Forgive me if this is too long to read, but typing it out is cathartic. I'm an otherwise healthy 34 year-old male and am undergoing a stressful point in life. About 2 weeks ago, I woke up feeling normal. However, I quickly noticed the room was spinning wildly in a clockwise pinwheel motion. I couldn't shake the spinning and disorientation. Walking was difficult and required putting hands on the wall. I also experienced what I would call a full panic attack - tightness in the chest, rapid heart beat and tingling extremities. Thoughts of stroke and heart attack danced in my head. Fortunately, my wife hadn't left for work yet and could help me. We went to the doctor within a few hours who felt it was an "inner ear" issue (I had been up to the mountains the day before) and prescribed anti-inflammatories (including Decadron). The other symptoms were dismissed as anxiety from the flight/flight response and things checked out fine.
The true vertigo came in waves for a full 2 hours that morning, and during the next 36 hours I continued to feel sensations of dizziness. The following night things were getting a bit better when the vertigo hit hard like someone flipping a switch. I was typing at the computer and then everything started spinning. Again the tight chest and tingling sensations immediately returned. It was so scary, we decided to go to the ER where I required a wheelchair and puked my guts out in triage. While my BP was very high at the time, they checked out my heart and major vessels with no signs of anything wrong. I was very concerned something was cardiovascularly wrong, but the ER docs said that was highly unlikely with my presentation and description of sudden vertigo. I also had a nystagmus when tracking the doc's finger side to side. They said that temporary high BP also wouldn't present these symptoms. Again it appeared that the vertigo caused the panic response and not the other way around. That night was another 3 hours of horrible, completely disorientating vertigo. They prescribed Antivert and Valium - which seemed to help a little.
For the next 10 days I feel tingling (pins and needles more than falling asleep) and sensations of dizziness (but not true vertigo, although it's come close). I stagger around like I've had a few drinks. My eyes have trouble tracking text and focusing correctly. There’s just a strange swimming feeling always going on in my brain. It comes in waves but strongest in the mornings and evenings. On my hope BP machine, the numbers are pretty good. Sometimes I think I'm turning the corner and then it comes right back. Today I returned to my personal doc who said the Decadron should have cleared up any inner ear inflammation within a week, it’s not working and is time to take it to the next step. He also re-agrees with the ER docs that it is not related to my heart or circulation. I mentioned that in my research MS often comes up with attacks of vertigo and tingling sensations (along with circulatory and inner ear problems). He says it's a possibility but sees more initial presentations in bodily control (legs, bladder, etc).
So, now I have an appointment to see the ENT where they will also do a full workup ear workup - including a full MRI brain and spine (to rule out other causes – including things like Meniere’s Disease, benign tumor and MS). So, the possibilities are now placed in front of me and I start thinking back. There's been other times when I've been oddly dizzy but have been able to shake it off. I've also experienced dead legs (like I ran 5 miles but did nothing), strange radiating pains and tingling extremities - all very temporary and quickly pushed out of mind. My medical history has also included bouts of random psoriasis and borderline low platelets – both attributable to an overactive immune system. I know I shouldn't too worked up, and take things as they come but still have to face the possibility of MS. To top things off, I’m supposed to be taking the Bar exam next month – which I’m sure is an big underlying cause of stress. Thankfully, forums like this exist to vent and learn. Thanks for listening (if you made it this far). Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Hi there....well, as the old saying goes...don't borrow trouble unless there is reason to. Until you have an MRI and other testing done, you shouldn't even stress about it too much. I know that is easier said than done. It could be any number of things, hopefully nothing serious, but you won't know for sure until you get test results. Sometimes years go by before one gets a definate diagnosis, I hope that isn't the case for you. I was diagnosed with MS rather soon after having optic neuritis. But looking back over the years, there were many signs/symptoms I had.
Take care and let us know how things go. God bless!
In the first days between the appts. with my PCP and my neuro when my symptoms first presented, I looked up all my symptoms on the internet and made myself sick worrying about what I could or couldn't have. I look back on that now, and realize that it was a really dumb thing to do. Since then, I have been in and out of the hospital with other medical problems, and I don't work myself into a tizzy about it.....what is going to happen, will happen, and I go on from there.
Once you get some idea of what you are dealing with, after the doctor appt. and the tests, then you can begin to deal with all of it. Please try not to worry too much!
Thanks for posting your "story"......let us know how things go!!!!
Thanks for responses. I've tried to keep my medical speculations to a minimum.
This week, I continued down the chain and went to the ENT for a thorough ear workup. Nothing presented itself as an obvious source of vertigo/dizziness (eg, Meniere's).. The doctor opined that it was probably Acute Labyrinthitis and prescribed another round of steroids (Prednisone this time) to knock it down. She said it take a long time to resolve. I do have an open referral to have a full head and spine MRI - to investigate the ear and rule out "other neurological sources." It was suggested that I go, but might want to hold off and see if this round of meds helps. I'm gonna try to wait it out a bit. If another attack of true vertigo hits, I'll schedule right away. In the meantime, I'm still experiencing definite attacks of moderate disequilibrium. It's a royal PITA.
Thanks for responses. I've tried to keep my medical speculations to a minimum.
This week, I continued down the chain and went to the ENT for a thorough ear workup. Nothing presented itself as an obvious source of vertigo/dizziness (eg, Meniere's).. The doctor opined that it was probably Acute Labyrinthitis and prescribed another round of steroids (Prednisone this time) to knock it down. She said it take a long time to resolve. I do have an open referral to have a full head and spine MRI - to investigate the ear and rule out "other neurological sources." It was suggested that I go, but might want to hold off and see if this round of meds helps. I'm gonna try to wait it out a bit. If another attack of true vertigo hits, I'll schedule right away. In the meantime, I'm still experiencing definite attacks of moderate disequilibrium. It's a royal PITA.
I would definitely not postpone the MRI. Please go asap, since there is a chance of having MS, the sooner you get diagnosed, the sooner you can start your meds and slow down the progression. I was tested for everything under the sun before having the option to schedule an MRI, and it was very frustrating. Tests included diabetes, B12 deficiency, iron deficiency, inner ear, checked hemoglobin, had chest x ray and ct scan... I don't know how long you would have to wait, but it took my appointment 8 months. I was diagnosed with MS yesterday. My symptoms were vertigo, dizziness, clumbsiness, numbness in the hands and upper abdomen. However, I have no symptoms at the moment and hopefully not anytime soon having relapsing-remitting MS. I know how awful it feels to suddenly wake up and have your head swim, and to feel like someone drugged you and you can't get sober. It took me a few months, but I hope that won't be the case for you. Good luck and please cover all bases sooner than later.
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