AIBU to go to a&e

[Zd24]

Posting for traffic but basically I have been unwell for 4 months, in September I started feeling “dizzy” out of the blue, when I say dizzy I don’t mean spinning, I struggled to explain it to doctors at first. There is 2 ways I would describe the “dizziness” one is being on a boat like when you feel a boat move, it will feel like that for a split second, stop and then after it will happen again, only when I’m outside walking. Another way I could explain it is I’ll just be walking and all of a sudden it feels like the ground has moved beneath my feet for a split second, I went to the gp in September as I had this along with ear pain, doctor said could be labyrinthitis but my ears looked fine and said he didn’t know what it was and to come back if it contuined, I went back to the gp 3 times more within 3 weeks, by the end of the 3 weeks I ended up with a really bad sinus infection so the gp gave me antibiotics and put all my symptoms down to a viral infection turned bacterial. Dizziness eventually went away and then it started again mid October, sinus infection most of the symptoms resolved however I was still having green smelling discharge coming out of my nose every morning so it never fully went away even after course of antibiotics. I’ve been like this since mid October, dizziness some days is better some days worse, I had a viral illness last month and it ended with a severe sinus infection, I went to the pharmacy and had more antibiotics which I finished, but this time the symptoms haven’t got better, on the left side mainly I have pain and popping feelings in my ear, pain around my face where my sinuses are, constant green smelling discharge and a bad smell in my nose even after finishing the antibiotics, I went to the gp yesterday and explained all this and the “dizziness” she said she things it was acute sinusitis now chronic sinusitis, she looked in my nose and said the left side had congestion and most of the pain when touching my face and ear pain is on my left side. She said the next step will be to try steroid nasal spray, I started that yesterday and feel even worse, I had a really bad tension headache last night in the sides of my head, felt ok this morning and dizziness seemed a bit better, but after taking the spray this morning I have so much pressure in my face and loads of green smelling discharge coming out and ear pain, my mum things the spray is starting to work and the infection is coming out but I’m not sure ? Just been in Lidl with my 14 month old and i haven’t felt that “dizzy” before, I have so much pressure in my head and got back into the car and burst into tears, I’ve been dizzy for 4 months and now it’s got worse. I don’t know what to do, it’s genuinely ruining my life, I’m so depressed because of it and I’m scared there is something more that’s wrong or worse.

I’m feeling like I should go to hospital now as no one seems to be taking it seriously, I’ve got pain behind the back of my eyes since this morning and my face hurts to touch, my ears keep hurting and popping and as I said the dizziness has got worse since starting the spray, this can’t be normal how I’m feeling. Would I be unreasonable to go to a&e ? I am really worried this is something serious.

if anyone has been through something like this can you please give me any positive stories or advice? I thought for a long time the dizzziness was stress and anxiety but it’s not just making me physically ill it’s also making me mentally ill, it’s triggered severe panic attacks which I’ve never suffered with.

I just feel so “full” inside my head, nose and ears. I just don’t want to leave it and something bad happening. Honestly don’t know what to do.

The red flags for sepsis are posted above - she hasn’t posted that she has any.

Everyone everywhere should be aware that any infection (including chicken pox, UTI’s, ear infections) can turn into sepsis or meningitis - but it’s incredibly rare with sinusitis. Sinusitis is no more risky that the mentioned infections.

If the OP has red flag symptoms she should go to A&E, not faff with 111. Otherwise there’s a lot of suggestions on this thread that can help her.

It doesn’t sound like an accident or an emergency and I agree with other people saying that if it is as bad as you say it is you shouldn’t be driving. You could kill someone .

It could be the crystals in your ears have moved in the balance canals.

I had a really bad cold a few years ago that left me with dizziness, that would come on suddenly, sometimes I would wake up with it. Went to the doctors several times over the months and was given various tablets etc.
Finally got it solved by using the Epley maneuver. It may be worth a try.

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Also OP, nobody on here knows how bad you feel except you. I hate the fact that people in the UK are questionning basic facts like whether theyre entitled to get medical help or have to suffer and endager their lives instead. I live in a European country where I can go straight to any hospital and be seen by a specialist within 30minutes, for anything from tonsilitis to a gynecological infection. It's beyond tragic that that's not the case in the UK.

My friend's child had chicken pox and ended up in a coma with a severe infection... rare things do happen. Thankfully she's ok now.

Many GP do not know much about Vertigo conditions except for BPPV for which there is Epley manoeuvre and some other manoeuvres which should be done by ENT specialist. There is also PPPV as well - not so easily treated in Uk - which I have had for many years. If you find it is not your sinus causing your lack of balance ENT at University Hospital London is the best I found - they also have the ''Epley chair'' (a medical moving chair for vertigo treatment) - there are only 2 in UK - the other one is in Coventry I think. (Lots of these chairs in France and USA).

Yes, you’re confirming what I thought. And presumably it’s becoming an alternative to a GP surgery because patients often can’t actually get appointments at GP surgeries, or when they are they’re not able to get an issue resolved, and then it does become serious.

