Dizziness - any ideas??: I woke up in the early... - Thyroid UK

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Dizziness - any ideas??

Loobs39 profile image
28 Replies

I woke up in the early hours (about an hour before I needed to for work!!) because I felt dizzy - I must have turned over so felt really sick. I decided to try and get ready for work so had a shower but when I bent over to wrap my hair in a towel, I felt so dizzy I had to grab the wall. This happened several times and meant I felt 'sea-sick' so in the end I phoned and cancelled my work then went back to bed. My husband made me an appointment at the doc's for 11 am . By the time I got there it seemed to have calmed down so I said I would bend over as if picking something up to show him how bad it was. Nothing!!! No dizziness and barely any feeling sick. He seemed flumoxed - any ideas what would cause something like this - all bloods fine and I have been feeling really well these past few weeks. My ears were fine and blood pressure perfect so is it just down to the Hashimotos and yet another thing I have to occasionally live with?

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Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39
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28 Replies
Marz profile image
Marz

Could it be B12 deficiency ? I always felt unstable in the shower when I closed my eyes before treatment....

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to Marz

Hi Marz - nope, I had my B12 jab last week and blood test was fine - if anything my B12 would be over. This was so severe I thought it would go on for days but just for a few hours?? It doesn't make sense (but at least it has stopped!)

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to Loobs39

Glad you are now OK. What else are you taking when you have your jabs ?

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to Marz

Just the usual - Vit D, Selenium (have run out so been eating 3 brazil nuts a day instead) juicing etc. and totally Gluten free. Must be just one of those things but I have made a note of it so if it happens again I can look for a pattern?? I was given some anti-sickness drugs by the doctor but haven't needed to take them so if it happens tonight, at least I'm armed. Thanks for replying.

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to Loobs39

It is advised to take a good B Complex when Having B12 treatment - one that contains good levels of Folic Acid. Or even take some Folic Acid on its own. B12 and FA work together in the body. Also I have read to eat lots of Potassium containing foods after your injection.

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to Marz

Actually that is something I struggle with -iron generally - I never have a high ferritin reading and it is very difficult to raise it. I take a sachet of a well known iron supplement every day with my juice but not too sure what else I can do. My last ferritin reading was 73 (11 - 307) in September so not too bad but could be better. My folate is normally top of the range though.

Marz profile image
Marz in reply to Loobs39

A B Complex may just keep all the B's in balance....just a thought.

Hi there, you have my sympathy. That kind of dizziness is really horrible and it can be difficult to work out what is causing it. Dizziness can be associated with being both under-medicated and over-medicated as well as with B12. I have found that being over-medicated triggers vertigo.

Other things that cause dizziness are reactions to drugs; a thing called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), which is when debris floats around your inner ear and upsets the balance mechanism; bugs and viruses, and vaccinations. (You haven't had the flu vaccine by any chance?)

In my experience, over-indulging in things like Thornton chocolates has also triggered dizziness, vertigo and nausea!!

Here's hoping it is a once off thing for you, and that you can find an explanation.

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to

No, I decided not to have the flu jab this year although I always have in the past and with no side effects. No chocolate (sadly) but just realised that at the end of last week I was starting to notice I was feeling cold, achy and a bit low (all signs for me of being under medicated) so I figured that I should take a quarter of a 25mcg Cynomel tablet every morning for 4 mornings Sunday to Wednesday this week - perhaps I was over medicated?

in reply to Loobs39

Maybe - and so just transitory as T3 doesn't stay long in your system. I am on levo only so it takes a lot longer to build up to over-medication and reduce again.

Pepekins profile image
Pepekins in reply to

Yes I had a bout of this earlier in the year. Room going round and feeling sick. Apparently there are sometimes bits of debris which don't normally 'float' around in the inner ear, when they do it upsets your balance. My doctor gave me sea sickness pills (I didn't take them) but it lasted about a week, when I could not drive or swim (could not turn my head to breathe). It went away gradually over a 5 week period. Perhaps it is connected to the fact I don't have a thyroid gland and maybe am lacking in some vitamin. Just to mention I travelled to a London hospital to have a special B12 blood test done (privately) what a fiasco, they can't even find it now although it was with a letter from my GP explaining why I requested it.The inefficiency is alarming!!! Probably will have to do it all over again.

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to Pepekins

Wow that's rotten, especially considering you had to travel a distance for the test. Make sure they pay for the next test AND your travel costs if it was their error.

I still am not sure what the cause of my dizziness was but it has gone so hopefully just a blip!!

Chablis profile image
Chablis

Hi

I have very similar problems and it turned out to be low cortisol. You should ask to have it checked

M

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to Chablis

Actually that is something I have thought about getting done in the past so maybe this is the push I need.

kazzer profile image
kazzer

Hi this sounds like bppv and due to misplaced calcium chrystals in balance canals near inner ear. Otoconia. Quite common. Certain exercises are prescribe to assist the chrystals back into place. So get a referral to ent if it comes back. It has also been mentioned by someone else.

