Just wanted to let you know I made it through my dental appt. Probably because we talked the whole time . I'm going back in 2 weeks to have the filling replaced. He is so great. He is going to work with me on the lighting and the leaning back. I told him I thought maybe dentistry helped trigger some of this. He didn't confirm or deny. We talked about TMJ, and teeth grinding at night. He said those issues aren't helping my situation, but it is not causing the problem. I told him how opening my mouth for very long made my face muscles shake. He thought that was due to my grinding and my muscles being so tense. So that made me wonder about the rest of my shaky muscles. Maybe that is because of being tense even when I sleep. I'm thinking maybe valium before bed would be good to try. L4A, did you ever try the muscle relaxant?
Hope everyone is having a great day!
CK
I had an appointment with my neurotologist on Tuesday and he prescribed valium (5mg) for me to see if that might help with the dizziness. He reiterated that all my tests pointed to vestibular neuritis (I've had a ENG, VEMP, and hearing test). I guess he thinks it may break up the pattern.
Anyway, I was rather dizzy yesterday afternoon so I waited until I got home from work and took one of the valium. It did make me sleepy (I was out by 8:30), but I slept very well and woke up feeling better. I too have a predisposition to TMJ (I got a night guard for grinding my teeth over three years ago). I never thought the valium might help with that too but it certainly seems reasonable. I feel almost human right now, but I tend to feel better in the morning. I'll see how long it lasts.
I think it's reasonable to assume that valium could help you too.
Wow! That is good news. Please let me know if the feeling better sticks. I have been putting off the valium because of being so tired anyway. I am hearing all kinds of reasons to give it a try. I have heard of valium being used to break the MAV cycle also. Again, please let me know how you are doing.
I am so glad the dental appt went well! Great news. You know, I also have the tooth grinding/TMJ thing going on...weird. I never thought it caused any of my problems, but it makes sense that it isn't helping it.
I didn't know valium could be used to break the MAV cycle. I just read about steroids and triptans being used for that purpose...never heard of it before, but thought that was interesting; I think maybe that is done in a hospital setting.
Well, maybe I should take the klonopin I carry around with me to see if it helps as well...
You know, I think L4A mentioned a possible TMJ connection too. I know the dentists say it isn't causing our issues but it does seem to be interesting that we all have had it mentioned to us. I wonder if there are others who may have a connection too?
Great news on the dentist!! I had my impressions taken the other day for my bite plate and I was so proud of the fact that I was able to kill my normal panic attack and had only about 50% of the anxiety I would have had. Woohoo! We're making progress!!
I have yet to try the muscle relaxant. Mainly due to fear... big surprise, but also my husband suggested I use it and the bite plate at the same time since I am only to take the relaxant for a two week period.
Definitely true that the docs are all saying the bite misalignment and the possible teeth clenching is not causing my problems but might make me feel better overall. We'll see. I get my bite plate in two weeks.
I have been working on the positive thinking aspect of all of this during the last couple of days. I have a couple of books that I am reading about the mind-body connection and the power we hold to heal ourselves. At the very least I am trying to be more accepting and more positive in the face of this.
I also have been pouring my time into our side business which has helped me to get my mind somewhat off of things.
I've been stretching twice a day and walking a half mile or so on the treadmill every morning. I don't know if it's helping or not but I figure I can be miserable sitting around thinking about it or I can be miserable on the treadmill, and I'm probably better off on the treadmill.
Can't guarantee that I will maintain this attitude 24/7 for the forseeable future but I am certainly trying hard. But my neck is still killing me!!
I'm good. Let me know if you come up with any helpful hints. I've been doing some research and trying just to come to peace. When I was at the dentist yesterday he said something that I can't get off my mind. He said that when I get on the other side of this illness, think what a wonderful life I am going to have. He said I have figured out that life is about the little things. That I would embrace living. He said because of your experience you will be a better mother, wife, friend, person. He said alot of people never get the opportunity to figure it all out. So anyway I'm to think about that being the silver lining.
I'm glad you are doing the treadmill. I try and do it when I'm up to it. It makes me dizzy, but I agree better dizzy on the treadmill then off. Hope you have a great day tomarrow.
L4A--Wow--you are doing alot! That is very inspiring. I just bought the Wii Fit, so we'll see if I use it or if I just encourage my other family members to use it...I'm interested in the balance focus of it.
CK--love the thoughts from the dentist. It's funny, before this I was much more focused on what I needed to do including what I needed to accomplish each day as well as in the long-term...this illness made me remember that the most important thing is our relationships with people. Of course I valued them before, but I just wasn't nurturing them the way I should--especially my friendships (working and being a mom and going to school were taking all my time). I think about this now with my school-aged children. So much emphasis is put on the different activities they should do and what level they are at in school--on all their accomplishments. And those lessons and homework can end up taking all of their time! Well, although worthwhile in their own way, those things don't really make a person happy...time with friends and family make them happiest, it seems to me.
