occasional dizziness

[franceslee]

so this has been going on for a while.....about once a month I will experience an episode of dizziness.  Last night I was setting on the couch playing with my phone and all the sudden I got a funny feeling in my head and everything started spinning, it only lasted seconds(thank god)!!!!  Every time I have been to my GP she says its probably because my ears but why would it happen only once a month???  I did have allergy testing and am allergic to lots of stuff however, the ent cant get me back in till dec 3, 2013.  You think it could be related??

I already struggle with anxiety and when this happens it makes things much worse!!!!  Does anyone have any advice?  Or things to try to prevent it from happening???

I appreciate your time!

[Nancy T]

Hi Frances, you're welcome; and you're doing the right thing by trying not to focus on it! Dizziness can be frightening, but once you know it's nothing dangerous, it really helps a lot. Your episodes will probably become less frequent and likely even disappear in time.

Take care,
Nancy

[franceslee]

Thank you so much for the information!  And reassurance!!!  I've been doing ok I just always worry when and if I will get the next dizzish feeling....  It just kinda freaks me out!!  But I'm trying to not focus on it do much!

Again thank you for everything and I truly hope all is well with you!!!

[Nancy T]

Hi Frances--since you have a normal VNG and normal neurological exam, I would really not worry about getting the MRI. You could ask your doctor if he really thinks you need it. If he says no, I would just work on getting your anxiety under control and really, truly, work with your doctor to see if migraine might be causing your dizziness. I know that most people, and many doctors, have never heard of migraine-associated dizziness, but it's quite common, and since your dizziness seems to happen once a month, this is really suspicious (related to hormone fluctuations). The best way is to try some meds (there are lots of them to try for migraine-associated vertigo, also called vestibular migraine) and see if it helps.

Anyway it sounds like the dizziness is not interfering with your life too much. It may very well simply get better on its own. If it's just an occasional thing and doesn't prevent you from living your life more or less normally, you really do NOT need to worry about it and perhaps don't even need to try any meds. It sounds like your episodes are short-lived and not very frequent.

Here are a couple of information links:

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/specialty_areas/vestibular/conditions/vestibular_migraine.html

http://neurology.about.com/od/Symptoms/a/Vestibular-Migraine.htm

Good luck and please be reassured that with a normal VNG and normal neurological exam, your dizziness is NOT going to be anything dangerous.

Take care,
Nancy

[franceslee]

I went an got a copy of my vng today, it says this is a essentially normal vng test!  I guess that is a good result but now I'm worried that there is somethjng else causing me to get the dizzish like feeling......

I don't like having health anxiety!  It's like even though a test comes back normal I still get very worried!  

In your opinion, would u try an go through with the MRI??  They said I could take something to relax me but I'm just not sure what to do!

Thanks again for all your help!!  It's great to have someone that responds to me an helps me out!!

[Nancy T]

Hi Frances, sorry you weren't able to get the MRI. It can be a little scary, I know. Ask your doctor if you can try again and be prescribed a Valium to make the test easier for you. Also you can ask the staff at the MRI facility to play music for you, have a fan blowing on you (which REALLY helps you not feel so claustrophobic), keep you informed what they're doing, put a wedge pillow under your knees for more comfort, and place a cloth over your eyes if you don't like seeing the inside of the tube.

The goosebumpy feeling on the scalp (and elsewhere) is pretty common. It really doesn't mean anything; it will go away by itself. Try to concentrate on something else when it happens, because thinking about it will likely make it worse.

If you cannot manage the MRI, I would not worry about it...if a neurologist has checked you out (reflexes, eye movements, etc.) and everything looks good, and your VNG didn't show any problems, the chances you have anything wrong in your brain are probably too tiny to worry about. The neurologist is just covering all bases. Ask the doctor if you really need the MRI or if he thinks you can just skip it.

I would still suspect your dizziness might be caused by migraine--it's a very common cause of dizziness, even if you don't have headaches at the same time--and made worse by anxiety. Try working with your primary-care doctor to get those things under control.

Good luck!

Nancy

[franceslee]

Your probably gonna think I'm crazy but I went to get my MRI an I couldn't go through with it, I started freaking out!  I think I was having a panic attack!!  So we had to stop the test!!  


Another question....I keep getting a different feeling on the top of my head.   It's kinda like I get a goosebumps feeling all over my scalp....  Have you ever heard of that?!  It kinda worry a me!!!  Do you have any clue what would cause that?!  Also, how can I get the MRI without framing out?!  

Thanks for all your help!

[Nancy T]

Yes, I do think if there were something really wrong, they would call you in sooner. They usually do that; you're absolutely right. So hopefully you can relax a little. Take care and let us know what the doc says! Good luck!

Nancy

[franceslee]

Thanks so much for all of your help!  I did call the office but the doctor like to see the patients to go over the test results with him.  I guess the only way I can look at it is if something was terribly wrong they would call an want me to come in sooner!  I don't want to get worked up if it's not necessary!  It's just my nature to over react :-) I really do appreciate that you always respond and have very knowledgable advice!!   Thanks again!!