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to kazzer

Thanks - I will definitely get a referral to ENT if it comes back as very unpleasant indeed.

helbell profile image
helbell

Hi Loobs, I have had balance and spinning problems for three years. It began with BPPV but morphed into constant balance issues like I was on a boat in a rocky sea. Balance issues are awful, and just another silent disease with a whole set of bizarre symptoms, not unlike FMS nad hypothyroidism that makes the docs go Wah! Push for that ENT referral as you will be kept on balance meds for as long as poss - it's cheaper, which will hinder your recovery. If it simply a case of BPPV, get the exercises and maneuvers; it often comes back but is transient. Numerous bugs or viruses can affect inner ear as already stated, with devastating effects. There is a distinct difference between feeling spinny or imbalanced and dizzy...the latter implies fainting feeling . Vertigo is not that but we say dizzy for ease of explanation. I was eventually referred to a balance clinic. They have all the proper equipment and training for checking the hearing and balance systems. The usual referral route is neuro and ENT, then balance specialist but you might need to push. Mary Shonon, among others, says Hypothyroidism can cause vestibular dysfunction. So, I guess some more than others. What ever is affecting your balance, if it goes on for more than several weeks, you need those vestibular rehab exercises to retrain the brain to body balance communication. Another common cause is trigger points in the muscles and fascia around the cervical spine, shoulders neck and chest. A lot of hypo sufferers have trigger points: hard knots and sausages that hurt and or cause a pain trigger response elsewhere. I have them and they affect my balance, like when I have been on pc too long, and my tinnitus. All this stuff is connected. Good luck :)x

kin450-neurophysiology.wiki...

triggerpointtherapist.com/b...

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to helbell

Wow you really have had it rough - I can't imagine suffering from this all that time? After that first day it stopped but I found I was feeling sea-sick and 'dizzy' this morning when I turned over in bed - it seems OK now but I dread it being as bad a the other day. I am reluctant to take the tablets the doc prescribed (for sickness) as I take so many flaming drugs anyway (as do we all I guess). I will wait and see what happens and just hope it passes but thank you so much for taking the time to post such a detailed reply - it may well be that I will need to refer to it in the future (but hopefully not!!)

helbell profile image
helbell in reply to Loobs39

What you said Loobs. It may well just be a blip. People don't think of our vestibular systems being upset..but they work darned hard for us :)

mazb profile image
mazb

I get that a lot - I thought it was my high BP (another story) - and extreme exhaustion and stress.

(i.e. nausea and dizziness when bending, or standing up sometimes).

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to mazb

Woke up this morning and had it again, albeit quite mildly and yet I was fine yesterday - odd? My BP is fine so no idea what is going on. Rotten though isn't it!!

helbell profile image
helbell in reply to Loobs39

Is it dizzy faint feeling - like you might pass out, or room spinning, or feeling like you are on a rocky boat feeling. The first might be more related to BP. Also, balance symptoms can include feeling like on is going to drop to the ground...which is a bit confusing in terms of trying to explain the difference between feint and drop attack. Loads of things can upset vestibular system including thyroid symptom complications. Some experts say that it can affect balance. It's also common for us to suffer from postural hypotension. I get it now and then. (I expect someone has already mentioned that)

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to helbell

Definitely the rocky boat feeling, I had to grab the wall to stop falling over! BP is fine 'cos I had it checked that same day - and symptoms have all but gone now - just a 'swimmy feeling occasionally when I turn over in bed. I will just have to keep an eye on it - hopefully it will wear off completely?

helbell profile image
helbell in reply to Loobs39

I've a feeling it will. My bet is on a few breakaway crystals.

hjane profile image
hjane

I suffer from intermittent dizziness and nausea, have low ferritin levels as well as hashimotos , but was diagnosed with peripheral vestibular dysfunction by neurotologist at University college hospital , London a few years ago . They told me there is a link with hashimotos which endo denied but I do believe them . There is no set pattern , but can be triggered by fluorescent lighting - lasting for hours . I was given head exercises to trigger attacks , which lessens the impact of future attacks --- does work up to a point .

Loobs39 profile image
Loobs39 in reply to hjane

Wow - Hashimoto's - the gift that just keeps giving. It is staggering the number of problems that seem to come from Hashi/Thyroid issues - thanks for your reply though, it is just as well that I be prepared.

helbell profile image
helbell in reply to Loobs39

A ruddy minefield :)

helbell profile image
helbell in reply to hjane

Me too Jane. Was disabling in the beginning. I am glad to see your Hashi link. I believe it might be too. A lot is written about hypothyroidism and balance issues. I was also fortunate enough to get to see a balance specialist (many are dismissed as neurotic -even the specialist told me that) and she told me I had a sluggish balance organ. It was relief to realise I did not have Meniere's as previously diagnosed by a medic that should not have followed by diagnoses of vestibular migraine by a neuro...which was wrong. She was lovely and exlained that it was a lifetime management with stress etc increasing symptoms but I have gone from practically being housebound to balance being one of my lesser issues...but I too feel strongly that it is linked with my Hashi. There is so much they still don't know. She was good enough to say so.

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