Your opinions please!! : )

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by unangan, Apr 16, 2008.

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  1. unangan

    unangan New Member


    My new doctor took away my original diagnosis and said all my symptoms are because I am over worked, stressed, don't eat properly and drink too much coffee and drink alcohol too often and am constantly dehydrated.
    I nearly quit drinking alcohol. Reduced coffee intake by half. Have made a conscience effort to drink plenty of water. Generally get around 6-7 hours of sleep a night. I really don't think I'm deprived. Not to mention I take naps daily as well. I cut my work hours by more than half so I could go back to school... so I'm thiking I have eliminated everything that supports her theory. Oh, she also said I was too young. Seemed silly to me. I'm 30.

    I'm also wondering if my symptoms fit. I've been monitoring cause and effect for the last few months. Summary bellow.

    About 6 months ago I was at work, I felt completely fine but as soon as I bent over just slightly, I felt like I was going to fall face first. I was able to stay standing but had dizziness for the next hour at least, nothing as bad as the original attack.

    Second big one happened while I was pushing a shopping cart. Not sure if looking at the displays triggered it or what? Anyway, again the dizziness lasted for a while afterward too.

    thats when I went to the doctor originally.

    Started the low salt diet which did seem to help. After reading about menieres a lot of things started to make sense ( hope) I was having issues thinking clearly, serious issues. I didn't feel like myself and had no idea why. Pressure in my ear and static buzz.

    Bla bla, what I've noticed lately is around 2-3pm almost daily, I start having problems thinking clearly. Dizziness comes and goes on it's own almost daily, anything from an unstable feeling, to sudden moments where I feel like everything has suddenly shifted on me.. The most bothersome thing to me is not being able to think clearly. Is this not common? I know others have mentioned it.. but is it really that rare?

    I'm sure I'm leaving things out.. I'm sure this is enough for now. :)

     
  2. carolanne

    carolanne Lily

    I bet you will hear from Rick...but in the meantime, do you notice any relationship to the dizzies and when/what you eat? Some people are helped by the glycemic index diet, involves keeping blood sugar levels even throughout the day.
     
  3. jim1884again

    jim1884again advocating baldness be recognized as a disability

    Hi Una and welcome to our dizzy end of the universe

    "brain fog" is common for MM sufferers but you will find a different answer from every person--this syndrome presents differently with each person

    overdoing it, alcohol, caffeine, inadequate rest are all things that have the potential for exacerbating symptoms--usually, docs will say avoid all those things and nicotine, exercise and cut back on salt

    how much caffeine do you still consume?

    how often do you find yourself feeling the stress of deadlines, rushed, on the edge?

    did you see an ENT or just a regular doc? have you seen a neurotologist?

    when you get dizzy, does the world seem to be spinning or are you just light headed? you said things suddenly shift, how much (I know that may not be easy to describe)?

    have you read much about MM? or BPPV, or MAV?

    when things happen at the same time each day, do they happen regardless of where you are or what you are doing?
     
  4. unangan

    unangan New Member

    I should have re read my post up there. Sorry if it's hard to follow.



    Carolanne,
    I haven't notice. I'll start paying attention now though. I don't normally eat in the morning, maybe thats why I have problems late afternoon.


    Jim,

    I drink on average a half to a full pot of coffee a day. (I know thats horrible) There was a period in the begining where I cut back to one or less cups a day for a couple weeks. I didn't notice any big change so I went back to my old ways, almost.
    My stress levels are higher than the average I'm sure. I'm in the middle of a divorce and last month became a single mother who is going back to school and trying desperately to make ends meet. I am happier now, much more relaxed, and hence less stressed than i was before... but none the less.

    I haven't seen any of the above. I saw my regular MD who wanted to do an MRI, if I remember right. Then Kaiser changed my doctor because my old one does mostly urgent care then primary. Life and frustration with the new doctor has kept it all on the back burner. I thinkI'm going to push to see the original doctor again and hope that I get the referals I need to get a definite answer.

    Dizziness, the sudden attacks it feels more like the world is moving/shifting and I feel like I'm going to tip over suddenly. The general dizziness is me swaying about, not the world.

    As far as the reading about MM.. not so much. I read enough to give myself a general idea of what it's all about.

    Aside from not being able to think clearly, I don't notice the diziness if I am busy, I notice it more when I'm stationary. But yes, it happens reguardless of where I am.

    Thanks for the reply you two!
     
