Tiramisu Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 This first happened last week when I was out shopping. It was intense and very scary. I crouched down against a shelf until it passed. In the last week, it's happened a couple of times but not nearly as bad as the first time. Now I'm feeling it again. It's not horrible but disconcerting. I have not been taking my allergy meds and dd is sick, so I don't know if allergies or a virus could be causing this to happen periodically. I feel fine otherwise, except for a little runny nose and mildly irritated throat/nose area. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Your neck could be off. Do you go to the chiropractor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 Your neck could be off. Do you go to the chiropractor? No, I've never gone, and a neurologist told me I shouldn't ever go, after looking at an MRI of my neck. That might just be an MD vs chiro thing but I'm afraid to risk it. So, yes, my neck could be off, but it's felt good lately. Maybe I just need a good massage! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I just started another oat about getting dizzy, before I saw this! What a weird coincidence! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 It could well be a virus. Or the lack of allergy meds. Start taking your allergy meds again. I have periodic bouts of dizziness (which means I can't drive when they hit). My ENT is thinking it is related to vestibular migraines. If your dizziness persists, you might want to get checked out. In the meantime, make sure you stay hydrated. If your dizziness comes on suddenly, I would also suggest you avoid driving. Hope you feel better soon! Hydration is a good point. I've been exercising since New Year and sweating but not necessarily drinking more. I am a little worried about the driving. I was planning on driving dd to an activity today. My life has been pretty relaxed so far this year with less running around than I've done for years. But now I am taking on more because a friend's car is having problems, vision therapy starts next week, and littlest dd has asked to take a gymnastics class for her birthday and I want to do it because she never asks for anything. So I will have to drive quite a bit in the near future. I'm going to drink some water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 I just started another oat about getting dizzy, before I saw this! What a weird coincidence! Going to check out your oat now! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Have you taken antacids or calcium tablets lately, or any foods with "calcium added?" When I do, I get bouts of dizziness, sometimes severe. My body does not handle calcium carbonate well. Calcium carbonate poisoning is a little known issue. Dehydration can also make this worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 Have you taken antacids or calcium tablets lately, or any foods with "calcium added?" When I do, I get bouts of dizziness, sometimes severe. My body does not handle calcium carbonate well. Calcium carbonate poisoning is a little known issue. Dehydration can also make this worse. No, but thank you for mentioning it because I had been wondering if I am getting enough calcium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Have you lost weight recently? Weight loss can cause blood pressure changes, changes in blood pressure can cause dizziness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 Have you lost weight recently? Weight loss can cause blood pressure changes, changes in blood pressure can cause dizziness. Interesting point. I don't own a scale but my clothes don't feel any looser but exercise is supposed to lower blood pressure, too, isn't it? I actually feel much better being on the meatier side. When I was skinnier, I was much more prone to low blood pressure and feeling light-headed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 You might have a case of vertigo. I had it years ago. It is caused by a specific virus and it takes a while to go away. I had bouts of dizziness for a couple years after it was supposed to be gone. Right now my son's OT is dealing with the aftermath. She had vertigo last winter and still has moments of dizziness. When I had it, first I had a few moments of dizziness. They were brief and intense. It literally felt like I was falling into space for a moment. And just as quickly as it hit it disappeared, leaving me to wonder if I had been imagining it. That happened a few times at random moments. Then one evening it hit. I swear I felt like I was falling through my couch. If I moved a millimeter I felt like I was going to fly off the planet. I didn't puke, but I generally don't get motion sickness. I was a bit panicked and DH wanted to bring me to the hospital, but first of all, I couldn't imagine walking to the car. Second of all, except for the horrible dizziness I felt fine. I figured I was either about to drop dead or be just fine, so I decided to wait until morning to see the doctor. I couldn't drive and I couldn't stay home alone because I had an infant. I couldn't take the change of holding the baby for fear of dropping him. The doctor gave me a strong antihistamine and a patch for nausea. Gradually I got better, but for a couple years I had momentary dizzy spells whenever I got congested or had a cold. It was always brief, a flash and gone, but it took a long time to go away totally. I was lucky. Some people vomit intensely from vertigo. Every time they shift or move a muscle they barf. They often end up in the hospital for hydration. I am so glad that didn't happen to me. My doctor told me if I started to vomit I should call him right away because he would give me an IV sooner rather than later (he makes house calls!) So, if it starts happening again, you might have vertigo. It is more of an annoyance than anything else, but you never forget what that feels like. It makes me very grateful for a healthy vestibular system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I'd start with trying some electrolytes. A bottle of gatorade usually does the trick for me (except that I don't do sugar anymore, so I have to have the sugar-free one or some electrolyte supplements). