Can anyone relate to this? I have been having dizziness and the foggy head feeling off and on for 4 months, but by far and away my most persistent symptom is mild nausea. It can last for a week or 2 at a time (every day/all day) and doesn't necessarily correlate to my dizziness problem. However, when I have the dizziness/dysequilibrium problem, the nausea seems worst. However, many days I seem perfectly fine except for the nausea (never bad enough where I actually vomit). The GI doctor has ruled out GI causes and my ENT doesn't think the constant nausea is a vestibular problem, but I can't help but think they are since they both started right around the same time (4 months ago).
Does any else have such mild, persistent nausea?
The Following User Says Thank You to brownjt1 For This Useful Post: Brooke2DD (11-13-2012)
Location: Manitoba, Canada in Riding Mtn. National Park
Posts: 137
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Hi Brownjt1,
I realize that your post asking the Q? about persistent nausea was two years ago, but you have been one of the only people who describe symptoms so much like mine that I thought I would give it a shot and see if you have found relief, and/or have any advice.
My dizziness began in March, 2004 with a 48-hour period of severe vertigo where I could not move without spinning and vomiting. I had experienced a similar episode in 1999 (~5 years earlier), but it had gradually gotten better and disappeared in 6 - 8 weeks. No such luck this time. Fifteen months later, I still have "attacks" of vertigo, varying in intensity and frequency, but the one constant that I have had all along with or without the actual vertigo, is constant nausea. I too have had lots of other testing done to rule out other causes and so far nothing. I have been diagnosed with BPPV on the right side along with a "possible Meniere's variant" because some of my testing for BPPV was "outside the parameters" for BPPV and fit more in the Meniere's category. I have tried vestibular therapy to try and help my body compensate, and I am still working with a vestibular therapist to try and find something that works, but so far have been unsuccessful.
The problem with the nausea is that it (I assume) has caused a 50-pound weight loss because I have a very poor appetite. I am trying to deal with this too by "grazing" instead of trying to eat larger portions, drinking nutrient supplements (Ensure +) and protein shakes, etc.
I have gone through a period of high anxiety and panic attacks as this has progressed, but I am able to deal with this fairly well now that I know what a "panic attack" is and how to cope with it, but the nausea remains. Along with the nausea, I have a feeling of being slightly off-balance all the time and feel at times like I need to touch something as I'm walking to get a sense of where my foot should go next or where my body is in "space". I guess I need the extra sense of "touch" to compensate for the screwed-up vestibular system??! Did you experience anything like this?
I don't want to go on about the obvious side-effects of losing 50 pounds (which was about 1/3 of my original body weight), but if you have found any relief or causes or anything, please let me know. I would be so appreciative of any answer that may help! Thanks...
~Swirlygirl
Last edited by swirlygirl; 05-29-2005 at 12:45 PM.
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
I too have constant nausea. I have had a lot of GI tests such as upper endoscopy and upper gi series. I was diagnosed 6 month ago with vestibular dysfunction (possibly central) and have been taking vrt ever since. I have had the problem for 18 months but the first 12 months went undiagnosed. I assume my nausea is vestibular or the anxiety or depression that comes along with it. I have improved to where 5 out of 7 days are managable. I take ginger tablets and try crackers every so often. The nausea for me is the worst when I get up which could be from head movements while sleeping. I also have it with or without my other symptoms which are blurred vision and disequilibrium. I have a Neck issue as well which might be contributing to the nausea and which is why I wake up with nausea. My head constantly moves while sleeping. I am going for physical therapy on my neck as well for a cervical restriction
Hang in their as it is part of the illness. Try ginger tablets
Location: Manitoba, Canada in Riding Mtn. National Park
Posts: 137
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Hi Howie2,
Yeah, I'm beginning to realize that I may just have to live with the nausea and try to adjust and accept a little better. I have tried ginger tea made from gingerroot, but not ginger tablets. Thanks for the suggestion - I'll give it a try.
Have you lost weight too due to the nausea? Just wondering because it really is the most critical symptom of my vestibular disorder, as in I feel it is the symptom interfering most with some progress. Disequilibrium, unsteady gait, fatigue, fullness in my left ear (even though the BPPV was diagnosed on the right!), attacks of spinning vertigo where all I can do is hang on and wait for it to pass, plus of course the associated anxiety/depression - all of these I have been dealing with in various ways and I feel that I am learning to cope (huge learning curve!), but the constant nausea is definitely what I find the most difficult to deal with. It helps to know that others are learning to deal with it too. Thanks...
