Vertigo- don't know what to do anymore

[apple123]

Hi everyone, just seeing if anyone can relate to this problem as at the moment I'm so depressed and stressed out about it and just needed people to talk to... For months now I've been sufferering vertigo not the spinning vertigo but the feel like you are on a boat type vertigo. My symptoms are fullness in head/fuzzy head, feel like I am moving when I'm still, fatigue, feels like the room in in almost is slanted, pulled neck when I move it to the side, pressure on bridge of nose etc. Things that make it worse are tiredness, sitting behind a computer, bright lights, stress, working, the only relief I seem to get is when I am lying down at home, for some reason I feel better when I'm outside too. I've had this months I am so depressed I feel like it will never go away and I'll leave a miserable life, as well as this I am getting loades of anxiety which isn't helping and also thinking the worst like I have a brain tumour or something. I am seriously considering quitting my job as I can no longer cope with how awful I feel there. I hope someone can shed some light on this or someone that has recovered from this. I just hope things will get better as I really don't know what to do with myself/my life at the moment.

[PaulieC]

I have exactly the same thing and it tends to be worse when I'm tired. I don't sleep very well at the best of times, so it's something I experience a lot. I've had it on and off since I was 18 and I'm 35 this year and it still freaks me out whenever I get it, but for what it's worth I'm still here and my Doctor doesn't think it's anything to panic over.

I also have benign ectopic heartbeats which can create the same feelings. I often get a brief pause in my pulse which can make me feel like I've dropped down through the chair or sometimes like I've zoomed forward. It's really unsettling, but in some ways I find it easier to deal with knowing it's my heart and it's benign than worrying about it being a brain thing like I used to.
I was worried about it being related to a brain tumour too until I watched this video.

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/brain-tumours/diagnosing/how-cancers-are-diagnosed/signs-and-symptoms

[apple123]

Thank you for your reply! It's just I've had it for months now and is affecting my life hugely just want to feel normal again :( thank you for posting the video too have just watched it and has made me feel a lot better about the anxiety side of it.

[PaulieC]

No problem at all. I'm really happy to help. I've had terrible anxiety since the beginning of the year which is just starting to ease off. I feel a lot better than I did and just want people to feel the same way. Living anxious is no way to live!

I'm also really happy that you found the video useful. I was really, really worried about brain tumours for a while and found this. It really took the edge off for me.
As for the vertigo stuff, please try not to worry. I know that's far, far easier said than done, but I've had it for years without incident (anxiety aside)
From what I've read, these things can be ear related, tiredness and/or anxiety or a mix of all of them. It feels awful, but please hang in there.
If you get really bad, please see a doctor just to get a blood workup to rule anything out. I've always found that gives me peace of mind when things return as normal.
Wishing you good health and a speedy recovery from anxiety!

[Cbef]

Hi Apple & Paulie
I have suffered for years with vertigo.
I completely sympathise and feel better for knowing I'm not the only one.
Mine started at 25 after a seriously stressful patch in my life and I thought it was an ear infection. After countless trips to the doctor and finally a specialist I was diagnosed with nothing wrong with my ears and just given motion sickness tablets. Of course in hindsight if someone had said severe anxiety depression and exhaustion leading to vertigo at the time that would have made sense!
So I had the boat rocking feeling non stop for 2 years before it subsided. I was off work 6 months and that was a very dark time.
After finally going on to antidepressants the vertigo improved and now I have bouts usually associated with computer work, buildings that echo and are vast, when it's very windy and if anxious or stressed.
Acupuncture helped as did massage to relieve neck tension.
Meditation works wonders and I ought to do more.
I really hope that it eases and you feel more steady and less out of control soon but my advice is to try and relax even thou it's the most constant un-relaxing feeling.
Take care

[countrygirl]

Neck issues can cause balance/dizzy problems. I have damaged neck and have had attacks of spinning vertigo/feeling like I am walking on a bouncy castle/feel as if I am falling either forward/backward or sideways etc etc on and off for over 20 years. There are structures in your neck that control your balance ( sympathetic ganglia and your bones and muscles all send signals to ears and brain) so anything that affects these can be cause. Just having tense neck muscles is enough.

I had perfect example of this just 3 weeks ago when I was having physio on my lower back and I was asked to lay down on my front with my face through the hole in the table so although I was flat my face was under pressure and when the physio sat me up I got severe vertigo for 10 mins, she had to hold me upright. She said the position had irritated the ganglia and I must not get into that position again. Thankfully it passed but did confirm to me without a doubt that my neck has a huge effect on my balance.

Because so many things can affect balance its not easy to work it out.

Have you been to ENT and had tests to try and find out what is causing it?

[Indiaav]

I too have problems with balance that started in July and a really bad attack in August that frightened the life out of me, doc has put me on tablets called Betahistine 16mg daily and it has controlled the feeling and I am to see ENT in December, I have been diagnosed as having Benign Vertigo which is debris in the middle ear, caused by either calcium build up or infection and I am told that the ENT do head manipulation to resolve the issue.