hello everyone!
My name is Kristen and I am a 24 yr old female from PA.
I have a history of allergies and mild sinus infections. Overall, I’m a healthy individual.
Until September of 2011, I had never had any issues with vertigo, migraines, tonsillitis, or ear infections.
In September, I had a sinus infection that came on with an ear infection. I had a lot of pressure in my ears, and had to “pop” them myself quite often. By the time I finally got an appointment with my doctor, I had developed Tonsillitis and swollen glands. The doctor explained my ear infection as my esthecian tube not opening properly. I went through a cycle of antibiotics and steroids, and things cleared up.
I still had pressure in my ears, and would occasionally wake up without hearing in either the right or left ear. Popping them didn’t help. I didn’t have any issues with mucus drainage at this point. I went to see a doctor at one of those fastcare places they have in Walgreens. She told me that there was no sign of any infections, and that the hearing and pressure could be residual from the infection. She recommended I go see an ENT, and I made an appointment.
The ENT told me I had some permenant hearing loss from the infections, but I was otherwise alright.
Fast forward to the beginning for January 2012. I was having issues with random dizzy spells, my hearing would come and go, and I had some drainage. All of these syptoms would come and go over the course of 2 weeks, and were mild enough that I wrote it off as allergies. One morning I work up with what I would later find out was vertigo. The room was spinning, and it almost felt like my head wasn’t attached. I was incredibly nauseas and was falling all over the place. My boyfriend drove me to the fast care clinic since this was a Sunday and no doctor offices were open. The PA there told me I had vertigo, and gave me nausaeous meds and a pill that would make me sleep.
I had to take 3 days off work since I wasn’t allowed to drive. Eventually it went away, and I felt fine.
I visited another ENT and was told I had a silent migraine (migraine without pain) and that it could only happen once and never again, and that its just a weird thing. He refused to comment when I told him about issues I had in September, saying he didn’t see me then, so he couldn’t help.
Two nights ago, I went out with some friends and had a little bit to drink. The next morning, I woke up with a headache so bad I can only assume it was a migraine, and was extremely dizzy and nasueiys again. I took some of the meds I had leftover from the previous time and basically slept all day. Today I woke up with the same symtoms, only much much less.
I’m sure it was probably the alcohol that triggered this most recent attack, but any ideas as to what could be causing all this? Like I said before, until September, I had never dealt with anything like this before. I’m worried theres some kind of infection in there that I can’t seem to heal. Also, if your wondering why I don’t have much information by way of a doctor, it is very hard to get an appointment. I called to get into an ENT in the beginning of January, and the closest that dr could get me in was Feb. I’ve kept the appointment, and plan on getting his feedback.
Any advice would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you!
