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.

@Zd24 If you can't drive safely, get a taxi for yourself and your children.

Do you not have any friends or other mums/dads form school who can help you out with lifts?

When you were posting this OP your GP was still open. A pharmacy was still open and therefore a&E not appropriate.

I hope you called 111 and got the reassurance or treatment you needed.

Vestibular nuronitis (people often call it labyrinthitus but that's only with hearing loss)

It's grim, sorry...

Listen to the poster who suggested a neti pot. I dealt with this stuff repeatedly and nothing the doctors gave me helped. I started using a neti pot three or four times a day and also menthol crystal steams (hot water in a bowel with crystals in, a towel over my head, inhale for 20 mins a time). I would usually do the steam before the neti pot drain because it would loosen the mucus. Sinus point massage is then useful too.

At the first sign of any cold I start the above routine again. I usually start to feel better in two or three days. I understand how miserable you feel.

Oh that sounds awful OP. How long were your courses of antibiotics? In your post it sounded like the first course improved things? I wonder if you need a longer course, combined with inhaling steam multiple times a day to clear sinuses. Constant smelly green discharge in my experience indicates a bacterial infection.

If you're getting nowhere with your GP could you afgord £50 for a private GP appointment? I did this once with a Bupa GP and it was very helpful to get a fresh pair of eyes - and a prescription which resolved things for me.

Sympathies. These chronic things are very wearing especially as a mum of young children.

This site is going to kill someone one day. And MN will end up with the wrong sort of publicity

OP, I'm SO sorry that you're feeling so ill, and struggling to cope. I would make another appointment to see the GP, as a matter of urgency, and tell them that you want a referral as you cannot go on like this.

If you can't get an appointment with your GP, then contact your pharmacy and ask them if the effects of the stuff you've just started taking is to be expected, you could even try Googling side effects, but a pharmacist is obviously the better way to go.

Moving on, it doesn't matter where in the world your husband may be working, he has a joint responsibility towards your children, and if you're feeling as ill as this, then you really MUST insist that he comes home and helps take care of the children and you.

You mentioned your Mum, does she live locally, can she help at all?

I hope you can get to the bottom of this soon.

Exactly the same. Sounds like labyrinthitis to me. I had no idea how severe it could be until I had it and it came out of nowhere about 10/11 years ago for me. Anti sickness drugs for a number of weeks and felt like I was either moonwalking everywhere or at times like my head was almost falling off/spinning off my body. It's the weirdest thing. And lasted a long time! I'm sure they said to me it can be on and off for a number of years from the same bout. I didn't believe it but sure enough I had periods where it was awful, it would return on the dizziness and sickness and sometimes teamed with full sinuses and ears and deafness. It was almost a constant cycle. And after a few years, it literally just lifted and never had issues again.

Yes, but I have seen it actually save people’s lives in a couple of instances. It’s encouraged people to be persistent when they’ve been sent away by doctors or A&E, or just haven’t been sure what to do. Getting rid of it would be as dangerous as allowing it. People just do talk and seek advice and it’s valuable at times. But the ones that jump onto a thread immediately bleating ‘if it’s not an accident or an emergency’ like they’re saying something novel and clever on every post are frustrating.

I promise it can go on for this long. I've just popped another post on but mine was long term with labyrinthitis and recurring. I know that's not what you want to hear right now but I just want to reassure you that it can happen. It's so so horrible and really does play with your mind too.

When it first happened it was a very sudden attack when I was at work out of the blue. Stupidly drove home (no idea how I did!) because I felt so scarily sick, dizzy and the world moving around me. By the time I got home I almost collapsed in the door. My dh who doesn't worry about anything ever, was really concerned. He said I looked drunk, my eyeballs kept rolling and I couldn't focus. He ended up getting our neighbour over who was a nurse. I didn't read if anyone has given you anti-sickness drugs but these will really help so please sort that for now x

I don't think it's the same for everyone but would definitely recommend giving the epley manoevre a go. Mine started out it would be like imagine you are in a toilet cubicle and suddenly the walls are moving but you aren't!