[Nancy T]

I should add that during my years-long attempts to find out why I was dizzy, I "met" probably hundreds of people online (on forums) and the fact is that the vast majority of dizzy people have nothing dangerously wrong, and MANY times the doctors can't say for sure why someone is dizzy, but they CAN rule out anything dangerous, as the neuro exam and MRI will do for you.

A couple of months ago I started taking a medication as a migraine preventive, and guess what, a miracle! I now feel considerably less dizzy than I have in 15 years!! It turns out that migraine, with or without headache, is actually a common cause of dizziness. There are many meds to try, so if your doctor suggests this, work with him/her and try to find something that works.

[Nancy T]

Hi Frances, glad you got your VNG over with. The VNG expert (head of a balance-testing center) on a dizziness forum I used to read always said that you shouldn't pay attention to whether the test made you dizzy or not, that has nothing to do with the actual test results. In fact when I said the person doing my test had to do the warm water twice in one ear because the response wasn't what she expected, he said she was absolutely doing it right. (My test was normal.) So, please do NOT draw any conclusions from how you felt during the test. Just wait for the doctor to give you the results.

Probably the tech asked if you'd had an MRI because he/she knew you would probably get one or already had one and was just curious whether you'd had it done yet. It doesn't sound like anything happened at your testing that you should be worried about, just routine stuff, no doubt.

Sorry you have to wait til mid-February to see the doctor for your results. You could maybe call the office and say you are worried and could they please at least tell you over the phone whether the results were normal, as it would ease your mind. I know it's hard to wait for results!

I don't think the VNG would tell if there is anything seriously wrong; I think it only tells the doctor if there is SOME kind of problem with the balance system. It can't tell the doctor WHAT the problem is, so if your VNG is abnormal you may need other tests. But you are already scheduled for an MRI, which would give the doctor the most info. So, all you can do is try your best to hang in there and not worry until the testing is all over and the doc gives you a clean bill of health.

Again, I think since your neurology exam appeared to be normal, you really don't have to worry. I would bet a lot of money that your VNG and MRI will be normal and the doctor will just be scratching his head about your dizziness, or attribute it to migraine and give you some kind of medication to try. This is the most common result. You would have seen the doctor's concern if he found something wrong during your exam, which he apparently didn't.

Good luck and please don't worry if you can help it... call the office and just tell them you're very anxious about the VNG results and if the doctor could simply let you know now that they were normal, this would help you a lot!

[franceslee]

Hello!  I had my VNG done today!  It wasn't that bad but when they put the cold air in my ears I got pretty dizzy!  The warm air didn't do the same just little uneasiness in one ear!  They had to do the warm air twice in one ear for some reason which kinda worries me!!  The tech did ask if I had had a MRI, not sure why but it's really making worry that something is wrong :(

I do have an MRI schedule an a sleep study too.  I don't go back to the referring physician till mid February!

Do you think I'm over reacting?  Do you know if a VNG tells if there is something seriously wrong??  Thanks for any help!!

[Nancy T]

The MRI would be looking for any "lesions" (which just means abnormal-looking spots) in your brain, not that he is expecting any, but they are just ruling things out to reassure you that nothing is seriously wrong.

Many people have tiny lesions show up on their brain MRI, but these can be due to MANY things such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, aging, or migraines. So if your MRI comes back saying you have "tiny," "small," or "punctate" "lesions" or "foci", don't be concerned because these are a common finding and are harmless.

If they see anything on the MRI to be concerned about, your neurologist will tell you. Since he didn't mention anything he thought was wrong, there probably IS nothing wrong.

Possibly the hormone fluctuations prior to your period could cause a temporary increase in your anxiety, and anxiety can DEFINITELY cause dizziness and lightheadedness, all by itself.

Or, if you have any family or personal history of migraine or headache, you could be experiencing minor migraine events with the dizziness, although usually those would last at least twenty minutes. (You do NOT have to have a headache to have migraine--migraine sometimes manifests as other isolated symptoms such as a numb arm, a dizzy spell, nausea, or a vision disturbance (ocular migraine) instead of a headache--often these things last a few minutes to a few hours, typically 20-30 minutes.)

Best of luck to you and I would say do NOT worry, even if they never figure out what's causing your dizzy spells, if they are infrequent and short-lived, and you've had the VNG and MRI and they didn't find anything, you can be assured you don't have anything dangerous.

You may be offered a medication such as a benzo to help with the dizzinesss. These also help with anxiety. Many people feel a great relief from dizziness and other symptoms from these meds. If you have not tried one before, and if your neurologist or ENT or primary-care doctor offers you one, you may find it will work wonders. I tried three different benzos for my dizziness and while they didn't help it (because mine is not due to inner ear or anxiety), they had no side effects. So don't be afraid to give them a try--they might change your life! They do for many people!

