What kind of doctor are you seeing? - Inner Ear Disorders Message Board

Lauren29 · 01-11-2008, 10:12 AM

I need to decide what route to go next. There are so many new posts about people trying SSRI's, MAV meds and hormone supplements. I need to try something as my being healthy and taking vitamins and doing more activities thing is not working for me. I live in Dallas, TX and as of yet have not found a doctor that I feel understands me and my condition. Should I go back to my neurologist, or another ear doctor? I just want to find someone who I trust and then continue to work with them until we find something that works.
Are we allowed to post doctor's names if anyone knows a good one in my area?
I am following everyone's stories that are trying new things and seeing what works.
What I have done is schedule an appt. with a hormone doctor like Missy7777 suggested b/c she seemed so confidant about it and is also feeling 100% which is so promising.
Do you think that there is a difference between what people have who started this illness with spinning vertigo and nausea vs the people who just woke up one and day and felt off, dizzy, lightheaded. I never had the nausea or the spinning or balance probs....just a constant dizziness and spacey head that feels like it is rocking. I wonder if there is any difference in what we have?
I just don't know what is the right route for me. as always...Thanks!

Howie2 · 01-11-2008, 12:00 PM

Lauaren:

I never had Vertigo or balance problems . I had dizziness, head pressure, blurred vision, nausea and bad anxiety...

If your looking MAV you need a Neurologist that specializes in headaches. Usually a headache Institute at a hospital.

I went the inner ear route first to a Neuro-Otologist and then to a headache Specialist

sipa · 01-11-2008, 12:01 PM

I'm not sure but you could start with the VEDA site to see if there's a doctor in your area? It might be best to start with a neurotologist. If that fails, depending on your health insurance, you could try seeing specialists in each area you're concerned about? Endocrinologist for hormones, neurologist for migraines (I think?,) psychiatrist for anxiety/panic/depression, ENT ... well, not sure that's going to be useful unless you have good reason to believe it would be.

Hopefully someone else will be able to be more helpful than me.

Edit: and someone else was!

gloria2936 · 01-11-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Lauaren:

I never had Vertigo or balance problems . I had dizziness, head pressure, blurred vision, nausea and bad anxiety...

If your looking MAV you need a Neurologist that specializes in headaches. Usually a headache Institute at a hospital.

I went the inner ear route first to a Neuro-Otologist and then to a headache Specialist

My situation is pretty much the same as Howie's and you are pretty aware of my symptoms. I started with ENTs, a bad neurologist, then neurotologist and then finally a good neurologist at UPMC's headache institute. I think Howie is right, the key is a neurologist who specializes in headaches. I know you had a good work up with a neurotologist so I wouldn't waste time and money with more inner ear test that don't tell much anyway. I would start with a headache specialist (neurologist) and I think at this point Lauren, like myself, you have to give in and try some treatments to see if they help. I know after I found a doctor who was willing to work with me, it took some stress off me.

The other thing is Sipa brought up a good point, you may need to see several specialist to help your problem. I think over time when this much stress is put on one's body you develope other conditions. I am not only following treatment with my neurologist, but am going for TRT treatment and seeing a therapist for biofeedback to calm myself down (get my CNS under control).

I would personally start with a neurologist at a headache institute. You live in a big city so it shouldn't be too hard to find one. I would make the appointment right away before your insurance runs out (think you said July).

Hope that helps.

alexiwildchild · 01-11-2008, 09:30 PM

Hi Lauren. i was diagnosed by a well referred neurologist (i live in waco, tx) and he diagnosed MAV. however, the med i tried to take didn't do so well with my body, as i was also taking xanax at the time. i wanted to wean myself off the xanax and try it again. (it took a month). anyway, at that point, i finally got some good health insurance through scott and white, and went to a neuro-otologist in temple...who i researched online and found his name also on the VEDA site. his nickname is the dizzy doc lol. anyway, he did all the ENG, etc testing and also thought MAV. i am now at 6 weeks of 30mg nortriptyline....but am not yet seeing a difference with my visual issues (which is my main problem).

not sure what your symptoms still are, but it's worth giving a whirl...so to speak. i would check out some up in dallas, i think there are 2 good ones at the university---but getting in was such a long wait, so i didn't go through them. i had my pcp get me in ahead of my original appt with the doc in temple.
best of luck