Anyone had Labrinthitis?

[kuckingfunt]

After loads of blood tests, scans etc my doctor has finally diagnosed labrinthitis. They have been ruling out everything else before diagnosing this.

I started 7 weeks ago with a terrible cold that turned into a chest infection. That cleared up with anti biotics, but the feeling crap and dizziness just carried on. It is so awful that I can't do anything and am quite limited at the moment.

Has anyone else had this and can you share your symptoms with me. I have been told that there is no cure for it, it will just clear up in time. I have been given a nasal spray to help speed it up but other than that there is nothing else they can give me. I have been to the doctors a few times before they finally diagnosed me - apparently my ear drum is really dull and flat. I have felt so ill with it though that I am finding it hard to believe that it is labrinthitis but maybe i am under estimating how horrible it is? The dizziness is bloody awful!

If you have ever had it can you come and tell me the symptoms and how long it took to go away. Also if you have any tips on how to manage it I'd be very grateful.

[sharbie]

yes it is bloody awful my grandad had it and we phoned doctors as we thought he was having another heart attack he was so ill.
also my dad had it recently - takes weeks to clear up but does improve over time.he was a bit wobbly for a while afterwards but it has now completely gone.

[Beamur]

I had it a few years ago - it was the worst I'd ever felt!
I was off work 2 weeks, but should have stayed off longer, it took a long time to fully go and I still felt a bit dizzy for several weeks afterwards - you have my sympathy, its really nasty for such a minor illness.
When it was really bad, my tactic was simply to lie as flat and still as I could, moving just made me desperately nauseous. I was given anti-emetics at first as I was being horribly sick.

[kuckingfunt]

oh I am so glad I am not imagining how crap I feel now, thanks for the responses. Not glad that you had it Beamur, or that your dad and grandad had it sharbie.

I didn't believe it could make you feel so horrible, I have had palpatations with it and when its bad can feel my pulse beating hard in my neck too, its so scarey. I have no energy and get bad headaches with it too.

What do you do to get rid of it? Or is it just a case of waiting for it to go.

[sharbie]

Unfort just wait.Dad went back to drs as his was slow to go but there wasn't anything they could do apart from anti - nausea tablets.

[Hassled]

I've had vertigo very recently which they originally thought was labarynthitis (sp) - the symptoms seem to be the same. And it's been bloody awful, tbh - I was permanently on a rocking boat, dizzy, headachey, nauseous and shit. I was prescribed something but that just made me need to sleep, which I couldn't really do, so I stopped taking them. Luckily DH was on holiday for the worst of it because I really couldn't function.

Now it's 3 weeks since it started and I'm 90% fine; I have the odd moment where I start to sway and feel a bit wobbly, but that's all. It's definately worse when I'm tired already.

I had it a few years ago as well and remember crying over how shit I felt - it's very disorientating and you don't really feel yourself. Hope you feel better soon.

[Funkychunkymunky]

I had it a few years ago. I'm sorry to say it lasted around 6 months on and off. I was referred to a balance therapist which seemed to help. Try looking up cooksey cawthorn exercises and trying a few of them.
It was awful but I did have some good days.
Taking things like stemitil can actually delay recovery.

[pantaloons]

Hi, have you seen this website?
It might shed some light for you. I had it on and off a few years ago, but was given tablets which really helped. I've just looked in the first aid box, but don't have them amymore, so can't tell you what they were called I'm afraid.

[LittleBoxes]

Poor old you! No direct experience, but my brother had it a few years ago. Uncontrollable vomiting - he was originally misdiagnosed with gastric flu, but after a week or so they realised it was labyrinthitis. The vomiting only lasted about two weeks, but he was wobbly for about six months - he looked drunk a lot of the time (which I found hilarious, of course, because I'm his big sister). He did do the exercises though, and it helped.

[kuckingfunt]

Thanks for all the responses and sympathy! It is needed!

It sounds as though I had under estimated it then hearing how some of you have suffered. I am not actually vomitting with it, and the doctor has now given me tablets to help with the dizziness so fingers crossed they work.

I have had mine weeks now. The first attack was terrible and I was actually sick for the first week or so. Now I am just dizzy all the time and too scared to go anywhere too far incase I pass out. I walked into the supermarket tonight and had to walk out again, I was just too dizzy to function.

I'll look at the website and the exercises, thanks for the links.