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Avatar universal

Head Pressure, Vision and Balance Issues, Nausea, Fatigue

I’ll try my best to explain what I’ve been experiencing. My symptoms have been constant, and daily. I haven’t had a symptom free day in over 12 months. I have head pressure, and pain behind my eyes every day, the entire day, regardless of what I’m doing. When I stand up, or walk, my body has trouble keeping it’s balance. I’m not falling over, but I can feel my brain trying to adjust with every step I take. Sometimes I drift when walking (not specific to one side). When I come to a stop after walking, I feel my body wobbling back and forth trying to adjust to the exertion of walking. I also develop headaches about 1-2 minutes after standing/walking. They last for about 20 minutes after I’ve stopped walking. I’m consistently fatigued, and any amount of minor exertion feels like running a marathon. My vision is screwed up too; I have trouble focusing on moving objects (ie: cars driving by), and everything I look at makes me feel uncomfortable. I’ve described the feeling as ‘dreamlike’. I am constantly squinting and straining my eyes to avoid the uncomfortable feeling. I’ve been to an optometrist and my vision itself is normal. All of these symptoms are accompanied by persistent nausea, which worsens with any activity or movement.

I’ve probably been to 25 doctors over the course of this last year. No answers. I’ve had an MRI of my brain, which came back clear. All blood work has been normal. Thyroid/adrenal = normal. All balance/vertigo/inner ear tests came back normal. I have an appointment with another neurologist this Friday, but honestly I’m not very optimistic.

Before this I was a healthy 27 yr old guy who was very active and in shape. Now, I rarely even leave my room. This has completely taken over my life and I’m at a loss. I have no game plan moving forward, and am really unsure of what else I can do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Avatar universal
Have you tried an upper cervical chiropractor? They are different than general chiropractors. Its something to try if western medicine has been failing you.
Helpful - 0
9197017 tn?1429016816
Gosh, I am so sorry that your symptoms are persisting. That sounds miserable.

Did any of the eye professionals check for convergence insufficiency? (Before I was treated for this,  I had symptoms similar to yours.)

Have you read about cervicogenic dizziness? Is your neck tight?
http://vestibular.org/cervicogenic-dizziness

Good luck.
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Avatar universal
I wanted to come back and revive an old thread that I posted in and give a quick update. Unfortunately, I have made no progress since posting this 9 moths ago. I have tried a variety of medications for Vestibular Migraines with no relief. I'm beginning to fear I will never find relief. I'm honestly not even sure where to go from here. Any suggestions would be helpful.
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2 Comments
Any new updates?  I had also read the article below that rpwoodward linked.  I have the same symptoms as you (for two years).  I have also found a few other articles that suggest an underlying anxiety disorder causes these types of chronic swaying symptoms.    
Just checking to see how you are and what you have discovered in your journey.  I just found this page today - I have had the same issues as you for 5 1/2 years.  You are right; doctors, peers, co-workers don't get it.  And yes, I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy but I would love for them to experience this for one day - and then yes, they would get it!
Avatar universal
hi, lve some symptoms simular to yours, mainly the nausea which for me is constant over the last 8wks, 5th bout over last year but getting much worse with movement and minor exertion, so lve  slowed down a lot , it does feel like a marathon, along with tiredness fatigue,  and  loss of appetite with it, occassionally balance a bit off, and tend to wake with sore squinting eyes that continues throughout the day. l had simular years ago but only lasted a few hours or a day or so, and secondry to pain at that time, later diagnosed as intersticial cystitus, which l got meds that imroved symtoms by 90 percent including nausea, l was told l,d acid reflux and put on cimetidine. Then a year ago came back as constant nausea for weeks on end, very debilitating, disabling with exertion, leaves me bent over resting and gasping, lve to sit still for 20min or so for it to settle, but living on my own lve some jobs need doing so having to do them in 5min spells and rest, its very frustrating and depressing, l,m not sure docs believe how bad it is, although lve now referral to gastroenterologist but looks like that doesnt always bring solution as l,d hoped.  l do get tinnitus and some headache not severa, but have always had that without the nausea, l used to think the nausea was due to a deep seated infection caused by ic, cleared with scope and urologist, but never sure.   lve had extensive blood tests all ok, numerous anti nausea meds prescribed and bought, ginger, nothing makes a lot of difference. Be good to have things easy to diagnose, it took years for ic diagnosis, seems like nausea,s causes as difficult, good luck to all.  
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Avatar universal
Have you tried chiropractic or acupuncture?

It can't hurt....I am about to try acupuncture for some weird symptoms myself I have been having
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Avatar universal
So I saw a Neurologist on Friday and he’s thinking I am having chronic Vestibular Migraines. I’ve done some research and the symptoms do line up with what I’ve been experiencing. He wants to rule out any neck or blood circulation issues so he scheduled me for a neck ultrasound, spine x-ray, and an EEG.  After that he said he would be able to give me a more concrete diagnosis and begin some type of treatment plan. Does anyone else have this? I’m still not really convinced, but I don’t think I will be until I find some relief. I desperately hope this is a step in the right direction. Does anyone know if people are getting successful treatment for this? Thanks
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
You said you've been to the optometrist, but have you been to a ophthalmologist? They can better check for eye disease and pressure abnormalities that may cause your symptoms.
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9247243 tn?1439955039
It is So Hard Going through this Everyday & I Miss Doing So Many Things! I Miss Going on Vacation to My Parents Beach House b/c I Get Motion Sickness from All of the Blurry Images Zooming Past Me! I Used to be Really Out Going and I Miss that Too but as I've Gotten Older I Care Less About Going Out at Night! I want to Go Back to Work b/c I Loved My Job; I'm an Esthetician! I want to Move Out of My Parent's House & Get My Own Place! I am 33 yrs Old & I have Felt Too Crappy to Date, and I Want to Get Married & have Kids! I Feel like I am Too Young to Feel this Bad All the Time & You are even Younger than I am! I Hope you Get All the Help you Need & I Hope you Start to Feel Better Soon! It really Takes a Toll on You & it's Exhausting! Good Luck to You & If you Ever Want to Talk Just Let Me Know & I Will be Here! Have a Blessed Day! Jana
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey Jana, thanks for your response, and I’m sorry to hear you’re going through so much agony as well. I can relate to feeling like a hypochondriac as well. I KNOW something is wrong with me, but I always feel judgment from my doctors and peers. If they could experience how I feel for just a day they’d understand. I don’t have any injuries in my past, and the MRI of my brain was clear. I also don’t really experience the ear popping, but I can imagine how uncomfortable that must be. I will let you know if I learn anything during my neurology appointment tomorrow. I’ll be keeping this thread updated as I discover anything new.

