The Dizziness Group: For those who are floating, boating, falling or flying

[[La...]]

Lapis.  I wonder where beta blockers fall in the research you just pisted? In Mont 4 and 6 of my w/d I had a couple of b/p scares that sent me to er and I was on atenolol low dose for a few months . It had a very calming impact on me, but also caused dizziness and depression. Common side effects of beta blockers. It was very effective for controlling b/p spikes but the side effects were awful Thank goodness I no longer have to take them. I made some big changes in my nutrition and got further out in my w/d and I don't need them anymore. My b/p stays right at 110-115/ 70-75.  I probably have w/d paranoia, but I think every thing including tylenol ( plain tylenol) impacts our brains......coop

 

Hey Coop,

I'm so glad your BP has settled down a bit. From any standpoint, less medication is better. There are "side" effects with everything, but sometimes we need to take things. If you can keep your BP in check with good nutrition, exercise and stress management, I'm sure your body will thank you!

 

With regards the info in that article, it was looking at four specific meds that are used to help with motion sickness, one of which was lorazepam. That quote shows just how many neurotransmitters are involved in the vestibular system and really highlights the fact that it's very complex. If you do something to one transmitter, that can affect another, and on it goes. Once again, when it comes to meds, less is probably more.

[[Co...]]

Lapis...that makes complete sense to me and answers some of the questions I had a out the treatment for my initial vertigo. I think lorazapam is the generic of Ativan which was what I was prescribed in er for the vertigo. I had never taken a benzo in my life...I had no idea...even my ENT told me to remain on the lorazapam ...for about 18-24 months...If only I had known. I so appreciate all of your research. ...and I hope you are having a better day... coop

[[La...]]

Here's a key quote from the article entitled "Pharmaceutical Countermeasures Have Opposite Effects on the Utricles and Semicircular Canals in Man" (2012). The article looks at four medications, including lorazepam, and concludes that they each have suppressant action in a specific part of the vestibular system. Of interest to those of us here on BB is the following information:

 

 

"It is known that the inhibitory neurotransmitter

GABA affects the commissures of the medial vestibular

nucleus and plays an inhibitory role between the cerebellar

Purkinje cells and the lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN),

indicating a central action. Therefore, a global central depression

of the vestibular function is expected after administration

of the benzodiazepine lorazepam. Interestingly,

only the utriculo-ocular reflex was affected by this

drug. Fibers originating from the macula utriculi terminate

predominantly on the LVN and to a lesser extent on

the medial and inferior vestibular nuclei. The horizontal

SCC afferents project to all vestibular nuclei, except the

lateral one [barmack, 2003]. It is conceivable that the primary

site of action of lorazepam is the LVN, where utricular

information is processed, since this drug only affected

utricular reflex function."

[[Al...]]

Cooperten-try not to be so hard on yourself. I'm in the same boat as you. I never took a benzo ever but I decided to use Valium as a sleep aide if I could not fall back to sleep. Looking back now there were other alternatives that were not benzo's or not even pills. I had no idea that a valium was a Benzo. Had I had done some research I too would never have taken it.

 

We took it, we're off of it and we will heal...Everyone recovers!! We must stay positive.

Fran:)

[[La...]]

I think many of us can relate to that feeling of "I wish I'd known!" Having done a ton of research in the last year or two, I now have a stack of info on the topic. But I didn't have a clue about the medication when I was on it. I thought it was considered innocuous, actually. As Fran said, though, we're moving on now. I just need this dizziness to move on as well!

[[Co...]]

I wish my DOCTOR would have known...and when I took the Ashton Manual to her she blew it off. I have a different physician now who, while not exactly benzo wise, he is very supportive and took the time to at least read the Ashton Manual. I don't think he puts much wright in it, but he respects that I do.

......

[[pr...]]

i had a few doctor's and 'energy healers" how swooshed aside The Ashton Manual when i layed in on the table for them to please read about the brain injury i have. and one of the healers hooked me up to this machine to my brain when i was 3 months out from a c/t and i almost had to go to ER because it was so intense. after his machine hooked up to my brain my arms kept going up all by themselves. it was horrible. i still feel the need to let him know what he did to me but kinda waiting on a window for the right words.

[[Co...]]

I read somebody's description of thier dizziness and it explains perfectly what my sensation of motion disturbance is.....the feeling that you have when you get off of an amusement park ride. ...That's it..an internal sense of motion after you stop moving...Is that what people in this group mean as ' undulation'? ....There seems to be several variations on ' dizzy'  from spinning to light headedness...fascinating....coop

[[La...]]

I think the issue of description is a sticky one. We use words to describe a sensation in our bodies, and that's really all we can do. But one person's "undulation" might be another person's "getting off an amusement park ride"! We can never truly know what another person feels. But the list that I put up at the beginning of this thread has some good descriptions taken from previous "floaty boat" threads here on BB. I think it's a working list that helps us communicate with one another. And isn't that what it's all about here on BB??!!

 

I watched an investigative television program a number of years ago, and the story followed a woman who was accused of killing or hurting her husbands using benzodiazepines to make them dizzy and fall. She was referred to as the "Internet Black Widow". The program used some "rocky" camera work to show viewers what the one of the husbands was experiencing as he got up to go to the bathroom at night and then fell down. I thought, "That's what I'm feeling!" It was before I knew why I was dizzy, and when I thought about it many months later, I put the two things together.