Good luck and let us know what happens.

Nancy

[franceslee]

He didn't say anything was abnormal in his office.  He said that with my age there could be a few causes....the inner ear and something about lesions (he was hard to understand but I think he said they would check for them).  That is what really scares me when he started talking about that stuff!!!  

He just said he would see me back after the test are complete.

I guess it just worries me that I will have the worst thing possible!!  But Im trying not to overly worry...

Thanks for talking to me!

[Nancy T]

Hi Frances, the tests he's sending you for are VERY standard in cases of uncertain dizziness. The neuro is just covering all his bases. So don't let this worry you.

Did he tell you anything about what he thinks is going on? Did he mention anything was abnormal in his examination of you?

If he didn't say anything scary, don't worry about the tests. They will likely come back normal; they usually do!

[franceslee]

I had my appointment with neurologist today!  He is wanting me to have an MRI and vng done.  I'm really scared that something is seriously wrong with me, since he's sending me for testing!!  

[Nancy T]

Hi Frances, you're welcome. I get nervous about seeing doctors too, since 1999 when all these strange things I've had began and I kept hearing the most astounding, unnerving, or unbelievable (or unbelievably wrong or stupid) things come out of doctors' mouths. I'm not worried about having something terribly wrong with me (not since they first ruled out an inner-ear tumor with an MRI), but I'm always VERY worried that a doctor is going to just dismiss me, not believe me, not look at my whole picture, etc. It's enough to drive anyone crazy.

Good luck getting your issues figured out.

Nancy

[franceslee]

Thanks for all your information, it really does ease my mind some!!  I think I just get so freaked out when it happens because I automatically think something is bad wrong with me!  I always get nervous when I have to go to a doctor.  Lol

Thanks for taking the time to talk with me, it really means a lot!!!!

[Nancy T]

Hi Frances, please don't be worried. Your symptoms actually do not sound worrisome (I mean, not dangerous), even though I know how frightening dizziness can be. Dizziness is VERY RARELY a sign of anything dangerous.

Your doctor is just referring you to a neurologist in order to cover all the bases.

It's very possible that the dizziness is caused by anxiety, maybe increased by hormones before your period. This is extremely common. It's a vicious circle: anxiety can make you dizzy, the dizziness just makes you more anxious. This is because the vestibular (balance/dizziness) system in your body is very closely connected with the "fight-or-flight" response. So it's completely natural that being dizzy makes you anxious, and being anxious makes you dizzy.

Please do NOT worry. The neurologist will rule out anything dangerous (which it truly doesn't sound like you have) by checking your reflexes, your eye movements, etc. You may be offered some kind of medication or other therapy to deal with your anxiety, which could help tremendously, both the anxiety AND the dizziness.

Be sure to mention to the neurologist that these episodes happen near your period.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes! In the meantime, don't waste one minute worrying, and know that this is very likely a temporary thing that will not harm you. If you get any more spells, just try to breathe normally, sit still and FOCUS on something outside yourself until the dizziness passes, and tell yourself that this is just a harmless thing that will pass.

Nancy

[franceslee]

Thanks for your help!  I still get the dizziness occ., I called my doc and she is referring me to an neurologist.  This really worries me!!!!!  I had mentioned something to her about getting the dizziness sometimes before I start my menstrual cycle but she seemed to think the two weren't related!  Didn't really understand that !  I just don't know why she would want to refer me on an not even have an appt with me on this issue....  Does that make sense?

What should I do if I get the dizziness before my appt???  It scares me when it happens :(

[Nancy T]

Once a month? If you're female, possibly a migraine variant, or something else triggered by hormones. There is something called migraine-associated vertigo (more recently called vestibular migraine), but usually the dizziness lasts more than a few seconds.

You do NOT have to have a headache to have migraine. If you have any family history of migraine, this is much more likely in you.

Just a thought. Could be something completely different. The once a month thing is quite a clue, though!

[Jkuntz2003]

This has been happening to me since I was about 8 or so. For years I suffered from this, too afraid to tell anyone. I thought they'd say I was crazy or simply not believe me. When I was older I thought maybe it's mild anxiety because it seems to happen when I'm very stressed. I haven't had this happen since about 2006 but this week it's happened twice already. I decided this time, thanks to the wonders of technology to google it. That wasn't easy to do because I didn't know what to even call it. I read many of these comments and found several people have what id call extreme cases. For me it was always when I'd try and goto sleep. It's like out of nowhere the sound of silence begins to sound so loud and then it gets faster and faster and my thoughts seem loud and ever other sound is illuminated and I start to feel like  under attack. I can only make it go away by talking out loud or walking around. I'm not as scared as I was when I was little. I try and ignore it, or grab my phone. I'm so glad I googled this and found that I'm not alone and I'm shocked just how many people deal with this. I don't feel so crazy anymore ;)