Monday, 19 November 2012

Where it all began


I will give you some background on my dizziness and how it started I was a normal 23 year old woman I have three sons and a husband I enjoyed life I loved life. We were always out with the kids and out with friends.
One weekend in September 2009 I decided to have a few drinks at home I remember that day I had a few dizzy spells but nothing to write home about or worry about. I had a few vodka and lemonades at home and went to bed as normal. I woke up the next morning to the world spinning wildly out of control I didn't panic at first I thought it was the bed spins and I had suffered vertigo before on a few occasions but it always wore off pretty quickly.
I sat up and the spinning was totally horrendous I know my husband had work and I told him I was so dizzy I couldn't get out of bed. That day passed in a blur I do remember attempting to go down stairs but was so dizzy I was back in bed again.
This severe dizziness lasted a good week to the point I could barely get to the toilet unaided. Somehow I got through that week and survived at this point I decided to go to the doctors as I was still intensely dizzy in the head at all times although the world was no longer spinning. I remember being in the waiting room and everything felt so weird the floor bounced when I walk things were sliding/tilting in my field of vision it was just horrendous it was like I had taken drugs.
The doctor said it was viral and it would go away soon but it never did. I was a regular at the doctors after that I was in there weekly begging them to do something I think at some point over the next few months the dizziness faded to a more manageable level and I tried to just carry on and look after my children.
I did see a neurologist who ordered an MRI scan but it was normal when I had convinced myself I had a tumour growing in my head.
I saw the local ENT he did some tests on me but concluded I was normal and sent me on my way I was discharged but still dizzy 24.7 sometimes it was in the background and sometimes I had full blown room spins and head zaps all day long.
In 2010 I had enough of the dizziness and not knowing what was wrong so I did some research and decided to visit a neuro-tologist in London. I took my husband with me and I think it made it more real to him something was wrong with me. I had some tests done in London and some minor abnormalities were found with my balance system but that wasn't the cause of my problems or the reason for my attacks.
I was told I had Migraine associated vertigo known as MAV I was prescribed amitriptyline to trial to see it if helped.
I was relieved at the diagnosis I didnt think migraine could cause dizziness especially chronic dizziness but it can.
After taking the medication I did start to improve although the dizziness was always there to some degree.
In 2011 I decided to go back to work and get on with life I managed the dizziness well at this point and by late 2011 I was even dizzy free on some occasions and started going out again although I cant drink alcohol at all now without triggering a vertigo attack.
Early 2012 I found out I was pregnant with our third child I was very worried about what the dizziness would be like but to my amazement after 12 weeks pregnant a lot of my dizziness went away and I was able to go on holiday and go to party's and live normally.
I was fine until 37 weeks pregnant when the dizziness came back and worse than ever.

Useful websites http://www.mvertigo.org/forum/search.php http://www.labyrinthitis.org.uk/ http://www.dizzytimes.com/forum.php

2 comments:

  1. When my vertigo started, I was told that it was viral and it would go away...6 years later I'm still waiting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know Les isnt it pants thanks for taking the time to read my Blog :) X

    ReplyDelete