louise123_uk
16-09-16, 13:55
Since the beginning of June I have been feeling really dizzy and off balance, not spinning dizziness but more on a boat type feeling, and also like the world is tilting one way and then the next and I almost feel like something is trying to push me over although I have never fallen down. I also feel really light headed and like I'm bouncing when I walk, my head also feels really thick and heavy though doesn't hurt and I feel just generally as though I am drunk and out of it. I sway when I stand still, back and forth rather than to either side.
The dizziness/off balance is only when standing still and walking, never when lying down.
I posted a while back here: http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthr...84#post1571884 (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1571884#post1571884)
I've now been to docs three times, the latest time today. The first time they said inner ear due to a flight almost two months prior to that and that it would be fluid in the inner ear despite not actually seeing anything in my ear. The diagnosis of inner ear was pretty much just based on the fact I couldn't pop my ears but I can almost never do this and not been dizzy my whole life lol! she got me to follow her finger etc also. She gave me a nasal spray and said to inhale steam. My blood pressure and heart rate were normal I believe, she didn't say anything about them anyway.
I went back about 6 weeks later to report symptoms no better at all. I was having some difficulty with breathing at times i.e. like I wasn't exhaling properly, and it felt like I couldn't take a deep enough breath though I could talk fine so I was kind of thinking that my dizziness might be panic related. I explained everything to the doc and again (a different doc) and she also said fluid in inner ear despite my ears looking normal. I have no hearing probs or pain by the way. She gave me betahistine dihydrocholoride (I think sometimes called SERC) and this did seem to ease the dizziness and off balance a lot. It didn't go but it did ease.
I ran out of these tablets last week however, and within a day I was swaying when walking and standing worse than ever and I feel very light headed and out of it. I have however had no breathing difficulties or panic at all lately and my doc agreed today that the dizziness sounded like causing panic when at its worst and I'm out as scared of falling but that it didn't strike her as the cause of the dizziness.
She told me she would have expected me not to be dizzy by now still with fluid in inner ear, she doesn't think its menieres or labryinthitus as I have no hearing probs or any other ear probs. I haven't had a cold or been ill, don't feel sick, infact I have no other symptoms but the dizziness and light headed feelings walking and standing.
Its affecting me loads as I am scared to go out and I am usually a very active sociable person. I am also due to go on a longhaul holiday to Thailand and Hong Kong in a month and would lose in excess of 3000 if don't go so that isn't an option but I don't want to be unable to enjoy myself.
The doc today gave me more betahistine dihydrocholoride since it appeared to alleviate the symptoms so lets hope it does again and keeps working so that I can have a shot at getting through the hol.
She said to stop taking it when I get back and to see if the dizziness starts again and if it does she will send me to a 'dizziness clinic' - god knows what that is - and that other things would need to be ruled out. Cue me at once worried, I said you don't think it could possibly be something bad like a brain tumour etc, to which she replied she wasn't overly concerned that it could be but that she didn't really know the cause at this point, though a brain tumour was unlikely.
I'm not only really depressed at not being able to live my life to the full and scared my hol won't be good but now I'm concerned it could actually be a brain tumour or who know MS, Parkinsons or vCJD..... She seemed less sure of my ears today.
Does betahistine dihydrocholoride work for anyone else with dizziness, or at least help as it does for me? She did say that it only masks symptoms doesn't treat but that is a start for short term.
Does this all sound sinister..........
The dizziness/off balance is only when standing still and walking, never when lying down.
I posted a while back here: http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthr...84#post1571884 (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1571884#post1571884)
I've now been to docs three times, the latest time today. The first time they said inner ear due to a flight almost two months prior to that and that it would be fluid in the inner ear despite not actually seeing anything in my ear. The diagnosis of inner ear was pretty much just based on the fact I couldn't pop my ears but I can almost never do this and not been dizzy my whole life lol! she got me to follow her finger etc also. She gave me a nasal spray and said to inhale steam. My blood pressure and heart rate were normal I believe, she didn't say anything about them anyway.
I went back about 6 weeks later to report symptoms no better at all. I was having some difficulty with breathing at times i.e. like I wasn't exhaling properly, and it felt like I couldn't take a deep enough breath though I could talk fine so I was kind of thinking that my dizziness might be panic related. I explained everything to the doc and again (a different doc) and she also said fluid in inner ear despite my ears looking normal. I have no hearing probs or pain by the way. She gave me betahistine dihydrocholoride (I think sometimes called SERC) and this did seem to ease the dizziness and off balance a lot. It didn't go but it did ease.
I ran out of these tablets last week however, and within a day I was swaying when walking and standing worse than ever and I feel very light headed and out of it. I have however had no breathing difficulties or panic at all lately and my doc agreed today that the dizziness sounded like causing panic when at its worst and I'm out as scared of falling but that it didn't strike her as the cause of the dizziness.
She told me she would have expected me not to be dizzy by now still with fluid in inner ear, she doesn't think its menieres or labryinthitus as I have no hearing probs or any other ear probs. I haven't had a cold or been ill, don't feel sick, infact I have no other symptoms but the dizziness and light headed feelings walking and standing.
Its affecting me loads as I am scared to go out and I am usually a very active sociable person. I am also due to go on a longhaul holiday to Thailand and Hong Kong in a month and would lose in excess of 3000 if don't go so that isn't an option but I don't want to be unable to enjoy myself.
The doc today gave me more betahistine dihydrocholoride since it appeared to alleviate the symptoms so lets hope it does again and keeps working so that I can have a shot at getting through the hol.
She said to stop taking it when I get back and to see if the dizziness starts again and if it does she will send me to a 'dizziness clinic' - god knows what that is - and that other things would need to be ruled out. Cue me at once worried, I said you don't think it could possibly be something bad like a brain tumour etc, to which she replied she wasn't overly concerned that it could be but that she didn't really know the cause at this point, though a brain tumour was unlikely.
I'm not only really depressed at not being able to live my life to the full and scared my hol won't be good but now I'm concerned it could actually be a brain tumour or who know MS, Parkinsons or vCJD..... She seemed less sure of my ears today.
Does betahistine dihydrocholoride work for anyone else with dizziness, or at least help as it does for me? She did say that it only masks symptoms doesn't treat but that is a start for short term.
Does this all sound sinister..........