diagnose me headaches/labrynthitis/sinusitis? Any ideas?

[awaywego1]

Long sorry but am getting fed up now and feeling tearful this morning... So around September I started waking up with really bad headaches a few times a week..felt very air pressure sinusey so I just ignored them and rode them out although painkillers don't really help they tend to resolve in the afternoon. At the same time I started feeling a pressure in my head and a feeling that my left eye was heavier. About a month ago I had a few days of horrible dizziness and constant nausea and a couple of episodes of vertigo and a wierd pins and needles feeling on my scalp..I went to the gp who diagnosed labyrinthitis ..I had some down beat nystagmus in my right eye. They prescribed prochlorperazine and sent me on my way. I've continued to feel sick and dizzy and the head pressure and headaches are there most of the time..I had some nose pain and sinus dryness also. I went to the gp on Monday who prescribed antibiotics for a sinus infection.. he also said my blood pressure was high but could be due to an infection.
I've now been taking the antibiotics for 5 days and feel pretty much the same.. I've had a constant headache since waking every day and a feeling of pressure in my head, I feel exhausted..am OK in the house but if I go out and walk around I feel dizzy and disoriented. I had an eye test yesterday in case I just needed new specks..my eyes our fine (no nystagmus now) apart from my left eye isn't dilating properly...the optician said this was probably to do with the prochlorperazine although I've since realised I hadn't taken it for over 3 days.
So mumsnet what's wrong with me? is this all labyrinthitis? or should I go back to the gp? I can't work at the moment as I just feel too rubbish but need to get back asap. I have a diagnosis of CFS anyway so am used to feeling rubbish and having a lot of weird symptoms but this feels separate I guess..but could not be I suppose..
if you've got this far thanks!

bumping in the hope of some advice

Go back and get it all checked. Most of this could result from infection and sinusitis infections can spread upwards... It's not something to mess about with so get checked.

My mum has this problem. She was treated as having a stroke as she had numbing and pins and needles on the left side of her face as well as headaches and dizziness.
It wasn't a stroke but something to do with tiny crystals in the inner ear that had become displaced, she had some medication for a while is having physio to move them back. She is much better now.
I wish I could remember what it was called and Mum is at a wedding so can't ring her.

thanks.. maybe I'll have to go back to drs then..I'm finding my symptoms quite hard to describe so just feel like I sound like a hypochondriac

Go back.

It could be a number of things. It might be balance/ inner ear related, like meuniere, you might be able to do something with:

Diet, it's often related to migraine and migraine triggers.

Balance. For which vestibulat balance sessions van be helpful

Migraine again, for which beta blockers or vit d can be useful.

Septum and sinuses.

Ask for a second opinion. If necessary get s scan.

You will have guessed that I get something like this.

I did wonder about migraine but I've never suffered before. Have just been out to local shop and felt v spaced out and like my brain and body aren't working very well together..hopefully its all the labrynthitis and will just pass in time.

Watching with interest OP. I am sorry you are suffering so much. I have been diagnosed with labyrnthitis and the migraine associated vertigo. Over 2 years on still getting symptoms. I wonder about sinus issues too as I do suffer. I had an MRI though and would assume any issues would've shown up on that, but something is wrong and I wish I knew what it was.

OP, I think a previous poster meant "Meniere's". Affects balance etc but also hearing--buzzing in ears or hearing loss?

very random but are you significantly overweight?

It could be benign positional vertigo.

sorry you are suffering to richtea.
No I'm not overweight just within normal bmi.
I'm going back to DRs tommorow as I have felt awful the past couple of days.. very weak wobbly and have developed a patch of numbness/weakness on my face which is making me lisp a bit..I think it's all probably labrynthitis but feel like i would like to be seen again really.

clean-yes have buzzing in ears when quiet.

That's called tinnitus. Mention it to doctor. Poor you.

Thanks for advice. I've been back to drs this morning.. he was lovely..they have no idea what's wrong but have done some emergency bloods and I'm back again tomorrow.. I passed all the basic neurological tests although my eyes are still doing funny things.

Hi awaywego1, glad you went back to the drs today but sorry they haven't figured out what is wrong.
I hope you don't end up without a diagnosis for months as I was. Its funny that your eyes are doing funny things too, my eyes have lots of pressure behind them when I have been looking at a pc for a while - I have had my eyes tested a few times while this has been going on and keep getting told they are perfect. Why do I still feel dizzy then?!!
Let me know how you get on tomorrow.

awaywego if the dizziness continues I would definitely try and get a referral to a dr specialising in balance disorders
richtea I have a migraine variant balance disorder similar to MAV. I'm on a v restricted diet, do vestibular rehab exercises and take (but now coming off) pizotifen. Together these have helped enormously, after years of being almost housebound because of dizziness/exhaustion/nausea. Have you heard of Dr Surenthiran? If you can see him you have IMO the best chance of recovery. I've just wierdly mentioned him on another thread about dizziness. He is brilliant at treating these problems.

thanks Aimee.. I'll definitely pursue a referral if they rule out other things and am glad you are starting to feel better.
Richtea-the eye thing is weird..I wonder whether the nystagmus can be on and off and so possibly not picked up in an eye test as I've had nystagmus in all 3 drs appts but it wasn't present at the optician. in fact the optician seemed to think that I was mistaken as he said "you'd know if you had nystagmus" but Dr clarified today again that I've had it in both the left and right eyes over the last few weeks. odd.
embarrassingly I started crying in the drs..fortunately dp came with me..I'm so concerned that I'm going to have another confusing untreatable condition when I've been struggling with the me/CFS so much as it is..id just like there to be a straightforward diagnosis and treatment for once.

I don't know much abut nystagmus but am going to look it up now. I have also heard great things about Dr S too, I am on propronalol and ami for MAV but not convinced it is MAV - if I don't get anywhere soon I will book and see him privately I think. Ainee, its great that you are so much better now after years of being housebound.
I have been in tears many times in the doctors, don't worry awaywego. I spent 2 years wondering what was wrong and being so scared that they will never find anything. Do you get pressure in your eyes or anything? Do you suffer with migraines?
When I am most dizzy I get neck ache and pressure at the top of my nose and eyes, that is why I also link it with sinus issues.
I hope you get sorted soon, good luck tomorrow at the doctors.

Yes tea lots of pressure in my head at the moment..very annoying sensation.. I keep fantasising about treppaning
Codeine Dr prescribed has given me a better evening and face numbness has got a lot better today so that's good.

updating to say that all bloods are fine and that Dr thinks all symptoms are labyrinthitis. I have some more tablets and some exercises to do.

I hope the exercises and meds help. Good that bloods show nothing untoward