Hi everyone, I really hope I can get some advice here. 8 months ago, while watching TV out of the blue, the room started spinning around me. I was terrified. The entire experience lasted 8 hours, during which I threw up and sat in one spot terrified until it stopped. The following day I went to the doctor who told me my ears were not infected, I had no congestion and it would probably never happen again. Well, it did, for just as long. I went to a new doctor who treated me for inner ear inflammation with Medrol and sent me for an MRI. It showed a chronic sinus infection, but I had no congestion or drainage, just infection in the cavaties. I had told my doctor that I felt like someone was pushing on my forehead in the center with intense pressure, and I was having horrible headaches, but she said my symptoms were not consistent with sinus because Im not congested, however, she put me on antibiotics for 10 days, and another Medrol dose pack, and flonase. By the 10th day, I was feeling pretty good but not over it, and it all came back again. I called her and asked if I could do 2 weeks on the antibiotics, which I did, and I felt really good after it. (That was last week) Well, two days ago I went for a walk at 7pm, and the severe spinning started again until 2am. I went back to her on Friday, and she said that this may all be caused by allergies, which I've never had in my life (Im 38). She put me on Allegra and another Medrol pack, in case of inner ear inflammation. I took my first Allegra this morning, and I've been soooo thirsty all day, is that normal? On the days between the spinning, I feel like someone who just got off a boat, sort of wobbly. Does anyone here with allergies have these terrible spinning episodes or severe dizziness? Can anyone tell me if Allegra (180 mg) is good or not? and is it normal to make a person this thirsty I would appreciate any advice. She said we'll try this for 3 months and see a neurologist if it doesn't work. Thank you.
I suffer from severe allergies and was on allergy shots for six years, which helped tremendously. However, I still have spring and fall allergy problems, and consequently - am suffering right now. I take Allegra D and it helps me tremendously. The antihistime in it dries you out, so it does make you thirsty. Even my lips get dried out. Since having lasik surgery on my eyes last year, it makes my eyes extra dry too, so I have started cutting my pills in half so it won't do that as bad. I used to get so dizzy in the midst of allergy season, I couldn't even sit up sometimes. The only way I would feel halfway decent was to lay face down! It would also make me nauseated. The doctor told me that my eustacian tubes in my ears were blocked, and causing this. Have you been to an allergist to be tested? I always thought I had sinus problems until I went to the ENT and he told me he suspected allergies and recommended that I see an allergist. I went and tested allergic to almost everything!
Thank you for your post, I feel so relieved to hear symptoms like mine, maybe they're finally closing in on whats wrong. I didn't see an allergist, I saw an ENT, who said my ears were perfect, he sent me to an eye specialist to see if it could possibly be from eye strain, because of the headaches, but my vision was perfect. I even went to a heart specialist to see if I had Mitral Valve Prolapse, which I had had 10 years ago and that used to make me dizzy, but that had actually fixed itself and didn't show anymore, so this allergy medication is another test. My daughter had that test for her asthma and it looked horrible, she sobbed through the whole procedure. They put 70 stick marks on her back, still, I'll do it no problem, if it will help stop this dizziness, and its strange you should say what you did about laying face down, because I found the dizziness got worst when I tried to go in any position other then sit straight up, but if I could lay on my left side, it wasn't as bad as laying at an angle or my right side!!!! Whats confusing them is the chronic sinus infection, but no congestion, draining, nothing. After I was treated for that infection, they sent me for a CT scan (in February), which showed everything was clear and the infection was gone, but within a few weeks I was back having all the same symptoms of sinus, so I guess it didn't stay clear for long. This is why my doctor thinks the Allegra will prevent it from coming back.
You don't have to have sinus drainage and congestion to have sinus inflammation. The sinuses can be so inflammed and nothing is coming out. I have this and it is caused my either allergy or a genetic disorder. My ENT says that swelling in the sinus causes dizziness and it doesn't mean it is infected, just inflammed. Also, he said it is like reverse Asthma but in the sinus.