I’ve been dealing with my symptoms for about a year, I can hardly imagine doing this for 6 more like you have. Hang in there, and keep searching for answers. Take care.
Helpful - 0
9247243 tn?1439955039
Hi, My Name is Jana & I am a 33 yr old Female! I have Not Commented to any Posts in a While but What you are Experiencing Sounds Identical to What I am Feeling! I was in a Motorcycle Wreck when I was 26 and before that I Never Hurt or Had Any Pain! After the Wreck I Hurt & Was Pretty Scraped Up but I was Healing but about a Year Later Problems Started Piling Up! It Started with Neck Pain & Headaches and the Pain Kept Getting Worse! Now I Suffer from So Many Different Ailments that Seem Unrelated but they Have to be Because of How they All Started Around the Same Time! I have Bad Headaches that Feel like a Band Around My Head & I Feel like I Have So Much Pressure in My Head & Behind My Eyes! I Feel like My Head is Going to Explode and I feel like Something is Pressing in Behind My Eye Balls! My Vision is So Blurry like Objects have no Distinct Outline, they are Just Blurry! I Can Eventually Make Objects Out But I Have to Really Squint to do So! I also have an Issue with My Ears Popping & I get Fluid Build Up in My Ears! It Gets Worse when I Move Around or Ride in the Car and Objects Get Extremely Blurry then! The Best Way to Describe how I Feel when Riding in a Car, is when you are Going to the Mtns & the High Altitudes Make Your Head Feel Full & Your Ears Pop; that's Exactly How I Feel! I had an MRI and they Found to Arachnoid Cysts & an Aneurysm, the Drs Say that they Should Not Cause Symptoms but Everyone who has these Cysts have the Exact Same Symptoms as me! I Just think b/c I Don't have Insurance the Drs don't want to do anything! I also have Horrible Neck Pain and All the Discs in My Neck are Herniated & Bulging Except for One! I Suffer from Auto Immune Arthritis & Fibromyalgia, which in My Opinion is the Most Painful of All b/c it Causes All Over Body Aches & Pains, Kind of Like the Flu! I have also Developed Hypothyroidism & IBS; I Know I Sound Like a Hypochondriac when I Talk to New Drs but I have been Thoroughly Examined & Evaluated before Being Diagnosed! I don't know why All of these things came on All at Once Over a 7 year Span of Time and I Don't Know how they are Related! I Now Hate Going to the Drs b/c they Dismiss Everything & Just Expect me to Live with it for the Rest of My Life! I Miss being able to Travel & I Miss things Like Riding Rides at the Fair or Roller Coasters; I Know that Sounds Silly but I Enjoyed these Things! I Just Thought Some of the Things you are Going Through Sound So Much Like What I am Dealing with Everyday! I Feel like I am Going to Go Crazy b/c I have Been in Pain Constantly for Over 7 Years! If you Found Out What's Going on with You or Anything Helpful than Please Let Me Know! Thanks & Have a Blessed Day!  
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10389859 tn?1409921868
How long has it been since you had the MRI and endocrine work-up and other labs done?  If it's been a while, this new doc. might repeat the neuro. stuff.  If it comes out clean and it's been a while since the Endo. work-up, I'd start there again.  

Let us know how your visit goes this Friday.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey foggy, thanks so much for the response. I don't recall hitting my head. I've never been in a serious car accident or played any contact sports. I've tried to go through all the events leading up to this but I can't seem to find any abnormal things that happened before it. The symptoms just sort of crept up slowly out of nowhere.

No neurological or auto-immune diseases run in my family that I'm aware of. The only other medical issue I have is GERD. I've had it for about 10 years, and have been treating it with Prilosec for the entirety of that time. I've tried to go off the Prilosec, but it's pretty much unbearable. I've since switched to OTC Nexium, and it does a decent job controlling it but I'm not noticing any changes in my symptoms. I suspect it's unrelated. I recently had another endoscopy to check for ulcers/h-pylori/erosion. Everything looked good.

The only medication I take currently is Nexium.

I've never used any street drugs.

I'm trying to come up with a few things to talk to the Neurologist about this Friday but am having trouble finding anything that mimics my symptoms. It's tough feeling like I'm at such a dead end..
Helpful - 0
10389859 tn?1409921868
It sounds like you've been through a very difficult time over the past year.  Have you hit, bumped, or jolted your head at all prior to this (any time in your life)?  

Do any neurological or auto-immune diseases run in your family?

Do you have any other medical problems?

What medications do you take?  

Do you or have you in the past used any street drugs (you can PM me this answer if you like)?
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