing, i worry about coping with pregnancy plus looking after my son through this dizzyness too, i just hope that pregnancy doesn't effect it for the worse. Next time i just hope i can stay strong enough to have it without any pain relief. X

Oooh me too! I am bound and determined to have a natural birth with the next ones. If you happen to get pregnant any time soon. Let me know how it's going. I'm thinking about not preventing in the next month or two. I am the same with driving too (I feel great) - it's just when I get out of the car that makes it even worse.

will do. Hubby workin away at the mo and won't be back till june so we can't try till then. But i'll no dout be postin more questions your way before then(if you don't mind). Its just nice to "talk" to someone else who can sympathize with a similar problem.x brooke