Really, antibiotics won't do anything for it. You need a CTscan to see if their is some structural problem making the inflammtion worse and a blockage. You may need these corrected with surgery. Once that is done than take rouns of steriods to reduce the inflammation once and for all. However, if no surgery you may need to go on Steroids for long term, not just a week or so. The last time I took one it was for a month and it helped my dizziness a lot.
I am still dizzy and going to ahve my 3rd sinus surgery after a year or so. It is hard to deal with, but i understand your pain and misery. Sinus inflammtion can be dealt with and don't let some doctor tell you otherwise. Some just don't understand the dizziness and sinus relation. My ENT didn't really, but he is so good he is willing to work with me and figure everything out and fix it once and for all. A good ENT/Allergist is worth it!
Ahall, wow, I went outside this morning, and now I have the spinning, dizzy feeling and the pressure between my eyes just like you describe. Just like someone has there thumb pressing in really hard. I just took some allergy medicine and hope it goes away. I feel for you, I know EXACTLY how you feel. Everything is blooming here, and it's reaking havoc on me! Now my ears are starting to hurt too.....
litthotwm, do you like in Texas too. I've heard the allergies here can be terrible, but I've never had allergies before, this is very new to me. My doctor said they can strike at anytime and I've heard last week in particular was bad for a lot of people here. The dizziness terrifies me. I have a 9 month old baby and I can't hold her when the attacks come, Im so afraid I would drop her. I cannot even stand without support. I hope it doesn't last long for you, however, it really consoles me to know Im not alone in this.
litthotwm, do you like in Texas too. I've heard the allergies here can be terrible, but I've never had allergies before, this is very new to me. My doctor said they can strike at anytime and I've heard last week in particular was bad for a lot of people here. The dizziness terrifies me. I have a 9 month old baby and I can't hold her when the attacks come, Im so afraid I would drop her. I cannot even stand without support. I hope it doesn't last long for you, however, it really consoles me to know Im not alone in this.
Actually, I live in Memphis, TN (the allergy/sinus capitol of the world)! This is the worst place to live if you have problems with this. Yesterday was particularly bad. I got so dizzy and heavy headed, I had to lay down most of the afternoon. When I had it bad like this, I also feel like I have fever, but I don't. I have made an appt with the doctor for this afternoon to get a sinus cocktail shot and another script for Allegra D. I hate to see how bad I would be if I wasn't using my nasal inhaler!!!
PS - I have forgotten what you said before - they have ruled out inner ear trouble - right?
yes, they did rule out inner ear problems. I didn't do that test where the put water in your ear, I was too scared to try that, but the ENT did a CT scan which was clear, the initial MRI showed a chronic sinus infection, which was treated, there was about 2 months between the MRI and CT (this was in Jan/Feb) but the symtoms all came back again last month. Im hoping its just sinuses triggering the dizziness, Im just so baffled by no drainage, but all the sinus pressure that I hear others mention.
Well, good luck in finding out the cause! btw - the allergy test really wasn't that bad. They did mine on the inside of my arms. I was allergic to most everything!
I have the same problem, sinus with no congestion. I have a severe dizzy spell last december, Doctor told me no sinus infection, I had spinning that lasted sometimes more than 6 hrs. I was not able to work for the month of January and February, they did all blood works, came back fine, I insisted on antibiotics, they have to change it 4 times, because of drug interaction to some of the other medicines that I took, I am 44 years old now and have bad allergies, but this is the first time i had dizzy spells that last up to now. My severe dizzy spell, stopped for almost 6 weeks, but everytime it rained my ear clogged and then the severe dizzy spell ( spinning) come on without warning. I got so deppressed and can't sleep because I been so sick since December, I am lightheaded all the time, and on top of that I developed gastritis (severe nausea) they did the CT scan, and the ENT told me everything looks normal, I don't know why everything looks normal, even my ear, when I could feel it hurts and clogged, I feel tired and lightheaded all the time, I lost more than 30 lbs since December, can't eat when I am nauseated. I cried all the time, everytime I have the dizzy spell, sometimes, they come 1 day apart. I had 2 severe dizzy attack 10 days ago. I am now taking Meclyzine 25 mgs every 6 hrs. The Amitex (decongestant) they gave me, is so strong, it gives me palpitations and high blood pressure problems, I am taking so many medicines, my husband thinks our room is a pharmacy. I used beconase nasal spray since the Nasarel don't work. I hope this is just an allergy problem or sinus problem, hoping when the weather get's better, we all get better too. I feel sorry for my small kids, I have neglected them now because of this illness. Can't do much when you are always tired and lightheaded and dizzy. I miss a lot of work, and used a lot of my time. I hope and pray that we are all okay.
