Going to see a nurse practitioner at neuro's office tomorrow...

[Fluffysmom]

I've been having trouble with extra fatigue, blurred vision, and dry eyes.  I wrote to my MS nurse on the 7th, but she didn't get a chance to respond.  Saturday my dizziness came back with a vengence; nausea, too.  This morning I woke at 3 am and couldn't go back to sleep because of the dizzniness and nausea; when I closed my eyes everything was more whirly and I felt sick to my stomach.

I've been doing my vestibular physical therapy exercises, but they aren't helping so far.  I'm so off-balance today that I wrote another e-mail to my MS nurse.  I got a call from my neuro's nurse a short while later, and I'm to come in tomorrow and see a NP to check out what's going on with me.  MS nurse e-mailed and apologized for dropping the ball last week.  My next appointment isn't until June 3rd, so I'm happy someone can see me.

I think I might have to ask my friend to drive me (can't call her my roommate while I'm living in my apartment, lol).  I didn't drive yesterday, and know I can't today; tomorrow looks doubtful.  I want to go to my once-a-month MS support group tomorrow which is a short drive, so I'll see how I feel.  I see the NP in the afternoon.

I'll be happy to get a neuro exam since my eyes don't feel like they're doing what they're supposed to.  I don't have double vision, more like trouble focusing vision.  Its hard to describe; whirly vision as well as whirly head.

Wish me well please,

Kathy

[Fluffysmom]

I missed my MS support group, my friend is driving me to my appointment, and I'll take the bus home.  Reading or looking at things while I'm moving my head makes me feel like I'm going to barf.  Driving would not be a good idea.

I'll check back in after my appointment.  Computer screen is bugging me.

Kathy

[Fluffysmom]

Thanks, sho.

I tried to go read the article but Scientific American is having some issue and its not available at this time.

From what you've posted, it sounds very interesting. Vertigo and shaky, blurred vision describes what I'm experiencing.  I'm glad that research is being done.  In the past the vestibular PT has worked well (or the episode just resolved), but if I were to feel this way more often and/or it worsened, I'd consider a "bionic ear" if it would help me.  Once it was ready for humans, of course.  :o)

Previous testing showed "diffuse cochlear disease in both ears", but other tests done at the same time didn't support that finding.  Maybe I'll head towards some answers this time.  Its nice to have a response and appointment to look at what's going on with me.

Kathy

[shoshin]

Wishing you more energy, better vision and lots of feelings of stability. I'm glad your neuro's office is back on the ball and I hope the NP can figure something out to help you or else get you to someone who can do something.

There was an interesting article in Scientific American today about bionic ears for balance where they are investigating a sort of cochlear inner ear. Despite the title about balance, apparently this is for vertigo and shaky, blurred vision caused by vestibular dysfunction. I don't know if this thing would work with neurological problems, though. The article talks about a guy whose inner ear was damaged by a virus. And of course, they're only on animal studies, anyway.

"The healthy labyrinth performs two important jobs. One is measuring which way is up and which way you are heading. You need this information to stand and walk normally. The second is sensing how your head is turning. You need this information to keep your eyes on target. Whenever your head turns up, for instance, the labyrinth instructs your eyes to rotate down at exactly the same speed, thereby keeping images stable on the retina. Without this vestibulo-­ocular reflex, the world would look as if you were watching a movie made by a shaky, handheld video camera. This reflex is the one that would be replaced by the planned prostheses, restoring much but not all of the lost equilibrium." (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=regaining-balance-with-bionic-ears)

Sorry, I always seem to get off on a tangent and your vestibular physical therapy made me think of this. I hope you're feeling better soon.

sho