Thank you to everyone for your replies. I didn’t go to a & e and I have ordered a sinus rinse which should be delivered today. If the bad symptoms go on today I will call 111.

at this point I am just scared it is something more serious like a brain tumor or something but my gp is sure it is all connected to my sinuses and ears as it all started around the same time.
at this point I just honestly feel like giving up, I don’t say it lightly but I have no enjoyment in my life anymore and I’m scared of going out because of this. I’m snapping at my children and husband all the time because I keep getting feelings that this is not normal and obviously because I feel so bad.

gp did mention the very first time I visited with this that it was possible labrynthitis but said my ears looked fine so wasn’t sure, so I’m not sure how far they can look inside the ear as I’m sure I’ve read labrynthitis is a middle ear infection. Second gp I saw did the epley manevoure on me and said it didn’t sound like vertigo and was probably a viral thing, 3rd time I went I ended up with a full blown sinus infection, the course of antibiotics was for 5 days, things did improve but it has never gone back to normal, the dizziness stopped for a while but I still every morning when I woke up had green smelling discharge that I would have to blow out my nose and a bad smell in my nose constantly which I can only describe as rotten onions.

now after this recent sinus infection I had antibiotics again for 5 days and it did make a difference initially, dizziness got a little better but still the same green smelling discharge was coming out and a bad smell in my nose and this time my face around my cheeks forehead and ears is still very tender to touch and I have lots of pressure and popping feelings in my ears, more so on the left side.

I started the nasal steroid spray 3 days ago and the symptoms have gone up by 100 since yesterday, I keep needing to blow my nose and it’s green smelling discharge coming out, so much pressure in my ears and popping and was having awful “dizziness” which felt like I wasn’t spinning but on a boat and I feel awful, my mum seems to think it sounds like the spray is working and the infection is coming out but I just felt so so awful yesterday.

@Zd24 push your gp for an urgent ent referral. There will be a long waiting list, so maybe see a consultant privately if funds allow. I'd be making that a priority to afford over everything else money is spent on.

Look up Pansinusitis - could it be that?

Something is obviously not right and the gp clearly can't resolve it, so they need to refer on.

@Zd24 - have you tried taking travel sickness tablets? I had some strong ones for seasickness when I had labyrinthitis and they really helped with the dizziness.
Hope you’re feeling better soon.

Honestly OP I feel you, it is so difficult with things like this and you feel really rotten when you are going through them. And then you go through all the appointments and of course, you don’t feel unwell when they occur and then you get told there is nothing wrong. I have been there. Audio tests, eye tests etc and all come back ok. Eventually I went to my GP and finally she looked in my ears and told me she could see excess fluid and I almost burst into tears that someone could see something!

honestly please do try the antihistamines. Try different ones as they do have different formations until you find once that helps. Take sinus medications and sinus sprays. Do sinus rinses and do push to see an ENT.

I experienced years of chronic ear and sinus issues in my younger years. Including constant dizziness/vertigo and nausea. As well as disgusting stuff coming out of my ears on a regular basis. I was fobbed off by my then GP for over two years with ‘another ear infection’.
My sinuses felt constantly blocked and my face hurt, although I didn’t have foul smelling snot, it was more in my ears - they popped and clicked continually - often felt blocked and muffled. But similar symptoms (ENT basically).

Turns out I had a cholesteatoma and a chronic inner ear infection in my mastoid bone. This required serious ear/head surgery (mastoidectomy) and I suffered hearing loss as a result.

To this day I still have chronic rhinitis (sinus issues) for which I need nasal steroids and have developed allergic asthma (Needing daily steroid inhaler).

I’ve since discovered I am allergic to house dust, pollen (especially tree pollen) and furry pets (most dogs and some cats). Smoke and fumes makes me wheeze.

If I don’t use my medication then my sinuses slowly but surely do what you describe with yours and become painfully blocked and my whole face hurts. If this happens I need to use antihistamines as well as nasal and asthma steroids. When you first start the nasal steroids they will start to dislodge all of the snot and this they feels worse as it’s all started to be released. The antihistamines really helped as they dry out the huge amount of snot and also (if you’re allergic to something) help dampen down your body’s reaction to it.

Have you recently (in the last 6 months) moved to a dustier room / place of work, got a new pet? Been around animals… etc

You need to see ENT - if you can afford the first appointment privately - it’s about £200 ish, I would just suck up the cost and go private and then ask the consultant to refer back to NHS, which will speed things up.

I have come to the conclusion that when I take the steroid nasal spray it’s called mometasone, that I feel very weird after and even more lightheaded, is this normal?

