Dizzy and room spinning since day 1 post hysterectomy

Sorry if I have posted this in the wrong section. Hopefully someone can advise me.
I am 5 1/2 weeks post op. Since day 1 I have been dizzy and the room spinning. During the 1st week, I was told by doctors that it is probably the lasting effects of the pain medication and anaesthetic. So I waited. At 3 weeks and 1 day post op, I woke up, rolled over in bed then saw stars; double vision, what I was seeing before me was turning and turning and sudden pain in my head that went from one side of my head to the other. It lasted about a minute. The following night, I was awoken several times with these symptoms. I was checked out by doc; blood pressure, blood sugar, some tests to check if it was my brain. All came back ok.
Doc says it is an unknown cause of vertigo and I was given betahistine 8mg tablets. I have been taking these for just over two weeks. Whilst I have seen some improvement in the last 4 days, it is only slight. I am still dizzy and the room spinning. It is difficult to do things. I wonder if the tablets are actually helping?

Could my dizziness be down to hormones?
I kept my ovaries. Uterus, cervix and Fallopian tubes were removed.
I am dizzy 24/7 but the dizziness is worst in the mornings. Mid morning is usually the peak. I wake up ok and it starts setting in after about 5 minutes. Early evening is usually the best time of day.
I do not get extra dizzy by moving in different ways or speeds. Whatever the level it is at, does not change by my actions. It only did so at those two incidences 3 weeks post op.
I don't feel nauseous.
I have about 2 litres to drink everyday and my appetite is good.
I was anaemic and took ferrous sulphate tablets for 4 weeks. Doc took blood but my results are lost - no one seems to have them.
For 4 months, right up to the day before surgery, I was taking a oestrogen and progestogen pill.
I have been waking up every night between 2:30-3:30am. Mostly 3:10.
For the first 3 weeks, when waking up in the middle of the night, I have woken up hot. But now the heat is no longer happening.
I am no longer bleeding. Bleeding came to a slow stop at 3 weeks post op.

My doc says if I am still dizzy in 4 months time, then she will look into things further. I can't wait 4 months if there is something that can be done now.

I was hoping to find others who have had this problem and what they did to cure it.

i'd probably start by seeing a neurologist. if you're that dizzy and having pain in your head, you should see someone about it.

Those two incidences have been the only times there has been pain in my head. I did some simple tests with a doc to see it if is something to do with my brain. He said that it wasn't. Would these simple tests be enough to rule out a visit to a neurologist?
I spoke (or wrote) too soon - I said the past 4 days have seen slight improvement. Last night, about 1 hour before bed, the dizziness got worse. I woke up 11:30pm, very dizzy and warm in bed. Today, I feel the level of dizziness has gone backwards from the slight improvement I have seen these past 4 days.

I forgot to say, I am having brain fog. I don't know if that's to do with tiredness or the vertigo symptoms. Or maybe both.
I had an abdominal hysterectomy and surgery took longer than expected due to the location of one of the fibroids. I think I was under general anaesthetic for 3 hours.

You've had all the tests I would suggest (blood pressure, blood sugar), but it sounds like the iron levels were lost? Or was that an earlier test which was lost? Is it possible you're still anemic?

A hormone imbalance may cause dizziness, lightheadedness and episodes of loss of balance, but it's not 24/7 like you're experiencing and the pain in your head from that one episode is not typical - it could be coincidental, but I think it's rather concerning.

I would suggest staring a journal of your dizziness and effectiveness of your meds. Betahistine is prescribed to ease the symptoms Ménière's disease, vertigo being the focus. The thing about betahistine (from reading) is that it doesn't stop all vertigo "attacks" but lessens them. This article from the UK-based Patient.info, Betahistine Information has pretty good insight.

The article mentions a 6-12 month trial period for betahistine in the case of Ménière's disease. Perhaps 4 months would be unreasonable in that case, but it doesn't sound like you've been diagnosed with it. I might venture to be the squeaky wheel with your consultant, especially with the pain you experienced that one time.

Keep us updated.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by hunnypot21 Those two incidences have been the only times there has been pain in my head. I did some simple tests with a doc to see it if is something to do with my brain. He said that it wasn't. Would these simple tests be enough to rule out a visit to a neurologist? I spoke (or wrote) too soon - I said the past 4 days have seen slight improvement. Last night, about 1 hour before bed, the dizziness got worse. I woke up 11:30pm, very dizzy and warm in bed. Today, I feel the level of dizziness has gone backwards from the slight improvement I have seen these past 4 days. I forgot to say, I am having brain fog. I don't know if that's to do with tiredness or the vertigo symptoms. Or maybe both. I had an abdominal hysterectomy and surgery took longer than expected due to the location of one of the fibroids. I think I was under general anaesthetic for 3 hours.

if i was that uncomfortable, i'd see a dr other than my surgeon. a family physician, ear nose and throat, or neurologist is where i would start.

with Dressedup. You'd posted your update while I was typing out my reply and didn't see it. If it's getting worse instead of better, I'd push for digging deeper.

It is Easter Monday so no doctor available today. I will contact my doc tomorrow to get another blood test to see if I am still anaemic.
Should I ask for a test to see where my hormones levels are at?
Should I push my doc to refer me to a neurologist?
Is there anything else I should say to my doc? Apart from how I'm feeling, of course.
I can't continue to live like this for another 4 months before she will to anything else. I'm dizzy and light headed all the time.
Because of covid restrictions, you cannot get an appointment with someone face to face unless it's vital. To get to speak to my doc, you have to call as soon as possible in the morning, and she will ring your back late afternoon. I feel like I need to scream and shout for help.

don't you have a family physician you can call?

I didn't have quite the same symptoms as you but I often had a feeling like I was on a rocking boat while I was in the shower. It was scary enough that I'd get out right away since I wasn't sure if I'd faint. I had it mostly in the first four weeks. When I asked my doctor, he hadn't heard of anything like it. By week 5/6 it was gone and I haven't had it since.

I made sure to drink lots of water and I also ate lots of small meals throughout the day.

I'm hoping yours is temporary too.

I suffer vertigo and can’t imagine it 24/7.
I went from primary care doc, to ENT, to neurologist to a physical therapist (where I finally found help).

Since yours is worse after periods of laying down, you may find some answers from an Ear nose throat doctor exam. I was tested for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, and though mine idiopathic, just happens spontaneously from movements I make hundreds of times of day without incidence, but then it just happens. And it’s miserable. I feel for you. While you are waiting for your doctors, you may want to look up on YouTube for vertigo exercises. They are pretty simple and safe, except I found some I couldn’t tolerate trying because I was so dizzy. I ended up getting the most relief from going to a physical therapist. I had some issues in my shoulders and 1st rib, affecting my neck, nerves, and postural changes that contributed to my dizziness. I could not even close my eyes standing up without losing my balance and having to catch myself on a railing. It’s much better now but I still get it from time to time.

I hope you find relief soon!!!