Severe lack of balance and dizziness

[abe55amos]

3-4 weeks post ablation for fast heart beat, I have loss of balance. Was fine, did everything in my house at age 76, and need a walker. This ended my life. Afraid to walk or drive or anything. Followed up with doctor and he never told me any side effects prior to procedure, told me to drink tons of water and then see ent. I can't believe someone could do this to me without informing me beforehand. And advice except to crawl and order food in...can't go to stores.

[Karendeena]

Loss of balance isn't normally a side effect during recovery from ablation. You mention ENT are you sure nothing else is going on with your ears?

[pip_pip]

I doubt if this has anything to do with the ablation.

When this started, how soon after the ablation ?

Did your doctor (GP) check your ears ?

Ask for headscan ...

Phil

[abe55amos in reply to pip_pip]

started 10 days later no did not check ears

[BobD Volunteer]

Nonsense. Nothing to do with ablation. Sounds like viral labrinthitis to me. Had it a few times and not nice I know.

[Cavalierrubie]

Definitely sounds like your ears. Had the same problem, but not an ablation. It goes eventually, so see your GP.

[Cliff_G]

I agree with the others, it's extremely unlikely to be the ablation. I know from my own other health problems that we all have a tendency to associate a new health problem with what we've just had done.

I had a diabolical dizzyness and sickness suddenly onset about 6 months after my 14 hour open heart surgery on my aorta. I couldn't walk straight, had to navigate against the wall, and my first thought was a stroke. A&E then more diagnostics, the stroke specialist said he was confident it wasn't, turned out to be labyrinthitis, one pill, a night in a ward, then carefully back out into the world.

I'd say it needs a fresh look, starting with your GP and then referrals as needed.

[abe55amos in reply to Cliff_G]

thank you so much for telling me this. I will go in another direction them. Janet

[abe55amos in reply to Cliff_G]

Can I ask what the pill was?

[Cliff_G in reply to abe55amos]

No idea! Sorry, they said take this and I was in no state to discuss. Some sort of specialist thing for labyrinth problems. Plus a few to take home, but I stopped after 2 days.

[ozziebob in reply to abe55amos]

Re what drug was prescribed ... my inner ear infection initially caused vertigo and nausea that forced my immobile confinement in bed, at least during that first horrible day. Later that day, during an emergency GP visit (those were the days!), I was prescribed a drug which was then delivered by the pharmacy. Looking at the drug leaflet, I couldn't help but notice it was a well known anti-psychotic medication. Being desperate, I perhaps took one tab, but didn't want to take any more. Sorry I cannot remember the drug name. The acute phase slowly eased from the next day, but general unsteadiness and loss of balance reappeared intermittently for several years. Horrible, but not uncommon it seems.

[ozziebob in reply to abe55amos]

Just a PS to my previous reply. I easily found reference to the off-label use of antipsychotics to treat vertigo and it's associated nausea... here's one short report ...

Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic approved for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar depression. Olanzapine was for central vertigo based on its effectiveness as an anti-emetic. Here we report the successful treatment of two cases of central vertigo with a low dose of olanzapine

But here's some research that indicates antihistamines may be a more effective treatment ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articl...

[BaileyC57 in reply to Cliff_G]

I have balance problems for five years, did you take any meds for this and if so what is the name of the drug! I too think it is my ears and I had a MRI and the ear PA said they found nothing! Next month I am going to osteopathic medical manipulation, what ever that is!

[wilsond]

You may very well have viral labyrinthitis an inner ear condition. It's not painful like an infection so we don't associate the loss of balance etc.You can get medication for it.

Very unpleasant I have had it and my daughter in law recently.

Nothing to do with your ablation though.

Best wishes ❤️

[Blearyeyed]

You need to get back to the GP and ask if they can send you for the test for BPPV ( it's a type of Vertigo) . You need your ears checked and they may refer you to ENT, but asking to be sent for the manoeuvre to adjust crystals in your ears in case of BPPV is worth doing first.It can happen after a surgery, fall, odd movement of the head or infection but it can make you very dizzy and cause fainting.

It can be easily treated when it's diagnosed.

My husband got it after a heavy cold .

BPPV can happen when the crystals in your ears that help balance have moved for some reason from where they should be, labyrinthitis as Bob says is also a common trigger of BPPV , even just a few big sneezes can bring it on.

Mr.Bee was sent to someone at Physio whom did the procedure to check and then treated his BPPV on the spot.

They just turn your head slowly in a technical way from side to side to coax the crystals back into place.

My husband's was apparently quite severe so as the crystals went back his eyes wiggled. Just to be sure he got a second session but he was fixed after the first.

While he waited to see the ENT physio he was put on medication for vertigo so he wasn't dizzy at home and he couldn't drive. he was fine to drive afterwards.

He went from being incapable of walking around the house without stumbling and feeling sick back to normal in a matter of hours.

Many people get BPPV after surgery.

Ask your GP to check these things , let us know how you get on , take care , Bee

[BaileyC57 in reply to Blearyeyed]

what is the name of his meds he took to got back to normal?

[Blearyeyed in reply to BaileyC57]

He got back to normal after having the head movements procedure, that's possibly what they've organised for you, the medications he took in between only made it slightly better but he still had the vertigo and couldn't drive with just medication.I can't remember the exact name of the medication they gave him I'm afraid .

[mesally]

Check with your gp that it's OK to take it, and then try stugeron or another travel sickness pill. I found it works a treat for bppv or labyrinthitis. If your gp will prescribe something then Stemetil or similar usually works a treat, too

[Silvasava]

If anyone suffers from BPV as I do from time to time check out the Semont Manoeuvre, it's pretty simple to do it yourself. I always know as I get dizzy turning over when lying in bed HTH

[marcyh]

I've had two ablations and no problems with balance. My problems with it are due to my Meniere's Disease (ears). I have also had vertigo but physical therapy resolved it. So there are two possibilities.

This is a stretch, but I wonder if procedures or anesthetic can trigger a problem that was waiting for an excuse to surface. Anyone want to weigh in on that? Treatments definitely have adverse effects but I sometimes wonder about procedures.

[Blearyeyed in reply to marcyh]

I just wonder if during a procedure the position you are in , especially your head might cause the issue with vertigo brought on by crystal movement in the ears. Even if you abruptly moved your head at an unusual angle it can cause that.It is a possibility that a new illness , injury , trauma or even a routine surgery can be the final trigger for a health issue , muscle strain or problem that was on the verge of happening anyway. Many health conditions develop silently, or without symptoms, you don't realise they are there until the symptoms occur and then people often say " I had this just before then I got this , so that thing must have caused it" When , in reality , the last thing they think was the only cause was the last chapter in the story.

[marcyh in reply to Blearyeyed]

Good point. After one of my surgeries, my back pain was so severe that was the only pain I was aware of. The position I was in definitely caused a strain on my back, which had a weakness anyway.