Headaches, dizziness, balance, vision... - Brain & Nervous System Disorders Message Board

jonread · 01-04-2001, 07:00 PM

Hi all, I have cut and paste the below from what I wrote to a doctor, I know there is a lot of text but maybe more is useful ? I would be very grateful for any feedback !!
Sorry if it comes out all messed up.

Hi,

For 3 years now I have been suffering from a health problem that seems to baffle most doctors. It all started one day when I was working on something
and had to crouch and stand about 3 times. I suddenly got a horrid sensation of my head dropping to the ground and then back up again, like a yo-yo
feeling but with my brain instead of a toy.

This happened 3 times until I laid down on my bed. Afterwards I couldn't stand very well and I felt very sick, I also had very dark vision and it was
fuzzy. Whenever I tried to walk I felt sick and virtually toppled over. I had awful nausia. I found I could walk about 2 hours later, but I still had many of
the symptoms, just not as severe.

So, now, I am still left with these symptoms and it just doesn't seem to get any better, but not all that worse either, except for the depression.

I have had a MRI and all was okay, I have seen a eye doctor and all seems okay. I am seeing a ENT next week in case it is a inner ear problem.

So now I am left with fuzzy eyesight (NOT floaters, I see like a snow storm, millions of micro dots all over the place, things also seem to move slightly),
a dull front and top and sides headache (constant, rarely varies in severity), a stiff heavy neck, bad balance which changes from poor to bad often,
dizziness which is very severe and I feel like I am standing on my head all the time as my head is tight, along with this I have smaller problems like
insomnia, over emotional, lack of concentration, disorientation, anxiety, and depression (which is becoming a worry to me). Also worth me noting is
that I can't go to the movies as when I hear loud noise and build up music it makes me very nervous and anxious, once there was a big build up in a
movie I saw last year, and it made me feel VERY cold and I shivered and my hair felt it was stuck up, I nearly passed out, yet 4 years ago I saw the
same movie and had no problems at all, it ruins my life.

Also I thought I might mention that sometimes when I sneeze I see really solid white/silver lines that shoot about in my vision, it makes it near impossible
to see, it only last 2 minutes but is very very visable. Oh and when I stare at something it keeps getting darker and darker until whatever I am looking at
is a huge black fuzz, especially on white objects and with little blinking.

Can you give me any ideas what I should try and do ? Could it be that too much blood is getting to my head, or too little ? Could I have had a mild
stroke or maybe even MS ? Or is a inner ear problem really possible ? I am 22 years old by the way and this started when I was 19. At the bottom of
this message is the medicene and tests I have taken.

Please advise if you can, I would really appreciate it, I am very desperate to find a cure.

Best wishes and thanks,

Jon in the United Kingdom

Medicene Taken - Serc 8 and Stemetil
Tests Taken - Viral Blood, Standard Blood, Adreneline Test, Urine Test, Diabeties Test, MRI, Eye Test, vertigo head exercises (which knocked me
sicker then I have ever been).

andreamc · 01-15-2001, 10:29 PM

Hi John in the United Kingdom:

Some MRI's can come out negative, and a second one will show the problem. Your letter sounds very similar to the side effects of MS. I was reading in the MS board about a MRI with contrast, and without. Which did you have?

MS is lesions on the brain. Maybe you could have some lesions, but they are real small and are overlooked on an MRI. I also had a lumbar puncture to confirm my diagnosis of MS. I first noticed my symptoms when I fell in my kitchen bending down to pick something up off the floor.

I'm not a doctor, but I would suggest you see a neurologist, get a second opinion.

I really hope you find out soon what is going on. Bye for now.

[This message has been edited by moderator1 (edited 04-04-2002).]

pogues6 · 01-16-2001, 03:41 AM

Hi, I was going to say inner ear dysfunction before you mentioned it, That can cause your body to feel completely helpless, it's a pretty big thing, people have had inner ear dysfunctions for 10 years before they actually found out what it ws. All of there doctors chose not to see it, therefore overlooking the dysfunction and prescribing them some medication to see if it goes away, this is something serious and definately needs to be checked out, just because your one doctor might say it''s not inner ear dysfunction, it's still best to get anothers opinion because people have gone untreated with this dysfunction for years because there doctors told them nothing was wrong , It took some people up to 5 doctors before they actually figured it out, Sorry not trying to scare you but this is a dysfunction that many doctors overlook. I'd like to know what you found out?

kat27 · 03-04-2001, 01:09 PM

Check into the possibility of vasovagal syncope. You would need to see a cardiac specialist that is qualified to diagnose this condition. A cardiac electrophysiologist would be the expert to see. You can call 1-800-786-7723 for an expert nearest you.

edenvino · 03-10-2001, 08:08 PM

this sounds a lot like TMJ and that is what I am going through right now too. Do you have trouble focusing? Do you feel pressure by your eyes and nose?