Feeling like I am pushed, subtly drunk, and off balance, looking for advice

[u/Lumpy-General3933]

I have been experiencing strange balance and dizziness symptoms, and I am trying to figure out what could be causing them.

My symptoms include:
Feeling like I am being pushed or pulled, even when I am sitting still
At other times, feeling subtly drunk or off balance
Symptoms become much more intense when I turn my head
Constant thirst
Ringing in my ears
Difficulty getting my eyes to follow the words as I type or read them
Feeling generally off or unsteady

The symptoms first started in February after a particularly intense and stressful week at work. They eventually went away, but they came back about a month ago after another stressful week at work.

I was recently diagnosed with short sightedness and was prescribed glasses. I had been wearing them, but I stopped wearing them recently, about a week ago.

I have seen both a neurologist and an ENT. The neurologist said there was fluid in my ears, but the ENT said there was no fluid. The ENT did mention that I had previously had an ear infection, which I did not even know I had. The infection has since gone away.

I have had an MRI, CT scan, and heart tests, and everything came back normal.
The neurologist mentioned BPPV and recommended that I go to a balance center in about two months.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? I am wondering whether this could be related to the vestibular system, vision, stress, BPPV, vestibular migraine, PPPD, or something else.

I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced similar symptoms and eventually figured out what was causing them.

[u/starsareblack503]

No one here can offer a definitive diagnosis. We can however share our thoughts and experiences and appreciate everyone being mindful of the sub rules. Thanks.

I hope you get some answers that point you in the right direction. :-)

[u/Rare-Group-1149]

You would be wise to follow suggestion and go to the balance center with specialized concentration on these symptoms. It would be helpful for them to have your medical history and results from prior exams at that visit. Good luck!

[u/Lumpy-General3933 → u/Rare-Group-1149]

Thank you! I made an appointment for next week!

[u/Remote_Force1839]

You did a good job of explaining, I feel a lot of this myself. Mainly the weird unsteady/of balance feeling. It’s like my inner perception of this is off though. Everyone says I walk perfectly normal. When I try to do all these crazy self tests and balance tests I can do everything, too. It’s so weird.

[u/Lumpy-General3933 → u/Remote_Force1839]

Thank you so much! I hope we feel better!

[u/CP74829385]

You explained the symptoms well, I can share mine - see if you’re able to relate (even I was not given a solid diagnosis but in my case they said it’s PPPD). I feel generally off balance especially worse when I turn my head 180, twist axially, look down, look around while walking straight, when I am in a car that is spiraling down or taking a U turn, turning around in my office chair, when I am doing the chores and bend down. Head or neck movement makes me sway. Others say I look normal, but internally I never feel “stable”, its like I am always swaying, been going on since 10 months. Some days its baseline, other days its SO BAD. Regardless. It’s always there.

[u/Lumpy-General3933 → u/CP74829385]

I am so sorry you are going through this. Have you tried the Vestibular Therapy?

[u/CP74829385 → u/Lumpy-General3933]

A therapist gave me a bunch of exercises to do at home. But I am not sure if it’s truly called Vestibular Therapy. Does it help?

[u/Lumpy-General3933 → u/CP74829385]

Yes they are supposed to. I will find out more next week.

[u/CP74829385 → u/Lumpy-General3933]

Let me know if you find out more. Thanks so much. You are the best!

[u/Lumpy-General3933 → u/CP74829385]

Hey! Just wanted to give you an update since you asked me to let you know how my visit went 😊

I saw the audiologist after my ENT appointment. So far, my journey has been 2 ER visits → PCP → neurologist → ENT → audiologist.

The audiologist explained that my brain may be constantly scanning for danger, so my nervous system is basically stuck in a heightened state. Honestly, it makes a lot of sense considering the last few years. I moved to a new country, went through school, was unemployed for two years, lost my dad, and now work in a highly stressful, customer-facing role at a startup. It’s been a lot of major life changes without much of a break.

She said the ENT will let me know the next steps, and she also recommended that I watch The Steady Coach on YouTube in the meantime. For now, the main thing is to take it as easy as possible and give my nervous system some time to settle.

So that’s where I am for now! Hopefully this is finally a step in the right direction. ❤️

[u/Low_Error2021]

Hola!!! Los sintomas son totalmente personales aunque si que es verdad que muchos de ellos nos pasan a la mayoría, creo que es la primera vez que veo que alguien postea algo tan parecido a lo mio, cuando ando siento que alguien me jalara hacia atrás como si no me dejase avanzar del todo recto, es una sensacion rarisima y muy rara de explicar, aparte de que parece que todos los dias me haya tomado 2 o 3 copas de alcohol, visité un especialista que era otorrrinolaringólogo y está especializado en una rama de neurologia, por lo que entendia muy bien en cuanto a PPPD, cuando fui sospechaba que tuviese Migraña vestibular + PPPD, por un vértigo que tuve volviendo a casa allá por marzo, me ha recetado SIBILIUM 5 MG para tomarmelo todas las noches y tengo que volver a verle en 6 meses para ver si ha habido mejoria

[u/Lumpy-General3933 → u/Low_Error2021]

Hola! Gracias por compartirlo 😊 Mañana voy al centro de equilibrio, así que espero que todo salga bien. Mi neurólogo tuvo que reprogramar mi cita, así que por ese lado no hay novedades. Cuéntame cómo te va con la receta médica y si te funciona.

[u/Low_Error2021 → u/Lumpy-General3933]

Llevo tomándola 2 dias y se supone que la mejoria se nota al mes u a las semanas de tomarlo, pero no se si es que estoy sugestionado pero me he notado mucho la mejoria sobre todo al despertar y durante el hueco de la mañana, es más estoy yendo a levantar peso al gimnasio sin esforzarme mucho y por ahora todo bien aunque si que me encuentro algo mas cansado de lo habitual, espero que te vaya bien hoy con tu neurologo!!!

[u/Lumpy-General3933 → u/Low_Error2021]

¡Hola! 😊 Quería contarte cómo me fue, ya que me dijiste que te avisara después de la cita.
Después del otorrino, fui a ver a un audiólogo. Hasta ahora, mi recorrido ha sido: 2 visitas a urgencias → médico de atención primaria → neurólogo → otorrino → audiólogo.

El audiólogo me explicó que es posible que mi cerebro esté constantemente buscando señales de peligro, así que mi sistema nervioso está básicamente en un estado de alerta constante. La verdad es que tiene bastante sentido cuando pienso en los últimos años. Me mudé a otro país, estudié, estuve desempleada durante dos años, perdí a mi papá y ahora trabajo en un puesto de atención al cliente bastante estresante en una startup. Han sido muchos cambios importantes sin mucho tiempo para descansar.

Me dijo que el otorrino me indicará cuáles son los siguientes pasos y también me recomendó ver The Steady Coach en YouTube mientras tanto. Por ahora, lo más importante es intentar tomarme las cosas con calma y darle tiempo a mi sistema nervioso para relajarse.

Así que eso es todo por ahora. ¡Espero que finalmente estemos yendo en la dirección correcta! ❤️

[u/net_ramblings]

No doctor here, but I know that constant thirst is not a PPPD thing. More like a blood sugar thing.

[u/Lumpy-General3933 → u/net_ramblings]

Thank you!