Help! I am very dizzy

Nurses General Nursing

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About 3 weeks ago I woke up with severe vertigo. Never had anything like it before. Was put on a anti-inflammatory and Antivert. Stayed home for a few days util I could navigate again. Now, this morning, I am dizzy (not as bad as it was). I have had a EKG, lab tests, no sign of ear problems, no pain, no head-ache, blood pressure is fine.

Have any of u ever had this??? what did u do??? A lot of people are saying its stress related.

Advise please.

Thanks.:o

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

neuro workup?

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

Cardiac workup too.

We get a lot of patients who c/o dizziness or dx of "syncope" or "near-syncope."

You might need to wear a Holter monitor for a day or so, but it'd tell a lot more than a standard 12-lead.

Did they do a CBC, CMP, TSH, T3, T4?

PS I would only go with the stress theory after exhausting everything else.

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thanks. All my labs were normal. My HMO PCP will be sending me to a hearing specialist and from then to a neuro check if applicable. This is very unnerving and disorienting. I dont like it at all.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
thanks. All my labs were normal. My HMO PCP will be sending me to a hearing specialist and from then to a neuro check if applicable. This is very unnerving and disorienting. I dont like it at all.

So he's thinking r/o Meniere's?

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One year I had vertigo, horrible feeling. Went away after a week on antivert.

Prior to that, had three outer ear infections, one after another, was mistreated for inner ear, so ended up being treated for both each time.

Don't know if that had anything to do with it or not.

That was about 13 years ago and have never had it since.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I am happy to read that you are going to an ear specialist. Just because your outer ear looks OK and there is no sign of an infection in your middle ear ... doesn't mean that there isn't a problem with your inner ear (where the balance mechanism is). A PCP doesn't have the ability to diagnose inner problems adequately. I completely lost the functioning of my right inner ear several years ago and would never trust my inner ear to a PCP. Even as I lost 100% of my hearing and balance on the one side, my outer and middle ear looked perfectly normal.

Go to the ear specialist ... then to the neurologist if the ear guy doesn't find anything.

Good luck ... and let us know how it all turns out.

llg

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Specializes in Emergency.

More likely ruling out every thing but. Last i knew Meniere's is a diagonsis of excusion, you exclude everything else and its what is left. Also unfortunately there isnt really a cure just treatment. See www.menieresinfo.com

rj

So he's thinking r/o Meniere's?
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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Cerebellar CVA's can cause vertigo and you might need an MRI if all else is ruled out.

Good luck.

My mother has menieres, but I don't know much about it other than the vertigo.

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About 3 weeks ago I woke up with severe vertigo. Never had anything like it before. Was put on a anti-inflammatory and Antivert. Stayed home for a few days util I could navigate again. Now, this morning, I am dizzy (not as bad as it was). I have had a EKG, lab tests, no sign of ear problems, no pain, no head-ache, blood pressure is fine.

Have any of u ever had this??? what did u do??? A lot of people are saying its stress related.

Advise please.

Thanks.:o

I work for an ENT and we do a procedure called an epley maneuver which is a series of different positions the head is placed in to help alleviate vertigo.

There are crystals in the inner ear that can become out of balance. Think of a sea saw. You turn the head in different directions to equal out the crystals and this help to get rid of the dizziness. Try and find an ENT that does the epley maneuver or can explain cawthorne excercises. Note** you may experience dizziness after the epley, but it goes away. :roll

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Hi everyone. Thank you all so much for your support and for your information. This morning, I woke up with no dizziness, but my ear still feels full. Awaiting a "hearing test" which is what I have to do first through my HMO. I have written down the procedure epey manuever for the future. My neck feels stiff. In 1999 I was severely attacked by a pt. with neck/shouder injuries, so this dizziness could be related to that. Will r/o medical causes, then if nothing, may open up workers comp. again. I was thinking that maybe I need some chiropractic adjustments. I know of a really good chiropractor. What do u think? Again, thanks everyone.

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Sorry to hear about the vertigo problem. I had a case of it in November and it was very scarry. Could not walk, nor shake it for 36 hours. Antivert did not help. Some minor incidences since then. I was very careful not to move eyes/head too fast and used a shopping cart to hold on to if I went out to the store. Doing fine now. PCP did not do squat for me. I'm glad you're getting the work up you need. I should have pushed for ENT. Working on finding a different PCP because of his lazy attitude :angryfire

Best of luck to you for swift healing.

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