Heisenberg

Hello All!

I am a 28 year old female that has experienced dizziness/vertigo for over 20 years. My doctors seem wonderfully clueless so I'm reaching out in hopes some of these symptoms seem familiar or some of you awesome people have suggestions. I'm going to see my general practicioner next week so I want to bring up other ideas/questions. Some background:

I've had hearing tests, ecogs, caloric testing, and the video nystagmus testing things done, all results were normal.

I've had dizzy "spells" since I was a child. Not as often as I do now but I remember going home from school as a kid because I was dizzy.

I've been diagnosed with vertigo. I've been given antivert, which does nothing, and Scopolamine patches for the more severe episodes. I've tried B-Vitamins, Lipoflavanoids, low sodium diets and don't consume caffeine.

I had vestibular therapy for 6 weeks a few years ago, for over a month, every time I turned my head to the right I became very dizzy. The therapy didn't have any effect and the symptoms eventually went away.

A few times a month, the hearing in one ear (happens to both but not at the same time) fades to a high pitched ringing. I can still hear but it's diminished and eventually fades back in.

Once or twice a month I get really bad dizzy twinges that come on like a gong being struck in my head. It only lasts a few seconds but it feels like the world has turned upside down to the point where I have to grab my head and curl up until it passes.

Shopping will almost always make me feel dizzy and/or out of it. The harsh lights, moving my head/eyes up and down and back and forth to look at items and the people milling around in the background trigger the icky feelings.

I almost always feel "out of it"

If I toss and turn at night I will almost always wake up dizzy. If I turn over, sometimes I'll feel dizzy for a few seconds and know that when I get up it's going to be a dizzy day.

I have to sleep with a few pillows, laying flat triggers dizziness.

Some more background:

I had tubes in my ears as a kid due to constant ear infections, I have TMJ and PCOS. Within the last year I was diagnosed with tension headaches and shingles. I'm on Inderal for anxiety and am generally a very anxiety ridden person.

Weird new stuff: eyelids twitching everyday, my scalp/forehead have now started twitching/crawling/tingling and when I squint or scrunch my nose, my face twitches

I'm interested in the ties between anxiety and vertigo/dizziness and with the headaches/nerve twitches/TMJ I'm also wondering if muscle contractions or nerve problems might be possible. My symptoms are all over the place and are exacerbated by my anxiety issues, I'm sure. I went to have an MRI but was too claustrophonic and didn't have it done. My mind jumps to omg I have a brain tumor/MS/ALS, etc and I don't know where to go from here. Except crazy. If anyone has any advice or suggestions, I'd be very greatful. Thanks!


Samantha