Let me tell you my story , please bear with me as it is a bit long. Fall of 2007 I started having vertigo issues although I did not know at the time that was what is was. I had a few attacks from Nov until April went to the hospital thought I was haviing a heart attack, etc. I was under a lot of stress during this time, not getting enough sleep and not taking care of me.

Then in July of 2008 I had a severe attack of this while driving home in rush hour traffic in Atlanta Georgia. It was awful and the EMTs were called to my house once I got home. I went to the doctor the next day and went on a long drawn out process of trying to find out what was wrong. The only thing my GP found was that my Vit D was low. I was sent all over the place to see different doctors trying to determine what is wrong. I was sent to a cardilologist, ENT, eye doctor, Two neuorologist, breast doctor, etc. I have had a lot of test and what they said was migraine associated vertigo.

I changd my diet, changed my lifestyle but was not getting much better and have not been able to take any of the medications they have given me to this point. Noted is November estrogen was 53 by January it was 35 and then I started having additional symptoms which have been all over the place.

Pulsating in my ear, ear gets red and very hot, numbness on right side where I sleep, cold feet.

I lost my job in January, I have night sweats, muscle spasms really bad in legs not painful but bad, muscle spasm all over, tremors, shaking, vibrating at night, chest pains, weird sensations in lungs, and on and on.

I have now developed terrible anxiety where I am afraid to leave my house and to be alone for fear something is going to happen and I know I need help but what kind of doctor do I see.

Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Counselor who...

I have to have some more test done next week MRI/MRA in the tube for several hours not sure how I am going to be able to handle that at all really nervous wish they could put me to sleep to do it.

I already take Valium and that does not seem to be doing much now they want to change it to kloniphan? what is the difference....

Plus I am so med sensitive i get really scared going on new medications....

I just want my life back so much...today has been so bad I fight to get through each day to just go to bed and sleep each night....how sad is that ....

Sorry to vent just needed to get that off my mind.

Hope you all are having a better day.

Timeless,

I am so sorry you are suffering, have you considered talking to a gynecologist, a naturopath or both. Did you have your thyroid checked, etc. I really think what you are experincing is hormonally linked as I have experienced dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, etc. and there are other women here who have decribed what you are experiencing.

Do take care and let us know how you are doing.

Plumeria

They did tons of blood work and said everthing is fine , I am sure much of it is hormonal but because of breast issues i cannot take hormones of anykind pure my breast doctor.


I am being sent to Emory Clinic to see a balance specialist about what ever is going on with my vertigo so perhaps I can have him check all the other things....

My Ent said that the MAV would only get worse with hormone changes, great... I have to find a solution to this.

veritgo--had you by any chance had a blow to the head prior to the onset of this? Because that can dislodge crystals in the ear that we all have and cause utter havoc with dizzy spells, falling, etc. But they can be dislodged for other reasons also. There are special head maneuvers that a doc can do for you to get this under control

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qi...12183427AAf5oTd

Many, if not all, of your symptoms could be thyroid or sex hormones. You really need a full thyroid panel (NOT the usual ones done by the doc, if you are interested I can list the lab tests needed) and a blood test of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

I watched a tv show a month or so ago and they were talking about vertigo....they said the main cause is not drinking enough water...they said drink lots of water every single day and the vertigo should subside in a couple of weeks.....sounds too good/too simple to be true ,but worth trying.


As far as the anxiety goes and being afraid to leave your house....(((((BIG HUGS)))) cause i have been in your shoes before and know how that feels.

Timeless,

I went through something similar in the fall of 2006. Started with the dizziness and I think anxiety attacks. Mine lasted for about three months and gradually got better. During that time I also saw a host of specialists, ENT, Neurologist, ended up in the ER once and also saw a balance specialist. Had all kinds of tests and they never could find anything wrong. Couldn't work either. By the time I got to the balance specialist my symptoms were subsiding, but after he examined me he said he thought I was having hormone related migraines. Anyway, as I said by that time my symptoms were better and somehow I just didn't make the connection that I was probably starting peri,DUH, but he didn't say anything thing about peri just that it was probably hormone related. As time went on I started noticing I would get that dizzy/weird head feeling again around the time of my period. Finally , about six months ago ( after starting to have a bunch of other symptoms too ) I realized I was probably in peri and started looking for relief. I know you said you can't take hormones ,but, I recently went to a gyno who specializes in treating menopausal related issues so maybe he could help? He is in Sandy Springs. Now, I've only been to him once and he started me on Bio's so we will see how it goes but I saw your post and had to offer you this info. Don't know if I'm allowed to post his info on the board? By the way , I started the bio's about three weeks ago and I think it's helping, but may be too soon to tell for sure. Anyway, don't know if he could offer any other treatments, but it might be worth a shot.

Judy

By the way, gotta love that Atlanta rush hour traffic!

Oh,my dear
You are really going through a very difficult time.It makes me very sad to read all this.Who would ever believe that these Menopausal symptoms can be so debilitating.I wish this site had been around when diagnosed completely Menopausal at a young age instead of thinking I had lost my mind and going on to ADs.the only true relief came when I was put on HRT.not that I am endorsing it for anyone.Am aware of all the risks and controversies but it has worked well for me.

I think that any anti-anxiety med,such as Vallium,may lose its effectiveness after long usage so that is probably why the Doctor wants to change to something different.Yes,I know taking Meds can feel scary but they are tremendously helpful too.So I wish you the best in that respect.

Am praying that things will improve for you.I know that feeling of dragging through the day and waiting for the sweet release of sleep only to be stuck with insomnia and feel totally wiped out.

