medical concern: extreme dizziness

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medical concern: extreme dizziness

39 posts & 24 voices | Started 6 months ago by SaxonRider | Latest reply from DrP

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SaxonRider - Member

Before you tell me to contact my doctor, I already have. I am curious, though, to know if anyone else has had experience of this or if they know something about it.

At 5:00 p.m. today, before I left work, I suddenly got extremely dizzy. That is, I had trouble standing without losing my balance, and even after I sat down, felt very light-headed.

After awhile, I decided to get on my bike and ride home, which I did safely and during which time I felt fine. The moment I got home, though, and dismounted, I was struck again with an overwhelming loss of balance.

After coming inside, I sat down, and just felt like slipping away into oblivion - the way you would when you have had too much to drink and you just want to pass out.

Even as I sit here, I am in recovery mode.

Any thoughts on why this might have happened?

Posted 6 months ago #
nasher - Member

labyrinthitus!!!

My gf had it really bad to the point where she collapsed and constant vomiting...took about 4 months to fully recover!!!

Posted 6 months ago #
grahamt1980 - Member

Could be a major lack of electrolytes, could be vertigo (you don't need to be up somewhere high for it)

Posted 6 months ago #
grantway - Member

Hospital

Posted 6 months ago #
CharlieMungus - Member

Are you Kylie?

Posted 6 months ago #
grahamt1980 - Member

Am tempted to agree with grantway. A&E if you are even slightly concerned. Go now!

Posted 6 months ago #
Stoatsbrother - Member

My bread and butter... And lots of premature suggestions already. And A&E docs are often the least experienced in the hospital...

Dizzy-faint? or Dizzy-world moving round?

Lots and lots of causes - difficult to diagnose on the internet. Some thoughts.

If rotational, especially if provoked by different head positions, you could google Unterbergers test and the Hallpike test. Causes can include labyrinthitis, BPPV, Menieres, Acoustic neuroma, medication, mal d'embarquement etc etc etc. Take a sea-sickness tablet. Seek help if persists or other things happen.

If standing up makes you feel like you might faint/blackout rather than that spinny/drunk feeling, seek help now if you have significant medical problems, or a rapid heart rate or feel ill.

But this is not a good one for internet diagnosis

Posted 6 months ago #
grahamt1980 - Member

Wouldn't say telling someone with extreme dizzyness and a sensation of slipping away to oblivion to go to a&e was entirely premature.
Having been told by a fair few a&e nurses, docs, paramedics etc that they would rather you get there quick and it be nothing than not bother and it be far worse, I know what I would be doing

Posted 6 months ago #
sharkbait - Member

I've had the spniny roundy one twice and it's awful. Struck me very quickly and I could only move by crawling (and vomiting as I went.... nice) - luckily I was outside!
Can't remember what doc said it was but it went after a few days in bed not moving my head. I now have a rational fear of getting dizzy.
Good luck.

Posted 6 months ago #
Stoatsbrother - Member

Read what he wrote and what I wrote, ok? At some points he refers to balance disturbance, at some points slipping away, but he also managed to cycle...

Dizziness means many things to different people - as does light-headed - or swimey which is what people say hearabouts. There is a huge difference between management of vertigo and faintness.

My point is that there is not enough info here to help, and you couldn't diagnose it on the internet anyway, but as usual the response of some is not to ask more questions, but to pick a diagnosis out of the air or say go to A&E...

Rotational Vertigo is not always handled well in A&E, and is rarely an emergency.

Faintness without LOC is common, but I have said clearly that something may need to be done now...

And how are you suggesting he became electrolyte depleted before he cycled?

Posted 6 months ago #
grahamt1980 - Member

Considering he was asking for possible answers I gave him some.
And no you are quite right I wouldn't even attempt to diagnose him over the internet (for a start I am not qualified), however it could be something serious or it could not, if it did turn out to have a major effect and be something serious at least being in the proximity of professionals would surely be a good plan, and i suspect he is more than a little concerned about it right now.

