Yet another recovery - This time, unexplained Vertigo

Sometimes it feels I can't be healthy. The moment I feel healthier I get something else.

The week I finished a half marathon run, which is amazing considering my knee is a mess (torn ACL and other minor issues that still exist), I got struck with an unexplained vertigo.

I was just sitting in front of the PC and started feeling that everything is spinning around (feeling, not seeing). I put my glasses off and wanted to get up to take a migraine pill or at least a headache pill... I just couldn't get up, everything was in a complete mess. I could only look straight at the screen, every time I moved my eyes or head I felt like I was driven somewhere. I texted my housemate through whatsappweb I need an urgent medical help. Usually when someone says something like that we assume a burn or a cut. In my case the guy assumed it was something with my leg. I asked him to slowly turn my chair and look at my pupils... he was shocked I asked to look at my pupils and didn't understand what I meant. We did a quick stroke test and ruled that out. I tried to stand up but couldn't, so he called an ambulance.

Despite throwing up twice on the way to the hospital the trip was amusing because I'm an army medic in reserves I kept commenting on what they say, like high pulse, I said it is because I'm nervious because I don't know what is wrong with me. One of the medics said that I'm her first patient who is taking things with humor despite vividly feeling so bad, she was at her second week of work...

The hospital was awful, I hate hospitals. I was lucky I was in the bed all the time straight from arrival so I didn't need to move, but having to hold a pee for 8 hours is a new record for me. Did a CT, MRI and blood test, everything was perfect but I was feeling sick and the world was literally spinning in all the directions at once. I was put under IV with some Dimenhydrinate.

They 'held' me in captivity for 3 days. Did bunch of tests with no real result, most of the time I was sleeping because there was nothing to do after the visiting hours. The last day was better and I managed to walk around the room.

While in the hospital I always had company, either family or friends or co-workers. If I was not sleeping, I was surrounded by people so the time did pass quick.
I wasn’t eating much, mostly matza bread (Passover, so no normal bread) and some fruits. I did try the vaggie burger thingy they offered but it was disgusting. First thing I asked to eat at home was a salad. Hospital food is so unbalanced and depressing I think people are getting sick just from eating that food.

After all the tests, the conclusion the doctors came to is that the nerve responsible for the balance (the one in the ear) was ‘burned’ and died, and the brain have to find an alternative path for the neurosignals. It makes sense and explains a lot of my recent problems, frequent headaches (I was sure it is stress related and weather related), some sort of vision loss (which I was sure it is just a prescription change), getting tired more quickly, and finally the vertigo. They also say it might be a post covid thing. When the nerve gets infected and dies without noticing and causing such symptoms.
Anyways, they scheduled some more tests in a month. Meanwhile I’m on sort of recovery. Still have episodes of nausea and headaches which I need to track down.

2 days at home, only today, was able to sit and write on the PC.
Living on the third floor in a house makes it harder to function socially because the social floor (living room and main kitchen) is the first floor. I was offered to move to the first floor, but the third floor is the girls floor so it is more convenient (I guess it is the right word to use) to stay there. I do walk down the stairs but with help and supervision because I may injure my leg again if I step wrong and I am still not fully in control of how do I step.
Vision was always my issue (that’s the reason I went for optometry), so not being able to use my progressive glasses makes it a bit harder to function with devices and still having a bad visual acuity with any glasses makes it annoying, so I end up wearing contacts all the day. It is sad and funny because my vision improved to the point of not really needing glasses even for the computer (before the pandemic) and ever since it got gradually worse, still not to the point it was in the university when I needed glasses for everything but still was in denial. Now I feel the same, but for a different reason. I can read without glasses, but having astigmatism make the letters squeezed and misaligned a bit, having nausea with it makes it unbearable over time. So I just prefer wearing contacts.

Spending nearly 20 minutes to get from the third flood to the first to watch a movie with the housemates makes me feel bad for having them help me and taking care of me. Luckily I do recover fast. The doctors say it might take a few months to come back to full activity.

I'm making the thread mostly to track the progress. It makes me feel better than writing a diary....

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 60

scar-the-queen

17

Original post

by Kathy89

YAY...
It might be something common to have low blood pressure issues after vertigo :hmmmm:

Maybe! I only started fainting from low blood pressure a few days after my vertigo was gone.