Please do remember,you are not alone.
Please come back often and let us know how you are doing

God Bless and
Warm Hugs
Elizabeth

Hi Timeless,
your symptoms could belong to me (every single scary one of them) from chest pain- ears red/hot.
Also just this week started with waking thru night with numb arms /hands.
Also mid cycle period pain,which is freaking me,i just recent 3weeks to be precise quit smoking,which i think you have/had also.
how,s that going think i posted you before saying couldn,t of picked a WORSE time to quit
I can,t offer any great advice other than i,m SURE these feelings will pass,i,ve had a grotesque week each day thinking "can,t feel any worse" and i have, and it,s almost at the point when you think "i,m gonna break" that the "tide turns"
So hang in there Timeless.
Can you seriously believe ALL of this though and no one bothered telling us.....
hope today has been better
Take care K x

Ladies

Thank you so much for your support....Judylyn send me the information per private message on the doctor in Sandy springs it may be worth a try .

May I ask if you every tried any meds for your dizziness....and if so did they help or what about side effects.

I really wish I could try the hormones of some kind but my breat doctor just says it is a huge risk for me.

So I am trying to go in another direction although I have not yet figured out how that is....


For those of you who have been with the anxiety what helped.....


Today is a bit calmer , although storms are in the area and the vertigo gets worse when that is the weather pattern.

Timeless, Please get the book by Clair Weekes, Hope and Help for your Nerves. It will help you understand your symptoms and how to survive with them. I waited 2 years before I got this book. I cried when I read the first pages feeling so relieved that someone understood what I was going through.

((((((((((((Timeless))))))))))))))) I'm so sorry your struggling. I'm struggling too. Good book that Rendy posted....Hope and Help for Your Nerves. I've had terrible anxiety for many years, since my late 20's and got severe in my mid 30's when the abuse that happened to me by a family member came out. I was barely functioning. I was on meds for about 5 years and came off of them in 2001, right after September 11th actually. I was off meds for 4 years until I got marreid and peri/meno hit. I've been on meds every day since November 2007 and feel ashamed but I'd never be able to function without it. I got hit with terrible depression, headache situation, anxiety, tinnitus just over 3 years ago and I have not been the same since. Then the nights sweats and hot flashes started almost 2 years ago. I had hot flashes less than every hour all day long. It's not as bad during the day but I'm constantly sweating now, especially when I clean, take a shower, sometimes when I drink hot coffee. And the night sweats are aweful, oh and the heart palps (racing heart in the middle of the night, and heart beat I can hear in my ears and pounding heart). It's been a nightmare. I've tried so many different things...I'm tired. I want at least the old me back. I haven't felt well for one day in over 3 years now. It's such a struggle. I'll pray for you and hope that you feel better soon.

Timeless,

So many of us experienced vertigo during peri-menopause, I'm convinced it's simply one of the symptoms...

I had it very severe for about six weeks, and then off-and-on sometimes for a stretch of a week or two. In post-menopause, it is GONE. So don't lose hope!

My ear doctor ran a bunch of tests, and ended up giving me a diagnosis of "Non-Specific Vertigo." In other words, he didn't have a clue. He thought it might be a virus that would have to run its course. He suggested this exercise where I would sit on the floor, and then gently "throw" myself on my back. He said this would "re-train" the inner ear. It did seem to help, tho' the exercise felt yucky, as the room would spin like crazy.

I think the inner ears, like every other system in the body, are affected by the loss of estrogen that's been bathing our bodies for years and years. It takes awhile for things to get settled. A friend of mine who is still getting regular periods, gets this at a certain phase of her cycle, and is helped by using progesterone cream.

Vertigo and anxiety seem to go hand-in-hand, I don't know why. The times I struggled with it, my anxiety became pitch-high. My heart goes out to you, but again, I do want to encourage you. This was a big issue for me, and now I never experience it anymore; it's been years.

And Rendy is right - the book by Claire Weekes is AWESOME. It has helped many, many of us to cope with anxiety.

(((HUGS)))

JJ

Oh, I forgot to mention I feel off balance now and then. I have a terrible time in the car though. When I drive above 45 mph I feel like the car is going to tip over....all so strange. I recently had a brain MRI with and without contrast for my headache situation and all was okay, as it was 3 years ago without contrast. I had a CT Scan of my sinuses without contrast just recently too and all was okay.

Karen,
Hi dear. I've been dealingwith alot of issues you mentioned. Sometimes I just chalk it up as this is my life now. There is no reason us women have to suffer like this. I've been on my meds for 7 months now and just don't know anymore. I struggle everyday day hoping something will change. My anxiety level just won't go away. Bless us all and hope for the best. (((((char))))

Dear'kar4242
My heart and prayers are with you.I too am the victim of childhood abuse and then later rape.I think I had always tried to push these events out of my mind and even feel guilty myself.Lord knows why.

I too have been on Meds for many years and have been unable to function without though I too felt ashamed and tried to wean myself off.When Menopause hit,it was a dreadful experience and only with the HRT have I been able to manage.I know about the health risks but I like you need some quality of life.

I wish I were there to talk with you but please know I really understand.
You are always in my prayers!

God Bless,honey.
Elizabeth

I have been experiementing with L-Theanine .. it takes away the anxiety ,, but made me feel a little "dulled" out . give it a try ,, you can pick it up at your local health food store ,, I'd try it on a weekend or at night when you dont have to go anywhere first !



Make sure not to mix and match ,, I dont think you want to try L-theanine if your already on an AD or benzodiazapine.