Dizziness

Has anyone else suffered from dizziness? I started getting dizzy when I was 5 years old. I was hospitalized then and had numerous tests done (CT, MRI). Everything came back negative. When I get dizzy I also get very nauseous, vomit, and have to go to the bathroom. My eyes also hurt really bad. Like a lot of pressure. I feel like ripping my eyeballs out it hurts that bad. I haven't been this bad since my teenage years. Thursday at work it just hit me like a brick and luckily someone else was there so I could go home. I also was on different medications when I was younger and they did nothing. Several years ago I started getting lightheaded and went to the Dr. and he prescribed Valium. There is something in it that helps with the equilibrium. It worked, but now I think my body has become used to it. I see a neurologist this coming Thursday. This is really interfering in my life. I've been in bed since Thursday. I had a bad night last night. Woke up feeling horrible. I also have 30% hearing loss in each ear so that may contribute to the dizziness.

Just wondered if anyone has dealt with this. I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. It's a horrible way to feel.

Have you ever been checked for meniere's? It can happen in children, too.

I've had problems with dizziness - but not the feel like the room is spinning type, the extreme lightheadedness. It started in childhood with not being able to tolerate the heat, getting lightheaded from standing and running (started falling at age 10), and not being able to play any wind instruments (would nearly faint from it). In my case it is an autonomic nervous system problem - so far only diagnosed as neurocardiogenic syncope/neurally mediated hypotension. It goes by a few other names and there are related/overlapping conditions. Go to youtube and look up "mystery dignosis - the woman who kept falling down".

Your mention of having to go to the bathroom does seem to suggest some sort of ANS involvement because thats one of the things your ANS controls.
An unlucky few get vestibular problems with other things that cause lightheadedness, making it even harder to figure out what's going on.


Make sure they rule out all possible hormone problems, any blood sugar issues, and possibility of other metabolism problems. ANS stuff can be easy found, but only if it is specifically looked for - otherwise nothing shows up.
Another thing that gets overlooked and causes the same symptoms you've described is an arnold- chiari malformation (part of the brain bulges out of the base of the skull) - it can be missed on MRIs and sometimes certain doctors will think it's not important.

I hope they can find a cause and a way to treat it.

Are migraines a possiblity?
I have the occasional problem with dizziness, ranging from the room spinning around and me holding onto the bed to keep from falling out to feeling "off kilter" and walking into doorways. I get sick to my stomach and feel absolutely miserable when it happens.
I've been told it's a problem with my inner ear, and that it's probably genetic. My Mom and her Mom both had the same problem.
I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy (well, maybe on my worst enemy).
I hope you find the cause soon, and that it's nothing serious. Feel better.

Strange_wings - I don't think its meneire's since it usually consists of ringing or buzzing in the ear and I don't have either. I get the type of vertigo that is so severe I have nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. (sorry for being so blunt) I will definitely tell the neurologist about other reasons you have mentioned. Thank you for being so helpful.

Libby - I have migraines sometimes, but I don't get dizzy when I have them. No one in my family has this problem but me and I'm thankful for that.

I'm sorry that the both of you have experienced this. Thanks for the vibes.

Originally Posted by LovesMyCats

Strange_wings - I don't think its meneire's since it usually consists of ringing or buzzing in the ear and I don't have either. I get the type of vertigo that is so severe I have nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. (sorry for being so blunt) I will definitely tell the neurologist about other reasons you have mentioned. Thank you for being so helpful.

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Unless a doctor specifically tests and rules it out you can't know. Not everyone presents with the same symptoms for things.

The other ANS issue I have but haven't been diagnosed with (backwards state, it usually takes a specialized clinic to actually know about this) is POTS. My typical heart rate increase from resting to standing is 60+ bpm, sometimes it can be over 100bpm increase - I can't stand those days, and like you end up stuck in bed. I also get that intense pressure feeling you mentioned.
I really hope this isn't going on for you, because if it is and you've had it since childhood - you'd be stuck with it. Valium is something that gets prescribed to some - with varying results.

Despite all of that I've never had a migraine make me dizzy, either. Go figure.

Good luck Thursday, let us know how it goes?

I have periodic dizziness which so far no dr has been able to even give a hypothesis as to the cause...

my Aunt ( not a blood relative) had years of it , though many thought it was a medicine interaction with her

Originally Posted by sharky

I have periodic dizziness which so far no dr has been able to even give a hypothesis as to the cause...

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I'm pretty sure you've mentioned PMDD before, though - a possible aggravating factor.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

You've mentioned PMDD before, though - a possible aggravating factor.

