Dizziness: Fear of Cause?

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tearsneverfall

Well-known member
Since last Tuesday I have had on again off again dizziness. I was diagnosed with an undetermined inner ear problem in June of this year but they said they were not majorly concerned because my MRI was clean.

I get sweaty a lot prir to it and then it hits and it's usually brief but enough to scare me.

I know it's not a sign of you know what. But I guess I am afraid that I have caused myself to stroke out from stress or something like that.

I had this happen several years ago and was told it was my ear and have since had two normal MRI's of my brain.

Anyone else get this. This has been everyday since last Tuesday on and off.

I was not really that anxious at all before it started unless it was subconciously but I was enjoying myself with shopping and taking my daughter to gymnastics and boom it hit out of no where.

What do you guys think?

It seems like I get better in one area only to have something else crop up.
 
I don't think this is too uncommon because I've heard my friends complain of this before. An MRI would have shown a stroke so don't worry about that.
 
Karen,

The inner ear thing could very well be the cause of the dizziness, and so could anxiety. It sounds like you are doing much better and that this is just a temporary set back. Don't get discouraged, things will get good again.

Hope you get to feeling better.

Gary
 
Hi Karen,
I've had a some dizzy episodes a few years ago before I had my first child. It was quite a while ago, so I can't remember all the details. My docs thought it was some form of chronic sinus or inner ear infection--and I was given antibiotics (the safe kind Gary :D) ). I was also given some medication specifically for dizziness. It was prescription medication, but I cannot remember the name.

I have had a couple recurrent episodes of dizziness--along with sinus problems, so I think they are intertwined.

That said, I have also had dizzy episodes that felt very different from what I described above, but they've been in conjunction with anxiety--usually it hits during or right after an anxiety attack--of which I've had three whammies.

I'm not sure where your dizziness is stemming from--but if your docs feel that it's an inner-ear issue, you might ask for an antibiotic regimen (if appropriate) along with some anti-dizziness medication for a short while to see if it helps.

Bottom line, it sounds like a chronic problem that will probably be recurrent for an unknown length of time---but thankfully it's nothing to worry about.

StephG22 is absolutely right--your MRI would have shown any evidence of a stroke. But I have to chucke at your fear---During two of my past anxiety attacks, I went into the ER telling the docs I thought I was having a stroke. It just wasn't so--and now I know better :D)

Take care Karen--this will pass for you!

Amy
 
Karen,
That is so funny you should bring this up, I right now have an inner ear thing going on. It makes me dizzy and nauseaus and off balance. I wouldnt worry too much (easy for me to say). My ear has actually been stuffed for about 2 weeks now and I am waiting for it to clear up.
 
Hi,

I've had periods of dizziness for years. It started where all of a sudden I was dizzy and could not move my head w/o making it worse. I would have to stay on the couch head propped up on pillows until I could fall asleep, never moving my head. It would take like 8 hours or so before it would get better. I went to a few drs., they would say it was allergies/fluid buildup. Sometimes it just hits me anywhere I am, sitting down all of a sudden it hits and feels like my head jerks and last only a few seconds and other times it's like I described. I can get it frequently or just once in while, I never know. I take an allergy pill when one comes on and it does seem to help it somewhat. I don't know what else to do about it but I pretty much don't freak out about it much anymore.

Feel better in that you are not alone!
 
Karen

My mom has Meniere's Disease(pronounced MEN-EARs)..it's harmless meaning it doesn't kill you nor does it give you any kind of disability. Now with that said; she gets periods of dizziness so bad she has to just stay in bed with her eyes closed until it passes. In the beginning, before we knew what was wrong with her, the dizzness (which would also make her vomit..yuk) would last for 2 days at a time. The doc first thought it was a bout of food poisoning. But then, once these "episodes" became more frequent, he decided she can't be that unlucky to keep getting food poisoning and sent her to an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat ) Specialist. He did whatever tests (not sure what) and determined it was Meniere's Disease. She take an anti-vertigo med every to ward off attacks. So, maybe you want to see an ENT doc.

OR

Maybe you have low-blood sugar? My sister has that. She gets dizzy, sweaty, and also shaky if her blood sugar gets too low.

Just some suggestions. Hope this helps!

Take Care,
Barb
 
OK, I was trying not to post ALL the time, but I just have to add my $0.02.

I got a middle ear infection, probably from waterskiing in dirty water. The problem showed up while I was standing at a photocopier at work, and I felt as if I'd just dropped a floor on an elevator! I did see a doctor, who figured out what was going on. I don't think I was even prescribed an antibiotic. Many years ago, but I seem to recall the doc saying the middle ear isn't a place that would receive much benefit from an antibiotic? Anyway, I suffered for many weeks (6-8?) before the symptoms cleared up -- entirely -- just as the doc said they would. For awhile there, I got motion sickness every time I even bent %

And...there's a condition that roughly equates to the proverbial "rocks in the head." It's called otoliths, and it's believed to be little mineral deposits (?) that float around in the fluid in your ear, causing havoc as they bump around. At Duke University, and at many other places now, there is a clinic to treat the condition. People have found that a series of manipulations of the head and neck seem to shake/dissolve these otoliths, eliminating their symptoms of debilitating dizziness. And in some lucky people, the symptoms just go away after awhile, even if not treated. So, if you have positional dizziness, I'd recommend reading up on otoliths.

