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Dealing With Symptoms of Vertigo (1 Viewer)

cineMANIAC

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A little over a year ago I visited the ER in a slight panic after waking up one morning and experiencing what could be best described as being on a merry-go-round turned up to Max. I was told I could have a form of Vertigo, so they gave me some Meclizine at the clinic and a prescription for the stuff to take home. I felt better the next day so I stopped taking the drug and in the year since I hadn't had a recurrence until about a week ago. The first time I think it was triggered by an awkward sleeping position (my head was probably hanging over the edge of the futon I was using at the time) but this time it seems to have been triggered by the common cold. I remember at one point in between the last recurrence and this one I became ill with a head cold and felt the symptoms of Vertigo coming on but never got an attack.

OK, so obviously I need to take care of this before it causes damage or I start getting more frequent and random attacks. Since hearing loss (and Vertigo, I recently learned) runs in my family I figure I should start looking for a specialist soon. The thing I'm not sure about is do I walk into an Ear, Nose & Throat hospital first (there's one near my job) or do I visit an Otolaryngologist and let them check me out? I haven't had my ears checked since grade school so it's definitely time to pay them a visit anyway. And if it turns out my vertigo is caused by an ear infection I guess they will find a solution. Any suggestions?
 

Stan

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I'm not a doctor, this is definitely a doctor situation, but I'd start with an ENT guy first.

Always heard that vertigo often has to do with your brain misinterpreting signals from the fluids in your ear that help you maintain balance.

I've never had a problem with heights, got a pilot's license, love being in tall buildings and things like that. Yet where I used to work was a two story building where I'd have to go to the roof and check out the wireless antennae to another nearby building. If I looked over the edge, maybe only a 30 foot drop, I'd get dizzy, everything began to spin and be out of focus, and I'd almost pass out.

Probably not being a lot of help, just relaying my little bit of info.

I'm still fine, but don't look over the edges of buildings anymore. I was helping a friend strip off her roof to put new shingles down and literally couldn't do it, and was only 10-15 feet off the ground. Yet put me in a plane, or the highest skyscraper around and I have no problem.
 

cineMANIAC

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Stan, what you describe is actually called acrophobia - a fear of heights. You seem to have a version of it since it only affects you at lower heights. Many people confuse Vertigo, which is a motion sickness, with acrophobia but they're actually different. Talking to several people I've come to realize that I probably shouldn't visit a hospital since I'll likely have to pay a $500 deductible. I'll try an ENT first.
 

Steve Schaffer

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iirc, diazepam=Valium...doesn't fix vertigo, just gets you high so you can tolerate it.If your vertigo is accompanied by hearing loss and/or ringing or a whooshing sound you may have Meneire's disease. Definitely see an ent specialist ASAP.
 

Stan

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cineMANIAC said:
Stan, what you describe is actually called acrophobia - a fear of heights. You seem to have a version of it since it only affects you at lower heights. Many people confuse Vertigo, which is a motion sickness, with acrophobia but they're actually different. Talking to several people I've come to realize that I probably shouldn't visit a hospital since I'll likely have to pay a $500 deductible. I'll try an ENT first.
Never even thought of that, but probably kind of what I go through.

I remember reading an article about that horizontal, glass arch sticking out over the Grand Canyon. Fascinating to learn how it was built, but guaranteed I'll never set foot on it.

What's odd is that when I travel, I always request a room on the highest floor available at the hotel, love to fly and other vertical "adventures". Not sure what bothers me, but certain situations just don't work. Strange that I can be thousands of feet in the air flying, but can't deal with a ten foot drop working on a friends' roof.
 

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