Constant vertigo making life hell

[mumalums]

I am 35 yrs old and for the last 7 months have had almost constant vertigo and tinnitus (in my left ear). I have had bouts of this over the last 10 years and tests for Menieres some years ago showed that I wasn't suffering from it. This time around the vertigo and dizziness has really been unbearable and has meant that my life has had to change quite drastically. I am also suffering from insomnia (getting about 2-4 hours sleep per night), so am fatigued. I think I am now getting very anxious about attacks especially at night as they seem to go on for hours. I am taking stemetil, but I've been on them for months and they don't seem to be working. I also seem to have a problem with my gall bladder as I have a feeling of fullness under my right rib cage. All these symptoms seem to get worse leading up to, and during, my period. I am writing in from the UK, where we have the NHS and it takes ages to get any tests done.

[deafsinger]

note to add : the medications that were prescribed for vertigo , actually made mine worse & more unbearable.

[deafsinger]

I am sorry you are having problems with dizziness. It is difficult to get anyone to understand what  & HOW  terribly this can effect one's life. If they have lived it , then they might understand!

Before your period, we tend to retain more fluids within our bodies, the puffiness, etc. I was placed on diuretics to help this. I only recently stopped them because of the cardiac side effect of potassium depletion. One good way to rid the body of excess fluids is to of course watch your salt intake , but another easy natural way to rid the body of fluids is to get canned green baby asparagus , chill it , & drink about 1/2 cup of teh liquid & eat some of the asparagus chilled on a salad. It will rid of extra fluids & yes the extra fluids youretain do make the symptoms of dizziness worse.
Blessings,
deafsinger

[vwalv]

I too suffer from extreme Vertigo and was diagnosed with Menieres, I get the Tinnitus, or ringing and other loud noises in my ear, it often soulds like a truck running in my head! Meneires is not a disease but rather a catch-all for an accumulation of symptoms. I learned that when my sinuses are bothering me it really affects the inner ear as that is where my problem originates. Sinus swelling puts pressure on the ear. My doctor has me take Musinex (after the round of antibiotics to get rid of the sinus enfection) and it helps. The best help I've found for the dizzyness, is an over the counter--if you can find it, is a little pellet called Cocculus Indicus. 5 under the tounge 3 times a day for 3 days. What a miracle it was for me. It was tons better than the perscription meds they offer for motion sickness/dizzyness. It's all natural made from a plant. I learned of it via internet search as after being home and chair bound for 3 weeks I was desperate. I was getting very depressed and really didn't want to have a fear of going places because I had a lot of things I wanted to do and falling down in public was/is not an option, especially when the dizzyness lingers. I was also afraid I'd get hauled off to the local drunk tank by staggering around! I'm going through a vertigo thing now and it has been threatening to show it's ugly face but I have beat it back with the Musenix and Cocculus Indicus.  I think the snow and cold and wind got it going this time but I'm thrilled that I'm still winning. Look for the Cocculus Indicus in the health section of the stores. I found mine at yoke's. Also, closing your eyes makes it worse, better to focus on a spot on a wall for a while, this thing can be brought on by lots of eye movement. Oh, I don't know if this could be thyroid related or not but a few years ago I had to have mine removed, then it seems like everything started going wrong! Good luck to you and all who read this. ***@****

[kb1cqx]

I am having the same issue and it ***** no answers and no one knows anything and I have gall bladder issues and stuff. My yahoo e mail adress is ***@**** if you want to chat. I have had the condition 3 days after my gall bladder surgery and I am in another conversation as well in vertigo worse in cold weather. My periods are worse and i am emotional and stuff. Someone has to help us and stop writing this off, it is worse then hell and i have wanted to die at some points because of it. I have problems with my right ear and it seems like I have more problems in my right ear es like 2 weeks before my period and I turn into an emotional oil well. I suffered insomnia for 8months after my surgery lack of apetite and involuntary shaking. I didnt even want to drive for a long time and did not want to be left alone. I am making the best of my life and at the same time putting up with an abusive discriminating community other problems I have is deep depression, anxiety, sensory integration and aspergers syndrome. Try all that in one day, I think most would jump off a bridge, but I won't I have too many interests in life and stuff like that, my dizziness is a constant back and forth and sometimes its bad when I go to the bathroom and stuff. When I am driving I hardly notice it and stuff. Oh did I mention I didnt shower regularly for a while of fear of falling and going off balance tilting my head under the shower head. I wish one of us could be a guinea pig to figure this stuff out, another thing I am considering is PMDD, Pre Menstrual Dysphoric Syndrome.

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

You need an MRI done, with and without contrast. Your symptoms are those leaning toward a retro-cochlear pathology.  

Now that said, that is the worst case scenerio, and if was the case they are benign.

OK other things it could be:

It could BPPV, google that. I say it could be this becuase you state it is worse at night, and comes and goes....  

good luck