Feeling constantly ‘drunk’ isn’t fun ;-(

[BellaSpirit]

I am a 29 year old female who is dizzy most of the time. My dizziness is bearable up until the point when I have an attack. An attack for me is similar to a panic attack – everything starts to spin and I get really lightheaded, then I will experience an inability to talk properly, my limbs go all jelly-like and I can’t move, and I go very cold and numb. After this episode which usually lasts about 45 minutes or so, I will fall into a drunk and disorientated aftermath that is debilitating and can last anywhere from 6 days to 2 weeks. While having this aftermath which is similar to a Migraine Postdrome, I feel fatigued, flat and unmotivated, foggy/hazy, with a mild and consistent headache. Generally I feel unwell and unable to perform everyday tasks. Going on the computer and walking into a bright shopping centre is out of the question when I am having these attacks/aftermath. I have noticed that the major attacks happen around menstruation and I have been told by a GP that the hormone imbalance I have (progesterone) is contributing to my problem. My GP isn’t entirely sure what is going on though and has initially diagnosed me with Labyrinthitis. She gave me a CT scan, EEG and blood tests that all came back normal. She finally disgnosed me with Menieres Disease (without any concrete proof). I wasn’t entirely convinced so I went to see another GP who diagnosed me with Panic Disorder that mutates into a strange Migraine Postdrome.

My history:
Just before I started having attacks I had chronic fatigue which I am now fully recovered. The reason I had chronic fatigue is because I have Helicobacter Pylori living in my stomach that is resistant to antibiotics. After a hair analysis test I was found to be very low in iron, vitamin D, calcium and other vitamins/nutrients due to not being able to absorb properly (due to the Helicobacter Pylori). My vitamin B12 was at 0. I have corrected the deficiencies but I still have Helicobacter Pylori and am waiting for hospital treatment.
I also have Interstitial Cystitis (bladder disease described by frequent and painful urination) that was caused by an ongoing, undiagnosed Ureaplasma infection (I believe that was the cause). Because of my IC I get up 10+ times per night to go to the toilet which has led me to become an insomniac. I have very little sleep each night but I find I can still function quite well.
I have bursitis is both hips and 1 shoulder. I feel I have the body of an 80 year old!
I have proteus in my tonsils.
I have a moderate cat allergy that I present with no symptoms although my blood work says otherwise. I am constantly exposed to a cat.
When I had chronic fatigue I was forever coming down with colds and flu’s. I had tonsillitis 3 times in that period.
I believe this ‘dizzy’ illness has created me to be slightly socially anxious, agoraphobic, have a touch of OCD and depression. I also find myself worrying a lot. I’d say I have become a whole lot more anxious, but then again I’ve always been an anxious person.

I am currently taking:
Paroxetine 20mg (4 days now), the oral contraceptive pill (5 days now), Glucosamine 1500mg, Multi-vitamin, Magnesium, Vitamin D and Calcium.
Hopefully I am on the right track...

Full appreciation will go out to anyone that can crack the code or give me any possible solutions or advice on where to go next. Is this really anxiety related or is it inner ear related?

Thanks :-)

[ggreg]

Just be sure when you go in the hospital to tell the docs there about your other conditions, healed up or not.

[BellaSpirit]

Hi ggreg and thanks for your reply.

In response to you I would like to say that I believe I may have had a low immune system (about the time I was suffering with chronic fatigue) but I think I’ve built it up quite well since then because I feel quite good and strong, but still dizzy.

I no longer have a bladder infection, I have interstitial cystitis which is damage to the bladder lining.

My husband also has a proteus infection in his tonsils also and I don’t believe this is making me any more run down as he is fine.

The main infection I have is the H.Pylori which apparently 30% of the world’s population has so it can’t be that devastating to my body.

Also my blood count is fine, just a slightly raised white blood cell count and also a slightly raised eosinophils count which is probably due to either the H.Pylori or allergies.

So basically I think my immune system may be contributing to my illness but I don’t think it’s the main cause. Thanks for your opinion :-)

[ggreg]

I think your immune system is worn slam out, perhaps from the several infections you got going on.  You say you're going to get hospital treatment, so hopefully that will clear up what ails you.  I hope they'll not only get rid of your H. pylori, but also your bladder infection, and the tonsil problem.  You are overwhelmed with infection.  And while it could be your ears are a problem and making you have vertigo, I think rather it is your sicknesses that are making you feel kinda stunned.

When a person feels lousy, then self-confidence goes out the window, weak as a kitten we cannot feel okay about going places, being with people, and the least bit out of the ordinary will make us upset.  In other words, your anxiety is being caused by your illnesses.

By the way, on the cat issue, I was allergic to some house bunnies we kept for a number of years, and I had to take some allergy pills for that period of time, so you should do likewise.  When you're in the hospital, talk to the nurses and/or the hospital doc about your bladder infection and tonsils, ask them if they will draw blood and see what your blood count is like and look into how all these infections are making you kind of seize up for days.  You don't want to have just the H. pylori cleared up, only to continue having problems in other parts of your body.