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

[[Yo...]]

I'm getting nostalgic now for songs I heard while abroad in Japan. This song was a hit in its own right back in '06 but really exploded when used in a Shiseido cosmetics commercial. I'm not asking anyone to like it, but it brings me back.

 

 

This one too, from an animated film.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gMcwwnRcxv8

[[La...]]

Hello Dizzy Buds,

How is everyone today? Just checking in. I've been up since 3 a.m., which I guess is a sleep-in compared with 2 a.m. or 2:30 a.m. (from last Thursday and Saturday nights, respectively). It's been hard to keep my eyes open, but I'm not a napper, and I prefer to stay vertical during the day. Lying down during the day just bums me out too much. For some strange reason, I'm less dizzy today -- a 7 out of 10 on my scale -- compared with yesterday's 9, even though I had more sleep Sunday night. It's so illogical!

 

A fellow BB member I was in touch with said she has a similar one day better/one day worse pattern to mine. While she's not dizzy at all, she does find that her symptoms are inconsistent. Apparently, it's quite common. She did a bit of asking around here on BB and found that others had a similar thing going on. So strange! I wish there was some logic to all of this. It would make it easier to understand. I like logic. 

 

 

[[La...]]

Here's an American study that I just came across called "Epidemiology of Dizzy Patient Population in a Neurotology Clinic and Predictors of Peripheral Etiology".

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28498271

 

 

[[Yo...]]

Glad you got a day of relief!

 

From accounts I've read, the healing process can be schizophrenic. One step forward, two steps back. It definitely mystifies doctors, who have a hard time believing in it. Huh? How can you be better for a week, then get WORSE than you were BEFORE. Impossible! Hey doc, it's baffling and frustrating to those withdrawing too!

 

And why is one day a 7 and another a 9? What happens when you're asleep to either attenuate or ramp up the symptoms? Does a 7 ever become a 9—or vice-versa—during the course of a day?

 

Some keep logs of everything they eat and do to see if anything has the slightest effect on the scale.

 

Anyway, hope it's a good sign for you Lapis!

 

 

[[La...]]

Thanks so much, Mr. Shook! I've certainly had days where an 8 dropped to a 7, or a 7 ramped up to an 8. But the 9s tend to be 9s all day long, and usually I find that whatever I start the day with is what I end it with too. For the most part, it seems the change in dizziness levels must happen overnight. I'd love to know what the heck is going on there! Even with only 3 hours of sleep last night, my dizziness has been lower today than yesterday.

 

I, too, keep a chart to map out my dizziness levels, but I don't connect it to what I've eaten. If there IS some connection, I'd be interested to know what it is. From the variability of the Success Stories, I'd highly doubt if all of those people who got better ate in a certain way.

[[La...]]

Here's another recent paper that may be of interest to everyone here. It's called "Current Diagnostic Procedures for Diagnosing Vertigo and Dizziness".

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28499299

 

It states, "New classifications of vestibular disorders and algorithms provide a high diagnostic certainty and reliability although evidence-based investigations of diagnostic procedures are still missing."

 

I certainly didn't experience any degree of "high diagnostic certainty" with my testing experiences, but it's quite possible that whatever new "classifications" and "algorithms" they're referring to surpass the old ones. Of course, beyond diagnosis, most of us would be interested in knowing what safe, effective, non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical treatments might be available to make it all go away. In the absence of that, time appears to be the healer. 

[[La...]]

Here's one last study for this evening. This one's called "Country-specific and individual determinants of dizziness in Europe: results from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)".

 

"CONCLUSIONS:  In conclusion dizziness is a common complaint amongst older Europeans that needs more attention. Further studies should investigate the prevalence, determinants and management of defined vestibular and non-vestibular causes of dizziness across Europe."

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28501789 

[[Yo...]]

Lapis, don't you have enough dealing with dizziness without reading about it all day? You gotta get back to watching episodes of The Love Boat and see how your nervous system responds to laughter! 

[[La...]]

Hey, Shook, I'm not sure I could stomach an episode of "Love Boat"! There are other shows from that era, however, that I could definitely enjoy now.

 

On the research thing: Inquiring minds want to know. Maybe there's something just around the corner that will be of use to everyone here. You never know! Also, I've been lucky enough not to be affected cognitively by the benzo beast. Parts of my head seem to work fairly well, so I might as well use them! 

[[Yo...]]

Lapis, l can only have one response to that:

 

[[...]]

I'm getting nostalgic now for songs I heard while abroad in Japan. This song was a hit in its own right back in '06 but really exploded when used in a Shiseido cosmetics commercial. I'm not asking anyone to like it, but it brings me back.

