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General health

Possible labyrinthitis- advice please. Really struggling

7 replies

NConceagain · 09/03/2020 09:45

Hello,

My MIL has been diagnosed with this recently and she's utterly miserable.

She can't move at all anymore, other than to go to the toilet but she can't do that independently and it takes a very long time to get there and back. It's only 10 or so feet away.

She says the room isn't spinning as such, but she just can't focus and see properly at all. She describes it as feeling very drunk. Blind drunk I suppose.

Anyway, I feel absolutely terrible for her. Her tablets aren't working and she seems to be gradually getting worse. She has had lots of bugs recently that she never 100% recovered from, but the GP couldn't see signs of an ear infection, but I thought that's where labyrinthitis started from.

She's now at the stage where she needs to be seen, but can't actually get anywhere and apparently they won't send a GP round because she isn't bed bound (I think she effectively is) or terminally ill.

She's very strong, but she's saying she can't cope. She's had everything under the sun, but I think this is the worst she's ever felt.

Does anyone have any advice? It's awful seeing her like this.

Thanks

OP posts:
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Cocobean30 · 09/03/2020 10:07

This sounds horrible OP. Can you call the doctors again and insist on a home visit as she can’t move?

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RachelEllenRE · 09/03/2020 10:11

My husband had this - I had to take him in, transferred him (and his sick bowl!) into a wheelchair and took him in that way. What medication does she have? My husband had about a week of feeling like it sounds like she does and then it slowly got better but it was drawn out. The tablets stopped the sickness though. I've never seen him so unwell and was very concerned initially it was something serious. I hope she has an improvement soon.

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andadietcoke · 09/03/2020 10:17

I walked my 6ft 2 husband into the GP surgery. He collapsed walking across the road and then vomited on the pavement. Delightful. I was heavily pg with DTs at the time. She could try Stugeron which is available OTC to see if it helps her symptoms enough to get out of bed, but she really needs to be seen and get some meds. Other option would be for a physio to come round and try the Epley manoeuvre but I'd feel nervous about that before she's had a diagnosis.

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Redannie118 · 09/03/2020 10:17

Has she had any bloods done? I felt like this, gp thought it was labyrithitis ( although like mil i had no swelling in ears) but subsequent bloods showed i was extremely anemic. The fact that she is saying she cant see is a worry too. If i were you i would bypass the gp and take her to AandE esp considering her age and poor health.

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andadietcoke · 09/03/2020 10:18

Sorry, just read she has had a diagnosis. Try Stugeron and physio. DH was off work for a few weeks.

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NConceagain · 09/03/2020 11:22

Thanks for your replies.

She was diagnosed, but she was seen when it wasn't this bad and it sounded like the doctor wasn't really listening to her.

She had her bloods done- the works, a couple of months ago and that all came back normal.

OP posts:
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SapatSea · 09/03/2020 13:07

I'd phone 111 or try to get her into see a GP again, even a phone call back. As others have said she could try Stugeron for the nausea. The GP could prescribe Stemetil (prochlorperazine) for the dizziness and nausea (depending on her other meds) or cinnarazine at a higher dose than in Stugeron (if nothing else it might mean she gets some sleep).

If it persists I'd try for a referral to a neurologist or better still a neurotologist to make sure she hasn't got BPPV, Menieres or Migraine associated Vertigo(MAV) which would require different meds to alleviate.

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