I’m trying really hard to keep track of my symptoms ahead of my next televisit with the neurotologist (Jan. 18) and so I’m wondering if this is actually a “thing” or just a temporary symptom left over from recent vertigo/migraine episode (last week) that’s still filtering through my brain.
I’ll do my best to describe this…I feel as though my brain is heavy (weird sensations from back of my head) and when I turn my head my body stumbles in the same direction. I’ve been walking/hiking/biking for years but right now I feel as if I might stumble just walking down the hall in our house. So far I haven’t fallen with the new symptoms but I did have a “drop attack” in 2019 (I think that’s what it’s called).
I just want to give my doc the best info without overly dramatizing it for him. Hubby is always holding me up when we walk together…not dizzy per se but just off balance?
Thanks in advance for any insight.
Also, off topic, I’ve been reading a lot of the diaries here and I actually feel lucky that my symptoms aren’t worse. My best to all of you still suffering from symptoms way worse than mine…
Love to you all and thanks for this forum!
Lulu
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Lulu - Often one of the first signs that I’m going into migraine is I start to stumble, tip over, walk crooked, bump into things, etc. I don’t get traditional painful migraines but instead feel a sensation of a heavy pressure on the top and back of my head. I often have neck pain as well, which I understand is common. Definitely mention these symptoms to your new doc. You’re not crazy!
I, too, am a lifelong walker/hiker. You might consider investing in a walking stick (or two). I used one for a long time after my symptoms spiraled out of control the first time, and still do when walking on uneven surfaces, at night or when having a bad day. It seems to help my brain orient my body in space, not to mention reduces the risk of falling, and boosts my confidence when walking alone.
doesnt seem unusual for VM, but you need to be “officially diagnosed” and bring all these things up with the specialist. I find that its helpful to make a list of things you’ve been experiencing along with a paragraph that tells the story of how you got to this point.
Doctors do a similar thing when they take notes on you under “History of Illness” – if you write your own, it will be easier to get the information across once its time to actually see the doctor
Thanks for the confirmation. I read some similar things in the symptoms pages here but just not sure how to describe it to the doc. I’m so used to being somewhat ignored so I want to get it right when I talk to him again. It’s a televisit this time because I had to stop the med I was on and I’m hoping to get something different. I’ve only seen him once, last November, and he diagnosed VM but I didn’t really share all the things happening to me…hoping to this time.
I do have a couple of walking sticks and generally take one with me. I live near a very small mountain with dirt and uneven trails so it’s important.
Thanks Sheepdog…good ideas to write a list of sorts of symptoms I’m dealing with. I keep a diary of daily issues but since this is a televisit I need to be more concise I think. At my first visit he asked a lot of questions regarding symptoms, tried to trigger vertigo, and pretty much just told me I don’t have BPPV, I have VM. I didn’t actually know what that was at the time but I’ll be more prepared this time. I don’t have another face to face appointment until the end of Feb.
I’m finding it somewhat challenging to describe the symptoms so even my husband can understand what the heck I’m talking about…reading diaries etc here is helping put some of it into words.
yeah i would write it all up in a concise format…
heck you could even feed your diary to ChatGPT and ask it to summarize it and then edit from there…just ideas. If you can have your husband there with you that would be ideal too so he can provide input
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