its just Vertigo

[avalen]

Dr appt today ....
Its positional vertigo and I'm not going to have a stroke!! WOOHOO!
The carotid artery is clear, he said when theres a blockage it makes
a certain sound when they listen to it and he said both mine sound
good. The high blood pressure is more than likely caused by my
stress over the whole thing and by the time I was leaving his office
he did my blood pressure again and it was fine!
He said it could linger for weeks and maybe never happen again but
recommended I get some stuff called meclizine which is probably the
same as dramamine, helps with the nausea but not to take it during
the day cause it will make me drowsy. Best to take it at night when
I'm going to be laying down anyway and hopefully I won't even need
it. But I have it just in case.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From an informational printout he gave me.....
Sometimes small crystals of calcium develop and float in the fluid in the inner ear.
this can happen after a head injury, with a severe cold, or simply as a part of
aging. The crystals can cause vertigo when you change head position and they strike
against nerve endings in the semicircular canals. Usually the calcium crystals
dissolve in a few weeks and stop causing vertigo. However, sometimes the crystals
do not dissolve and the vertigo returns from time to time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, I certainly hope it never returns and I bet Soos hopes it never returns too
cause she certainly knows about vertigo.
He also casually mentioned taking benedryl to keep the stuffiness out of the
sinuses so the ear, nose and throat connection can operate correctly. That
part certainly makes sense to me.

[Getupngo]

I can just hear the relief. Congrats on the good news.

[Liz]

Glad to hear the mystery is solved and nothing serious found.

[bikerchic777]

You're not the only one feeling relief, Ava! Whew!!! I have been praying for you Remember what I said about those crystals? This is just one website of the many you can read about it: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =103463398 I used to have a boyfriend who is a Physical Therapist Assistant. He did these exercises with me when I had that vertigo. When my mom was having problems with it, I called him and had him walk me through it so I could do them with her. I did it a few different times for her and she said it did improve. I think if you could go to a PT and have this done, you could probably have him write down the exercises and do them yourself...unless your insurance pays for it. I think you should try it. In case you haven't noticed, I prefer not to take meds if possible.

[VickieP]

That's good news, Ava. You now know what it is and what to expect.

[Ladyhawk]

Yay! So glad you had everything checked out.

[sharon]

Woo hoo!! Glad to hear the good news, Ave! Maybe a little more wine would help to disolve those crystals!

[avalen]

now don't get me started on wine, I can suck that stuff down like
kool aid! but that sounds good for next weekend, then
I could explain the bed spins just kidding

[mtngal]

Happy for you Ava, now you can rest easy. I had an episode of this several years ago and so carry a little container of Dramamine with me all the time, but have never had to use to again!

[Nasoosie]

Great news, Ava, although not a fun thing to have! I still carry my bottle of Meclazine (prescription sea sickness meds) with me all the time. And my dizziness is always right there, just under the spinning threshold, most of the time. My body has learned how to adapt to the feeling of being 'spinning drunk' day in and day out! I no longer have to hold onto walls in school to walk normally down the halls! The Meclazine seemed to do nothing for me, but then again, most meds do nothing for me! Head postions are a definite trigger to bringing on the spinning sensations.

Interestingly enough, I, too, had a pain in my neck just prior to my first bout with this scary sensation of having the world spinning, and so did my sister-in-law. Both of us have told our doctors about this, but they are so in the dark about the causes of this rather common affliction, that they see no connection. They do know now about the workings of the inner ear and about the little crystals of sand-like calcium that can disrupt the action of the cilia in there that help us keep our balance. It is amazing that, although you read about episodes of 'vertigo' in books from long ago, they still do not know exactly what causes it or how to really treat it. My netti-pot spray attempts were to clear my sinuses, but I find the process so like forcing my brain matter out of one nostril or the other that I no longer do that!

Anyway, inner-ear dizziness is no fun, but is way better than the possible scarier alternative causes for feeling this way! I have become quite used to feeling a bit 'tipsy' most of the time!

So glad you had those carotid arteries checked out!

[mitch5252]

..

Wonderful news, Ava.

..

[Cedar518]

so glad!

[Colliemom]

I'm new to this site so I don't know all the details of your problem, but I can tell you that I've been there done that. Had Vertigo problems about 14 yrs ago. Actually passed out one day. Dr. wasn't sure what was causing it but a friend who is a retired nurse said it sounds like low blood pressure. So Dr. sent me to heart specialist. To make a long story shore, after some tests, he concluded that I have what is called "Vasalvagel (sp?) Syndrome" or low blood pressure. He put me on Zoloft and the symptoms and vertigo have been gone ever since. But like you I have been having problems with my ear too. Fluid build up causing me to lose what hearing I have in there. I go to holistic nurse practioneer and she suggested that I try a Sinus Rinse put out by NeilMed. You get the kit with a bottle, the saline solution and the nozzle, mix the saline solution into warm water and then literally flush out your nose with it. Sounds gross to a point, but I have to tell you it works. My sinuses have been clear and my head is clear. I'm very happy with it. You mght want to look into that, beats taking OTC medications which in themselves can cause problems after awhle. But I am happy for you in that the problem was finally diagnosed. That's a scary thing when that happens cause you don't know what's going on and you conjure up all kinds of possibilities.

[retiredhappy]

Glad to hear it wasn't a stroke BUT vertigo is no fun. I had a bout several years ago and was off work for 3 weeks cause I was so sick to my stomach I couldn't eat anything. Took months to go away. Never had anything make me so sick before or since. My doctor said it may never go completely away but your body learns to adapt. To this day if I shut my eyes I start swaying. Doctor also told me if ever stopped by police to tell them first thing I have a chronic ear imbalance. I kept my pills handy for years I was so afraid it would come back.

[Nasoosie]

By the way, just out of curiousity, how many of you who have suffered from this Meniere's Disease (or whatever you want to call it vertigo) also have tinnitus? (A constant sort-of ringing in your ears similar to the sound you can hear under high tension electric wires.) I have suffered from this for years, and bearing down, or flexing, or doing something with my lower jaw, makes the sound worse. I clench now and then so that, when I unclench, the ringing seems less!

This bothersome problem is not usually too bad unless I am in a super quiet environment, like the pond at night when there are no sounds down there. Then the 'noise' drives me crazy! Hence, I sleep with either a radio or TV on all night long. Spring peepers also help to mask the annoying sound in my head.

There can always be something worse, so I try not to complain about a bit of a stagger now and then, and some annoying background noise!

I am surprised at how many of us have had the honor of experiencing being dizzy broads!