What could be causing my dizziness?

[Reu1]

Hi. I haven't posted before so I hope it's clear to read!

So, I'm having a problem with dizziness, which can last all day but only seems to happen occasionally. This is combined with dry mouth and sleep disturbance (also spinning). Audiology have tested me and can't find any problems there, so what might be my next option; could it be neurological?

My current conditions are: CRPS (right leg), depression, and some anxiety. I take Pregabalin (175mg bd), Paracetamol (1g qds), and Codeine (60mg od) for pain, as well as Duloxetine (120mg od) for pain / depression. I don't think my meds are the cause as the dizziness is so intermittent, but it can be handy to know.

[Patdoyle]

Hi sorry you have dizziness. I saw a neurologist when my dizziness got really bad. He said he thought it was ear related so I was referred to ENT who did balance tests and diagnosed Ménière’s disease. Did you have tests done at ENT. I was given betahistine for the dizziness. Also vestibular rehabilitation exercises to retrain the brain. They do help.

[seahorseone]

Hi It may be pregabalin as Gabapentin is similar and that did the same to me. it crept up slowly and then hit me like a train . May be worth checking with a GP that knows about the drug related side effects . Hope all goes well . These drugs are so much stronger than one thinks !

[Katya1970]

my dizziness was called BPV and can be sorted by certain neck head exercises by dr its a kind of vertigo crystals forming in the inner ear

[CRPSplus]

Hi Reu1

A number of points here, but let's get me out of the way first to give you an idea of where I'm coming from. CRPS type 1 sufferer since 2012 with official diagnosis finally agreed in 2016. My condition now (much advanced) is recognised as: Wider Spectrum, Generalised and Autonomic (stage 4), also some Type 2 presentation (not uncommon). I've had a hell of a journey as most CRPS patients do, and there isn't a single element of my life that the condition hasn't affected - but we carry on. I'm still mobile (depending on the day or the hour), and still working (just).

Medication. Remarkably, some years down the line I am presently almost drug free in spite of full body exposure, but the trial & error process has been a frustrating roller coaster ride, and I have experienced more 'pain medication' than I care to remember - at one stage I was taking 2700mg of Gabapentin daily (out & about - not in hospital & working - sort of). Prescribed medication was mostly useless - particularly the Gabapentin. Pointless exercises in prescription writing. Neuropathic pain is a devious, wicked infliction to pin down and treat, and with your nervous system in disruption it is nothing short of chaotic. How do you deal with chaos? My recommendation is that you work to reduce your medication as much as you can. Ask yourself this - how much does your medication ACTUALLY reduce your pain? 50%? A third? 25%? Or does it 'take the edge off'? Or worse, your condition still painfully finds it's way through? It sounds impossible when first suggested, but.....

Dizziness. You are probably aware that your more severe bouts of pain can cause spikes and troughs in your blood pressure, often in tandem, this obviously can create light headedness and worse. Are your bouts close to pain flare-ups? Also, have you noticed any other strange symptoms/sensations not attributable immediately to your CRPS? if so, how often? What were they? This no matter how fantastical they are to describe. Do they occur during a flare-up? Before? After? This could be a manifestation of other influences and you need to make note of them as soon as you can around occurrence and discuss these with your G.P. Can you define your dizziness more precisely? Are you light headed, dizzy, or 'off balance'? Each are distinctive in their own right, and as you can guess, medics will draw different conclusions. Does it happen standing? Sitting? Both? Does it still happen when you lay in bed? All very important.

CRPS is a rare condition that can throw up conflicting symptoms causing confusion both for you and those treating you. It is important that you make physical notes of your daily condition periodically. This will help both you and your medical practitioners to evaluate any developments that your condition may generate. I say this because my particular CRPS manifestation is recognised as uncommon even within this rare group, and for some time there were some considerable (sometimes extreme) symptoms that were unexplained until there severity enabled a secondary and additional diagnosis, hence my contributions to this forum - FND. My FND recognition came in Jan' 2019. Not easy bedfellows CRPS & FND!

Not hinting you have FND, but there are any number of complications that can set in with CRPS (remember chaos earlier?), so diligence is key.

I wish you the very best for the future, and when things get difficult remember there are others out there similar. Don't care what those that are unknowing or difficult think or say (all of them - medical, friends, or even those close), we, the other sufferers are here.

Apologies if the post seems a little formal, but getting facts in to chaotic events isn't easy.

Stay strong.

[hoosier1956]

I suggest you have your physician refer you to a Neurologist. I found through them both, my diagnoses for Stress Induced Siezures & Chemical Imbalance.