Vertigo or anxiety

I have been suffering from vertigo and weakness/weightless feeling for about 10 weeks. Started mid Oct with one night of terrible spinning and vomitting then improved for about 3 weeks. After Thanksgiving travel my spinning became daily.  Saw a PA she ran a simple blood panel all was normal, my ferritin was 22, FANA 1.8 (they claim that’s normal), gave me meclizine and xanax. I have neck pain and stiffness and have gone to physical therapy 3x and done some exercises for vertigo , they have not improved it. I have recurrent sinus infections, they did a CT of my sinuses, they were clear. I asked for allergy /food testing and the dr screamed at me it wasn't going to be an answer. NO doctor will help me sort this out.  It is controlling my life I am becoming VERY depressed and don't know where to turn.  I feel good while sitting but when I walk it gets worse. I feel fine while laying down but it starts a few hours after I get up in the morning.  Is it all in my 'head ' or is there a medical concern I need to worry about?  I’m  37, have asthma and no other major illnesses.  I did butt heads with my dog in October and had a black eye.  Could it be PCS?  Could this just be a mental breakdown?

[turtle221]

Hi.  I am experiencing several symptoms and my doc is also unhelpful.  I have the neck pain from the base of my skull all the way to my shoulder blades.  I had an mri of the c-spine and all c discs are buldging.  My chiropractor said that this could be due to my lightheadnesses. I was thinking that if you and your dog had a run in, maybe you could have hurt your neck and it could be causing your symptoms.  

Good Luck

[chen60]

I have been suffering from vertigo since July 07 I woke up and the room was spinning I went to the ER, I have had numerous test and they are all negative but yet I am dizzy everyday.  It is hard to make it through a day at work and I have seen a neurologist and they can offer much except meds.  I am getting very depressed I just want to feel they way I used to.
Good Luck

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

If you are having vertigo (feeling that the room is spinning around you), and vomiting pretty much regularly, I would strongly recommend you consult an ENT surgeon, and get your inner ear apparatus tested. Any pathology of the inner ear organ gives rise to such symptoms.

Have you been to a Neurologist?

Regards

Dr Abhijeet D

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

If all your Cervical discs are bulging, there is a chance of herniation in the future. You need to ***** the risk. Have you consulted an orthopedic surgeon or a Neurologist ?

Regards

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

I think the stars have appeared because I wrote the verbal of "assessment" !

[ggreg]

Dear Dizzy Folks,
A relative of mine has vertigo.  Anxiety and depression accompany this, because vertigo in and of itself is scary, plus it keeps a person from doing regular stuff.  I found it most interesting that two posters here mentioned neck or head injury perhaps contributing to vertigo.  My relative got a crick in his neck, that's when the vertigo started, and ten years later, still a painful neck and still the vertigo.  Docs X-rayed, talked about ear problems, he saw a psychiatrist, someone gave him motion sickness pills (which did help for a while).  What you all are saying confirms my suspicions, that if his neck problems were addressed, perhaps the vertigo would go away.

The Good MD here is giving sound advice, seems to me, as an ENT and neurologist are specialists with head trouble, which vertigo is an ear balance disturbance, whether originating or affected.  One of the Apollo astronauts was training for a mission, and vertigo literally knocked him flat on his back, ended his flight career.  Years later, they finally did get him on a shuttle, I believe.  Might be a book written about his situation.  And some people only have vertigo for a short while.  Sometimes using logic and deep breathing and counting can get a person through anxiety spells.  Stationary resistance exercise (lifting weights, heavy stretch bands, tighten muscles then release) might help the depression.

Despite what your treating physicians tell you, there IS a physical reason why vertigo happens.  The world does not spin all by itself, else we'd all be flung off the planet.  But diagnosing the cause of vertigo is tricky.  Could be as simple as low blood pressure, medication side effects, dehydration, allergy, or a more involved ear infection or other ear problem (including arthritic ear bones), all the way up to nerve problems radiating from the neck, or even something in the brain.  

Until you resolve the situation, find a support group with some vertigo people, Google it online.  Go see an ENT or neurologist.  Motion sickness pills on occasion might help for a while.  And remember, you are not alone; you are just miserable.  Find ways to adapt while you are trying to get help.  

[Will1955]

There is a treatment for vertigo. I had vertigo for a month. Went to an ENT, performed a treatment and my vertigo went away. The treatment is called Epley maneuver

[ggreg]

Dear Will,
Far out.  I Googled Epley maneuver, it's for when crystals in the ear canals are dislodged and float around and overstimulate the balance nerves.  Then I went to this website, includes Epley, and found out there's a bunch of types of vertigo.  Thanks for the input.  I'm telling my relative about it.
http://www.earinfosite.org/atoz.htm

[wishthswdstop]

I developed vertigo approx. 3 weeks ago. Was sleeping in an odd neck position with neck hanging down/hyperextended when I attempted to lift my head up the most intense vertigo came over me ( I literally felt like I was going to pass out or die!)  It was so frightening and even more so for me as I have an anxiety/panic disorder to start with.  Went to ER and Dr. thought I had BPPV.  Am now waiting to see ENT Dr. at the end of this week.  Sleep is only on my left side, propped up on many pillows, when I turn on my back I begin to feel woozy, and when I turn to the right the extreme vertigo starts.  Anyone had anyhting like this?  It is SO scary!

[hoirdiac]

I started getting vertigo a few months ago, it is horrible and nothing helps. I get tingling in hands and feet, even shooting pain in my head and dizzy as all hell when im up and about.  After reading all the post sounds much like what I have been going through and that we are all just SOL.  I hope I don't fall over dead from this crap, gave me renewed religion on the bright side.