Does anyone knows of a decongestant for people that have a high blood pressure. I think only decongestant can help dry the fluid in the ear, that is causing the spinning and lightheaded feeling.
I am not sure if any of the decongestants don't cause high BP. I am lucky that I don't have it, because I live off of 12 hour sudafed! During good periods, I only take half of one. I used Beconase years ago, and it always worked well for me. But, the last few years, they always give me Nasonex, but I am not sure that it works as well for me. I had been taking since early March, thinking I had a early jump of it this year, but still got the severe swelling in my sinuses and ears! I think this must be a worse than average year for us all.
I think so too, that this is the worse year for allergies, I never had dizzy spell's before, actually, I only took 2 antibiotics in my entire 44 years of life. sometimes, I feel so helpless, I wonder if I will ever get better especially worrying about this dizzy spells, can't go to stores, or anywhere worriying if I will get the severe attack. I feel so tired all the time
I think so too, that this is the worse year for allergies, I never had dizzy spell's before, actually, I only took 2 antibiotics in my entire 44 years of life. sometimes, I feel so helpless, I wonder if I will ever get better especially worrying about this dizzy spells, can't go to stores, or anywhere worriying if I will get the severe attack. I feel so tired all the time
Oh that is horrible! I used to have them bad before I took allergy shots. The decongesants usually help me alot with that. But yes, they make you nauseated and feel horrible. I hope they find something to help you soon.
Marlyn, Im so sorry to read your post, what a horrible time you are having. I went to the allergy doctor today, and he perscribed me AntiVert. He said to take it when I get the vertigo attacks, every 8 hours, but not to take it on a daily basis. He said the vertigo is just a symptom of some underlying problem and hes going to try to determine what that is. At the moment I have an awful head cold, Im completely clogged. Both me and my husband are miserable with this gunk in our heads. The allergy doctor told me my sinuses are inflammed and the vertigo, may just possibly be allergy related. I started on allegra and flonase 11 days ago, but I've stopped taking them for now until I have an allergy test on Friday. I think what the allergist was saying is allergys, cause the gunk, which causes inflammation / infection, which causes vertigo. He said its rare, but from what I see in these posts, its not that rare!!!! Please keep me updated on your progress, and I'll let you know what Im told from my side and maybe we can figure out whats causing this, its sooo scary. Does the Antivert work for you? Its supposed to abort the vertigo attacks.
I just finished up a round of Augmentin for a sinus infection a while back...and my ears are still plugged up. Ugh. My doc said they aren't really sure if decongestant do any good or not. :P Any thoughts?
Midget, decongestants will do you good. My doctor initially gave me Wellbid 1200.....Oh my Gosh....I felt like a walking zombie, really spaced me out. With this head cold driving me nuts, I had heard the Sudafed red decongestant tablets were good so I bought DayQuil, because it has 2 Tylenols, 2 red decongestants and a cough supressent in one dose. I find for the first 4 hours, my nose runs like crazy and my ears are trying to pop, but you can only take it every 6 hours, but still, its definately relieves some of the horrible symptoms of being clogged up. Try something before an infection sets in, or inflammation!!!
