Allergies, sinus infection and dizziness

[stacia123]

In May I began to have dizzy spells which coincided with a sore throat and earache, which cleared up on their own. However, dizziness and fatigue continued for several weeks. The dizziness resembled being carsick, with lightheadedness and occasional moments of nausea and feeling faint (but I never passed out).  I had a CAT scan and blood work twice, and so far no diagnosis for the dizziness/fatigue.  It got better for a few weeks but last week I began to have dizzy spells again, this time accompanied by maxillary sinus pressure.  I had just switched allergy medications, from Nasonex to generic Flonase, right at the time my symptoms returned.  Could allergies have led to a sinus infection?  Can the sinus infection cause dizziness and fatigue?

Due to the holiday weekend I haven't been able to call my doctor, but after 3 prior visits he's never suggested sinuses to be a cause.

[mrspack]

I know exactly what you mean. I too have been suffering from this dizziness going on 18months now. we are pretty sure we found the reason, it's meniers disease(not sure on spelling) but the weather too affects me greatly. and I have almost lost my job over this. Along with major anxiety, and the fear of being left alone at my own house because of having an attack frightens me.

[nycsinus]

I posted a month or so ago re: migraines (same symptoms as most people here, dizzyness, intense sinus pressure, sinus infections, etc)
Went to the neurologist a couple of weeks ago and it took a bit of negotiating to get him to prescribe me medicine for migraines (he said they would be pretty unusual migraines and made me go through MRIs and vertigo tests), but he finally prescribed me some migraine meds.

TOTALLY WORKED! Woke up the next morning with clear sinuses for first time in eons! Dizziness is much much better (and I think not having a crazy stuffy head helps it feel better regardless, much less stressful for my little brain).
I'm taking a super low dose of Nortryptalin. I tried a day of Topomax and the side effects were exactly what I was trying to get rid of. Felt awful. Called and they switched the prescription that day. I take 25 mg (I've read some people go up to 200mg) and feel great all day. I can feel the med wear off around 8ish or so when I start to get some throbbing in the temples, but generally feeling much, much better. I also notice that some foods (I think aged cheeses and chocolate) tend to stuff me up a bit, which is pretty common in migraine sufferers, I gather.
So basically it seems like the last 5+ years of feeling crappy with sinus problems and dizziness were more or less just really low level migraines (though strangely, most days of the week. Pretty atypical).
In short, I would definitely ask your doc about it. Even if he/she is doubtful, see if you can get a prescription for some migraine meds, my understanding is that most of them are pretty harmless/mild and at least you'll know. Now I plan to just work on figuring out what causes this and reduce it, if possible in order to get off the meds. But it feels really good at least having some idea what's going on and some way to alleviate it!
Best of luck to you all!

[Dilsy]

thank you for this website I am really thinking I am nuts
I have so much pain, dizziness, headaches.  It does seem to clear up with anitbiotics but comes back licky split.  No one understands when I say the check pain and over the eyes, it also gives me tunnel vision  I feel useless and afaid to move fast
I have so much more to add but I can relate to all of you.  

[shirleyah]

i have bad dizzy spells and i went to ent they ranme through test and they said i hAVE MENIERES DISEASE..IT WILL GET WORSE AND NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR IT.I KNOW HOW YOU ALL FEEL.IT WILL INTERUPT EVERYDAY LIVING.ALL I CANSAY IS HANG ON TO WHATEVER YOU CAN CAUSE MINE GOT SO BAD I HAVE TO WALK WITH A WALKER OR HAVE SOMEONE TO HLD ON TOGOOD LUCK TO ALL

[timbalou]

Has anyone been tested for food allergies to find out if the dizzyness is being caused by an allergic reaction?

[pheolynx]

I have had vertigo before maybe once a year if I was on a new computer system(new job) , since about september I have had vertigo that seems to come with sinus infection, i notice sinus pressure, sore throat, achey ears, terrible headaches every time I wake up my head feels like its splitting and throbbing, i went to the immediate care because it was the weekend and i had enough, 4 days already, I was tipping into walls and nauseous all day, they gave me meclizine and had me wait there to see if it helped... no it didnt..they gave me a valium to take the edge off and try to sleep through the day for a little relief... so they still gave me prescription for it which I took as presribed... then I followed up with my GP and explained I was dizzy, unsteady, and my eyes were even "foggy" like they had a film over them, she ordered a ct scan and referred me to a neurologist who ordered physical therapy, well ct was normal, physical therapy was a joke, they never did any of those "vertigo" exercises & said I need to get my eyes checked before we'd make any progress, but continued to rub my neck, shoulders, an ultrasound machine for my stress knots, they said the muscles are all linked so this would help...stopped taking the meclizine because it wasn't doing anything, during phy ther i got another sinus infection & phy ther said i need to get that & my eyes cleared up before we make progress, so after a round of antibiotcs, getting my eys checkd= normal slight prescription but nothing extreme to cause vertifo.and these glasses are making me more unsteady.. they said it could take a week to get used to them but im not trying to feel any worse, they are only +.5 & +. I .75..started feeling better, I honestly think it was because 3 months had passed and it was clearing up on its own... now here I am have another sinus infection & have full blown vertigo ALL over again, grr...we had the stomach flu running through our house so it was hard to tell when it exactly started because i was so nauseous and out of it anyway, then i noticed the bug moved to my face, sore throat, infection color & now the stomach bug is completely gone I can feel my sinuses full blown infected & vertigo is very overwhelming, my gp wasn't sure if i had allergies & didnt order an allergy test, she didi state with my last sinus infection that it could have been allergies that just sat there nd caused an infection...oh * she also recommended claritin in the am and benedryl at night(due to drowsiness) daily... so I just put a call in to my gp again for a refill, I've had enough, I also have young kids and feel so dysfunctional & no one understands just how terrible this vertigo, nausea feels. now I wait to see if she will refill or have me come in... wondering if immediate cares do allergy testing?? i just need to feel better! i will keep posted when i find out what she reccomends..