I am posting this as I am currently very frustrated at how long I am taking to recover from labyrinthitis which I was diagnosed with 6months ago. I am 29 years old and previously lead a happy "go lucky" healthy life. Now I have to think twice about what I can do. Don't get me wrong I am a lot better than I was back then, I found walking very unsteady and would get dizzy spells frequently thought the day. Very gradually over the months I have been able to resume normal activities including visiting the gym and golf. However I am still experiencing less major but still disconcerting symptoms. These include less severe dizzy spells (especially if I have been moving about i.e doing household chores) and inbalance when walking in the dark. I have been told by my ENT specialist that it can take months to recover but as recovery is so gradual I wonder if I'll ever get back to my old self and not be constantly concious of these horrible feelings which is reducing my quality of life. Are there any other people out there who have been through this aswell, I would love you to reply to this and hopefully I can take some re-assurance from your reply.

Regards

Steve

[This message has been edited by crazylegs (edited 11-23-2002).]

Yep, I have VL for 2 mths now and beginning to wonder if it'll ever go? Am currently trying Acupuncture and about to try Cranial Osteopathy as have heard it can work. Have you tried any of these? Do you have a feeling of "not being here" and is is worse if you move your head a lot?

Steve - Been with these symptoms for two and a half years now and still haven't gotten a definitive diagnosis. Keep the faith.

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Praising Him,
Lori

Have been told my my ENT that the adaption process from L'itis can take months. But you will recover Steve. Apparently if you take anti-vertigo medication etc the process cantake half as along and even prevent it so that is why people end up having it for years. Stay clear of the medication and you will be fine. Good Luck.

Thanks for all your replies. I am pleased to say that since I posted the original post my symptoms have been improving and I can now see an end to this. So to any one reading this with Labyrinthitis please get some hope from me. Be positive! you'll get there.
What I forget to mention and have be wondering is also now my right ear often now feels like it has catarrh stuck in it. My right ear pops or clicks when I yawn and open my mouth. This in its self don't bother me but I can't help feeling that it had something to do with the Labyrinthitis. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

[This message has been edited by crazylegs (edited 12-14-2002).]

Steve - glad you are getting better. Did you see an ENT? Glad you are from the UK also as I think L'itis is viewed a bit differently in different countries. 6 mths seems to be normal for L'itis so don't worry at all. I've had it for nearly 3 now. Yes I get the catarrh feelings in my ears, but there is apparently no fluid in them. They get blocked easily though these feelings have lessened. I think you'll agree the dizziness is the worst feeling. Did you do exercises to help your balance and did you take medication at all?

Guys, just checked back here after a while away. When I was first diagnosed with VL I came here a lot for reassurance and got it thanks to everyone. Basically I had every test known to man pretty much, and was eventually upgraded (if that is the right word!) to Vestibular Neuronitis. Basically I had a really bad attack of VL last year (Dec 10th) and this damaged the nerves in the Laby. the ENT surgeon said that it could take as long as 18 months for the nerves to recover. I am now at 12 months and can still notice it sometimes, most of the time I forget it's there or just ignore it. Learning to live with it for the medium term is not easy, but knowing it's nothing serious is good. Hope you feel better soon.

Well, that is so true what you just said because I can go for days now where I feel OK and I think that I'm over it. Then like today I went out to the local shopping centre to check out the sales and found it uncomfortable. Not really dizzy but feeling slightly off balance when trying to look around in the shops and avoid other people in crowds. I still feel more comfotable when sitting still but have been advised by my VRT that moving around helps the adaptation process. Still it does leave me wondering how much longer full recoverey will be?
Hi Emsybobs....sorry I hadnt replied to your previous post, before now. I did see and ENT who did not prescribe any medication, he said "it delays the adaptation process" and after two visits i was put on the a course of vestibular rehab therapy. I can do all the exercises without any problems. but still these inbalance feeling persits in certain situations. currently thinking of visiting the ENT again to see what he thinks.

Hi Crazylegs...I honestly think you don't need to go to the ENT again. I think what you feel is normal. It sounds just like me though - I find shopping centres and crowds the worst and the dark. My ENT said if it was still there after 9mths-12mths, then go back but you sound as if you have made significant recovery.

I am now at 3mths...I have made progress but it is gradual. I also have bad days but the ENT said that would happen.

It is the strangest feeling isnt it?!

Keep sticking with it. Do let me know what happens if you do go back to the ENT.

Well, just to update you all on what has been going on. It's now been 8 months of this.
I went back to the ENT to discuss the feeling of popping/crackling from my ear. He did some tests on middle ear function and could find nothing wrong. He did'nt seem too concerned. He also asked me how my Balance has been. I told him that I still feel a bit "Strange" at times ie walking, crowds and the dark. He also said he was pleased with my progress. I am still improving graudally and do feel an improvement since I last posted. It is such a gradual improvement that you do not notice it on a day to day basis. You have to look back a month or two and say to yourself, well I would not of been able to of done that then. Try to do what you can, its hard, but graudally you should find yourself doing more and not feeling quiet as bad.