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Swirly Girl:
I have not lost any weight I have actually gained weight. Part due to depression from the illness and part from some of the medication I have been given over time. I tried an ant-nausea Phenergen and it did not work well. Zoloft and Klonopin for the anxiety and depression associated with the condition. I still have an appetite. I know how you feel being nauseas all the time really is one of the worst symptoms . I feel that is the worst along with feeling off or dizzy. The coping with the illness is also pretty hard...
Location: Manitoba, Canada in Riding Mtn. National Park
Posts: 137
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Hi Howie,
Well, Howie, I already feel better just "venting" in these posts and feeling a connection with other people who understand. It's actually quite ironic that I would have a problem with weight loss because I love to be creative in cooking and food has always been one of my pleasures of life! I look forward to the time when I will again enjoy that pleasure. Guess I'll have to use my creative talents trying to figure this stuff out right now. My anxiety level has dropped quite a bit now that I am learning to recognize it as being somewhat of a different entity, athough certainly still related to the inner ear dysfunction and all the associated symptoms of that. However, I'm finding the depression a little more difficult to combat - I've never had to deal with it before and I'm still at the lower end of the learning curve I think. You're right - the disease itself is one thing - the coping with all the "stuff" that seems to go with it is another.
Anyway, thanks for sharing and I sincerely hope you're feeling better too...
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Swirlygirl:
No problem good luck with everything. I am doing decent I hope I am turning the corner. The last two weeks or so only a few soso days. All the other days have pretty managable
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
can i ask like your age range...or what you have found out about for the average age of people with BPPV and other inner ear problems...i am having severe nausea and dizziness like described by the person from 2003, and i was just curious to find out maybe a very vague average age range..i see a doc tomorrow and i am hoping since reading these posts maybe if the doctor has no idea(its a military doc so the odds are high that they will tell me just to deal with it..) i could maybe ask about this.
Location: Manitoba, Canada in Riding Mtn. National Park
Posts: 137
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Hi BekaBoo,
From the little I know about BPPV, I think it can occur at any age and for a variety of reasons, from a head injury to association with migraines to exposure to viruses, etc. The ENT who diagnosed me (I am 44), said that in her experience it is more apt to be caused by some sort of head trauma and that it is probably more prevalent in older people. However, I am also a "newbie" here - I'm sure that there are others on this board who have more experience and may be able to give a more accurate answer.
Good luck with your doc tomorrow, but if he/she doesn't show interest in helping or referring you, I would suggest finding one who is more helpful because from what I've read here and experienced, many people have been able to find something - either throught Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy or some meds or a combination of both. The one thing I would really suggest is to keep reading the posts on this board because there are amazingly supportive people here who have lots of good advice and information.
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Thanks swirlygirl,
i appreciate your encouragement and getting back to me...
i'm only 16 and have been a very healthy child but all of the sudden i have seemed to have some medical prolems...
The doctor says that my dizziness and nausea is from depression, which maybe he is right, but he ran a bunch of tests, and the ones he got back so far were fine...and he really seems to think nothing is wrong me, its so frusterating though cause clearly something isn't right. I hate the doctors and always have so the fact that even though he says i am fine he wants me to come back when he has all the results back. It just isn't seeming to make since, if he thinks i am fine, and just need to deal then why is he making me jump through hoops, that he says i dont need to be doing. It really makes no sense to me at all. Anyways...I think i am going to have to go out of the military system and find someone who is willing to help me figure out what is going on cause i can't live like this, it just isn't going to work.
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Swirlygirl,
How has your nausea been. Mine has been bothering me especially in the AM upon awakening. Just curious if maybe you have been doing anything to help this improve. Probably the most annoying of all my symptoms. Hope your doing ok.
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Hi everyone, I'm surprised this thread is alive, I started it a few years ago. I left for awhile and had to get a new login.
The bad news is, I never really found anything to relieve the nausea (medecines or otherwise). The good news is it gradually subsided, probably after about 18 months. I still get occasional bouts of dizziness, and nausea, but only for an hour or two maybe a few times a week. I feel sorry for all of you currently experiencing this dreaded symptom. I probably saw 15 different doctors, they just don't seem to understand. Very frustating. I found (and still do) that eating or even just drinking a soda helps the nausea, therefore I actually gained weight throughtout the ordeal. I hope everyone gets over this soon!