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very true my by periodic episodes I mean one that last 6-10 months every few years ...

Dizziness is a BIG symptom of B12 deficiency. Mention to you doctor - it's complicated to get tested for pernicious anemia, but ask your doc for a B12 shot and see if it helps and if so, that's a start. Hope you get it figured out, it's scary to get dizzy if you are out or worse, driving.

Strange-wings - not sure if its POTS. When it hit me Thursday I was sitting up in a chair talking. I felt really dizzy and got nauseous. I felt fine before I went to work. I will definitely report back on Thursday.

Sharky - I'm sorry you've experienced this as well. It can definitely impact your life.

Swamp_Witch - I will ask the Dr. about possible B12 deficiency. Thank you for the information.

I didn't see the nausea part in your original post - another symptom of B12 deficiency - so definitely worth checking that out.

^ A question, though. Could someone have it from 5 years old and not have it cause severe nerve damage by now? I've always read that if you have it and it's left untreated for quite a while that it can cause lasting damage.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

^ A question, though. Could someone have it from 5 years old and not have it cause severe nerve damage by now? I've always read that if you have it and it's left untreated for quite a while that it can cause lasting damage.

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I'm not an expert but I'd guess it depends on how much of a supply of B12 the body has stored and how much ingested B12 can be utilized by the body. Stress robs the body of B12 (as does alcohol), so it's possible for the B12 levels to go up and down. Nerve damage occurs, like you said, if the B12 level is low for a long time, but how low and how long? I don't know. Symptoms (dizziness and nausea) can occur with just a slight drop, but maybe not enough for any kind of major nerve damage.

(I can only speak from my experience, I have pernicious anemia and very little nerve damage, and wasn't diagnosed until I was 29.)

I have been having fainting issues since I was about 10. My mom thought I was having a seizure. She never took me to a doctor tho. It didn't happen again until I was 16. The second time, it was just my legs gave out for no reason.. My hands did this weird crampy thing. I would have a fainting/seizure episode every year or so. No two episodes were alike, but I always figured they were some how related.

Then I had a severe brain injury. Now I am on anti-seizure meds. The mneurologist says I have to take them for the resst of my life. Sometimes, when I forget to take a dose of my meds, I will wake up in the middle of the night, and I will feel so sick I will get up and go downstairs. I feel likie I either have to throw up or go to the bathroom, but never wind up doing either. Both times this happened, I fainted. I felt dizzy, but didn't kno I was going to faint. The first time, I went upstairs to go back to bed and about halfway up I fainted and fell backwards down the stairs. The second time it happened, I knew I would faint, but I didn't try to go upstairs. I just wanted to lay down on the couch, but barely made it to the livingroom before I fainted, and split my lip open, also getting rugburn in the process.

I now remember to always take my medicine, and I haven't had any problems since I started taking it properly.

I don't have "dizziness" per se, where the room spins. But I do have vertigo or pre-syncope. That feeling of going to faint where you get greying vision, ringing in the ears, a light headed feeling and see little stars. If I don't sit down or lean over something when that happens, I will pass out. The doctors don't know why it happens. It's part of what kept me off work for so long. I've gotten so used to them now because they were happening dozens of times per day at one point, that I seem to get an aura or premonition that I am going to feel light headed and am able to sit down before it happens.

SwampWitch - Apparently it doesn't take much to cause peripheral neuropathy
this way. A moderate drop can do it. My point was if a being a bit off can do it, what would having been that way since 5 years old have done? There would likely be a lot of damage - it would probably be hard to miss by now if that were the case.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I don't have "dizziness" per se, where the room spins. But I do have vertigo or pre-syncope.

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Vertigo and pre-syncope are two different things. Vertigo IS the spinning or off kilter feeling like everything is moving around you. What you described is just pre-syncope, if it's happening after standing it's an episode of orthostatic hypotension (even people with high BP can get this). It's not that uncommon for it to happen in people with thyroid issues. Several medications can cause it, too, such as SSRIs. And heart problems can cause it..

Originally Posted by strange_wings

if it's happening after standing it's an episode of orthostatic hypotension (even people with high BP can get this). It's not that uncommon for it to happen in people with thyroid issues. Several medications can cause it, too, such as SSRIs. And heart problems can cause it..

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I've had all kinds of tests done and the doctors have no clue why it's happening to me. It doesn't just happen when I stand up. It could happen when I've been sitting down, laying down, standing still, walking...there is no rhyme or reason as to when it occurs. It just hits and bam!

My antinuclear antibody test was slightly elevated but the pain doctor wasn't too concerned about it because the other tests she did (a huge number for all kinds of diseases) came back as normal.

