Recurrent bouts of dizziness - any ideas?

[HedgeJug]

I’ve had long bouts of dizziness about twice a year for a couple of years, and just want to figure it out. Any suggestions/experience appreciated, I’m on day 7 of this one and so done with it.
They’re usually bad for the first 2-3 days, where I’m really wobbly, then milder balance problems for the next fortnight til it wears off completely.
It doesn’t fit Labyrinthitis, as no hearing loss noticed or more tinnitus than usual, and isn’t preceded by any colds/infections.
Meniere’s also doesn’t fit, as it’s not vertigo (the room doesn’t spin for me, I just lose my balance/feel dizzy a lot), and again no tinnitus.
Also probably no to BPPV, as not spinning, and GP moved my head and didn’t cause dizziness (but if I closed my eyes while standing I swayed), but now if I move my head up or down it does feel weird.
No nausea or vomiting.
Very tired, yawning more than usual, and disrupted sleep due to non-sleeping teen in the week before this one hit.
GP prescribed Betahistine on the first day, which seems to help my balance, and I was able to walk fairly straight by that afternoon, which is much quicker than previous bouts.
My current theory is Vestibular Migraine, but with no headache (had one all today tho, fairly mild).
I do also get migraines, current ones last three days and start with a stiff neck/jaw, then light sensitive, nausea, and a mild-ish constant dull headache.
Of course it could be that answer-to-all, perimenopause too.
Sorry for the essay, haven’t posted for a v v long time and tend to waffle, also namechanged. Any ideas?

I think your guess is probably correct, sounds like vestibular migraine, particularly if you suffer with migraine already. My migraine morphed from pain based to vestibular, then back. I’d suggest asking to be referred to a neurologist who understands the condition, or alternatively first ask your gp to give you a daily migraine preventative. On the spot medication doesn’t tend to work for vestibular symptoms. With preventatives it tends to be trial and error till you find one that works.

I've had this.started in perimenopause and resurfaced when I tried to stop my hrt.
I also get the occular migraines when I see flashing lights.
My seems to be lack of oestrogen.

Any other symptoms? Pins and needles, numbness? Or just dizziness. For years I had bouts of dizziness, in my late 20’s / 30’s. Seen at hospital, put down as BPPV, only because they couldn’t put it down to anything else, that bout had cleared by the time I got the appt. I got a completely different diagnosis, when I was 40, and these symptoms were the start of it. If symptoms change, to neurological see GP for referral to neurologist.

Sounds just like the vestibular migraines I used to get. I've suffered from cervical migraines, silent migraines, migraines with aura and vestibular migraines.

All now sorted thank to a course of topirimate. It wasn't easy. And I can see why some people don't or cant stick it out but the side effects were worth it for the wholesale change in my daily life.

Other things. I am really aware of my triggers. Fluorescent lights. Too much sound and sight in one go. Tiredness and keeping going. Pendolino trains! In fact travel generally can be tricky. But I've also learned that red coke and pink migraleive are a life saver. As is having a rest when i need one.

id really recommend an appointment with a neurologist. They were the ones that sorted me out, prescribed the topirimate and understood how debilitating it all was.

I hope the dizziness subsides soon.

It could be migraines. In my case it’s food intolerance. It’s not allergies so not life threatening but my intolerances cause me to have silent reflux and stomach gas which I can’t feel and the only way I know is if I am feeling dizzy, cold and not able to complete my meals. There is no nausea or vomiting but I get tired and breathless when going up the stairs.

I had this for the best part of 12 months. I started HRT because of it and it’s helped massively.

other things it could be are anxiety or something to do with your neck. Is your neck painful at all?

The GP I saw has referred me to neurology, but said the waitlist is 12 months.
Because it’s so infrequent, I haven’t previously kept a record, but will now make notes of every migraine and dizzy spell, to see if I can spot a pattern/trigger apart from the sleep disturbance.
thank you!

No, no pins & needles/numbness, just the dizziness/instability. Also very tired, but then I generally am! And yes, with all previous bouts the symptoms had faded by the time I managed to see a doc, this time I went to the surgery and asked if the duty doctor could fit me in, which she very kindly did, and did a neurology referral.

The yawning also fits migraine.

Did you have the dizziness for 12m straight?? Yikes.
I’m not anxious, but generally under a lot of stress (2 ND kids). My neck and jaw can get very stiff from tension, I have exercises to do, which I’m not great at remembering until it’s built up again. Not currently bothering me tho.

I don’t think it’s likely to be a food thing as it only happens a couple of times a year, and I haven’t had anything out of the ordinary. Glad you found the cause for yours tho!

That’s really interesting - just looked Topirimate up.
May I ask how frequent your dizzy spells were, how long they lasted etc?
GP has referred me to neurology but warned me it will be a 12 month wait. If things carry on as before I’ll prob have one or two of these dizziness episodes and a good handful of migraines in the meantime.

I’m wondering about this too - they only started a couple of years ago, I’m 47, so it’s entirely possible.
I’ve been prescribed vaginal oestrogen to help with prolapse issues, but keep forgetting to start it. Wonder if that would help or if its effect is too local?
Did you dizzy spells last weeks too?

I waited a year for the neurology appointment. It was worth it. I had an MRI of my head and neck and the most thorough history and discussion of my symptoms.

Interestingly they told me that because I used to suffer from headaches as a teenager it wasn't unusual for them to recede and return in you 30s and 40s. Which is exactly what happened to me.

In terms of how often I had dizzy spells, it varied. At least 3 or 4 times a year. Sometimes more. I also had these weird arm migraines (this is what made me seek help. It was such a weird thing that was happening. I didn't call them arm migraines, this was the diagnosis from the neurologist, well, they were the cervical migraines but they were affecting my arms. The neurologist also told me that the very best thing I could do for these was only sleep on one pillow.) as well as the other migraines.

But, in the last 12 months I have not had a single migraine. In the last 4 years I've had maybe one. Thanks to the topirimate and possibly the single pillow I now sleep on!

Not weeks hedgejug.On and off before I went on hrt and after stopping.Actually is was a while at 51.Made me feel a bit nauseous too like motion sickness.
I didn't like it so went straight back to hrt.
Vaginal oestrogen is more localised as far as I know.