Dizzy Spells back again

[Concerned Gal]

Hi all,

Hope you are all enjoying the holiday season!

Kinda a question, but more sharing an observation. The last few days I have had a return of classic vertigo symptoms. When I stand after lying down and when I roll over in bed, I get vertigo (head spin). It appears to be only in these two circumstances. Funny thing is that with my leak experience I have only had these dizzy episodes a few times. First time was a couple of days into my first hospital experience (5 months after emergence of symptoms) when the only "treatment" I had as yet was an MRI with contrast (woke up dizzy about 36 hours after MRI). Lasted about 3 days then was gone again. Came back in exactly same way as described above after the last two (out of three) blood patches and i think maybe after the ct myelogram. Very very odd. At no other time have I had the dizziness like this.

I'm wondering why it's suddenly back all of a sudden. My last blood patch was in September and the dizziness left after two weeks. My theory is that something must be happening with my cerebellum (from Chiari malformation?) as in it must be bouncing around or something. But the rolling over in bed part has me stumped. I don't raise my head off the pillow at all so i can't see how it could be related directly to the fluid leaking (ie when I stand up). Maybe my head on the pillow during the rolling over hits the bit of the brain that has come down?

Any ideas?

[PainInTheNeck]

Hi Concerned Gal...

The symptom that I still have the most is dizziness...it happens sometimes when just standing up. It happens always if I forget not to bend and then upon standing back up the room spins. It doesnt happen to me when I am laying down any longer. The kind of interesting thing is that I never had any dizziness until after the blood patch.

I also still have a hard pressure like between my shoulder blades and sometimes it travels to my neck as well. It tends not be there forst things in the morning and then "shows up" sometime during the day depending on how active I have been that day. It is "quirky" to me in that I can be on my feet and active for quite awhile and feel just fine but if I sit for a minute then when I stand I get the dizziness/sharp pressure which lasts only about 30 seconds and then I am usually fine again.

So - anyway....wondered if anyone has this as a chronic thing after successful blood patch. I think it means I am still healing but it also bothers me that it means I really am not normal and so I just wonder when will I be able to safely do everything and anything I want?

[Concerned Gal]

Mmm, interesting. I know i can't blame the dizziness on blood patches etc, because my first experience happened prior to all of it when i was in hospital. maybe it is the natural progression of the leak. After a certain period of time leaking, then the dizziness kicks in (?) I just found it odd and it happened after 5 months of leaking (well symptoms anyway) and I was doing nothing different then i did the couple of months prior.

I guess we just have to steady ourselves before walking etc. It makes for interesting watching though as if i forgot and go to walk after waking/getting up I stumble around while the world spins :D

[waterlover]

Concerned Gal,

Sorry to hear of your dizziness returning. I remember at about the 8 month mark in my leak (I was still bedridden).....and was hospitalized to give a try at complete bedrest without getting up to go to the bathroom (which was unsuccessful). I was hospitalized for about 10 days, after which I went to a rehab type place for a few days. I actually felt worse after the whole thing..... complete bedrest is horrible....even the few jaunts to the bathroom and shower provide motor/muscle activity that have some value. Anyway, towards the end of that complete bedrest, I had some bizarre dizziness and room spinning,most when I was lying down and sometimes as I would roll over. At it's worst I just couldn't focus on anything. The doctor at the rehab place diagnosed my eyes with "nystagmus" (a form of rapid eye movement), which I guess is not that uncommon but is more indicative of something else going on. He believes it was my low csf pressure coupled with just way too long horizontal positioning.....who knows. But I wonder what your eyes are doing. The good part is that it was temporary but is not fun.....plus only adds to the nausea. I hope yours improves. My best, waterlover.

[Concerned Gal]

Well, the dizziness has eased off again. I don't really notice it so I guess it's much better :)

You've just got to roll with it I guess!