Vertigo and ear balance anyone had the same???

[melsy]

My doctor has suggested that this may be a problem. I have had every blood test going for loads of other problems we thought I had namely Hypoglycemia which he says I dont seem to have as my blood sugar level after fasting was 4 mmol???

I get a very sicky feeling a lot , I suffer with headaches and ear aches, I also get a spinning feeling like the room is flying around me. I then loose my balance and often walk into things. I also have problems hearing sometimes. He suggested that this happens because calcium deposits get loose in the fluid in your ears and wobble around.

I am having a hopi ear candle treatment today to help clear blockages.

Does this sound familiar or does anyone have it diagnosed??

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Thanks cod , just did a search and founf it and posted. I should have known youd find me !!!

I sometimes feel "off balance" not so much dizzy. Sometimes (if I'm tired) and I change position (ie. lie down from standing/sitting) I will feel off balance but when I am used to that position it fades away..... until I get up again when it all starts over again. It is quite scary. My GP thought I may have menieres disease.

Forgot to add (and this is a secret) - one of my ears is slightly lower than the other!!!!!! Luckily I have little ears which don't stick out so it's quite hard to see both at the same time. However, it's a bugger getting sunglasses!!!!

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Me too , my left ear is higher than the other, My glasses (prescription)always look wonkey when I take them off!!

I've had vertigo twice and it lasted for over a week each time. I took sea sickness tablets which helped it a lot. it's horrid so you very much have my sympathy.

I get this frequently, particularly when I'm tired and run down. I sometimes dread opening my eyes in the morning in case I sit up and start spinning. I get tablets on prescription called Serc 16 which are anti-sickness pills. They work brilliantly and don't cause drowsiness. It's useful to have a packet of travelsickness tablets in the cupboard as an emergency. Ask the pharmacist for ones which stablise fluid in the ear. Dehydration can make you worse as well.

It sounds as though it could be that, Melsy. I've posted on the other threads as I've had labarynthitis and it's horrid. Have you had your BP checked, too? I have low BP and that makes me feel dizzy sometimes.

I hope you feel better soon and here's a wee story that might make you smile. Our dog started behaving oddly last week, with a definite list to the left, walking into things, falling over and not eating. I thought she'd had a stroke but the vet diagnosed doggy labarynthitis!! He said her world is spinning around her, with her eyes wandering off in different directions and she isn't eating because she feels sick. Poor thing! He gave her a steroid jag and tablets and she's improving a lot now.

Hi Pamina
Stemetil is an anti sickness tablet, so unfortunately it won't treat the cause, just the nausea. Dunno about the diabetes, but I am hypoglycaemic and can't have antisickness tabs, so may be related??? (But then, I am violently allergic to maxalon which is also an antivomit pill so maybe its that!!!)
Dr's attitude is a bit odd - could you ask him for an ear spray like otomise which is generally a bit of a multipurpose antifungal / viral / bacterial spray to blast whatever is bothering your ear? Or ask for a syringing? Anything other than antisickness tablets!

PS
Any problem with your ear can cause dizziness cos its your ears that provide you with a sense of balance

buccastem treat vertigo and they are available over the counter.I have found them to be very effective and didn't notice side effects

As an audiologist who works with people with all types of balance problems - do you mind if I add a few points??

Ask your GP to refer you to ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) or Audiology - they will arrange an appointment for you to discuss the problems you are having and will do any necessary tests to see if they can pinpoint the cause of your problem. Depending on the cause of the problem, they may be able to help you 'recover' using exercises (this is dependent on cause btw)

There are many causes of "giddiness" - layrinthitis (viral) along with BPPV are the most common and usually resolve spontaneously BUT some people need a bit of extra 'help'. Other causes can be Meniere's disease - usually only affects one ear though occasionally both; often get a fluctuating hearing loss. Is also considered a "dustbin" diagnosis - that is it is diagnosed by GP's and is not the cause at all; blood pressure; medication and many other causes also exist.

Melsy - your doctor is thinking of BPPV as the cause of your problem - like I say, it often resolves on it's own but audiology/ENT can give you exercises that will help. The most important advice I can give is don't stop doing something because it makes you dizzy - you need to keep being as active as normal to allow the brain to adjust to the signals coming in and to readapt. From reading your post - I would insist on seeing ENT/Audiology to get some help.

email me if you would like any other help etc....

Extra thought....

Syringing should only be done if you have excess wax. A high pressure of water in the ear otherwise could damage your eardrum and make you even more dizzy...

Spray's will only help if you have a ear infection in the outer/middle ear - it will not work for any inner ear problem nor for BPPV..

hth

Pamina - can you email me via contact a talker and give me as much info about your giddiness as possible?

length of time since it started?
have you felt sick at all?
what happened the first time you got giddy?
has this changed between then and now?
Are your ears/throat sore?
Have you been ill prior to feeling giddy?
does a particular movement/position make you feel giddy?

I'll reply by email and see if I can help you decide what route to take next.

Pamina,I think that there could be a bug going around that causes similar symptoms to labrynthitis.I had swayey/giddy spells a month back & although the room span around at one point,I didn't feel sick,so didn't take the Stemetil prescribed.It took ages to shake off,a couple of weeks at least.

My mum had it last week too & a lot of people seem to have had it.My mums symptoms disappeared within about 5 days though.

I hope it clears up soon.Sorry,can't type more at the mo as dd is bashing the keyboard.