Vertigo-ish Symptom?

[eques]

I've got this strange symptom (and it's happening right now) when I get under a considerable amount of stress.

The best way I can think of to describe it is for you to visualize two gears intermeshed, facing the teeth head on.  Think of the teeth as "waves of sensation" and consider those waves to be traveling from the top of your head to a midpoint in your torso.  It feels like my body is moving except my body is perfectly still except for my hands and my eyes (I'm currently reclined in bed, if you were wondering).

That's not exactly it, but it describes a lot of it.

I can't exactly afford to go to a doctor or anything right now (and I know that it is definitely triggered by stress), so I was wondering if (a) anybody had heard of this before and (b) what sorts of things I might do to alleviate this.

I was theorizing at one point that it might be some sort of migraine, but I really don't have any experience or knowledge to back it up (though I am feeling somewhat nauseous now, too).

And I might just be one big flipping stressed-out hypochondriac. 

Sorry, I have to vent somewhere... yes, it's an icky feeling, but I'm not driving, so....

[Kat Kanning]

I think people pay a lot of money to buy illegal drugs to give them that feeling.

[CNHT]

It's called middle-ear syndrome.

Drink more water to combat it.

[TackleTheWorld]

Thats a pretty normal condition when I'm about to get a cold.

[eques]

I think people pay a lot of money to buy illegal drugs to give them that feeling.

Yeah, it's not a feeling I like so much... maybe I should procure some illegal drugs and they'll make the feeling go away?

[eques]

It's called middle-ear syndrome.

Drink more water to combat it.

It's definitely triggered by stress for me, but I'm sure that, while under stress, I don't make wise ingestion choices.

Thats a pretty normal condition when I'm about to get a cold.

To my recollection, I've not gotten a cold after these episodes.  But it's nice to know I'm not alone in this thoroughly disturbing sensation.

[Vote Tyler Stearns]

Uh-oh...I hope it wasn't my cocktail hotdogs...

Seriously...I have meniere's disease, which causes vertigo.  So I have lots of vertigo experience, unfortunately.  I won't go into all the details of it, but google it and you'll learn lots.  Stress can be a trigger.  Different people have different triggers, and sometimes it can be a combination of things.  Nausea isn't uncommon because you're body is feeling "motion sickness." 

I know you can't afford to go to a doctor right now, but it may be worth a visit because they can prescribe a medication like meclizine (antivert) and a diuretic because you want to get excess fluid out of your ears.  Another really important thing that you should do whether you go to the doctor or not -- cut salt from your diet.  Do not salt anything and be very aware of the salt content in the prepared foods you buy.  For some reason, when I have symptoms I'm also helped by upping my potassium intake.  I just eat a couple more bananas and a potato or spinach and for some reason that helps me.

Call me if you want to talk about it.  It's a very scary and uncomfortable feeling, and it can become quite debilitating if you don't take care of it.

[Vote Tyler Stearns]

I forgot to mention that there is the Plymouth Regional Clinic at the Whole Village Family Resource Center on Highland Street in Plymouth.  It provides general medical care for patients who have no insurance (no Medicaid, Medicare, or other insurance) and limited income. Volunteer medical professionals provide care on a walk-in basis on Tuesday evenings only, from 6:00-8:00PM in the offices of Family Planning. Please call for information on eligibility and services.

(603) 536-4467

http://www.wholevillage.net/index.xml#pagetop

[aries]

Does it feel anything like when you go over a wierd hill in the road and your stomach drops out below you, but also involves your vision unfocusing for a moment?

That happens to me (what I described) about 5 times a day every day for no reason at all, usually when I'm walking and spacing out, then I snap back into reality for a second. Well I guess there is a reason then.

[Vote Tyler Stearns]

Eques...I just thought of two other things my doctor told me to do when to keep my vertigo from recurring...cut out caffeine completely and like CNHT said, drink lots of water, which seems counterproductive, because you want to get the excess fluid out of your ear. 

You're probably totally sick of my motherly nagging, but I think you should see a doctor.  Vertigo-type symptoms can be caused by other illnesses.  My doc made me have a CAT scan to rule out bad things in my brain.

[eques]

malevil: I think you might be on to something there... stress + high salt + crappy diet + low fluid intake = bad icky feelings.

aries: No, it's not really like that for me... it just feels like I'm "rotating" head over heels (or is that heels over head).  It's especially disorienting because my other senses (vision, air pressure, position of my limbs) tell me that my body is not moving.

[Vote Tyler Stearns]

Go pour yourself a big glass of water and eat a banana...

It's amazing how a crappy diet and chronic dehydration can make you feel horrible.  My daughter was having debilitating muscle cramps during field hockey season.  We kept telling her to drink more fluids.  She claimed she was guzzling water and gatorade.  It finally reached a point that she was having chest pains...can't ignore that...took her to the doc.  Guess what...pretty severe dehydration.  It took a $20 co-pay visit to the doctor for her to finally believe us. 

I'm a caffeine addict.  I periodically quit and feel like a million bucks (after I go through the withdrawals), but it's like heroin for me and I always fall back into the clutches of caffeine. 

[eques]

If the salt is causing my body to retain water, then it might be upping the pressure in my ears causing these funky wigglies.

I appreciate your concern, though, and I'll have to do the "home-remedy" stuff for a while to put a stop on the funky-bad feelings.

I'll have to see a doctor eventually, I know.

I did go to one neurologist back in NJ before I came up here.  He was fairly unhelpful, but perhaps I went in with too narrow a view.

Speaking of neurology-ish stuff, anybody else have visual snow like I do?

[Kat Kanning]

Jane and malevil's suggestions are good, and don't cost big $$.

[eques]

Jane and malevil's suggestions are good, and don't cost big $$.

Maybe it seems unwise, but I'm pinching every single penny until I get a little more income.  I still need to eat.