 

 

This one too, from an animated film.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gMcwwnRcxv8

 

 

Yea, I see what you did!      Funny guy, who makes you do the things that you do?   

Hey, maybe we should have a "Corniest Song Ever" competition, now that could be fun, I already have one or two or five in mind.

Hey, so, btw, I didn't mind the second song, great lyrics, wish there were an English version of it.

 

 

 

Thanks so much, Mr. Shook! I've certainly had days where an 8 dropped to a 7, or a 7 ramped up to an 8. But the 9s tend to be 9s all day long, and usually I find that whatever I start the day with is what I end it with too. For the most part, it seems the change in dizziness levels must happen overnight. I'd love to know what the heck is going on there! Even with only 3 hours of sleep last night, my dizziness has been lower today than yesterday.

 

I, too, keep a chart to map out my dizziness levels, but I don't connect it to what I've eaten. If there IS some connection, I'd be interested to know what it is. From the variability of the Success Stories, I'd highly doubt if all of those people who got better ate in a certain way.

 

Yes, that's generally my experience too.  One day the left side and the next day the right side, and very often if I have a nap (even a very short one), I'll wake up and it's shifted sides again.  Puzzling, isn't it?  Oh, and I'm referring to the muscle tension, not the rocky boat, in case anyone's wondering.

 

 

[[...]]

Meant to drop this off a while ago.  Great update from LM (LovingMother)!  For those who may not know, LM was on board our boat for a good, long time ... with Lyme Disease to boot ... and look how well she's doing now. 

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=116290.msg2384809#msg2384809

 

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=180324.0

[Guest [Lu...]]

Im a lifelong MASH fan myself. it was on like 15 times a day growing up on long island, ny

I wonder what Dr Sidney Freedman would have made of all this, probably would have given better advice than our primary drs....

Good stuff, lapis, thanks for those posts.

Currently rocking the latest Volbeat and Fates Warning.

yes im a nerd metalhead.

hang in there good peeps

[Guest [...]]

Hey Lapis,so good you are having a better day today!I am so glad for you!I hope this is a sign the lower dizzy days are slipping in as you gradually get done with this beast of a symptom!

 

I found the intensity of symptoms day to day doesn't make sense either.I get 2-3 days of lighter dizzy then get hit hard like today.I am curious to see if it tapers for me as the day goes,it often does that lately.I did manage a quick store trip,but got very anxious at the checkout with the off balance stuff.Made me so nervous.

 

Oh well,maybe I just need to sit down,chill out and catch another episode of the Love Boat,like YSMANL suggested for you Lapis!My husband won't stay in the room if it's on,he hates it that much!

 

I like MASH sometimes too Luke Skywalker.I watched an episode the other night where Hawkeye ordered BBQ ribs from New York,because they were so sick of the food!It was pretty good!

 

Anybody like I Love Lucy?

 

Thankyou abcd for posting about Lovingmother,I'm gonna read that now!

 

I hope everybody has a really good day!

 

 

 

 

[[La...]]

Oh, see? Many great shows other than "Love Boat"! "MASH" was awesome! "Mary Tyler Moore", "Bob Newhart", "Carol Burnett" too. If we're trying to stick with the boating theme, then we need to think of canoe, kayak and sailboat shows! I'd take "Gilligan's Island" over "Love Boat"!

 

Thanks for the good wishes, 2200! I'm back to an 8 today, plus another 3 a.m. wake-up call by the cortisol rooster. I'm a tear-filled shaking mess. That's too many days in a row. I, too, will read about LovingMother, though. It's good to see our pals doing well. There's hope for all, right? 

[Guest [Lu...]]

ugh 2200, isnt it awful even just standing on line at a convenience store takes everything I have... geezus, i was NEVER like this til benzo withdrawal. Bout 20 minutes ago someone stopped me for a lighthearted conversation and i swear to god i could barely tolerate just standing there and talking, i was going nuts. its like being afraid of heights and having the feeling if you were on the edge of a cliff, with that feeling just going on and on indefinitely. thought i was going to fall over right in front of her. arghhhh.

 

on a lighter note, yes MASH was fantastic we grew up with it.

 

lol i remember the episode youre talking about. Hawkeye would sometimes have a crusade against the mess tent

[Guest [...]]

ugh 2200, isnt it awful even just standing on line at a convenience store takes everything I have... geezus, i was NEVER like this til benzo withdrawal. Bout 20 minutes ago someone stopped me for a lighthearted conversation and i swear to god i could barely tolerate just standing there and talking, i was going nuts. its like being afraid of heights and having the feeling if you were on the edge of a cliff, with that feeling just going on and on indefinitely. thought is was going to fall over right in front of her. arghhhh.