  5. jim1884again

    jim1884again advocating baldness be recognized as a disability

    you did fine in your post--since others hadn't chimed in yet, I did shotgun approach with questions
    you'll here from others I'm sure

    if you are having inner ear problems, caffeine can constrict blood flow, and most will tell you that is not a good thing for the inner ear--sounds like you have monitored things pretty closely and if you don't notice a dramatic difference in symptoms with or without coffee, it may not be that significant--caffeine does have some antioxidant properties and there is no evidence of long term effects on blood pressure or the heart--so it ain't all bad

    the MRI is fairly standard to rule out acoustic neuroma (which is rare)

    sounds like seeing an ENT would be a good idea--there are lots more of them than there are neurotologists and you can always follow up with a consult to one later

    the reason I asked if you had read much is often we are better equipped to deal with the medical community if we know what questions to ask--knowledge is power

    I encourage you to read what is on this site, but google MM and allergy, MAV (migraine associated vertigo), BPPV, glycemic index (and look at effects on/of insulin), endolymphatic hydrops--just take a journey of exploration--you mentioned being a student--look at it as yet another research paper you have to do--no time deadlines of grades on this on though

    others folks may give you specific links to see for more info

    good luck keep checking your thread here--others will chime in with good info
     
  6. utalledo

    utalledo Paradise

    The thing is that MM is not only dizziness, if you are not having hearing loss or tinnitus or fullness and pressure, than may not be Menieres at all and maybe it is stress!
    I have a friend that experienced Vertigo attacks only related to Stress.
     
  7. sjwo1

    sjwo1 Hiking Utah

    Sounds like you need a full work up at a quailifed doc. If your off balance occurs associated with movements then BPPV is highly suspect. But this is what the workup will check. Also to rule out other bad stuff. Then you can know your diagnosis.
     
  8. DemonicSymphony

    DemonicSymphony New Member

    I don't have much to add other than I was diagnosed at 25 with most likely having hat it at LEAST 2 years before that.

    so :p at the two young theory
     
  9. fcclimber

    fcclimber New Member

    I had my first vertigo attack when I was 7, so I don't think a minimum age is mandatory. That being said, my first instinct was BPPV rather than Meniere's - especially since you said you became dizzy when you bent over. An ENT can do a test to check for that - and it is usually easily treatable.

    You haven't used the word 'vertigo' yet. There are so many different types of dizziness...Everyone's different, but when I have a vertigo attack the room spins violently around me - Closing my eyes helps a little bit. IT lasts for as short as an hour - or as long as 8.

    As utadello said, if you don't have at least 3 of the 4 symptoms of Meniere's then it's very possible you don't have Meniere's. You could still have BPPV (positional vertigo) or MAV (migraine assoc. vertigo)...I don't know much about that last one, but there are other people here who do.

    At the very least - if you're worried, and your new doctor won't test/treat you for BPPV then I would seek out a neurotologist and see what they say. Good luck!
     
  10. June

    June New Member

    Well I am 'too old' for MM. I don't think the age thing means much.

    Any chance you are sick with something not ear related like mono? Has your family dr ruled out those kinds of things with tests (not age)?

    I had mono at age 58 (way too old) and 10 months later I had a hearing disorder (hydrops) which appears to be related to that or another virus. Keep working with a doctor but don't accept diagnosis by age.
     
  11. pardonme

    pardonme Guest

  12. MedievalWriter

    MedievalWriter Ryan's Rose Pvt Ryan Winslow KIA Iraq 4-2006

    My heavens, that's a lot of caffeine. That much would do me in.

    If you're consuming something at lunch that's messing you up, that would explain why your symptoms start every day at about the same time.
     
  13. Buffy-Again

    Buffy-Again New Member

    First of all welcome,
    I remember when I was first having symptoms, the first doctor I had told me to take a antihistamine and come back in two weeks.....Needless to say I did not make it past 24 hours. If feel your doctor is not giving you the best care, I would see another doctor. I learned this lesson too late.
    I would suggest you start eating breakfast, it helps set your metabolism for the day. Your age has nothing to do with your health. Generally younger people are healthier but that is not always the case. My mother was diagnosed with MS when she was 20, they did say she had it has a teenager. I would also ask your doctor to do blood test to rule out all the big stuff.
    I went to the doctor for swollen legs, and she ended up doing a blood test and found out I have a underactive thyroid. I now take meds for that and what a difference it has made.
    Besides the dizzies do you have hearing loss, fullness in one or both ears, and possibly ringing in your ear or ears. Please keep us posted and let us know what you find out.

    Buffy
     

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