Re: Are dizzy spells (vertigo) with PCOS common?
From: Diane (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 15 Jul 2003 16:38:10 -0500 (CDT)
I don't have PCOS, but my daughter does. I did have vertigo and now
after reading your site she's wondering if she's in for the vertigo too.
My vertigo came with sudden hearing loss in one ear. I had "drop
attacks" where you go from standing to the floor and also "regular
vertigo" which gives you a few seconds to sit down before it hits. I've
been sick in stores and while driving (scary). My diagnosis is
Meniere's disease which is just a name for the symptoms. I've had an
MRI and every other test immaginable. I took Antivert (5 pills a day)
for awhile but always felt tired and drugged. Finally my ear doctor
prescribed HCTZ (hydrochlorothiazide) which is just a water pill and
potassium and I haven't had an attack in over a year. He said the
vertigo is caused by changes in the fluid in the ear - and would tend to
be worse before your period when you are holding water or your fluid
retention fluctuates. The HCTZ daily just keeps the fluid level steady
and viola, no more dizziness. Plus, if you have high blood pressure the
small amount (25MG) of HCTZ is good for that too. So, if PCOS causes
you to retain water and you have a hearing or vertigo problem, maybe
this would help you too.
--
Diane
At Tue, 15 Jul 2003, Gail wrote:
>
>At Fri, 19 Oct 2001, Helen wrote:
>>
>>WOW! I am absolutely intrigued with this thread of conversation... and
>>let me tell you why... While no serious attacks over the last several
>>years, I was diagnosed with vertigo in the mid 80s after rigorous
>>evaluation. The way you described the attacks, is exactly what I had. I
>>would be fine, and then without ANY notice the world would begin to spin
>>and be topsy turvey. I ended up in the emergency room several times.
>>The speed of the spinning is nausiating, and after a while, I typically
>>would get ill. When the attacks occurred (and I never could predict
>>them or associate them with any triggering behavior)I was completely
>>unable to focus and had no balance ability. Some times I would be just
>>sitting on a chair and it would happen.. other times I would be in a
>>shopping center... other times I would be just lying down in bed.... I
>>went through all types of testing for Minears (sp?) disease, TMJ
>>possibilities, migraine evaluations, CT Scans, etc. It was ultimately
>>diagnosed as vertigo, and I was given a RX for Antivert along with
>>valium. The valium was needed as I would get so frightened when an
>>attack occurred, and then even when they eventually stopped (duration
>>would last between 30 minutes and 3 hours) I would be too scared to
>>venture out, fearing it would occur again. This went on for years, and
>>eventually subsided. No one ever linked this at the time to PCOS, which
>>I had been diagnosed with (known then as Stein Leventhal) way back when
>>I was 16. The Vertigo attacks started when I was in my mid twenties --
>>and stopped after about ten years. To this day I carry Antivert around
>>with me. I never thought about a possible connection to PCOS.... I
>>wonder.... Keep us posted on what you may learn. I know how
>>frightening these attacks are, and they can psycologically imobilize you
>>because you become too paranoid to do normal things fearing an attack
>>(travel, drive, etc.). I hope that they stop for you very soon.
>>Regards, Helen
>>
>>At Fri, 19 Oct 2001, Terri wrote:
>>>
>>>At Thu, 18 Oct 2001, Renee wrote:
>>>I've had this problem for several years now. I've seen doctor after
>>>doctor, and finally found the a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and
>>>treating vertigo and dizziness. We did the special PT treatments both
>>>in the office with the therapist and home exercises. I still get flare
>>>ups a couple of times a year, and back to the office I go for more
>>>treatments. Surgery is the last resort - something I'm not ready for.
>>>You are not alone! I hate this vertigo/dizziness- which the doctor has
>>>attributed to a viral ear infection which went untreated. The whole
>>>world is topsy turvey and other people cannot understand it if they've
>>>never felt it. I understand what you are going through!
>>>Terri>
>>>
>>>>This could be true vertigo. That usually comes from the inner ear. There is
>>>>actually some treatment that can be done for it. There's medication
>>>>(antivert), even better, because it may get to the cause, would be to go to a
>>>>PT with extra training in vertigo (most don't have it--look for a vestibular
>>>>clinic). It's just some positional changes and movement therapy that moves
>>>>the loose calcium bits out of the way to clear them out.
>>>>
>>>>Talk to your doctor and see what he/she thinks it is.
>>>>Renee
>>>>
>>>>LaDawna wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> At Wed, 17 Oct 2001, LaDawna wrote:
>>>>> Actually, I've been thinking about this, and these dizzy spells are
>>>>> different from when I feel hypoglycemic. These dizzy spells occur in
>>>>> all circumstances (i.e., lying down, standing up, sitting still,
>>>>> etc...), but usually I'm feeling fine and all of a sudden the room
>>>>> moves. With hypoglycemia, I usually feel "ucky" - lethargic, headaches,
>>>>> cranky - that's when I'll feel light-headed. This is a different kind
>>>>> of dizzy. This is like when you have the flu and stand up to go to the
>>>>> bathroom and the floor moves out from under you, only this happens when
>>>>> I'm sitting still.
>>>>> I'm not ruling out low blood sugar, but it worries me that it might be
>>>>> something else.
>>>>> >
>>>>> >At Thu, 30 Mar 2000, Anonymous wrote:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>Are dizzy spells common with PCOS. Dizzy like in vertigo? Someone please
>>>>> >>advise - desperate for answers. Had all kinds of expensive, sophisticated
>>>>> >>tests for the vertigo to be told I am ok, it is probably a genetic inherited
>>>>> >>tendencies, exaggerated by my allergies and (here comes the common line we
>>>>> >>women ALWAYS hear...) nerves!
>>>>> >>Toni
>>>>> >
>>>>> >I am newly diagonosed with PCOS, but have known this was the problem for
>>>>> >the last three years. I have had dizzy spells ever since I started
>>>>> >having the symptoms of PCOS. My current doctor thinks that I'm
>>>>> >retaining water in my brain and that is what is causing the dizziness.
>>>>> >The cool thing about the vertigo is that it's severity is cyclical with
>>>>> >my periods. I always have dizzy spells, but right before my period they
>>>>> >get so bad that I can't sleep at night because the room is spinning.
>>>>> >When I do sleep, I wake up nauseaous. In addition to the dizziness, I
>>>>> >am very clumsy - running into walls, dropping things, etc... this also
>>>>> >seems to get worse with my period. Again, my doctor thinks I'm just
>>>>> >retaining water. I'm not on Met or Spiro (Spiro caused the left side of
>>>>> >my body to seize for no apparent reason, kinda' like a stroke, so I went
>>>>> >off it).
>>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>Renee Cordrey, MSPT, MPH, CWS
>>>>
>>>>---
>>>>
>>>>Don't follow in the footsteps of the masters. Seek what they sought.
>>>> --Zen saying
>>>>
--
Diane
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