 

on a lighter note, yes MASH was fantastic wee grew up with it.

 

lol i remember the episode youre talking about. Hawkeye would sometimes have a crusade against the mess tent

 

Wow,Luke S.,you described the shopping experience to a tee!I feel the same way when people want to chat with me,and all I can think is I need to get out of here ASAP!I hate this,I used to love to talk to people and pass some time getting to know them,but now it's like I have to leave before I have a panic attack,faint,or fall over!

 

I remember Don Killian said in a video,he felt like he would fall over just standing for the National Anthem at a ball game.That is spot on to how this feels.He did say about year 3-4 it faded away.That is something so good to hope for!

 

Lapis,if I ever get a hold of that screeching cortisol rooster,we are so having fried chicken for dinner some Sunday!!!

 

[Guest [Lu...]]

man do i hope that fades away, yep, just standing still is really hard, engaging ANYONE is hard without feeling like youre going to topple over or pass out. Its crazy. And man I had those symptoms loooong before I ever discovered BB, long before I had the slightest idea that benzo withdrawal could even happen. Ill never forget those months desperately trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with me, before I learned of benzo withdrawal.

[[Yo...]]

Hit me with your corniest songs, abcd!

 

Any ballad written for a movie by Canada's own Bryan Adams comes to mind. Yuck.

 

Meatloaf's "I Would Do Anything For Love" is a guilty pleasure, but operatically corny. Intentionally so probably, but nevertheless...

[[La...]]

man do i hope that fades away, yep, just standing still is really hard, engaging ANYONE is hard without feeling like youre going to topple over or pass out. Its crazy. And man I had those symptoms loooong before I ever discovered BB, long before I had the slightest idea that benzo withdrawal could even happen. Ill never forget those months desperately trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with me, before I learned of benzo withdrawal.

 

I usually feel like there are two parts to me -- the inside, dizzy, scared, anxious person, plus the outside, trying-to-act-normal person. Inside, I'm thinking, "Hayulp! Hayulp! I'm rocking/swaying/falling! Please make it stop!", and outside, I might be chatting about the weather or a news story or something else. So hard!

[[Yo...]]

Yeah it can be surreal. But who knows? Maybe that person who is chatting about the weather with you is suffering themselves? Those of us with invisible illnesses are usually masters at hiding it. It's not written on people's faces, as my mother likes to say when I believe everyone else is fine but me.

[Guest [Lu...]]

man do i hope that fades away, yep, just standing still is really hard, engaging ANYONE is hard without feeling like youre going to topple over or pass out. Its crazy. And man I had those symptoms loooong before I ever discovered BB, long before I had the slightest idea that benzo withdrawal could even happen. Ill never forget those months desperately trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with me, before I learned of benzo withdrawal.

 

I usually feel like there are two parts to me -- the inside, dizzy, scared, anxious person, plus the outside, trying-to-act-normal person. Inside, I'm thinking, "Hayulp! Hayulp! I'm rocking/swaying/falling! Please make it stop!", and outside, I might be chatting about the weather or a news story or something else. So hard!

 

yup. ugh, i know its insane that it takes every ounce of my being to....stand there and be "normal"

how in the hell do you describe this to anyone who hasnt gone through it?

 

"dude, why arent you hanging out?"

"well, ya see, I cant really focus or stand up straight without feeling like im nauseous, petrified, and falling off a building while simultaneously exploding and dying horribly."

"uh uh... so, you coming over?"

[[La...]]

Yuppers, Luke. You got it. We're all there. Same. 

 

However, you're out there working, and that's an amazing feat. You are one strong human being!

 

[[Yo...]]

Luke's "midi-chlorian" count is off the charts, and they're gonna help up-regulate his CNS! 

[Guest [Lu...]]

thanks lapis and LMAO youshookme.

frigging hysterical, maybe the jedi council will snag me up and train me how to not be a dizzy, whacked out mess.....

 

im at work right now....im BARELY able to withstand it yet again. ugh, soooo many days like this. torture. hiding at my desk, even sitting im flaoting around, off balance. hardest thing ive ever done is endure my job through this...its crazy, i should in a hospital bed right now. thats what it feels like. but i cannot lose this job, id be destroyed, id lose my house, my car, everything.

 

i did a 20 minute or so sneak break in my car around noon, could barely stand up. very agoraphobic today, very anxious.

 

feeling the effects of cutting down to 3mg i imagine. Most other jobs I would have been fired a long time ago, i have some leeway here but man have i pushed it. i will NEEVR updose though, im frigging pushing through this shit.

 

ugh...ANOTHER tortuous day.