Hi All,

This is my first post and I am sorry that it is so long, but the way I am feeling is starting to drive me crazy!

I've had 5 episodes over the past 7 months where I feel absolutely terrible. These episodes usually last a few days to a week and the symptoms are always the same, but the intensity of the symptoms vary.

Dizziness
Stomach Cramps
Diarrhea
Nausea
Fatigue

I wondering if this can be an indication of an inner ear problem?

It always starts out the same and at this point, I know when an episode is about to happen...

I start feeling a little dizzy, not like I am going to pass out but unstable, sort of like being slightly intoxicated. After the dizziness starts, my stomach starts acting up, noisy and gassy. The next morning I wake up feeling terrible. The dizziness intensifies and gets worse when I move my head. Nausea and Diarrhea set in and the intensity of each of these varies.

By the second day, the Diarrhea is usually gone or subsiding. What remains over the next couple of days is the Dizziness and upset stomach. (Not much of an appetite during this time). I usually end up spending a couple of days in bed because of the dizziness. If I feel well enough, I will work from home, but I usually end up having to take at least 1 sick day. By the end of the episode, the dizziness goes away and I start to feel well again.

I've seen my GP a couple of times regarding this. At first he thought it was some sort of stomach virus, then he thought I might be having an intolerance to something I ate, so I started a food log to keep track of what I was eating and cut dairy out of my diet.

My last episode began on Tuesday evening and nothing that I've eaten points to a food intolerance. My GP now has me coming in on Monday for blood tests and after we get back the results, if all is well, he is referring me to a Gastroenterology Specialist.

If anyone else has experienced anything similar, or if you have any thoughts or opinions, please let me know.

Thanks for listening!

Ed

Hi there Ed
I get similar symptoms as you described but no diarrea. I also get fullness in ear, pain and sometimes popping in the same ear attributed to vestibular disorder.
The main problem is the dizziness and nausea for which I take stemetil 3 times a day.
I also get exhausted and have to lie down. These attacks can last for varying lengths of time and seem to come and go. Appear to have started from an episode of shingles on my face and neck several yours ago. Can still get tingling in my face and shooting head pains.

You have had a lot of attacks during a few months and it can be very debilitating when you feel so sick.
Hope your Gastroenterologist get to the bottom of it. If you think it is vestibular ask for an ENT referral.
Keep on going it does ease off and makes you so thankful to be well again.
Good luck
Mayam

My mom mentioned this to me yesterday and I told her it definitely didn't apply to me, but your symptoms sounds like it could be right on: POTS- postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. If you do a search for it you can get some more info.

Joni

Thanks for your input and suggestions Mayam and Joni.

My visit to the doctors office yesterday was interesting, they did some blood tests and then during my consultation with the doctor, he kind of changed gears and now thinks these episodes could be related to Anxiety. He wrote me a prescription for Klonopin. (0.5mg - Take 1 tablet twice daily as needed for nerves). I am kind of afraid to take the meds, but I am willing to try anything at this point because I've been feeling like crap for months.

Also, I received a call from the doctors office this afternoon with my blood test results. The good news is everything is normal. The bad news is I still don't know what is causing these episodes where I feel dizzy and sick to my stomach for days. I guess I will try the meds and see if they help me.

Ed

These symtoms are EXACT to mine, and just yesterday I was diagnosed with MIGRAINE. I know it sounds weird but you should schedule an appointment with a neurologist and see if perhaps you have a migraine condition. Your episodes sound pretty right on to a migraine attack. You don't have to have headaches for it to be a migraine.

How to tell if you are a possible migraineur? Does anyone in your family have a history of migraine? Have you always had motion sensitivity since childhood (get carsick easily, seasick, etc.)? If you answered yes to one or both of these, you may indeed have migraine.