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 vertigo or migraine syndrome :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OH_Homeschooler Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I've had episodes like redsquirrel's (the short-lived ones she described). They often do seem quite random. Sometimes I noticed it was right before a period started, so that may have had something to do with it. I mentioned it to my doctor at my last checkup and he said it could just be an inner ear thing and he was not even a bit concerned (nor did he offer any suggestions). I don't know if it matters at all but I've never had ear infections or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in OR Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 My DH went through several vasovagal syncope episodes last year. They were never able to pin anything definitive down, but the cardiologist who saw him to rule out any relation to the heart pretty much told him to stay well hydrated, to actually add some salt to his diet (he already has low blood pressure and rarely adds salt to anything), and to eat something for fast sugar like a cookie before he has to stand up for long periods of time (he's a minister). So a possible prescription may be water, salt, and cookies. :) Erica in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 My DH went through several vasovagal episodes last year. They were never able to pin anything definitive down, but the cardiologist who saw him to rule out any relation to the heart pretty much told him to stay well hydrated, to actually add some salt to his diet (he already has low blood pressure and rarely adds salt to anything), and to eat something for fast sugar like a cookie before he has to stand up for long periods of time (he's a minister). So a possible prescription may be water, salt, and cookies. :) Erica in OR I like a doc who prescribes cookies! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 If you typically take allergy pills and haven't lately, that is the most likely cause. If you have a runny nose, you likely have fluid building up behind your ear drum and it is affecting your equilibrium. Try taking the pills for a few days and see if the symptoms go away. It may take a day or two for them to build up in your system again and for your ears to dry up, so don't be surprised if relief isn't the same day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 My DH went through several vasovagal syncope episodes last year. They were never able to pin anything definitive down, but the cardiologist who saw him to rule out any relation to the heart pretty much told him to stay well hydrated, to actually add some salt to his diet (he already has low blood pressure and rarely adds salt to anything), and to eat something for fast sugar like a cookie before he has to stand up for long periods of time (he's a minister). So a possible prescription may be water, salt, and cookies. :) Erica in OR I'm on a high fluid, high salt diet for POTS. Why didn't I get the cookie Rx?? POTS makes me dizzy. I take meds for it now. Check out Potsplace dot org. Or is it net? Something like that. Lots of good dizziness info there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocolate Rose Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I had vertigo about a year and a half ago. It was very scary. I ended up going to urgent care and found out it was vertigo. It was caused by some kind of crystals in my ear - I can't remember the name of it now. Anyway, I later found out that several people I knew also had had it, so it is quite common. The dr gave me an exercise to do that helped to minimize the dizziness. It shows up every once in a while and I just do the exercise for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Funny, my daughter is going in for a vertigo test next week! But, we think in her case, it's part of a vascular condition (she gets migraines too) that's part of an even broader condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in OR Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I had vertigo about a year and a half ago. It was very scary. I ended up going to urgent care and found out it was vertigo. It was caused by some kind of crystals in my ear - I can't remember the name of it now. Anyway, I later found out that several people I knew also had had it, so it is quite common. The dr gave me an exercise to do that helped to minimize the dizziness. It shows up every once in a while and I just do the exercise for awhile. Actually, they mentioned that to DH too. You can google the Epley Maneuver and do it yourself. It did improve him and he also does the maneuver again when it gets worse. Erica in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocolate Rose Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Benign positional vertigo ? Makes me feel like I'm drunk-dizzy. This is what the vertigo I have is called!! It's quite common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGHEALTHYMOM Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Thanks for sharing your dilemma... I too have had a very light cold along with some dizziness and dh has had to pull over from driving a few times with severe light headedness and almost passing out. He had a CT Scan, blood work, oxygen levels tested and all were good! Still, he wore a monitor home for 24 hours this week. He has 2 Stents near his heart. I told him to make sure he is hydrated. I am hoping he does not have vertigo as he has to drive to many meetings. I will ask him about feeling drunk too. He does not have a cold either. His test results are not back yet from the monitor. DH did take a bad fall on some ice a few weeks ago and hit his head hard. I think it is probably related. Maybe he