Electrolyte depletion can occur as a result of a number of other things than exercise induced.
And vertigo is a sensible option.

Stop getting so touchy and realise that it is allowable to be concerned for someone who posts on here

Posted 6 months ago #
tonyd - Member

I've had something that sounds a little similar before. It's come and gone a few times and usually consists of an extreme dizzy spell (rotational, like being drunk as a teenager) at seemingly random times/situations. A couple of times it's happened while in bed - one morning I woke up, rolled over, and went so dizzy I thought I was going to puke/pass out.

At first it was very un-nerving but after a day or three it's usually gone, and this seems to coincide with a good sleep so I've just put it down to being extremely tired. With two kids under two and no history of this before they arrived that's a good enough diagnosis for me for now!

I'm not saying don't get it checked out, but have you been particularly stressed and busy at work? Could be you just need a good sleep.

Posted 6 months ago #
SaxonRider - Member

Thanks for that. I seem to be recovering right now, as the light-headedness when I sit is lifting a bit, and the dizziness when I stand is not as extreme. I am taking it easy and ready to call my GP after hours if need be (as per the advice I got from NHS direct).

In light of Stoatsbrother's description, I would definitely say that the dizziness was rotational. It was a different feeling to when I was sitting, which was more like being 'floppy' after too much drink.

The thing is, I must admit to not drinking enough throughout the day and that today I was overly warm. I had worn a cotton vest under my shirt, which I don't normally do, and felt uncomfortable. Then, I essentially worked all day without taking a break, ate lunch on the job, and drank a single cup of coffee.

So those are the conditions that led to my problem, and which I'm thinking probably caused it. I was worried, though, because in spite of the fact that I have had days like this before, I have never known anything like the symptoms I experienced (and still am, just more mildly).

Posted 6 months ago #
epicyclo - Member

Sounds like me a couple of years back.

Just MTFUed, but it got continually worse. Was also puffing a lot on the bike, so I upped the mileage as I was obviously getting unfit.

After a few days I was blacking out but still refusing to see a doc. It got to the stage where I had to lie down and every time I raised my arm, I'd start to see spots and fade out.

By this time it looked like time to cease MTFU and I got my missus to drive me to hospital.

Blacking out while trying to explain my symptoms to the admissions lady got me immediate admission to the emergency ward for a night and lots of things stuck into me. Then a week in the cardiac ward.

It appears I had got a DVT (Not long back from a flight from Oz - coincidence?)

So don't MTFU, and don't wait until you've got worse.

Get a proper medical opinion as soon as possible.

BTW the NHS is wonderful.

Posted 6 months ago #
dharmstrong - Member

I had labrynthitis which lasted quite a while. It "sounds" like that, your GP probably won't be sure and should send you to a neruologist if your symptoms are recurring for a reasonable amount of time.

The inner ear will correct itself, well the balance system will "learn" to balance, but it varys how long from person to person.

Posted 6 months ago #
CharlieMungus - Member

Sometimes caused be tiredness/ exhaustion. A big sleep might help

Posted 6 months ago #
toppers3933 - Member

i had something that was as you describe. i was diagnosed with labrynthitis. horrible. being sick all the time and everything felt like it was constantly moving. took ages to get better. came on in about 15 mins.

Posted 6 months ago #
dr_death - Member

And A&E docs are often the least experienced in the hospital...

Huh-hmmmmm.

Posted 6 months ago #
mav12 - Member

I sometimes get the i am going to faint feeling when i stand up quick i am 52 should i be worried bp is slightly low should i be worried

Posted 6 months ago #
DrP - Member

And technically, for labrynthitis, you need hearing disturbance...... (pendant mode...). Vestibular neuronitis is vertigo in the absence of hearing loss...

Let's have a medic guessathon.... - I reckon BPPV in the end!

Look on youtube at the 'dix hallpike' for some cool claymation characters getting dizzy!

DrP

Posted 6 months ago #
DrP - Member

I sometimes get the i am going to faint feeling when i stand up quick i am 52 should i be worried bp is slightly low should i be worried

Stand up slowly (no - really...)