You know what though, like I said, there’s ways of saying it.

Absolutely they do - which is why I posted the red flags above and have repeated the advice that it’s A&E or 999if there are any. I gave a relative who had sepsis from a uti.

Hlad the kid is ok now.

Yes. Is the short answer.

I've had the same sort of dizziness on and off for about 30 years.
Antihistamines were the best thing I was given - dries everything up and makes you less congested. This was the point we realised I'm allergic to antihistamines. Hence I still get the dizziness ( definitely not spinning but the floor shifting or walking on marshmallows)

I take it your iron isn't low? As they checked it when they did blood tests? Could it be a low blood pressure issue?

Surely you’ll be triaged and wait for hours. Not sure if you’re in a 50 hour area but I wouldn’t go unless an emergency

I went through all this about 15 years ago. Went on for at least a year, going through all the usual protocols of various antibiotics, steroid sprays, tried the netipot, saline spray etc - eventually ENT ordered a CT scan which showed chronic sinusitis, blocked sinuses one side more than the other could be seen on the scan. Had an operation which was a sinoplasty and septoplasty as I apparently had a deviated septum also. Took a few months to settle and really feel the benefit, but (touch wood) I’ve not had a sinus infection since and can breathe normally apart from the usual run of the mill colds. Life changing! Long story short, push your GP for an ENT referral, use private if you have it as much quicker.

Sounds like it's an inner ear issue/ sinusitis
Both can cause pressure which will cause dizziness
Infection can be stubborn to clear
I understand it's unpleasant but do not present at A&E especially so as hospitals are overwhelmed by flu atm
Have you tried Neilmed sinus rinse?
See your GP who can refer you to ENT if he feels it's necessary

YABU, your condition is neither an A or an E. In saying that, you should seek further help from your optician, GP or ask for an appropriate referral.
A&E though is hugely inappropriate in this instance.
Edited to correct spelling.

I had the exact feeling you describe. It turned out that my blood pressure was over 200. I had a very bad "turn" on Sunday-there was nowhere else to go, so I went to A&E, where they discovered how high it was.

The doctor faxed over a letter to my GP and told me to get there first thing in the morning.

I did. I went on medication and now my BP is the high side of normal.

If you think that might be the case for you-get it taken now-either at by a pharmacist, at the surgery or yes, if there is nowhere else-the hospital.

If the waiting list at A&E is five miles long, join it. If you have 23 children under 4 to look after, take them with you. High BP is a killer and if you have been suffering unknowingly with it for 4 months-then it needs sorting.

Was coming here to say that - vestibular migraines. Vertigo, dizziness, nausea, face pain, feels like sinusitis, congestion, constant drippy nose - but no headache or minimal headache.

What a silly post.

I was responding to a poster on the subject of biological facts. At no point did I urge the OP go to A&E - that’s entirely your own fantasy: in fact you seem to be responding to an invented position.

Meningitis from sinusitis rare but it happened to a friend of the family who never fully recovered.

Which is just a cut and paste job and misses key symptoms.

The point about 111 is they can triage her symptoms and refer her to OOH GP over the weekend if she feels the nasal spray is not working and she needs more treatment.

I am literally the poster you replied to 🤣 with something that wasn’t even relevant to my post, but I went along with it out of politeness.

My original post was about how op was unreasonable for considering a&e, so yes, mentioning a&e was relevant, I then went on to explain why she felt dizzy with a sinus infection.

You, for some reason known only to yourself, came along with an unwanted and unnecessary scaremongering rare possibility, then came back and doubled down on it with your “friend of a friend of a friend” anecdote 🤣 so if your point wasn’t to argue that op should go to a&e, then exactly what relevance did your post have to do with mine? Maybe read more carefully in future.

Sorry be harsh, but you're clearly not as dizzy as you are claiming, as you wouldn't surely drive and put your childrens and other road users life at risk! Would you ?

Oh that’s why you were so defensive and attributed to me an invented narrative.

I was merely responding to the limited biology in your post.

Flagging the rare consequences of unresolved infection is not scaremongering it’s just standard advice. I’ve been given it many times with infections as have most people.

The point about my friend is merely that serious consequences of sinus infections do happen. HTH

Ahh, you’re one of “those” people 🤣

A quote springs to mind, something about being reminiscent of trying to talk to a pigeon… 🤣🤣

If you're this unwell and dizzy then you're at serious risk of causing an accident while driving.

You shouldn't be driving. Get a sinus rinse delivered and carry on with the treatment from the GP.

I sympathise as someone who has the odd dizzy spell. Try travel sickness remedies or you can get off the shelf vertigo tablets online which are strong antihistamines. They do work but they make you very drowsy. I have a slightly inner ear issue which triggers it usually after a sinus infection. Goes away when I get better.

I would go down the ent route and they will likely run tests on your ears just to check for anything else. I had a scan which ruled out anything nasty which does give you piece of mind.