--alyLeoNCali
 
Thank you guys so much for your input. Still dizzy off and on everyday. some days it's worse than others.

Trying to stay positive. Sometimes it seems to come from my head, other times from my heart and other times from my ears.

I can be walking and feel as though I am going to pass out suddenly and then it will pass.

I had a follow up with my GP Monday and she did an EKG and blood work. EKG was normal and so was the blood work. She is blaming it on my inner ear problem but said the if I go without the anti dizziness med it will go away quicker because not taking the meds allows the brain to adjust quicker.

My ear flutters as if there is a butterfly stuck in it a lot through out the day and my nose is totally blocked. I can't tolerate decongestants. They throw me right into a major panic attack so I guess I have to sit tight and pray it goes away!

Thanks again and feel free to keep your thoughts coming.
 
Karen:

Oh, the butterfly in the ear thing, huh? I get that too, now. I think that IS BFS-related. Didn't someone else here post that he feels twitches in his "eardrum"? James, was it you? It doesn't hurt at all, just another weird BFS sensation.

--alyLeoNCali
 
Karen:

Here's a link regarding BPPV - Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. There's a post on this link with symptoms like BFS! I wonder how many of these "fringe" syndromes are actually related.



Replying to your PM, what I had was so many years ago that I really doubt it was related to BFS, and it went away so completely that I believe it was "just" a middle ear infection, but man did it knock me for a loop. MAJORLY dizzy and motion sick, even when not moving! Give it a few weeks. On the other hand, the butterfly-in-the-ear and very mild dizziness sound more like BFS. Who knows, but hey, relatively speaking, it's not so bad, right?

--alyLeoNCali
 
I initially had this too - this whole thing started after an ear infection I picked up while swimming on holiday. The interesting thing for me was that the dizziness wasn't the "spinning room" type that you get when you've been drinking a bit too much of the hard stuff, or on a wild fairground ride. It was "linear" - I would feel as though I was going backwards rapidly, or up/down. This seemed to surprise my doctor somewhat. Apparently damage to one ear typically produces rotational dizziness.

And yes, I did eventually get the "flicking in the ear" type twitch. It went away. Comes back again for a few hours every few years now. Annoying but no big deal. (No big deal now - it was scary initially).
 
Karen-

I had bouts of dizziness and lightheaded/sweaty feelings for several months - off and on...mostly on. It was during my periods of feeling "better" - after my clean EMG and visit to Mayo, but well before my current state of stronger well being and coping.

I figured it couldn't be anxiety related, as I was having a good time most of the time when they would come on - watching football games, playing with my son, whatever.

I know now, it was most likely anxiety - either the anxiety itself or my body trying to heal from the ordeal it had been put through. Not otholiths or diseases (benign or otherwise), just plain and simple anxiety related physical symptoms.

I truly believe you have been through an ordeal. You are doing much better, but there is still lingering doubt. That is anxiety. Can't tell you how you are going to get past it, but I know you will. You just have to package up all of these little things that have you thinking "if it's not one thing it's another", and label them as what they are - little physical ailments that won't kill you, won't harm you, and are just gonna pass. I really love the phrase "this too shall pass". It is trite, but so true. Once you get yourself to the point where you truly believe this, and live accordingly, all of these little things will go away (slowly but surely).

I had four relatively twitch free weeks in a row recently. Then a stretch of two "bad" days. I thought little about them.I thought littel about the calf pain I had one evening. Lo and behold, two days later - gone as soon as it all came, and I am again "twitch free" for five days in a row again. (twitch free is a relative term - I am sure I will always twitch a little here and there)

Karen, I think you know when you come on here seeking reassurance on little things like this, that we will all say it's OK, and many of us will have experienced something like it. I'd trust yourself and your doctors enough at this point to just allow yourself to say - this too shall pass, and accept that it all might just be anxiety playing its tricks on you. Just my two cents.

I wish you well - and I pray for your continued recovery.

Smile,

JG
 
I had bouts of dizziness over the summer associated with an undiagnosed sinus infection. It was this dizziness that initiated my whole MS/ALS scare in the first place. You can have a sinus infection that causes other symptoms without even knowing you're sick!

Regarding the word *dizziness*, we need to be very clear about its meaning. Some people use it as a synonymn for *nausea* or *lightheadedness*. Other people use is as a synonymn for *a spinning sensation*, also called *vertigo*. I always consistendly use it in the latter context. Many don't however.
 

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