NEXT!

DrP

Posted 6 months ago #
Stoatsbrother - Member

Dr d ... Done my time.... Lets play spot-the- middle-grade or consultant after 2100 in the units near us.

Not brilliant locally. Much better when I worked in units in Oz.

Posted 6 months ago #
Surrounded By Zulus - Member

Would BPPV have the lasting effects that the OP is suggesting, given that it is by definition short lived? My wild stab in the dark is Menieres.

Posted 6 months ago #
Mrs Toast - Member

Pfft, I have a bad habit of fainting, have ever since childhood. I had the nickname 'Flimsy Lynsey' at school. Apparently it's because I have low blood pressure. I did have a different spate of giddiness a couple of years ago, where I kept on feeling dizzy, and often felt as if I was on moving ship, or the world was stuck at a funny angle. It was something to do with my inner ear - never got an exact diagnosis, just tablets from the doc which sorted it after a few days.

Posted 6 months ago #
Stoatsbrother - Member

SBZ

You are right that BPPV would not usually be diagnosed on a first episode and without a +ve hallpike. We do an epleys and get them to do Brandt daroff exercises....

But for Menieres you need usually to have at least one of sensorineural unilateral deafness, a prodromal fullness or tinnitus. And the hx just sounds wrong...

But hey... I am sure that I am wrong and you are not demonstrating another inappropriate and hasty diagnosis here.... Again...

See my first post. This cannot be diagnosed here....

Posted 6 months ago #
toppers3933 - Member

marv12, I've had that for as long as i can remember. (this thread makes me sound a proper basket case) I had about 10 different tests on my heart and brain and all sorts earlier this year after decking it at work, and the considered medical opinion after being seen by all and sundry? stand up slower. NEXT. should have just had a word with DrP.

Posted 6 months ago #
Surrounded By Zulus - Member

SB - you've missed my point. BPPV is short lived, i.e. less than a minute from what I've been told by folk who know about these things.

Saying that something is a wild stab in the dark does not a diagnosis make.

I also thought a huge part of medicine was observation. You really should work on that....

Posted 6 months ago #
docrobster - Member

Whatever, take some stemetil

Posted 6 months ago #
Gasman Jim - Member

Doctors, now please play nicely on the forum.

I'm feeling a bit left out, what with all this medical chat going on and I haven't got anything useful to add, so I'll just say that this problem is unlikely to alter the dose of propofol that I'd give if asked to anaesthetise the OP.

Hope this helps.

Posted 6 months ago #
Stoatsbrother - Member

SBZ.

Mate, I diagnose and treat BPPV all the time. And i didnt say it was that. But you should speak to some sufferes sometime. Menieres is a poor suggestion at this point. As a clinician your job should be to find out more before playing pin the tail on the donkey.

That's it

I'm done responding to medical questions here.

Either they ignore you and don't call 999 when they should... Or anything you might say will get lost in a stream of trite wannabee diagnoses stated with spurious certainty or because their aunt once had it...

Saxonrider good luck mate.

Posted 6 months ago #
Stoatsbrother - Member

Gasman Jim .... Can I get some fentanyl with that?

Did the first bit of the FFA more years ago than I care to admit. ..

Posted 6 months ago #
handyman - Member

Had a about 3 attacks a few years back, opened my eyes and the room was spinning around me and i was sitting up in bed, went to docs, had ultrasound on neck and throat, hearing test nothing was found specialist thought it could be too much fluid in my system and suggested i drank less water, i hardly drink acholhol maybe one JD a week if that, so i reduced my water intake and it never came back

Posted 6 months ago #
Drac - Moderator

I reckon he's pregnant.

Posted 6 months ago #
althepal - Member

It's like House but without the moving pictures on here now!

Posted 6 months ago #
bullheart - Member

Classic 'My-diagnosis-is-better-than-your-diagnosis' fight between mountain biking doctors.

Best 'tragi-comic' thread for ages...

Posted 6 months ago #