Rocking sensation?

Hello,

A little bit of background info, I'm a 21 yr old female and I have been diagnosed with migraines with an aura. I have dealt with anxiety since high school and have had many panic attacks as well.

Last January(2017) I suddenly started getting awful acid reflux, all day every day, and with it, I also got this feeling like I was out of it and off-kilter. I went in for bloodwork twice and both times everything was normal. My doctor said my salt level was low so he put me on Zantac and Gatorade, which helped temporarily, I guess, but I am not a fan of taking OTC drugs daily like that, so I stopped.

My doctor has tried to diagnose this feeling that I have but I don't feel as though he is accurate. He originally said that I have orthostatic hypotension, and then this past August 2017 he said that it is actually Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. After that diagnosis, I was on Allegra D and a sinus rinse everyday for a week, this did little for me and after the full week, I stopped this too.

Basically, this "rocking" feeling has progressed since June. Just about every day I feel as though I'm rocking back and forth or side to side. It's not spinning (although I have felt a spinning sensation a couple times that doesn’t last long) and it doesn't affect my balance when I get up and walk around.

I do tend to have clogged ears where I cant pop them and I do sometimes feel them tighten and ring, I had many ear infections as a child so I'm wondering if it's an inner ear issue.

I originally thought it was diet related, I went gluten-free, I tried veganism, I tried very bland diets, I run and I practice yoga as of recently. I hydrate pretty regularly and I sleep at least 7-8 hours every night.

I tend to google my symptoms and that just seems to make it worse because I tend to assume that its worst-case scenario.

Basically, I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this and what I can do for relief. I visited an ENT Friday and he said I have no hearing loss and he thinks that it’s vestibular migraines. However he wants me to get an MRI to rule out other possibilities.

I had an MRI when I was around 17 and all was normal but for some reason I am now completely petrified and expecting the worst. It’s consumed my thoughts for days now and I can’t stop googling and seeing “brain tumor” on my screen. Can anyone relate to my symptoms and maybe comfort these anxieties ? Desperate.

[creativeK]

Hiya,

Sorry you are having such an awful time. I have vestibular migraines with another condition BPPV which both affect my balance, and the rocking sensation you describe is familiar to me. Like you, I also had to have an MRI as part of the diagnosis 'to rule out anything more sinister', which it did. If the ENT specialist is already talking about vestibular migraine as a diagnosis, I would focus on that - this is his/her speciality, and they see it every day (unlike your GP).

Because I have 2 overlapping balance conditions, it is hard for me to tell them apart, so I don’t have any specific advice about the rocking. I have to do different exercises for different symptoms and follow a migraine prevention diet and lifestyle, and by following the advice of the different specialists I've been lucky enough to see, I am mostly well now. Your specialist will advise you what's best, and I hope you won't have to wait too long.

Meanwhile, hold on to this: they will diagnose you, things will get better, and vestibular migraine can be manageable with the right treatment plan.

Take care of yourself,

Kate.

[Hidden in reply to creativeK]

May I ask if your MRI was with or without contrast? I just learned that mine is both and i am nervous for the contrast..

[creativeK in reply to Hidden]

I have had both, although the contrast wasn't when scanning my head. The dye (or whatever) slowly made the scanned area feel a bit warm and a bit different (can't really explain it. Not like pins and needles but different to the rest of me. Not scary tho) but I had no ill effects. Hope that helps.

[CarolineVi]

It will be migraine. There’s load of this type of symptom on the web and people get diagnosed wrongly for years about ear problems. It’s your brain. And they can’t see what’s wrong on a scan. It wouldn’t be a tumour but they have to check cause they would be in trouble if not.

Migraine has awful symptoms which are so hard to explain. Don’t worry about any other cause.

[Miche123]

Hi Kat1250

I find this very interest as last June I went on holiday I was fine when we took but we had a very heavy landing, during the course of the week I felt like the ground was falling away when walking and ear pressure I came back home saw doctor he said inner ear. Got referred to Guildford ENT. Had audio test fine they thought hormonal migraines has MRI scan didn't show anything. The nearest description I can find is barotrauma or airplane ear but symptoms are strongest when period just starts some times headaches most of the time varying ear pressure I am 48.5 years to go back and see specialist in April

Hope this is useful miche123

[Sandmeister]

Hi kat1250,

Try to put your fears aside. You wouldn't be the first to allow yourself to think the worst and 99.9% if the time, unnecessarily! Migraines are strange animals and the right MD's will get to the bottom of it. If you don't like a doctor, than find one you do like. My recommendation is to seek out a good MD who specializes in headaches. Sometimes they are neurologists and sometimes they aren't, but they will be familiar with all types of migraines as well as other types of headaches. Second, stick with the Gatorade, it does help. It is critical to stay hydrated and the electrolytes do help. Even the G2 works if you want to avoid all of the excessive sugar. In addition, drink a lot of water! I can't relate to vestibular migraines, but I've had migraines all of my life. Don't panic and don't give up. But do find a great headache specialist! Best of luck You'll be ok.