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Dizziness, does anyone else have this rotten condition?

(39 Posts)
spabbygirl Mon 21-Aug-23 17:19:04

Does anyone else here suffer from dizziness? A few years ago I had my 1st spell and had lots of investigations from the GP & all were negative so I was just prescribed betahistaine. That helps & I have found that it goes away for a few weeks then comes back again.
I have various health conditions including a rare type of muscular dystrophy that means I'm loosing control of my hands & feet plus other things that mean I'm generally weak and fall even when I'm not dizzy, the last thing I need is to be dizzy as well as having wobbly feet.
I'm now looking for ways to control it without tablets & so far I've found that ballerinas can control dizziness & I'm trying to do similar by taking a deep breath and forcing myself not to allow the feeling to wash over me.
It is reducing the length of the spells but I'm hoping to get better and better at it.
Does anyone else have any tips?

Skydancer Mon 21-Aug-23 17:22:04

Have you had your ears tested?My dear Gran had an inner ear problem and was often dizzy and falling over. I think it was called Meniere's disease ... not sure how to spell it.

MerylStreep Mon 21-Aug-23 17:29:48

Try the Brandt Doroff exercise. It can help.

Sara1954 Mon 21-Aug-23 17:44:28

I got some exercises from the chiropractor which definitely helped a lot.
A bit hard to explain, but I’m sure you would be able to find them online.
You have my sympathy.

Sara1954 Mon 21-Aug-23 17:48:56

Oh, sorry Merylstreep you got there before me! Definitely worth a try

CL54 Mon 21-Aug-23 18:01:56

Hi, the inner ear explanation is definitely worth checking out. Sometimes spinal problems, especially towards the neck can be the cause. Also; without prying, has the doctor ruled out any other tablets that you may be taking, as a possible cause!?

Visgir1 Mon 21-Aug-23 18:49:36

My first thoughts.. Ears which has been said but get them to check your BP as well.
Good luck

SachaMac Mon 21-Aug-23 19:07:22

I have spells of dizziness and light headedness but I put it down to my cervical spondylosis, it can also be a side effect of one of the meds I take (Gabapentin). It’s an awful feeling so I sympathise, I hope you manage to find the cause or a way of coping with it.

CL54 Mon 21-Aug-23 19:18:52

Sorry, forgot to mention; (Sinuses). Sometimes infected or blocked sinuses can also cause dizziness. I hope you find an answer, dizziness, especially when the cause hasn't yet been discovered, is upsetting and stressful. So fingers crossed 🤞

Curtaintwitcher Mon 21-Aug-23 19:22:20

I caught a virus some months ago which featured dizziness. I'm still getting bouts of it even now. The doctor gave me some exercises which do seem to help.

spabbygirl Mon 21-Aug-23 20:10:42

Thanks all, I just looked up those things, I didn't know about the Brandt daroff exercise but I found it easily online but I'm going to do it, I had never thought of going to a chiropractor but I will now, nor have I had my ears checked but I will, is that done at specsavers or the gp nowadays? I did stop taking the antidepressant (Lofepramine) which is a painkiller a few months ago but it hurt so much I went back on it but at a smaller dose & I cope with a bit of pain. I get a bit peeved that a condition which leads to loss of sensation doesn't stop pain, but that's how it is. I didn't know spinal problems can be the cause, but I do have round shoulders too, to add to my list of complaints, thank you all sooooo much for your help, I'm going to. try all those things as well as ginger, which is supposed to help too, it helps with neurological conditions too, and I love it, which is just as well. I'll report back in a week or so, after bank holiday and let you know how it went

Marydoll Mon 21-Aug-23 20:17:49

I have spells of dizziness, nausea and hot sweats.. The cause was eventually diagnosed as congestive heart failure.

What I'm trying to say is that there could be so many reasons for this, as you can see from the posts. Stemetil does help alleviate some of my symptoms.
Is it worth seeing your GP again?

I hope you you find some respite, it's a horrible sensation.

Fleur20 Tue 22-Aug-23 07:51:19

How is your blood pressure?
Do you feel dizzy when you stand up or is it at random times?

JackyB Tue 22-Aug-23 07:57:46

Yes, yes, yes. I have funny "spells" of feeling as though I'm being lifted up and spatially disorientated and my mind momentarily gets disorientated too. I put it down to the after effects of Covid.

Fortunately I don't lose my balance and can get my brain back into gear very quickly - I don't think it's ears or blood pressure.

Lots of people have mentioned having similar dizzy spells recently.