Reply 61

Kathy89

OP

20

Original post

by scar-the-queen

Maybe! I only started fainting from low blood pressure a few days after my vertigo was gone.

I will mention it to my doctor. Seems I'm not the only one.

Reply 62

Kathy89

OP

20

Update:
For the last 3 months I had no major episodes. I did have serious migraines, especially on my period (which is not stable now).

I'm driving again now, feel confident driving alone, still no locking the shower door and not showering when I'm home alone.
I'm going to the gym/pool once a week. Now I'm starting to have a cold so I will probably miss this weekend's session though.

I have a scheduled an appointment for another cardio monitoring, this time with stress (sports activity). Aperantly I may be considered as an 'old' athlete and may have developed some cardio issues (I've been told it is not uncommon with athletes my age), although I'm not that of an athlete. Because all that started when I was practicing long runs so it might be but I highly doubt it.
Despite all that they say I can slowly go back to practicing some physical activity like running and swimming. Not pushing myself too hard.
I don't really understand the doctors. For me it seems two contradicted things. "There might be something wrong with your heart, therefor physical activity and hot water might be dangerous for you" but on the other hand "you can do some swimming and running and working on your arms strength".

BTW, I'm more or less stable at 42-43kg. Trying to gain more weight to be closer to 50kg

Reply 63

scar-the-queen

17

Original post

by Kathy89

Update:
For the last 3 months I had no major episodes. I did have serious migraines, especially on my period (which is not stable now).

I'm driving again now, feel confident driving alone, still no locking the shower door and not showering when I'm home alone.
I'm going to the gym/pool once a week. Now I'm starting to have a cold so I will probably miss this weekend's session though.

I have a scheduled an appointment for another cardio monitoring, this time with stress (sports activity). Aperantly I may be considered as an 'old' athlete and may have developed some cardio issues (I've been told it is not uncommon with athletes my age), although I'm not that of an athlete. Because all that started when I was practicing long runs so it might be but I highly doubt it.
Despite all that they say I can slowly go back to practicing some physical activity like running and swimming. Not pushing myself too hard.
I don't really understand the doctors. For me it seems two contradicted things. "There might be something wrong with your heart, therefor physical activity and hot water might be dangerous for you" but on the other hand "you can do some swimming and running and working on your arms strength".

BTW, I'm more or less stable at 42-43kg. Trying to gain more weight to be closer to 50kg

I'm glad you've had no major episodes for a while!! The doctor's advice seems a little bit confusing..have you asked for a second opinion from another doctor?

Reply 64

Kathy89

OP

20

Original post

by scar-the-queen

I'm glad you've had no major episodes for a while!! The doctor's advice seems a little bit confusing..have you asked for a second opinion from another doctor?

Booked more tests.
I am a strange person in that matter. I don't want to hear that I'm not allowed to do physical activities, so I am doing lighter activities a s under control and careful with that but still do. I don't practice alone though.
One of the doctors even said that it is possibly just a bunch of different unrelated symptoms that we are trying to mix together for one diagnosis when probably there are several different things that happened at once. The post covid vertigo, overall exhaustion (physical and mental), change of nutrition to gain weight, migraines. All of that together caused these symptoms so after some rest all of them where gone. It is also a logical possiblity.

Anyways, I'm happy to be back to my normal self step by step.

Reply 65

Kathy89

OP

20

After a long time with no symptoms or at least very slight symptoms, last night I had a strange symptom.
I was very productive during the day and came home late and exhausted. I started feeling a bit light-headed and took some meds for migraine. After watching some youtube videos and snaking I felt better, then I just moved around the house talking with roommates and we decided to go to sleep as everyone have to wake up early. The moment I went to bed I started feeling a bit nauseous and dizzy, despite laying down with closed eyes. I opened my eyes and looked at the air conditioner, the temperature display was moving in every direction. I panicked a bit at first but after taking a few deep breaths and positive thinking and analyzing the situation I reached for the phone and decided to keep the phone near me in case I start feeling worse. I put my glasses on to reduce the blurriness and dizziness, it didn't help this time. So I spent most of the night staring at the ceiling. Didn't sleep much but somehow the dizziness disappeared just as it came.

Now I'm much better despite the lack of sleeping hours. So I will use public transportation today and I took all my medical kit with me, just in case. Some meds I didn't use almost a year.

Yet another recovery - This time, unexplained Vertigo

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