Dizziness, anxiety and poor balance for 3 months

[danielson]

Hi all,
This is my first post on this forum, so please bear with me!

About three or four months ago I was watching TV with the other half, having a really nice evening. I went to stand up, swayed a little and ended up crashing into the door because of poor balance. It was a very odd experience. This was an isolated incident, but my ears ended up blocking a couple of days later with wax, which needed to be irrigated and removed.

This is the point at which the anxiety started. I developed a phobia regarding my ears and absolutely hated having any oil in my ears and would sit there on the verge of a mild panic attack all the time the oil was in my ears. I also had trouble sleeping and would wake up mid panic attack. Two weeks later I had them both irrigated and instantly felt much better and more confident and the panics attacks went over night.

About a week later I woke in a huge panic attack with chest pains - not nice!! After waking the other half, I took a couple of over the counter meds and managed to sleep, on condition that I go to the doc in the morning. So off I went and got diagnosed with costochondritis, which is fair enough as that seems right. As a result I've had to have 24 hr BP and ECG, which I have finally bee referred for and have the ECG on right now!

A few weeks later my nose started running like crazy, headaches and cold like symptoms and this is the point at which the spinny head reared it's ugly head. I went to the doctor and he said I had an allergy, which I've been taking antihistamines for ever since with little or no change to any of the symptoms, will probably come off those..

So from since then I've been suffering from very odd balance and moments where I just have to put my head in my hands because my head feels so spinny..

I went back to the doctor again and he said I had Labarythitis, which I'm not convinced on as the world is very still, it's my head that's moving around inside. I don't have half the symptoms as that afflication sounds utterly terrifying, what I've got is an unbalanced head and a mild case of anxiety, which is getting better by the day, just not fast.

So over the past 3-4 months, it's been quite an ordeal with one thing after the other. The only think I'm really or should be worries about is the head, which just will not go.

If I compare week on week, I'd say I'm about 2-5% better week on week with some episodes still making me have to go and lie down.

Has anyone been on a similar sort of journey? I'd really appreciate any help as the doc is probably sick of me by now and I'm not 100% sure on his diagnosis as things continue!

[missybct]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

I am not a doctor, and I have to admit when I read the symptoms about the unsteadiness I thought instantly of Labarytitis. However, it also sounds like there could be some sinus problems? I'm not really well versed in this as I don't suffer from it/know anyone who does, but it may be something to bring up, or research.

If you are not convinced that your GP has diagnosed correctly, there is usually the option of seeing another doctor at your surgery. If you voice your concerns over the fact you feel only some of the symptoms of Labarythitis, they may investigate further. That said, not all symptoms are present in each individual case. I have a long term medical condition and most of my symptoms are the "less" reported ones, and I don't suffer from the big ones!

I hope some of that has helped.

[danielson]

Hi Missy,
That's really interesting that you should say about some or all of the symptoms as I have to admin, I think in terms of 'on or off', which would also elude to all or no symptoms.

I wonder if anyone else is on this forum and have had the mild, lingering version of labarythitis? I've heard that it can take around 12 weeks for your brain to adjust to balance issues brought on by the virus damaging that part of your inner ear.

The whooziness continues though pretty much all day and definitely gets a lot worse with caffeine. Pressure also continues on my ears, especially the left.

[TJSMITH]

Hi I had labyrinthitus in jan it started with sudden vertigo that took three hours to stop with meds from hospital as I collapsed.
Two weeks are I started getting heart palpitations the dizziness was still there, I felt detached from reality it was awful plus I couldn't drive.
I saw an ent specialist he said can take up to a year to recover, well it certainly took at least six months for dizziness to subside and 11 months for me to feel near enough normal.
I was put on antidepressants too.

It was the first time I had experienced anything of this nature, the labs caused anxiety then depression for me.
Look on Wikipedia for labyrithiyus explains there it can cause anxiety that needs attention.

You will get better but unfortunately can take time xxx

[missybct]

Caffeine does tend to amplify a lot of medical and anxiety related symptoms. I've found I can only tolerate it in small amounts as it makes my anxiety much worse, which is a shame as I do like to drink tea! Is there any way of cutting down, or cutting out completely?

[danielson]

So if it is l.itis then it's worth trying to just 'get used to it'. If all else fails, try and get some anxiety meds or other ways of dealing with anxiety (possibly Yoga(??) and exercise).

I heard that the brain gets used to the balance issues and adjusts. I'd say I'm nearly there, it's just the constant dizziness and 'head in hands' feeling that I sometimes get that doesn't seem to get better.

Thanks all for your replies, most helpful.