Everytime my ears are stuffy though, it never turns into an infection...last time it was just caused by the sinus infection. But yeah, I should do something...or something might happen this time lol
Hello, Ahall. I thought I felt better already, yesterday, my lightheaded is not as bad as the other day's but then, it started raining again last night and today, now, I am lightheaded, my sinus headache is back, my ear hurts, I am positive it is allergy related because, I had allergy for molds. It is easier for the doctor to diagnose as vertigo, because they don't know what to say I guess, the antivert (Meclizine) is prescribed as needed only, but when the spinning started, and you take the antivert medicine, it doesn't work for me anymore, the spinning still last 6 hrs to me. I had so many attacks, I kept a diary, what time it happen and the weather, the symptoms. I tried to take it every 8 hrs but one time the attack came in 6 hrs later after I took the myclezine, so I thought the medicine is not working. I called the pharmacist and I was told for vertigo, 100 mg in a 24 hr period, so you need to take it every 6 hrs for 25 mg. So far, the last spinning I had was May 6, I started taking it every 6 hrs since the 7th of May, so far, thank God, I didn't have the severe attack yet, lightheaded, but at least it is not the spinning. I will go back and see my ENT doctor on June 2. I used to sneeze a lot, but since January, when the dry sinus congestion started, I can't sneeze, that's probably the reason for the vertigo. I don't know, doctor's don't seem to know everything. We have to do research ourselves. Do you sneeze AHALL?
Wow, thats a lot of vertigo!!! I dont get it as often as you, but I live in so much fear of the next attack. Im very surprised that your doctor isn't doing more for you. The allergist told me AntiVert is not something to take on a daily basis, its really used to abort the vertigo attack. He said the vertigo is a symptom of a problem, but its his job to find out what the problem is. Personally, I think you have inflammation of the inner ear. When I had my first attack as a result of a chronic sinus infection, my doctor gave me a Medrol dose pack. I remember asking her had I not been treated for this inflammation how long would it be before it would heal itself. She said it could take months. To answer your question, no, I dont sneeze all the time, actually I hardly sneeze at all. What I do find is, because we live in a fairly rural area, when I go for walks, I get all stocked up, this causes me to sneeze like crazy and clogs my ears up, but that goes away after a few hours, however the dizziness starts. The doctor said the congestion that happens during this allergy attack, is probably causing the tube in your ear (it begins with an e!!) to get irritated, thus causing vertigo. Today, when I went to get the AntiVert, the girl in the pharmacy told me she is using it for severe vertigo too. She said, after much testing, she found that as long as she was taking Flonase and Claritin, she didn't get the attacks, otherwise, she did. Do you take Flonase?
You are right Ahall, the eustacian tube in your ear swells and it causes the ear to hurt and also the dizziness. The decongestants are supposed to help with that and so are the steriod sprays. Being a veteran of these allergy attacks - I know all too well!
I would appreciate any advice. She said we'll try this for 3 months and see a neurologist if it doesn't work. Thank you.
I have the same problem, sinus with no congestion. I have a severe dizzy spell last december, Doctor told me no sinus infection, I had spinning that lasted sometimes more than 6 hrs. I was not able to work for the month of January and February, they did all blood works, came back fine, I insisted on antibiotics, they have to change it 4 times, because of drug interaction to some of the other medicines that I took, I am 44 years old now and have bad allergies, but this is the first time i had dizzy spells that last up to now. My severe dizzy spell, stopped for almost 6 weeks, but everytime it rained my ear clogged and then the severe dizzy spell ( spinning) come on without warning. I got so deppressed and can't sleep because I been so sick since December, I am lightheaded all the time, and on top of that I developed gastritis (severe nausea) they did the CT scan, and the ENT told me everything looks normal, I don't know why everything looks normal, even my ear, when I could feel it hurts and clogged, I feel tired and lightheaded all the time, I lost more than 30 lbs since December, can't eat when I am nauseated. I cried all the time, everytime I have the dizzy spell, sometimes, they come 1 day apart. I had 2 severe dizzy attack 10 days ago. I am now taking Meclyzine 25 mgs every 6 hrs. The Amitex (decongestant) they gave me, is so strong, it gives me palpitations and high blood pressure problems, I am taking so many medicines, my husband thinks our room is a pharmacy. I used beconase nasal spray since the Nasarel don't work. I hope this is just an allergy problem or sinus problem, hoping when the weather get's better, we all get better too. I feel sorry for my small kids, I have neglected them now because of this illness. Can't do much when you are always tired and lightheaded and dizzy. I miss a lot of work, and used a lot of my time. I hope and pray that we are all okay. 