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Chuzzlewit:
Did you do any VRT or any excercises to get rid of the Nausea or just time and patience. What was your diagnosis? At of all my symptoms this is the most annoying. I do the same and drink ginger tea and have saltines near me. Its not severe but its always their on bad days...
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Howie,
I never did VRT. When I was nauseated, I felt too sick to do VRT or anything. Then when I had occasional breaks, I thought I was over it and didn't need VRT. So really it just took time. A few times steroids did seem to work, but soon after stopping them the nausea would return (which would point to VN). No doctor gave me a diagnosis. I saw at least a few ENTs and on otologist, and noone could even agree whether it was even a vestibular problem or not (still don't know for sure, to be honest).
Good luck
Location: Manitoba, Canada in Riding Mtn. National Park
Posts: 137
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Hi Howie & Chuzzlewit:
Howie, I still do have nausea about 90% of the time, and as with Chuzzlewit, I find it inhibits my ability to do VRT as often as I would like to. It is definitely the most annoying and debilitating factor in my symptoms, as it is there pretty much all the time, and has had a major impact on my weight, which in turn has contributed to less energy, motivation, etc. I would have to say that the nausea does seem to be somewhat worse in the morning when I get out of bed, but the difference for me is really negligable.
The only thing that has worked for me to at least lessen the nausea and allow me to semi-function, is to take a combination of gravol and maxeron, which are both anti-nauseates, but they work in different ways. Gravol works by affecting the vestibular system (hence, taken usually for motion sickness) and maxeron works by helping your digestive system go through the process of digesting food at a faster rate. One of the tests that I had was a gastric emptying test, which showed that I was digesting my food very slowly, so the maxeron will hopefully work for that. I've only been taking the two together for a couple of weeks, and I do think I am seeing some improvement, but it is very slow, certainly not a Eureka! thing, but I wasn't expecting it to be.
I have had this disorder for ~16 months now, and I have tried VRT both with and without the gravol, because I know it can inhibit compensation. However, I have had little success with this so far, so I'm just trucking on and trying to do my best to do what I can to help myself. Hopefully, we'll be like Chuzzlewit and it will gradually disappear.
Howie, do you also have "attacks" of vertigo which leaves you immobilized by the nausea, or is it more of ongoing, more regular thing?
Anyway, I wish you luck and I will certainly let you know if I find something that works better.
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Swirly Girl:
I have no vertigo. I have nausea pretty constant but worst in the morning. Its not to the point of having to vomit but its always their and annoying...Sometimes when I eat it helps. I have only tried one anti-nausaea call phenergen. I was going to wait out the summer and continue with VRt and if the nausea does not improve the doctor was going to try me on some new ant-nausea medications. I have had an endoscopy and upper gi series from my gastro to rule out anything. Only thing they came up with was minor Acid reflux which I take nexium. Nausea is my worst. I feel off with it which I describe as dizziness but if I had no nausea I think I can deal better as you feel sick all over. Where are you from. I have never heard of that medication but I will ask my doctor about it. I am from NY. Good luck and I'll keep you posted as well...
Location: Manitoba, Canada in Riding Mtn. National Park
Posts: 137
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Hi Howie,
I live in Canada and the two meds that I mentioned may be known in the US as dimenhydrinate (Gravol is brand name) and metoclopramide (Maxeran). I too have had gastroscopies, upper GI ultrasounds, etc. which showed nothing that should be causing this much nausea for such a long time, other than the gastric emptying test, which showed my digestion time as being slow. I thing though, that the slow digestion in more a result of the nausea than the cause of it. Who knows?...I sure don't. Nausea is definitely my worst persistent symptom, but the "black swirlies" (spinning vertigo) comes in at a close second! Luckily I only experience this 2 - 5 times per week on average, so it's not a 24/7 thing like the nausea.
I believe, though I could be wrong, that my nausea is more associated with the "residual dizziness" that I feel all the time - I feel I need to touch things when I'm walking to orient myself (tell my vestibular system where I am in space!). Whatever the case, eating does not make me feel better, and that's quite disheartening because cooking and eating was always a pleasureable thing for me - now I associate food as a negative thing - I hope that this will not last long...
