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dizzymommy · 12-10-2005, 06:05 PM

Sorry for the long post, but any opinions would be GREATLY appreciated

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Looking for anyones opinion as I'm at the end of my rope here...again...
It began in January 05 as I woke up one night feeling really dizzy on my left side, I turned to my right side and it didn't go away I sat up and opened my eyes and everything in the room looked like it was jumping in and out at me. It stopped a few minutes later. The next day and for a month after I was really dizzy. I was pregnant at the time and the doctors chalked it up to hormones and "get some rest". The constant dizzies went away but I had frequent dizzy spells. Toward the end of my pregnancy my head constantly felt like it was spinning especially when sitting or standing still. Laying down was the only thing that helped.
After my baby was born in July three nights of no sleep followed by five months of lack of sleep really set me off. Long story short, here are my symptoms..

Feeling like I'm walking through space
Right leg feels as if I just took off my rollerblades and now it feels really light (if that makes any sense). Not numb or tingly but like I have to concentrate to make it move when walking because it feels so light. I find myself curling my left toes when walking. Also my left arm often feels like this. I have control, but it feels like they are in space.
Constant spinning head feeling especially in the back
Blurry vision sometimes especially when dizziness is worse.
Things look like they are moving back and forth.
Constant head pressure especially at the top of the left side of my head.
Headaches/migraines.
Left ear clogs when I blow my nose.
Left ear sounds like tinfoil being crinkled when I hear loud noises such as people talking loud or my baby crying.
Head feels like it's being pushed back and forth when I lay down.
When upright head feels like it's going back and forth and actually physically does move back and forth, very disturbing. Sometimes in bed the feeling moves down my neck and left side of my back.
Tinnitus.
Constant fatigue. The more I do, the more tired I am. Feel like I could sleep for days.
Anxiety from all of this along with controlled depression from not being able to get out of the house by myself except to go on short walks with my baby.
Every time I think it's getting better, it creeps up again, arghhhh.

Started Lexapro about 1.5 months ago which has significantly helped the depression and most of the anxiety and some of the dizziness, but the rest remains. MRI results normal. ENT visit worthless, said she didn't think it was my ear. After the deppresion and anxiety creeped in doc said "postpartum deppresion". I say "post-dizziness depression".

Can't decide if it's ear or migraine or something entirely different.
I know this is a long post with a lot of symptoms but any advice or opinions would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks a bunch

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hbep · 12-11-2005, 01:23 AM

Hello,

I'm obviously not a doctor but to be honest you sound like you have either a condition called vestibular neuritis/labyrinthitis, or alternatively migraine associated vertigo. If you put migraine in to the advanced search on this board it will bring up loads of info on the latter condition. I also strongly suggest you read a recent thread on the first page of this board entitled 'Could this be?' where I wrote a lot about MAV to another poster who interestingly also became dizzy during her pregnancy.

General doctors tend to often be less than useless when it comes to dizziness. This also goes for ENTs who do no further training in to the inner ear. You wouldn't believe how many people who are diagnosed with inner ear of vestibular migraine disorders came away from an ENT with a duff - there's nothing wrong with you diagnosis. Or alternatively an anxiety diagnosis - that's another hot favourite with ENTs and general practitioners if people say they are dizzy. You need to see a doctor called a neurotologist (different from a neurologist) they are specialists in the inner ear who do a further 3 yrs training on top of ENT training. They will see people with your symptoms every day - many people on this board who have got nowhere with regular docs and ENTs finally get answers from a neurotologist. They can run tests, ascertain what's causing this and can treat you. They also understand how debilitating dizziness disorders can be.

The fact that you get migraines anyway could be mean that the pregnancy triggered an escalatation in the migraine and caused it to devolve in to a more constant pattern of headaches and also vertigo/dizziness. There is a good article on MAV on the net by Robert A battista, if you put his name in a search engine you will find it.

Ignore the fact your ent said it wasn't your ear (the rubbish they talk is beyond belief sometimes - I saw 2, both useless, wondered why they bothered turning up to work) I eventually saw a neurotologist and was diagnosed with peripheral vestibular damage plus migraines. If you're in the States I've often heard people say it's best to be seen at one of the big balance centres of excellence. Someone may be able to point you in the right direction. If you're in England I can tell you where to be seen.

best,

dizzymommy · 12-13-2005, 03:25 PM

Hbep, Thank you os much for your thorough response. I go back to my GP on Friday and I am going to ask to see a neurologist. I'll see what the neuro says and if need be, then see a neurotologist as I believe the closest one is about 3 hours away at a major university here (in the states). How are you fairing after three years? Are you taking medicine that has helped or doing VRT? I'll look up that name for the migraine. Thanks again for the info!!

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