Anyway...sorry to ramble off on that, but I agree that this illness puts some things in perspective!
Just wanted to mention that the valium has done wonders for my dizziness (knock on wood!) I've taken only a small dose before I went to bed and it really seemed to help, all day. I still have a headache but I feel like I am constantly draining down the back of my throat now (sorry, I know that is icky to hear about!) so I think it may be sinus or allergy related.
CK and L4A,
Wanted to offer my sincerest respect and admiration for your positive attitudes. It's so hard to stay upbeat and find the 'silver lining' while you feel rotten. I will try to take some of that for myself. Thank you.
I can't do treadmills at all right now; they always gave me a false sense of motion when I got off even before I had dizzy issues! But I do try to get out for a walk whenever I can, I think it helps.
Violet,
Couldn't agree with you more. All the little things seem to get in the way too often. Not anymore. There are so many "little" things that I couldn't care less about. I do know I say to my kids all the time "Is it really that big of deal, will it matter a week from now? month? year?...That is about the only blessing I can find in all this mess! I read the thread about the Wii to my husband in front of my kids. They were so excited. I think I'm going to try and find a neighbor with it and see if I can even do it. Of course the wii is the one game system we don't have!
Willholl,
Don't know how long I will count my blessings. It seems to come and go. Can I ask how much valium you take? Do you have visual symptoms? I'm thinking about taking it myself.
Being able to count your blessings at all during this is still admirable. Until I saw your and L4A's posts, I couldn't think a single positive to this mess. Now, I'm going to put some energy into looking for them. Better than focusing on what a nightmare this all is!
I took 5mg valium before bedtime on Wednesday and 2mg last night. I actually wasn't feeling much dizziness on Thursday, but I thought the 2mg at bedtime might help me sleep and relax my jaw, in case that was causing my headache. Right now, I am not feeling much dizziness, but still some headache. I will mention it when I see my dentist on 9/25. My night guard is three years old and may need to be refitted.
I am extremely nearsighted and have had some visual issues for years, which I think are due to that. I usually wear contacts, but my glasses are so strong that it's like looking through a bubble. You can imagine that they don't help if I am dizzy! I've had issues like poor depth perception and poor night vision (lights tend to 'halo') for as long as I can remember, so I tend to attribute any other weird visual stuff to that. I'm not sure if that answers your question, though!
Hi there! I am not a big gamer person but a family member gave us the Wii...the kids were very psyched that I got the Fit game last night. I have to do something...I've been much less active throughout this thing. One can't do much if one is really confined to the bed, but on better days I've got to be more active, just for my whole body health. I'll let you know if this helps at all..and keep me posted if you get it!
Willholl,
Yep, that answers my question. Since being at the dentist I am paying more attention to the jaw clenching. I have realized that I do it all the time. If I do it with my jaw, I'm sure I do it other places.
Violet, do let me know if it helps you. How old are your kids?
I am very concerned about my lack of excercise. Just walking is such a problem for me. If I stand for very long my legs start shaking. It really freaks me out as I used to be pretty active. I'm not sure if this is due to lack of activity or just another MAV symtom? Do you guys have any thoughts? We have a lot of work out equipment. I've kinda thought about doing it at night and then when I go dizzy I could just go to bed.
I'm having an obsessing day... trying hard to maintain my positive attitude but so worried that this is something so much worse than migraine. I can't even stand in one place and talk to a neighbor without hanging onto something for dear life. And the weak feet thing just freaks me out beyond belief.
So as you can see as far as the positive thinking goes, I am a work in progress!!!
L4A,
I know its hard. I have a tree that I hang onto whenever I'm talking to my neighbor. I have the exact same problem!! Today I went to the cell phone place to get a new phone. Mine was dead and my kids call on it all the time or I would not have gone. An emergency of sorts. I arrived at 9:01 and after standing at the counter holding myself up for about 3 minutes my legs and feet were shaking. It scares me too. I keep telling myself its either lack of activity or the fact that my body is never relaxed. I just think it is too weird that I can relate to everything that you say. We both can't have some horrible illness. Can we? No one expects anyone to be positive all the time. This illess is really a hell of sorts. Being positive even 10% of the time is an accomplishment.
I try to tell myself that the weakness is the migraine or anxiety. Today the weakness is sooooo bad but the dizziness is not as bad as its been. The weakness is so bad that my hands are shaking because I'm scared!
Still trying to remain positive. Looking forward to getting on the other side of this. Thankful for the good things in life. Say it with me...
Trust me I am saying it with you. I have to ask: when you are just sitting does it ever feel like someone pushes your head to the side? Like when your riding in a car and start to nod off and you wake suddenly? Does that make sense? Just checking.
Yes it makes perfect sense and yes it happens to me all the time. I was sitting here tonight talking to a friend of mine and wondered what she would think if she knew I felt like someone was sliding my lower body away from me. Like someone was pushing on my lower body and it was sliding out from under me. I get the head thing too, all the time. It is surreal. What the H$%^ do we have??????