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Swirly Girl:
I wish you luck as well. I am starting to get so depressed by this whole ordeal. Its like the doctors try with things like therapy and meds but even the specialist do not have a good grasp on everything. Its like they are guessing at times. I cant imagine living like this forever. I know it could be worst but this is pretty bad.....
Location: Manitoba, Canada in Riding Mtn. National Park
Posts: 137
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Hi Howie,
I really do feel for you Howie and I'm so sorry - you sound so disheartened by all of this. I know that it's tough when you really try and try and nobody seems to be able to help you or you don't feel able to help yourself. I think for me it has changed the way I view our medical system here in Canada and has helped me become a better advocate for my own health all around, though so far I'm not seeing the results I'd like. I have always been a very easy-going person with somewhat of a "wait and see" approach, but I have begun to realize that there is a time and place for "pushing for more answers" and a time and place for "accepting and adjusting". I think that right now I'm somewhere in between (I know that may sound wishy/washy), but I am at the place where I am willing to accept the "possibility" that this is my life and I will have to adjust accordingly, but I am not giving up on finding out more answers that just may help and change the way things go. I have become more assertive with making sure that all of the pertinent information arrives at the specialist's office from my family doctor BEFORE I do, because I have been in the situation at more than one time where I arrived and the specialist had no idea why I was there! It has been at times frustrating, as it is for everyone going through this sort of thing, but it definitely has done lots for my growth and determination to get results as well. I never go anywhere without my little (actually not so little anymore!) portfolio of all of the consult reports from specialists I've seen and any test results, etc. It has saved my behind more than once!
At times I feel as if I'm obsessing a little on all of this, but as you know, when you are slammed in the face with it every hour of every day, it's difficult not to get a little obsessed! I journal, I record, I chart, I graph, and anything else that I can do to see if I can see some sort of pattern or something else that may help. I've had so many Dix-Hallpike Manoeuvres done and ironically, they have almost always shown different results. At first the ENT that I went to saw no nystagmus during the manoeuvre, but because I was experiencing a "fullness" in my left ear, he told me to go ahead and start doing the Epley Manoeurvre on the left side, which I did for ~ 6 weeks with no results. Then I saw another otoneurologist, who saw nystagmus on the right side, so she told me that I had been doing the manoeuvre on the wrong side all along, so I switched! Then, ~ 1 month later, I went to a Vestibular Therapist who saw nystagmus on both sides! So she worked out a series of VRT for me to do and we kept changing it after 2 - 3 weeks, hoping that we would hit upon something that would work! Well, nothing did, and after 8 weeks of this particular VRT, I ended up in the hospital for 3 weeks because I could no longer keep anything down and I was very weak and dehydrated. That all happened last summer/fall and since that time I still feel the 24/7 nausea and the vertigo ~2 - 5 times a week with a few ups and downs, but nothing remarkable has changed. I see a therapist once a week to try to deal with the associated anxiety and depression that seems to affect almost everyone with this illness, but I would have to say that if I had to pick one thing that has helped me the most, it would have to be finding this board. At least here, I read about how others feel and deal with things that I am experiencing, and I can say "Oh, yes, I know how you feel", and I really do! Or I can say, "Wow, that sounds like it's worth a try!" or even just, "At last, somebody who understands. I am not alone!". That's probably one of the worst things about all of this - the feeling of being alone - especially as you say - when even the doctors and specialists are guessing and don't really seem to know. I've been in offices where I have felt that the medical person I was seeing was definitely giving me vibes that this is "all in my head". It's a horrible feeling and, yes, it's depressing. But Howie, we are all here for you, everybody on this board could give you a hug or a smile and say "hang in there - it will get better!". That's what's helping me hold it all together - I'm hoping it helps you too...
We'll talk soon... let me know how it's going...
~Swirlygirl
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea?
Swirlygirl:
I agree with everything you said. I am doing better than last year. When I get bad days I tend to forget my progress from a year ago. I have 5 good days a week. Monday and Tuesday tend to be bad. I think the computer or my posture is triggering some symptoms. I have had 5 good days in a row. I also started seeing a chiropractor 1 time a week. I saw him for the 2nd time. Maybe that is helping. I am off a few days from work so I am curious what this Monday and Tuesday will be. I am fine right now. On my good days I am from 75% to 90%. On my bad days like 60%. I will keep you posted and you do the same
vestibular problem with almost constant nausea? 
Re: vestibular problem with almost constant nausea? 