Oldbat1 Tue 22-Aug-23 09:17:43

I used to be prone to labyinthitis (spelling?). It is a middle ear issue and travel sickness pills were prescribed. It wasnt as bad as menieres but certainly debilitating. If possible in your area do try to get a gp appointment. I know certain heart medications can cause dizziness. Horrible feeling.

JenniferEccles Tue 22-Aug-23 11:51:23

This is a surprisingly common condition which has a variety of causes.

If it keeps happening, it might be worth asking your GP to refer you to a hospital with a specialist balance clinic where they would run a series of tests to determine the cause and then treatment.

Not every hospital has these clinics as they are not part of ENT departments, but there might be a hospital near you with one.

It’s a miserable thing to have and certainly worth trying to get to the bottom of what is causing yours.

spabbygirl Wed 23-Aug-23 12:21:18

Thanks so much all, I had a really thorough GP overhaul about 2 weeks ago, & an MRI scan for heart I just have so many conditions, but this is one of the most unpleasant and dangerous, I fear falling downstairs, now might be the time to look for a bungalow or stair lift but that would need a different house. Travel pills sound like a great idea, I will try them. I bet long covid is a contributing factor too, I think overall weakness must be a factor too, I think a balance clinic is a great idea too & I'll ask about that. I'll be ok from tomorrow as my husband is around & we're going away so I'll be fed and only have to do minimal things, its moving around, bending to pick things up etc & that doesn't help. Thank you all soooo much for your help everyone, I really appreciate it

cc Wed 23-Aug-23 12:43:44

I sometimes get vertigo which appear to be due to inner ear problems, a friend deals with this problem by doing the exercises mentioned above but mine usually only last for a few days.

Kamiso Wed 23-Aug-23 12:44:35

Oldbat1

I used to be prone to labyinthitis (spelling?). It is a middle ear issue and travel sickness pills were prescribed. It wasnt as bad as menieres but certainly debilitating. If possible in your area do try to get a gp appointment. I know certain heart medications can cause dizziness. Horrible feeling.

I had the same problem twenty five years ago. It was very frightening at first as I had no idea what was causing it. I slipped sideways off a chair during an interview, having had to climb a sweeping staircase beforehand. I could see where I wanted to go but made crabbing movements to get there. I was off work for weeks.

I still have to grab at my OH when we cross a road and can’t look at higher shelves in shops without getting dizzy.

Added to your other problems it must be very difficult.

Romola Wed 23-Aug-23 12:53:32

Just sending best wishes and admiration to you and all those coping with these unpleasant conditions.

CrazyGrandma2 Wed 23-Aug-23 12:57:33

Have you tried the Epley manoeuvre? Easily done lying on the bed. It was recommended to me and it worked. As others have said, blocked sinuses also cause problems. Good luck.

grandtanteJE65 Wed 23-Aug-23 12:57:36

Certainly have hearing checked and consult a good chiropractor. Apart from your spine and neck, ask him or her to check that your legs are the same length and that there are no problems with the small bones of your feet.

Ask your GP for a review of all and any medicines you take concurrently, as even aspirin and the like that you can legally buy across the counter can interact with other medicines to the patient's detriment. Blood pressure is another obvious factor and so is thyroid, if these have not already been checked.

Breathing exercises may well help too, but ballet dancers control dizzyness caused by fast pirouettes by fixing their gaze on a certain point and returning to the mark when they complete an entire turn. This is unlikely to be helpful to you. However, you can control sea sickness by keeping your eyes on the horizon rather than on the sea, so it may not be totally useless.

Unfortunately, keeping ones eyes on the horizon while walking around town would be rather dangerous!

Is there any pattern to when your spells of dizzyness occur? If so note down when they occur.

And do get an opthalamist to check whether you have a cataract forming, and your vision generally, as changes in our sight can cause dizzyness, as can a pair of glasses of the wrong strength.

Have you consulted someone who practises acqupuncture?

Iwtwab12bow Wed 23-Aug-23 13:37:25

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is anaemia. It might be a shot in the dark but I had very dizzy spells and heart flutters. I went through test after test,until at last I persuaded the Dr to give me a blood test. I was indeed very anaemic. Not sure if that helps.

Rainnsnow Wed 23-Aug-23 13:49:42

I was just about to post about anemia, also low blood pressure.

Noname Wed 23-Aug-23 13:56:08

I was going to suggest Epley manoeuvre as my husband has had this and it helped the dizzy spells. I hadn’t realised it could be something he could do at home himself as the doctor has always done it. I will research!