Dizzy, face tingles ANY CLUES????? - Open to All Other Health Topics Message Board

nancyj1922 · 02-21-2005, 02:02 PM

I am going crazy over this. First I'm just about 50.

I went to the dr. in Nov. because I almost blacked out in class while seated reading a story. My dr. told me that I was probably just tired. Gave me meclazyne and told me that should help. In a week or so, symptoms stopped.

About 10 days ago, they started again. The world spins. Now the big difference is that it is happing all the time. I have been off work now since last Tuesday and spinning started the Thurs. before.

Since then, I went to the dr. again, who sent me to an ear, noes and thoat dr. He also sent me for an ultrasound of my carotid artery.

The ultrasound came back fine.

The ear, noes, thoat guy asked me why I was sent to him. Guess my ears are fine too, minus high notes.

He referred me to a neurologist..who doesn't want to see me until after I get tests run. (MRI and MRA) Soonest I can get in is Mar. 1 and then I don't even have an appointment with the neurologist (who I haven't met) until March 14th!

In the meantime the dizziness seems worse. With the exception of that one day in class, I usually don't get dizzy seated. Today I have had waves of dizziness come over me while I am sitting on the couch grading papers.

I have to go back to work tomorrow and wait another 2 weeks for tests. I'm out of time off, I still have no answers, everyone is looking at me like I'm nuts

Only catch, no one seems to think that it is any big deal! Yes you need an MRI and to see a neurologist and we know it is getting worse all the time...how is 3 weeks from now????????????

I have had a lot of you say it may be labyrinthsitis...not an ear problem. Does anyone else have any clues? I really need some ideas...the only ones that don't seem to be looking too hard are my doctors.

Nancy

Marie55 · 02-21-2005, 02:27 PM

I had similar problems and after 10 years found a doctor who knew what the problem was. I am a "hidden hyperventilater". Oxygen is in the red carpusles but cannot released unless there is a balance of carbon dioxide. I blow off too much carbon dioxide when I breathe. I have no idea I am hyperventilating but I am in a quiet manner. This caused vital organs to be deprived of oxygen causing the dizziness/blackouts, etc. Rebreathing in paper sack 5 minutes every hour for 3 months corrected the problem, not a complete cure tho. I still have to rebreathe in paper sack few times during the day, every morning and at bedtime. This problem is also referred to as being a "chronic hyperventilater". This condition is not recognized by most doctors. Three internists and one cardiologist had no clue as to what was wrong with me and brushed me off as a hypocondriac. I finally went to a hypertension specialist at a medical school. The doctor was a professor. Practice taking deep breaths with tummy going in and out rather than shoulders going up and down and very slow exhale. Usually a person is a shallow breather.

Blacking out even for a few seconds is no fun. I missed out on many complete sentences spoken due to the split second blackouts. The brain needs oxygen as swell as heart and lungs. Muscles need oxygen too. Well, the whole body needs it, but, vital organs must get it in order for rest of body to get oxygen. It caused my bloodpressure to spike to stroke territory after 10 years. It was minor in the beginning and got worse over time.

Be sure and ask doctors to check your breathing. There is a blood test for carbon dioxide levels but if done early in the day it will not really tell you anything since the body returns to normal breathing while sleeping, so, the body will have more carbon dioxide in the morning. It also varies from time to time during the day depending on how you are breathing.

nancyj1922 · 02-21-2005, 02:56 PM

Thanks. Did you have any problems breathing normally? ANy other signs. I am just so concerned at this point. At least this is something that has not come up before and a different direction. SAD, I am actually starting to collect ideas so I can tell the doctors I want a test run. I am sure they think I am just nuts. The only thing nuts is the fact that I don't know what is going on and either do they. Again, thanks for your post. I'm going to find a bag right now to give it a try.