I have looked into going to a private ent specialist, would they be able to diagnose the problem during the first appointment and then I’d be able to go back to NHS? I can afford to pay the initial consultation and assessment privately but don’t think I’d be able to afford treatment privately.

it does just sound like a horrendous sinus infection, that discharge and 'rotting onions' smell is nothing to be alarmed about, its the infection affecting the mucus production in your sinus. I've had issues with catarrgh for years that that smell is one of the issues with it.

So long as its draining you're onto a winner, unpleasant as it is, give the sinus rinses a good go, but you ought to ask about an ENT referral because it shouldn't be going on this long either way.

Thank you for this.

i have noticed when I use the mometasone nasal spray that I feel very weird and lightheaded after, which is why I felt so weird yesterday, I’m not as bad until I use the spray. I also get like a pain at the top of my nose and sort of pressure, is this normal?
a lot of green discharge is coming out so I am trying to stick with it but unsure if the side effects I’m feeling are normal, I’ve never had steroid sprays before so I’m not sure if that is why it feels so weird. I’m also having headaches and pain behind my eyes etc since starting the spray.

I do have hayfever which is triggered by dust but I’m in the same place I’ve been for 3 years and this all started in early September. I do feel nauseous sometimes with the dizziness feeling.

do you just use normal antihistamines or do yours get prescribed?

I am looking into seeing a private ent specialist, I can afford an initial assessment but wouldn’t be able to afford treatment, will that still speed up things with the nhs if I can get some sort of diagnosis ?

I would put money on you having Ménière’s disease. Go and see a private GP and get yourself diagnosed properly. You’ll go around in circles trying to get a diagnosis in the nhs. Trust me. This is what you have. It will cost you about £1000 to get a diagnosis then you can go back to the nhs for treatment.

I used to get a lot of sinus issues due to a deviated septum, I’ve since had a septoplasty and turbinate reduction which was life changing.

I would push for a referral to ENT, it’s clear your GP has not got on top of the problem. I have used a lot of steroid sprays over the years including mometasone and they do make my nose and face feel weird. It will take a few days to make much of a difference but I usually found that the popping and whistling feelings were a sign of recovery. I think they usually are caused by some air finally being able to get into your previously gummed up sinuses.

One tip which does help a bit is tapping your sinuses ie around your eyes, bridge of your nose and across your cheeks. It helps loosen up the gunk. Try it in the shower when the steam has loosened stuff up.

I also used sinus rinses.

I would go back to your GP and insist on a referral. Don’t talk about anxiety or they may put it down to worry and stress. Go in and be factual
Recurrent dizziness
Repeated infections requiring antibiotics
Constant pain
Negative impact on ability to work
Duration of problem despite complying with all treatment provided

Then insist on a referral. As soon as I had a CT scan the structural issues with my nose were really clear. No amount of medication could have solved the problem long term.

Have you you asked your GP for a referral? Just demand one as your quality of life is so bad atm.
Go private if the waiting list js too long but get the nhs referral

Btw re your mood, antibiotics reek havoc on your gut so that coupled with being unwell won’t be helping… get some probiotics in you as well as vit C, zinc and vit D to help fight infection. Also keep protein rich foods high too. Your body needs energy to recover.

@Zd24 I feel so sorry for you. Sinus issues are very painful and as someone who suffers with vertigo and Labyrinthitis I know how dreadful the dizzy feeling is. Mental health problems including depression is also an issue for me when the dizziness persists.
I've seen the advice and think a private consultation with an ent specialist is the way to go.
In the future I'd also recommend a facial massage (but explain to the beauty therapist beforehand as they might not want to do this) I have regular facial massages and it clears my sinuses but I've never had one while I'm experiencing sinus pain or infection itself.
Also acupuncture has been very beneficial for sinus problems.
Good luck 🍀

I’ve tried calling 111 but the call keeps failing. I walked into the pharmacy to have a consultation with the pharmacist and I literally told here the symptoms where so bad and I can’t cope with it anymore and I’m really struggling. The pain is all over my cheek now on the left side of my face. she told me antibiotics and the nasal spray is all they can do and it should work if it’s a chronic sinus infection 🤔 I told her I can’t cope anymore with the symptoms and that I’m getting worse and she just told me to go back to the gp on Monday to make sure it’s not something else? I don’t know what else to do. I left there crying. I have just come and bought antihistamines, a sinus rinse and ecuypalptus oil which I’ve seen someone else recommended. Don’t know what else I should do.