Well I woke up this morning like any other day and decided to lie back down on my bed. My 6 year old son laid on top of me and the room started spinning! Still in real bad shape, can’t lie on my back, can’t turn left or right and getting worse by the hour without relief. I took a Valium which usually is a lifesave but all it’s doing is making me sleepy and not helping vertigo! I’m so scared becasuse I just started 2 new jobs and have already called in sick. The last time this happened I was out for weeks and weeks. I don’t want to lose my job and I don’t think my bosses understand. I’m taking verapamil and it was working but I got off my low salt diet for a few days and whammo! Here I am. Can’t lie down and rest becuase it’s causing vertigo, look down or left or right. I’m in total shock that this is happening again. I need some words of encouragement and can’t stay like this for too long or I’ll lose my job! I’m so upset. How did this happened? What do I do?
I’m still fairly new to MAV but just want to say hang in there. Have you tried upping you fluid intake? Maybe that will help if with your sodium. I don’t know, just a thought…anyway, like I said, hang in there.
Leshurd,
How are you?
Could you try promethazine?
It helped my vertigo.
Kelley
Maybe, what is it?
It’s an antihistamine, but it is prescribed for veritigo, anxiety and nausea as well. It’s a tolerable med with the side effect being sleepiness.
Are you feeling any better?
Kelley
I don’t know what to do. I’m going to go back to the Doctor. He thought he originally saw a SCD in my right ear but wasn’t sure. I also have a very bad neck but he doesn’t believe in Cervial Vertigo. I had a positive VEMP and ECOG for high fluid pressure in my right ear as well but thinks it’s all due to MAV. I hate this crap! It has ruined my life. Even on a good day I will never EVER be able to ride a roller coaster or a merry go round with my kids. They think I’m boring. Really down right now. This vertigo and intollerance to motion is driving me crazy!
Well hey there.
I can absolutely relate to the desperation I hear in your post. This MAV BS is truly irritating. It’s really difficult to have a “silent” condition, meaning that we look like everyone else, but feel like cold baloney rolled over by steam roller. That said, I have a few tips I use when the days like you’ve mentioned here occur (which unfortunately are at least 3 out of 7 days a week for me). I too am having difficulty holding down a normal job.
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Tighten up your schedule. Follow the Bucholz diet like there is no tomorrow. Sleep and wake at the same time every day (I know that’s tough with little ones, but perhaps your spouse could help). Treating my brain with the utmost TLC almost helps it reset itself a bit.
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Reminding myself, “If all else fails, I’m just dizzy. I’m not going to die, or pass out, or tip over; and even if I did, there are some really wonderful people around me that would get me the help I need.” It kind of just helps me to think like that to ground myself that even though the dizziness is making life that day EXTREMELY uncomfortable, that the deep anxiety over it isn’t necessary.
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And lastly, I work as a nurse assistant, on my feet all day every day, showering patients, dressing them, feeding them, etc. I have seen some pretty darn horrific medical conditions over the years. People in the end stages of terminal illness have the most wonderful outlook on life. There they are, feeling absolutely miserable with tubes coming out of them, but they still smile when loved ones walk through the door, and they do as much as they can do in a day. The less I compare myself to the way I used to feel before MAV hit, the more I can be present and grateful for what I do have. (I’m not saying your feeling down is not valid, it absolutely is. We all have to grieve the fact that we have a medical condition that slows us down. But my patients have inspired me to be happy in spite of it since it could be so, so much worse.)
Wishing you peace and healthful thoughts <3 here if you need anything!! You are stronger than you know and WILL pull thru!