Need some encouragement - Inner Ear Disorders Message Board

Jen30 · 08-14-2003, 04:20 AM

Hello everyone

I've been dizzy for 11 months now and was convinced I was safely on the road to recovery. I recently experienced over 3 weeks of feeling almost my old self. What happened? Today is day 10 of feeling terrible. Constant, constant moving. I just want to get off this ride!!! How can I have such a setback??

dizzyblonde1 · 08-14-2003, 05:32 AM

Hi Jen, I'm afraid I totally understand the way you feel. I am four months in to this and was finally feeling that I was getting there, until saturday night when I took a bit of a nosedive and am still feeling pretty poor.

I put mine down to weather (we had lots of thunderstorms over the weekend) and my period which always seems to affect me, and I'm trying to reassure myself that this is just a little blip.

Unfortunately from what everyone else on here has said, it does seem that this is just what happens occasionally as you recover. Don't let yourself think you're back to square one though, you are still getting better, it's just a case of two steps forward and one step back. Maybe next time you'll have four good weeks before a bad patch and then six.

Keep your chin up hon, you are going to get rid of this thing, hope you feel better soon xx

hbep · 08-14-2003, 06:32 AM

Hi Jen and Dizzyblonde,

I know this isn't quite what you had in mind, Jen, but also been going through a set back - was fairly inconsolable last night as I was back to being so out of it I could barely have a conversation. I had such a fantastic day on Saturday dizzy wise I forgot about dizziness completely, only to be hit by the monster on Saturday night with horrible ferocity. I'm figuring if we're all experiencing these set backs after a good stretch - then it's a normal part of the process and we'll all get back on track. (I sound more optimistic than I feel.)

Are there any triggers you can think of? Along with the dizzies I have an (I believe) tmjd induced headache/face ache that is making me want to rip my face off. My neck and shoulders are also bad. Are you in any other pain - headaches etc... Been clenching a lot etc? I do think if you're a tmjd sufferer it's a vicious cycle - pain = stress = increase in dizziness, whether neck tension or inner damage induced. I've recently started trying to work consistently again - planning a project - quite stressful - think that's also a big part of it. I also got my period the day after this recent bout of horror started - like Dizzyblonde, this is a big factor for me, and I know it is for you too. My physio told me that your period, whether mid cycle or actual, will also adversely impact on neck and jaw problems, as will extreme heat - the soaring temps in England recently have played a big part for me, I think.These things, as you know, also impact on the inner ear. Well, these all seem to be factors, but, like you, I don't know. Are you still on the tricyclics? You haven't recently come off them or anything? Guess that could also be a factor, don't know.

I wish I could offer you more encouragement, Jen, but I can't other than to say I'm also experiencing a set back, and this must mean it's all part of the process of recovery. It's just so hard to believe it when you've experienced the sheer euphoria of better health. Got to admit at the moment I just want to cry and throw things. The only advice I can offer is to tell you what I'm doing, trying very hard not to panic, not to create more tension in my body etc. Much easier said than done I know, can't say I'm being 100% successful in this. Also, I do think that better health promotes more activity, I think that there comes a point when you're still compensating where your brain suddenly realises it's being given more to do, gets fed up and decides to stop co operating for a while. It's like your brain's gone back to school, is a diligent student, then gets fed up for a bit, plays truant, goes shopping and doesn't give in its homework. It will, however, after a brief respite, get back in to the classroom.

Wishing you much better again soon Jen, I know you will be, really, truly.

best,

hbep.

Subs30 · 08-14-2003, 09:52 AM

Hi Jen

Sorry to hear that you have gone 10 days----but should be ending shortly----I would think----in fact---3 weeks of 100% is an excellent sign---far better then I have done---to date---&---I've been at for 12months now.

Below is just some highlights from the article on the web site I listed after the "highlights"---------

Decompensation simply means that the brain has 'forgotten' the fine-tuning procedure it developed during the chronic compensation phase described above.

Events that can provoke Decompensation include a bad cold or the flu, minor surgery,

long vacations,

or anything that stops normal daily activity for a few days.

Recovery after Decompensation is exactly like the recovery that occurs during the chronic compensation phase. Movements and activities are the stimuli the brain needs to fine-tune the system.

Usually recovery after Decompensation is quicker than the recovery after the initial injury to the balance system.

It's important to remember that even after the symptoms go away, the balance system remains injured, and the brain has simply adapted to the injury.

For many patients, dizziness will return months or years after compensating for a balance system injury.

[url="http://www-personal.umich.edu/~boismier/Compensa.htm"]http://www-personal.umich.edu/~boismier/Compensa.htm[/url]

Any correlation of the dizziness---- to certain positioning of your body????

Your----3 weeks of 100%---- after 11 months-----is good-----it a shame that "long vacations" can cause a person to decompensate---but for some reason----in some people the medical evidence---indicates that it can-------wonder if that is what happened here------were you on vacation to "Perth" or did I get that wrong???

In any case----think----you will pick up where you left off shortly------Good Luck!!

scant5 · 08-14-2003, 10:03 AM

Far be it for me to give you any form of encouragement since I had my little breakdown a couple of days ago.
My biggest thing that I believe holds me back is the fact that I can't get rid of the anxiety. This is a constant battle with me. However, Hbep mentioned a while back if I was doing any of the VRT exercises and I said I didn't think they were going to help because they didn't make me dizzy when I did them. However what I do and I owe this to Subs also is I make myself walk at least 45 minutes to 1 hour every evening after dinner. This is where I do my VRT exercises because I feel that not only are you stimulating that stubborn brain but you are also getting the blood flowing and moving those endorphins. I will say that sometimes when I am having a bad day that when I come back from my walk I still don't feel any better but I would say 8 out of 10 times it makes me feel better inside. I know that you said you started back at the gym, but it might be a nice idea for you to try a really brisk walk and practice the drunk walk test with your eyes open and then with your eyes closed. I do it on a flat surface then on an incline. I find a cloud and focus from the cloud to a tree back and forth and count 1 onethousand 2 one thousand until I hit twenty. I don't know if you have any country roads where you are but this is what I do every night. I don't care who sees me.
I walk 5 paces then bend down and pick up a leaf or a rock and continue this down the road. I hate this thing just as much as the rest of you. What are we going to do? I have no choice but to keep fighting this. I am doing every possible thing I can imagine to get myself better. Have you considered trying the johns of Ohio regime? I spoke to my acupuncturist who is incredibly knowledgable and he said either way it is going to increase the blood circulation. Jen, you have been their so many times for me and I can only send you healthy vibes. I hate to say this but I think Subs, I'm sorry to bring you into this but Jen needs you. She's always been a fighter. We ask so much from you Subs, but you always know what to say. Please pick this girl up!

{{{{{Hug}}}}}
Kathy

Hbep,Dizzyblonde, I hope that better days are just around the corner.