 

Here's a link to a news story about this woman:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/internet-black-widow-sentenced-to-3-years-in-jail-1.1324946

[[Al...]]

Good morning Ladies-I hope everyone slept great last night. I was able to sleep however I noticed that my sleep pattern seems to be every other night...For now I will take that:)

 

Has anyone ever experienced any dizziness or rockiness before ever taking a benzo? I don't know if I mentioned this before but when I was 27 years old I had my first experience with the rockiness, I felt I was on a boat ( and I do suffer from sea sickness). My husband is a doctor so I went to his friend who is an ENT and he told me it was due to having a sore throat and that the rockiness would abate in time. He also sent me for a CAT scan of my sinuses. My sore throat went away and the rockiness abated after 3-4 months. When my allergies and sinuses act up in March or April I always get a pain in my upper tooth and then I do feel the rockiness at times. I've had this before Benzo hence I 'm wondering perhaps if any of you have ever experienced this before taking a benzo. I was told 20 years ago that I needed sinus surgery but I elected not to have it. My friend the ENT told me to take Claritin daily and nasal saline spray or Flonase. He thought it would help with the rockiness. When I was a little girl I always had ear infections. Ear nose and throat it's all one but there is a link between that and the rockiness dizziness.

 

I just wanted to share my story with you. I know we can't take Claritin or Flonase but I have been using Saline Nasal Spray because of my allergies and it's working.

Fran

[[La...]]

Hey Fran, I do believe we have some "Gents" in our midst, not just "Ladies"! 

 

Anyway, yes, I had an inner ear infection some 30 years ago. It happens to lots of people, and yes, it can be related to a cold or sinusitis. I firmly believe that everyone should get such things checked out by a doctor to ensure that there are no confounding factors when it comes to their current dizziness. 

[[La...]]

If you're at all interested in reading some posts by dizzy BBs from the past few years, here's a thread to peruse. It's from 2012, and there you'll find some positive and encouraging posts which remind us that "Yes, yes it does go away!" We all need to hear that, don't we?

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=53303.0

[[Mo...]]

Hey everyone.

 

So, I have been in a wave the last couple weeks and it has not been fun. Of course when a wave comes, so does dizziness. I'm wondering if this has ever happened to anyone. I was laying in bed last night with my 10 year old watching tv. I wasn't feeling all that great, mostly nauseous, and all of a sudden I felt light headed and dizzy. I was not moving when this happened. I sat up for a minute and then I had to get up and walk around. A huge panic attack followed for about 30 minutes.

[[La...]]

Hey Morechocolate (yes, if it's 85%!),

That sounds pretty "normal", if you can call it that, for those of us who are dizzy. What I mean is, the dizziness seems to come and go for some, and when it does come, it can cause anxiety. Being dizzy is such an uncomfortable thing that it can provoke such a response -- especially if it comes on suddenly.

 

I have that kind of response first thing in the morning if I wake up and find that it's one of my 9-out-of-10 dizzy days. Breathing and calming self-talk can help, I think. I just try to remind myself that it's okay, it'll be fine, I'll get through it. I'm not sure if that would work for you, but it might be worth a try.

 

I'm sure others can weigh in here too. In the meantime, just know that you're not alone -- not by any stretch. 

[[La...]]

Here's another link to a previous BB post on the topic of dizziness. There are some descriptions that you'll likely relate to.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=31211.msg457215#msg457215

 

 

[[Mo...]]

Thanks for the response Lapis. I really appreciate it.

[[La...]]

My pleasure! It's nice to write your name too! Mmmmmm!

 

Anyway, if anyone needs a bit more reading material from some previous BBs who've wobbled and floated around like us, here's another link:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=41246.msg569212#msg569212

 

My hope is to track down a few Success Stories from these former BBs who have stepped off the "carnival ride". Of course, I'll share them here if I do. We all need some hope.

[[Lo...]]

Hi all, I just wanted you to know that I'm going to take a break from the site.My situation is worsening with the inner ear disturbance & the leg weakness I have to figure out some things. Short term disability only pays 60% of my already low salary.

 

I won't stop praying, I just wish this major symptom would end as it is effecting our lives greatly.

 

Much love to you all.

[[Al...]]

LovingMother-sending you warm wishes.

Fran

[Guest [...]]

LovingMother,I pray you will be healed soon! :)Thankyou for all your past support,helping others even though you were so sick too,you are so sweet.Take care of you!

[[La...]]

I'm sending you good vibes and wishing you well. Take good care of yourself!

Lapis

[[pr...]]

LM,

 

sending healing and strength your way. 

[[La...]]

Hi Fellow Floaty Boaters,

I just wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing today. I've been less dizzy today, so that always gives me some hope and allows me to move around with a bit more ease. If I keep my fingers and toes crossed, perhaps I can have a second day in a row that's not too dizzy!

 

I'm nearing 22 months off the benzodiazepine (and more than 10 months off the Prozac) so I really hope healing is near.

 

Thinking of you all. Stay strong! Stay afloat! Hang on tight!

[[Al...]]

Lapsis2 GREAT NEWS!!! So happy to hear this.

Best,

Fran

[[Ki...]]

Thank you all for your excellent. .inputs.

I don't feel alone and helpless.

Have been dizzy since few days and loud tinnitus and headache..

trying my best to stay strong. Sending healing to all. .

God bless