Vertigo

I am 3 months LAVH (left ovaries) post op and after 4 weeks began to experience vertigo. Has anyone gone through this? GYN said it's out of his realm, PCP claims it's allergy related and ENT (ears, nose & throat) is calling it ad vertigo, which is more the definition I am looking for. Reasons though! MY PT (physical therapist) had a patient with very similar symptoms and who'd gone through a hysterectomy, she said it took her 6 months to finally feel normal. Claims it's the mess up with hormones and the anesthetic from surgery trying to expel itself from the body.

Curious if there's anyone else out there going through this after this length of time.

Struggling & confussed in KS.

7kcks,

I am 18 days post op and have been experiencing lightheadedness/off-balancedness since arriving home. Anytime I'm upright, whether sitting, standing or walking for anything over maybe 30 minutes now (was only 10 min at first) and I get this weird feeling in my head. It's not that the world is spinning, so isn't vertigo as I've heard it defined sometimes, but thought I'd post anyway.

I have exercise induced asthma and I have gotten this feeling before with exercise. As I increase my exercise, I begin to increase the length of time before this weird feeling occurs. My DH thinks perhaps that the surgery just severely lowered that threshold again and I just need patience and it will slowly increase and then fade away (unless I'm really pushing it). I also read that lower estrogen levels can make your brain "foggy". It could just come down to definitions I suppose. I don't know that my issue is hormonal, though, since I don't notice it if I'm laid flat or reclined - only when I'm upright.

I have no idea why yours would kick in after 4 weeks - maybe yours is hormonally related and your ovaries sort of went through a period of shock after the hyst and are now trying to wake up and your levels are perhaps all over the board?? It could be something else entirely. My MIL had vertigo and it turned out to be some crystals in her inner ear. Some dietary changes and medication solved her problem.

I hope you're able to find out what's going on and get it resolved. I'm sure it's no fun at all!

-fshrchik-

Thanks for your input. Over-doing and the need to please everyone doesn't help. I have a special needs daughter (19 yrs.) and her future has been a big focal point for me right now. My guess is it's a combination of things, stress mainly. Estrogen level is fine (endo doc checked that out for me), thyroid is normal, but my fibromyalgia has been acting up. I opted out of a weekend in Chicago cause I feel my body needs to rest not go on a site seeing tour of the windy city in Nov.

Since reading other posts from other sisters I'm seeing that it does take 6-12 months for complete recovery. Docs may say differently, but I'm seeing/understanding more and more of the light from these ladies. Hubby's frustrated though. Doesn't seem to understand why all this is happening.

Here's hoping everything works out for you, too.

7kcks,

My DH has been wonderful for the most part. He has been doing everything, even bringing me tea when he's home in the evenings rather than letting me fix it myself. He does, however, seem to think that when that 6 week mark comes I should be all healed and fine and dandy. When I mentioned to him seeing a post from a woman who hurt herself badly at 4.5 months out, he couldn't figure out how you could overdo it that far out. He figured everything should be healed by then. I think at my 6 wk post op check-up, I'll ask the doctor for some more info on the healing part and stuff like that.

It does sound like you've got a lot of stress on you. I know that when I'm hurting and/or sick/tired and am under other stress, I can get *really* crabby!

My thoughts are with you.

-fshrchik-

WOW! I was just going to post about vertigo. You described what I'm going through very accurately. That weird dizziness when you turn your head type of thing. I was going to call my doctor this week. This started about 4-6 weeks after surgery, and has been a great concern to me. I postponed going back to work, too. Have you heard anything about working out helping to process out that anesthetic faster?

I'll have to do some research about the hormone thing. My mother had very bad vertigo following cancer surgery five years ago. They finally decided it was anxiety or depression-related and gave her a ton of zanex! I wouldn't want THAT!

Please let me know if you find anything out!

s

Dylli

Now that I found someone else experiencing the same thing beginning at 4 wks., I'm more prone to call my GYN to find out if there's any correlation between the two. This on going feeling is driving me nuts, and the glass is usually 1/2 full with me! It's not depression, though I sometimes wonder if it really has been worth all this trouble.

Was your mom's cancer surgery a GYN concern? Just curious, because if so, then there has to be some reason why women undergoing hysterectomies are experiencing these delayed post-op symptoms. This surely is a mystery. There has to be some connection with removing the organs, the way the body's positioned during surgery, hormones (especially if ovaries remain) or the anesthetic itself.

I'll keep you posted if I find anything out.

You have small crystals in your ear drums that float. This tells your brain when you are standing up, sitting, or laying down. When one of those crystals gets misplaced in the canal, it can cause vertigo. This can happen from having a bad cold, getting hit in the head, stress, or any number of reasons.

When I had vertigo a few years ago, I went to physical therapy. They laid me on a large bed on my back, had me lean back over the edge, with my head below my body. Then, with an assistance helping, they swung me up fast, and to the side. This made the crystal circle back to where it was suppose to be. For the next week, I wore a neck brace to keep from moving my head up or down. Sometimes they have to do this a few times. I'm happy to say that by following the rules and not looking up or down, I was cured the first time. It's a very scary feeling. When I had it, I would wake up in the morning, and turn my head on the pillow. The whole room would start spinning. It was like being massively drunk - without the booze. To this day, I still get nervous when on chairs or ladders or high places.

Just wanted to say a word about vertigo... I have Menieres Syndrome, which is an inner ear imbalance. And I know a thing or two about dizziness. I can't say what is causing your problem, but I would highly recommend going to the drugstore and ask the pharmacist for some meclizine (also known as antivert). It is a life saver. It is over the counter, but you usually have to ask for it. It is cheap and effective. It is something like Dramamine. (which also works pretty well). The meclizine might make you a little drowsy at first, so you may want to start with a half a pill. I take 3 a day as needed. People have no idea how debilitating dizziness can be. Hope this helps.

I was going to post exactly what the previous post mentioned about the meclazine (Antivert). It is a life saver. Dramamine can work well too, especially when doctors aren't available after hours.

My doctor gave the same explanation about the crystals in the ear when I had vertigo last October while visiting my sister out of town. I stayed in bed over 24 hours. I took Dramamine but remained in bed and slept. I finally called my family doctor (this was on a weekend) and he phoned Antivert to a local pharmacy in my sister's town. I took one and slept.

The following morning I couldn't stand it anymore and had to get out of bed, even though I was sure I would faint or vomit when I stood up. I got up with two people holding me, forced myself to the bathroom, took a shower, and sat in a recliner chair.

When I went to see my doctor, he said that lying down was the worst thing I could do because it didn't allow the crystals to get back into place. He said to always avoid the temptation to lie down when I feel dizzy. He said to take an Antivert as soon as possible and sit up in a chair and eventually it will ease.

When I had another attack, I followed his advice and I was able to control it better than when I went to my bed. I always carry Antivert with me.

Hope you are doing better.

Karen

My mom's cancer was not gyno... I don't have dizziness as severe as the ladies above mentioned. It does seem worse when I am fatigued. If it continues I will try the antivert or call the doc.

This crystal thing is interesting...I wonder if my mom knows this. I really appreciate all of you sharing this info!!!!!

I'm definitely at that point of wondering if it was worth it. The only positive thing going on right now is less migraines...and of course no periods!





Kim