I saw a cardiologist and had a number of tests done and my heart is absolutely fine according to him. I got fed up and finally resorted to Google and typed in all of my symptoms and Dysautonomia popped up. I'm pretty sure that's what I have because I have nearly every single symptom listed. The symptoms I have are in red.

http://www.dinet.org/symptoms.htm

With dysautonomia, a person may become dizzy, lose her balance, faint, and experience various aches and pains. Other symptoms include fatigue to exhaustion, various chest pains, headaches, severe panic or anxiety attacks, tachycardia, hypotension, poor exercise tolerance, dizziness, sleep disorders, tinnitus, gastrointestinal symptoms (IBS), sweating, blurred vision, numbness and tingling, and depression.

Other secondary symptoms of MVPS/D include hot/cold sensations, heat/sun intolerance, shakiness, swelling in limbs, shortness of breath, excessive perspiration or inability to perspire, fibrocystic breast disorder, rashes, difficulty concentrating or poor memory, heightened sensitivity to smell or sound, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), scoliosis, low body temperature, endometriosis, muscle aches, allergies, and excessive gas.

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The treatment is symptom by symptom management which is what I've been getting. I've just never been officially diagnosed as having it. But I'd bet a month's salary that's what it is.

Here is a thread where I talk more about it and some other symptoms that I have which are also symptoms of this.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=171638

I just don't know who to see to get diagnosed. My new family doctor is rather green. The ink is barely dry on his medical certificate!

Oh, I remember that post. But here's something to remember, dysautonomia is not a diagnosis in and of itself. It's a category of disorders. An umbrella term for everything from familial dys to NCS. I have NCS/NMH and POTS - but not the type of dys that PAF or MSA causes (these are more serious and affect a lot more in the body - you don't survive MSA).

I would suggest NCS/NHM due to how common it is BUT you can work as a nurse and standing is an issue with this. POTS would have your heart rate up. Unspecified orthostatic intolerance wouldn't be as big of an issue when laying down - though you can still feel like crap on some days no matter what. PAF would see you having a lot of issues and probably not able to handle a stressful job that would make you sicker.

There are so many diseases that can affect the ANS, ones that affect hormones almost always do in some way or another. Which is why your thyroid issues should be where you'd look first. There's other things like mathias gravis that have a huge overlap, too, as well as other autoimmune disorders. Even having a past neck injury can do it. It's just a big unspecificied mess for some..
One other thing is that for many that do not have another disease causing it, is that it's more commonly something that hits women when they're younger (those darn hormones again) and kids that are growing.

I'm glad to know your heart is completely healthy, though!

I just carry on. Treat my symptoms and sit when I need to. Hopefully switching to a less physically demanding job will help too. The last year since I've been back to work has been awful working with patients at the bedside. Too much walking/running, bending/stooping, lifting. I was a physical mess after my shifts and for most of my days off.

I also found out that my Vitamin D levels are still in my boots! You're supposed to have a value of 75 or higher to be therapeutic. In late 2007 mine was 29 and I was having horrid, horrid pain. I was on high doses of Vitamin D for 6 months and then a daily dose of 1,000 which I increased to 3,000 after a few months and have been taking 3,000 iu everyday since fall of 2008.

I had a Vitamin D level done in April and the results were just processed and delivered to my pain doctor last week!!! My levels are still low at 49.

So now I'm back to 100,000 iu per week

My thyroid is fine. My T4 is low normal, my TSH is normal but the doctor put me on low dose synthoid which has helped my energy level greatly. I'm not so lethargic and actually have more energy.

So maybe one day it will all come together in a nice package. It's slowly coming along. Aging sure sucks!

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I just carry on. Treat my symptoms and sit when I need to. Hopefully switching to a less physically demanding job will help too. The last year since I've been back to work has been awful working with patients at the bedside. Too much walking/running, bending/stooping, lifting. I was a physical mess after my shifts and for most of my days off.

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I hope it helps you, too. Besides, IMO, you've definitely earned a less demanding job.

Since you are older, and female, you may just need to always take a calcium and vit D supplement. Some women just can't get enough from foods and sunlight. My mother is an avid sunbather but found out this year (during the summer, no less) that her vit D levels were very low and she has osteoporosis - I had been telling her to get this checked since 2003. She's only 46.

I still say keep an eye on thyroid and other hormones - they cause a whole slew of problems and shouldn't be ignored. Synthoid doesn't work so well for some, but here Armour is getting pulled by the FDA (politics and money, there's nothing wrong with it).
Have you had a GTT with insulin draw?