Hi everyone

I am entering my 5th month of feeling dizzy and "out of it" and have also recently been diagnosed with vestibular neuronitis as a result of a bout of labyrinthitis. Glad to hear that someone else has received the same diagnosis as me! I am currently feeling pretty good for the first time in ages. I've had 5 or so days of feeling steady enough to feel quite cheerful! I am reluctant to get too hopeful however, as I have felt this way before only to plunge straight back into dizziness that makes me want to lie down, sleep and avoid the world. Anyone else have these episodes where the symptoms peak drastically for 4 or 5 days at a time?

As I have mentioned on an different entry, after 3 mths of having L'itis, I was also making progress and felt I could be relatively cheerful! But a bad cold has bought it all back again almost worse as it was at the onset. IS THIS NORMAL!??? I am so disheartened!

About 5% of all dizziness (and perhaps 15% of all vertigo) is due to vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis. It occurs in all age groups, but cases are rare in children.

It usually takes 3 weeks to recover from vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis. Recovery happens due to a combination of your body fighting off the infection, and your brain getting used to the vestibular imbalance (compensation). Some persons experience persistent vertigo or discomfort on head motion even after 3 weeks have gone by. After three months, testing (i.e. an ENG, audiogram and others) is indicated to be certain that this is indeed the correct diagnosis and a referral to a vestibular rehabilitation program, may help speed full recovery via compensation.

The above is part of a medical paper prepared by Dr. Hain of Northwestern Univ---there is a very good discussion on both--with a good write-up of what to expect---click below:
http://www.tchain.com/otoneurology/disorders/unilat/vneurit.html

That link was really good - thankyou. Why do some people take longer to recover from L'itis? How do you get referred to a vestibular rehabilitation centre?

..."Why do some people take longer to recover from L'itis?"......

Do not think there is a medical agreement on that--at least I could not find it in my research---My guess--and it is only a guess--is that because it can progress to become an infection of the nerve(i.e., the 8th nerve(vestibular nerve))--in some cases(maybe many more then documented by the medical types)---it goes beyound the advertised length of time---of course since this is an "Inner ear" problem--an area about the size of a "Dime"--which a lot of stuff is packed into--(hearing,balance fluid(s),cannals, etc..)--there is a fair amount of guessing going on--on the part of the Doc's--when they call it.

...." How do you get referred to a vestibular rehabilitation centre?"....

I'm not sure for the "UK". For the U.S. it is usually a result of seeing the Doc(ENT, Nuero, whatever) who makes the call of "L'itis"--he or she then refers you to the vestibular rehabilitation center for treatment--however since not all Doc's are really up-to-speed in this area(at least here in the USA--all tho many claim to be most are not up on this condition--my experience).

Which is to bad because it may help---a lot!

I discovered my vestibular rehabilitation doctor from watching a TV documentary! Pure luck. She's the only person in Australia who does what she does. She claims that most GP's and ENT's have exercises that are out of date and that research has advanced in the area.

Vestibular Neuronitis must be what my husband has. It has to be. It sounds exactly what everyone here is talking about. We are so frustrated. His job was in a mill and now he has been out of work for 5 months. Disability runs out in 3 weeks. Insurance at the end of April. We are broke. I am completely depressed.

It sounds like there is hope for some. But it doesn't seem very likely that he will ever be the same and able to go back to his job.

What exactly is Vestibular Rehab Therapy? Need help desperately, Marilee

Hi Cadbury0007,

I'm very sorry to hear of your husband's physical struggles with vertigo, as well as your financial problems.

You might want to either bump up your old thread from earlier this month on your husband's symptoms, or start a new one, with the post that you just entered here - to get more suggestions on possibly having your husband's symptoms looked at.

I can understand why you are dealing with depression over this entire situation. Dealing with head symptoms can be very impacting, and that can trickle into other areas of a person's life.

Financially, you may need to look into speaking with a financial or debt planner to see if there are ways to consolidate or manage bills better.

You may ask your doctor about other options (long term disability) or asking to have a sliding fee scale applied where possible.

Are you able to obtain an income?

Start a new thread to ensure that your post is more visible.

Wishing you a peaceful day.

Hi Dadbury,

I remember your first post. Did you have any luck with looking in to finding a neurotologist? VRT - vestibular rehab therapy are specific exercises designed to retrain the brain to balance. If you got your husband in to a good balance centre they would know about this.

best,

hbep

So sorry to hear about your husband. Where are you from? When I had to leave my job in NY, my employer had to carry insurance which was specifically for reasons such as these matters. They couldn't cancel this insurance until I was ready to go back to work. They did it in 3 month increments because I think the insurance company likes to see that it isn't going to be to long term. I was able to collect 1/2 the amount, just like unemployment insurance. I know it may not be enough to get by, but it helped. I know how frustrated and depressed you must be. I am going to do a search and see exactly what type of insurance it was.

all the best,
Kathy

I live in Oregon. I've talked to the people with the disability plan. It expires in 3 weeks. No way to extend. I'm filing for unemployment , but they tell me that because of my medical problem they have to investigate my case for the next 3-4 weeks to determine if I would even be able to be on unemployment. I don't know what to think about how that may turn out.

The future doesn't look as bright as it once did. It's not easy to accept. If it doesn't go away then some people say I could file for social security, but I don't know. Just thinking about it makes me :dizzy: