Iāve been dizzy for 1 year. When I say dizzy I mean 24/7 spinning, floating, on a boat like feeling which ranges in severity throughout the day. I am mostly housebound and have been this way for several months. I push myself to go out on an hour long dog walk with my partner when I can.
My GP diagnosed labyrinthitis to start with but then put my dizziness down to anxiety as I had a mental health crisis when my symptoms first started. I have come out of that crisis somewhat now but still feel stuck in a constant state of anxiety and nowhere near who I was before these symptoms came about.
More recently I have had a private appointment and have been told my symptoms are likely to be caused by a migraine associated balance disorder.
I am due to start 10mg of nortriptyline this evening. I am quite nervous as I donāt want to do anything which could potentially make these symptoms worse.
Iām finding the loneliness and isolation really difficult. I have an amazing partner who is doing everything he can for me, reassuring me that weāll get through this. My family donāt really understand and just leave me to it. I had friends, but I gave up on reaching out first all the time and pretending that things arenāt as bad as they are. I canāt work and am having to hand in my notice.
I want to escape these symptoms, just for 5 minutes. 5 minutes of feeling OK again. Iām afraid of missing another year of my life. Last year when my symptoms started and I missed Christmas time and my birthday, we all said how I would be able to make up for it this yearā¦ I didnāt expect to be in exactly the same position I was in then.
Iāve read so many success stories but I just feel like I am never going to get there.
I am going to try and find the confidence to take this nortriptyline tonight and holding on to the hope that it might get better eventually.
Thanks for reading I just needed to get it out there
Hi Rach. Welcome aboard. Thereās no doubt about it. Itās tough. MVBD takes some coping. You need to be tough. Great news you have a supportive partner. Love them to bits for it. Do. I suspect by your diagnosis you have seen Dr S? Which case you should be in safe hands. You will find dealing with this condition a whole new experience for which you will need to develop a somewhat different mindset from what most of us modern people are used to. You need to really start being in the moment and living for today. Accept this will probably be a long haul and for a good while to come you need to acquire and accept a New Normal currently quite a buzz word from the Covid experience. Have a good read around the subject. Knowledge is Power. Meanwhile take a closer look at that little Nortriptyline tablet and try to visualise it as a helping hand to get you through this health crisis and remember to take it to give it a try. No guarantees unfortunately it wouldnāt initially make you a bit rough all the prescribed drugs for this do that, you will be extra sleepy probably until your body adapts which may be quite a few days time but at the moment that medication is most probably your best passport to eventual much better times but unfortunately they donāt work whilst still in the packaging. I trust your medical provider gave you indications of probable timescales. If you need of more support feel free to come back. Weāve all been there and collectively are a very supportive bunch. Helen
Hi Rach, welcome. How did you get on with the nort? I have heard really good things about it. I hope it brings you some relief, be patient - as hard as that is.
Itās true that many people just donāt understand. Itās a feeling that is very difficult to describe to people - the word ādizzyā doesnāt quite give it justice. I have been tackling this condition for a couple of months and started to come good last week. The last couple of days have been extra dizzy with a headache so hoping this passes.
Itās annoying thatās for sure. Try not avoid too many of your friends though, I think itās important for your mental health to speak with friends and familyā¦ despite their lack of understanding. Even if itās about everything but MAV.
Hi Rach,
I hope you were able to find the strength to take the Nort?
I wish we had a dime for all the times weāve written, read or thought āI was scared to try the medicineā here on this forum! Actually if I had a dime for just the times I thought it!
I shook every day when I woke, my eyes would open to a spinning room and I would realize my prayers hadnāt been answeredā¦ a miracle hadnāt been granted, I had to face another day like this. Then the day would beginā¦ another day like the day before living in terror of this new dizzy lifeā¦ but I still was too scared to take the medicine.
I did that for months. Until my husband put his foot down (which is funny in retrospect, heās so mild mannered!)
Thank God he did!
Thank God I finally tried.
Was it easy? No. But NOT harder than living the life I was living anyway.
Take the medicine!
Do the things to help yourself move forward!
You can get betterā¦ you have to start taking the steps though.
Donāt come back here a year from now and read through the forum and not have made any gains. Come back here a year from now and type an encouraging message to someone else who is struggling, give them courage to do hard things that changed your life for the better
Iām so glad youāve found this site. We have pretty much all been in the same or a similar rocky, bouncy boat youāre in. I can tell you, you will find so much support on this platform from some really nice people who understand.
Iām sorry youāve been struggling for so long, it does sound however that youāre not on the right path with the Nort. Popular choice for MAV on here, I hope you found the courage to take your first 10mg? I know when I started Amitriptyline I was very scared of being dizzier but lots of people helped me overcome my fears @Onandon03 & @Naejohn particularly and it did wonders for me whoās had years of dizziness.
I am sure you will get there with the right medication and if the nort doesnāt work there are plenty more to try so try not to fear them - Iām around if you need any further support, you can PM me.
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You appear to already have another account if Iām not mistaken (@ray). This is not encouraged, can you please use your prior account? Generally someone would have only 1 #im-new-let-me-introduce-myself Topic.
I know Iām replying a tad bit late but I totally get what you mean about others not understanding, unfortunately Iām stuck living with my parents who are incredibly poor at trying to understand what Iām going through. Iām glad you have your husband to support you and I hope you got around to taking the medication and are seeing improvements. Rooting for you, Ms. Cacti