can go to a Chiro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I have always had dizzy spells. I have low blood pressure so any sudden rises cause me to feel dizzy. this can include getting something from a lower shelf in a shop and standing up quickly, though usually I get a dizzy spell if I have been crouched down for a bit longer, like gardening. keeping fully hydrated helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 I'm on a high fluid, high salt diet for POTS. Why didn't I get the cookie Rx?? POTS makes me dizzy. I take meds for it now. Check out Potsplace dot org. Or is it net? Something like that. Lots of good dizziness info there. I used to think I had POTS, due to my vertical tachycardia--you'll know what I mean. My heart rate is still high, so maybe I still have it, but I don't feel it nearly as much as I used to. My dd's have symptoms, too. I was told salty snacks, soup, and things like gatorade. I never got the cookie Rx either. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I used to think I had POTS, due to my vertical tachycardia--you'll know what I mean. My heart rate is still high, so maybe I still have it, but I don't feel it nearly as much as I used to. My dd's have symptoms, too. I was told salty snacks, soup, and things like gatorade. I never got the cookie Rx either. :) That cookie Rx sounds terribly appealing, doesn't it? How did they figure out the difference for you? I ended up on a tilt table - oh, the joy! I guess maybe that would have shown the difference. Either way, not fun. Hmmm... In the midst of packing for a trip, but I feel an uncontrollable urge to go make cookies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 That cookie Rx sounds terribly appealing, doesn't it? How did they figure out the difference for you? I ended up on a tilt table - oh, the joy! I guess maybe that would have shown the difference. Either way, not fun. Hmmm... In the midst of packing for a trip, but I feel an uncontrollable urge to go make cookies! I was never officially tested but I noticed it for years myself, most obvious when I was hooked up to heart monitors. I can go above 160 standing up. I did the home tests with my two oldest and they both showed more than a 30 beat per minute increase in going from lying down to standing up, even the one who is very fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 A 30 beat per minute increase is a big one. Wow. Has the dizziness improved at all, recently? I hope so. It's so frightening. I hope you find the cause soon. :grouphug: (Random thought: did you know that Greg, the yellow Wiggle, stopped wiggling due to POTS? Small world!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 A 30 beat per minute increase is a big one. Wow. Has the dizziness improved at all, recently? I hope so. It's so frightening. I hope you find the cause soon. :grouphug: (Random thought: did you know that Greg, the yellow Wiggle, stopped wiggling due to POTS? Small world!) I have been trying to drink water since a PP suggested dehydration and I've also been taking my allergy meds (except I forgot today!), and I haven't had another issue at all. I think my one dd's increase was about 60 beats per minute, in other words, her heart rate doubled. She's had other weird symptoms that POTS might explain, I was going to take her to someone who is billed as a POTS specialist. It would have meant making a bit of a drive, and I read online that he wasn't particularly helpful once you got a dx anyway. So I scrapped the idea since dd had really had enough of poking and prodding at that point. Meanwhile, some autoimmune tests became positive and the POTS was really put on the back burner. She is still tired much of the time and we don't know exactly why. Spryte, have you ever been screened for a connective tissue disorder like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome? POTS is common in people with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 That cookie Rx sounds terribly appealing, doesn't it? How did they figure out the difference for you? I ended up on a tilt table - oh, the joy! I guess maybe that would have shown the difference. Either way, not fun. Hmmm... In the midst of packing for a trip, but I feel an uncontrollable urge to go make cookies! I strongly disliked the tilt table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I have been trying to drink water since a PP suggested dehydration and I've also been taking my allergy meds (except I forgot today!), and I haven't had another issue at all. I think my one dd's increase was about 60 beats per minute, in other words, her heart rate doubled. She's had other weird symptoms that POTS might explain, I was going to take her to someone who is billed as a POTS specialist. It would have meant making a bit of a drive, and I read online that he wasn't particularly helpful once you got a dx anyway. So I scrapped the idea since dd had really had enough of poking and prodding at that point. Meanwhile, some autoimmune tests became positive and the POTS was really put on the back burner. She is still tired much of the time and we don't know exactly why. Spryte, have you ever been screened for a connective tissue disorder like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome? POTS is common in people with them. Yes, I have a bizarre, complex medical history. Not a connective tissue disorder, but a few (yes, few) other disorders connected with POTS. I sort of view POTS as a symptom. Mine started when I had a raging case of babesiosis, and I still have issues. The severity comes and goes. Staying hydrated helps the most. I also take fludricortisone, which I think helps the POTS, or it may be that I take it for Addison's, goodness, I am mixed up tonight! I hope your DD found good coping mechanisms! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I strongly disliked the tilt table. Totally agree. There are not enough words for the dislike I felt! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.