Hi Board,

I hope this finds everyone well.

I am a frequent poster on the Inner Ear boards, for symptoms predominantly of dizziness, imbalance, wooziness, vertigo.

Recently I came across a book on Fibro that outlined the possibility that some vertiginous symptoms can be caused by Fibromyalgia rather than inner ear.

Apparently, there is a history of Fibro in my family (Mother, younger Brother, Uncle on Mother's side).

I do not outwardly appear to be impacted by other "typical" Fibro symptoms, other than daily headaches.

Just looking into thie avenue. Any thoughts? Thank you.

Hi

I have trouble with balance and stumbling, feeling dizzy ... it comes and goes and I never know when it will happen... Fibro causes lots of different symptoms and you just never know what it can be the root of a problem. I just want to say to always check each symptom with your DR. I didnt and unfortunately just barely caught my cancer in the early stages.

indysasha, what kind of cancer do you have? did you think your symptoms were fibro related?
My docs are so dismissive of EVERY symptom I bring up. I have a lot of dizziness and have complained of it often, but all they did was check me for diabetes.

{{{{ desperate }}}}

I fortunately had a WONDERFUL rhuematologist. It was me that assumed the symptoms were just another one of those "fibro" things.

I have NHL = Non Hodgkins Lymphoma
am currently in remission..

I was having day sweats ( usually it is night sweats) shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and had a small lump in front of my right ear. None of the family Dr or anyone but my Dentist took me seriously. Thank goodness he did. He scheduled me for a FNA - fine needle aspiration, which came back benign... so they thought they were just removing a whartons tumor from the salivary gland. Unfortunately that is NOT what it was but I was started immediately on Chemo and followed by Radiation. I know have new CT scans done every 4 months and see the Oncologist too.

Thanks for sharing your story. You're an inspiriation, and I think it's important every now and then to remember to be cautious and not equate every symptom with fibro, even though it's hard not too--there are so many of them!

I have 7 bruises right now from knocking into furniture and door frames. I don't know why but i catch my shoulder or elbow on door frames all the time.

I am dealing with dizziness & imbalance and have been for years. It just seems to have increased over the years. When I get in an elevator or on an escalator, I have to close my eyes because my vertigo acts up. I can't walk over a bridge anymore or enjoy my back deck for the same reason - the vertigo. My PCP recommended I take meclizine (not positive on spelling) that I buy OTC and I take it if I know I will be in a position to have a vertigo spell, like if I'm going to the mall. Wide open steps don't bother me but narrow confined ones really bother me. If my husband or daughter is with me, I close my eyes and they guide me down the steps or off/on escalators, etc.

Sometimes I get very bad dizziness if I try to get up too quickly, even from just sitting down. On a recent car trip, we stopped so I could stretch and hubby could "pound" my back a few times. When I started to get out of our truck, one thigh cramped suddenly and I tried to get out quickly to stretch it out. Unfortunately, I moved too quickly and had a dizzy spell that ended with me on the ground and hubby and some other people standing over me. Apparently, I got disoriented enough that all I could manage to do was sit down and keep at least part of me upright, but I didn't faint. My PCP feels this may be "orthostatic hypertension". My dad had this and it does run in his family. Basically, if we try to get up too fast it makes our BP bottom out for a few seconds. Easiest thing to live with, I just have to remember to move slowly when getting up from a sitting/lying position.

Hi Tweiler,

I also can feel fainty upon standing, kneeling or squatting, and I DO believe that that kind of "head symptom" is for me, blood pressure related, added in with some dehydration. My doctor told me that before getting up, I should move my legs and wiggle my feet/toes to start the blood moving.

However, the general woozy/imbalance and vertigo that I experience is something else, and I am not quite sure what.

I have been informally diagnosed with Migraine Associated Vertigo (MAV), which is a spasming of the arteries in the base of the brain. Most people think "migraine" means 'headache', but it actually means "poor blood flow". This condition is also called Basilar Migraine.

I also deal with intolerance to equipment that moves, so I cannot ride escalators or elevators. And stupid things, like the swaying motion of my purse on my shoulder will "throw me off".

I also have spatial issues, so things like going into large (or small) places, like stores/malls, shower stalls bathroom stalls "throw me off", and patterns on carpets and walls are difficult. I no longer have a definitive awareness of myself in the dark, so navigating in the dark is hard, as are things like walking down the stairs.

I also have cognitive problems like word finding difficulties, poor concentration, and forgetfulness - all a "side effect of feeling so off-balance all the time.

I tried a prescription med called Amitriptyline, which mong onther things, is used to treat vertigo symptoms, and within three days my symptoms completely went away. I had to stop taking it because I developed some side effects.

Currently, I take 1 tsp. of Children's Liquid Benedryl mixed with two plain 500 mg. aspirin - this combination takes the edge off my head symptoms for a while. Of course, always ask your doctor before taking anything, especially in combination.

I truly hope you find an alleviation for your head symptoms. Mine trigger anxiety and panic attacks, and I really can't stand this " scared and limited me" that I've become since dealing with this stuff.

xo

{{{{ desperate }}}}

I fortunately had a WONDERFUL rhuematologist. It was me that assumed the symptoms were just another one of those "fibro" things.

I have NHL = Non Hodgkins Lymphoma
am currently in remission..

I was having day sweats ( usually it is night sweats) shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and had a small lump in front of my right ear. None of the family Dr or anyone but my Dentist took me seriously. Thank goodness he did. He scheduled me for a FNA - fine needle aspiration, which came back benign... so they thought they were just removing a whartons tumor from the salivary gland. Unfortunately that is NOT what it was but I was started immediately on Chemo and followed by Radiation. I know have new CT scans done every 4 months and see the Oncologist too.


Im so happy that your in remission :) Your one strong person.

I too had a brand new pain, and I thought appendicitis, my rheumy blew me off. I went to my normal dr and he had me have colonoscopy/sonogram and CTscan. All showed I was fine and then Diagnosed with IBS and the Dr said the pain also could be related to my right hip that is a constant with my fibro.

Whenever I get a new symptom if it lasts longer than a week I get it checked out!

I also have dizziness and imbalance. Mine when it hits lasts 24/7 and last a little over a week then disappears. And it won't show up for months later.

I have episodes of imbalance and dizziness. I have nearly fallen out of the shower more than two dozen times in the past 4 yrs. Walk into walls. Fell down my back steps 3 times last spring and up the basement stairs carrying a batch of stuffed peppers I had just pulled out from the oven in my basement. Happened right at the top of the stairs. I tripped, the baking dish hit the floor, my hands landed on other side of the dish. When it landed, it splashed hot tomatoe sauce all over my chest, my neck and face, and my arms. I was wearing a tank top none the less. I ran to the shower and rinced with cold water. Hubby drove me to the hospital. Only first degree burns, but covered a good amount of skin so it burned for a week. Also fell in my garadge and nearly smacked my head on a jack stand. I have always been cautious and was never really clumsy, so for me, I feel its the fibro.
Feel well Folks,
Felicia