Walking on a boat, brain fog

[andamin77]

I also posted this on the ENT board, but I decided to post here as well since I am unsure of the cause.

For the past 4.5 years, I have been dealing with a very annoying and distressing problem. It started very suddenly with a strong feeling of disorientation and ear pressure/ringing in my right ear. My doctor referred me to an ENT who diagnosed "mild eustachian tube dysfunction." She gave me Nasacort and sent me on my way. I used the spray as instructed and it actually seemed to help after about a week. I would say that I was feeling about 95% "normal." A week later, however, the symptoms returned as bad as ever. I tried the Nasacort again with no effect.

This lasted for about a month before I really began to worry that there was something serious going on. I began having tremors, which I now fully believe were caused by anxiety over the symptoms. My family physician ordered a CT just to rule out anything more serious. It was clean. He then referred me to a  neurologist to explore further, but also prescribed Paxil to deal with the anxiety. I got the feeling that he thought it was entirely caused by anxiety, but I had never been an anxious person before this. I took the Paxil anyway, which didn't get rid of the symptoms but at least I wasn't obsessing as much.

The neurologist ordered an MRI. The only thing it showed was a "mucous retention cyst at the base of the right maxillary sinus." The neuro said it was nothing and could not have acted more disinterested.

I continued just taking my Paxil with no improvement in symptoms. Then, I began having balance issues. I never really lost my balance, and I wouldn't call it dizziness...it just felt sort of like I was walking on a boat or a dock on the water. I also noticed that if I were to lie on my right side, then sit up, there was a noise in my right ear. The same thing happens when I tilt my head to the right and press, then release right in the area where my right jaw attaches...in the little gap you can feel there. The only way I can describe it in words is that it sounds like a car or motorcycle at high RPMs lets off of the accelerator. It goes from high pitch to low and decreases in volume. When it happens, I imagine fluid that has been displaced refilling the empty cavity, whether that is actually the case or not.

I saw another ENT who prescribed antibiotics and steroids...which had no effect.

The symptoms have never disappeared, but they have seemed to subside a little in the past. The last few months, however, they have come on stronger than ever. The "walking on a boat" feeling was happening once every couple weeks or so. Lately it has been a daily occurrence. The episodes are also lasting longer. For example, previously I would get the feeling, sit for 10 or 15 minutes, then get up and be fine. Now, I can sit for an hour and it doesn't disappear. The noise on my jaw muscle has never disappeared either.

I saw another ENT who ordered an ENG and another CT. The ENG was normal (apparently vomiting during that test is considered normal). The CT noted "asymmetrical lateral ventricles" but noted that they were most likely developmental.

The last couple of days I have had tremendous "walking on a boat" feeling and signifant head pressure.

A couple of other things worth mentioning:

-Pretty much throughout this ordeal, I have had post-nasal drip.
-I think I have recently had a sinus infection. I didn't really have any congestion, but I have had lots of head pressure. Also, when I would tilt my head to the right or left, my upper right back teeth would hurt.
-I have had mild, but frequent headaches. I am assuming these are due to stress or sinus issues.
-Around the time this all started, I developed many floaters in both eyes. I had never had them before.
-I wake up congested every morning. When I blow my nose, sometimes there is blood behind it.

I fully admit that there is an anxiety component involved here, but I in no way believe anxiety is causing all of these symptoms. The things I most want gone are the "walking on a boat feeling" and the disorientation/brain fog.

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reading.

[oldshoe]

I wanted to write and tell you I have the exact same symptom ( Hyperacusis and dizziness showed up first ) as you right down to the cyst you mentioned and the location of the cyst ... that makes strongly suspicious of the cyst as the cause ... I was wondering if you ever figured out what your problem was and how you treated it ??? Where did you get treated ?

Thanks,

J

[ggreg]

Andamin,
Hoooray on your doc appointment!  How fortunate to have the perfect doc, too, and so close by!  By the way, one of the other posters who mentioned that Mystery Diagnosis episode, I saw it too, and the girl said the dizzy thing went away when she was in a car.  I also cannot recall what was wrong with her.  But maybe you can find the episode summary at the website for that program.  I think it aired in 2008...but could have been a repeat, sorry.
GG

[andamin77]

Thanks all. I am seeking an appointment with a Doctor at the nearest university hospital. His specialty is "Neurotology, including Disorders of Hearing and Balance." Hopefully I will get some answers soon. I will be sure to post again if/when I actually get to see him.

[jason80]

I know exactly the feeling of the vertigo like feeling. When I got this feeling it was daily, usually worsened during the day. It always seem to be accompanied by hyperacusis (things sound louder and more painful than they are -- even my own voice sometimes bothered me). It felt uncomfortable to move my head so I would just want to lie still. Check to see if the rocking feeling you get is correlated to your pulse. I found it was sometimes, which reduced my anxiety.

It eventually went away after a stint of prednisone. Now I have other weird symptoms, but that symptom is mostly gone. The ringing in ears and bad floaters remain.  Chances are very likely won't find a root cause, but good to rule out anything obvious.

[andamin77]

ggreg, Thank you for the suggestion. There is a University hospital about an hour from  me, so that is not out of the question. I will also try the Meclazine.

selmaS, Actually yes...the feeling does go away in a car. It seems to only be when I am on my feet. When I sit after an episode, I still feel it with head movement, but it never starts while sitting or lying down. I also get some relief by tilting my head back for a while.

Thanks for the comments.

[selmaS]

Hi sorry u have had to deal with this for so long and no answers.

May I ask a question? The walking on a boat feeling....does it go away when u r in a car?

If so, there was a mystry dx episode on...u may be able to google it .I can't remeber exactly what was wrong....but the woman described her problem much the way u do here.

Good luck
"selma"

[ggreg]

Well, you've got vertigo.  Vertigo can cause anxiety, not the other way around.  One of the scan reports said you had a cyst in your sinus.  THAT is likely what has caused your balance to get out-of-whack.  I think your treatment so far has not worked, altho I thought the antibiotics and steroids should have helped more than it did.  

So, I would suggest you do a little research and find an ENT who works in a university setting, perhaps in a larger city some distance from you, and go to that doctor for treatment.  When you see him, tell him you have been passed around and do not want to leave his care until he resolves this problem to your satisfaction.  Tell him about that cyst, your nose bleeds, vomiting during the ENG, and now your nearly total loss of balance.  And of course bring or forward all your records over the last five years, to include any pictures and reports from the scans.  

IN THE MEANTIME, go to the drugstore and get some Meclazine, which is for people who suffer from motion sickness.  It is a mild help for people who have balance issues, so that might be a fair crutch while you hunker down and wait for that important physician visit at a university (which they practice the best medicine).  Let us know how things come out, if you follow my advice on getting a new doc.