Symptoms Part 5 – the Vertigo Strikes Back
January 15, 2009 10:28 am Vertigo, symptomsThe ear pressure and light dizziness varied so much after that first vertigo spell that at times I could forget that anything was wrong. Really it was as though everything was normal and then for stretches it was as though I had an ongoing affliction, unable to hear well, off balance, etc. I thought I had managed to prevent drastic spells with my sudafed regimen, but the Vertigo was about to come back with a vengeance.
Thursday, August 30th 2007. Another day I remember just as clearly as the first vertigo attack. Again I had a morning computer appointment. This time I had taken the highway and the appointment went without a hitch. I also teach piano lessons and had an early afternoon lesson to get to at the music school. My routine was to get some lunch at a drive through and then eat at the school. I remember as I crossed the Smokey Park Bridge I started feeling a bit funny. Things were spinning somewhat. My ear had been clear that morning. “This can’t be happening” I remember thinking. I’m not going to let it happen.
I tensed my muscles and gritted my jaws…. I made it to the drive through and managed to order lunch. By the time I was at the music school I remember hanging to the sides of the stairwell trying to get upstairs. I again put on a happy face and feigned that all was well. I ate what little I could and tried to think calm steady thoughts and hold still as best as possible. When I stood up to walk down the hall to meet my student I could tell this was going to be a lot harder though as the “seas” were a lot higher than they had been when I came in the building. It was severe dizziness at this point.
We greeted and made it down to my studio for the hour long lesson. I thought to myself I would try to make it through the lesson and then see how I felt for later in the day. As it was I made it about 40 minutes into the lesson. I remember trying to point to notes on the page and my finger wouldn’t stabilize it was as though the notes were rotating in a circle around my finger. I felt flushed, I had cold sweats things started spinning worse and worse. Finally the room was violently starting to spin and I abruptly told my student that I was sorry but I was not feeling well and would have to go ahead and end the lesson there. She very quickly gathered things up and headed out, I didn’t even walk past the door of my studio, but went back inside to sit near the trashcan.
The room starting spinning more and more. I had a few dry heaves into the trash can. I then started calling my students to cancel. One I recall called back as he had missed my call and hadn’t checked the voicemail. I remember answering in between dry heaves over the trash can.
Before long I started hearing the sounds of the after school lessons starting to gear up. Some get out a bit earlier and I remember thinking to myself that “I’ve got to get out of here.” I remember feeling like I didn’t want anyone to find me there like that.
As things subsided a bit I managed to gather up what I needed. (A few books, calendar, phone list, phone and the trash can.) I made my way out to the car and had my plan set to get to Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care in Weaverville.
The ride was worse than before. Things were spinning so violently. The highway was better though because I could continue looking straight ahead. The worst part was the stop sign at the Weaverville exit. The traffic was busy and if I kept looking in one place all my peripheral vision rotated around that spot, but turning my head jumbled everything. I feel like I sat at that sign for 5 minutes before having an opportunity to pull out. I made it to the urgent care lot and again like walking through a fun house tunnel I managed to make it inside.
I remember the waiting room lights were fluorescent and the flickering bothered my greatly. I remember sitting there with one hand shading my eyes and trying to look at one spot on the floor. Trying desperately to keep my eyes focused on that one spot.
I was seen and it was verified that I was experiencing vertigo. My eyes were moving as is typical during a vertigo attack. I was prescribed meclizine for the dizziness and something else for the nausea. Fortunately there is a pharmacy in the same strip mall. So, after I walked out of urgent care I sat down on a bench to call my parents. I told them I planned to walk to the drug store and get the prescription filled as it would take a while for them to fill it.
My Dad drove out to pick me up. By the time the prescription was filled things were a bit better I was down to “mild” vertigo if there is such a thing. I rode to my parents house, took the medicine and laid down on the bed with the world still spinning around me. I woke up around 7pm (I left urgent care at 4)
When I woke up I felt a bit off balance, but not too bad outside of the lingering fatigue. (Which I think I carried for a couple weeks this time.)
