The Dizziness Group: For those who are floating, boating, falling or flying

[[Buddie]]

i started having the undulating symptom very badly when i was about 4 days back from the detox hospital after the c/t and i really thought at first that i was leaving my body and dying. that's how bad it was. and i am not scared to leave my body because i have Out Of Body Experiences all the time and i know how to do that -- but this really scared me because i thought it was over. and some days i wish it was but i'm still here.

and i'm 35 months since the c/t and 31 months since the last rescue [...]. i go [...] those 2 timelines because i had 3 rescue dose's after the c/t that really set me back in a way. i still have the undulating but it's so much better than it was. but i still can't believe i still have it though. i had it so bad that when i was laying on my couch i would literally feel like i was swinging all the way out to the right and then i would swing all the way out to the left. it was another direction of a vertigo. that went on for awhile. month and months. and i also felt like i would be doing a somersault when i was laying down. very severe. so much better though.

i'm not going to take any tests for this either. i just don't see the point in stressing myself with tests and doctor right now, maybe later. in windows i never think about tests or doctor's.

[[Buddie]]

Oh my goodness! Thank you all for telling your stories! I'm sitting here with my mouth hanging open, thinking how unbelievable it is that the symptoms and experiences are so similar. I really appreciate your input. And I can relate to all of you (and to your husband, MAMBH).

Here's what I can glean: We're using the same descriptions for our dizziness. We've had A LOT of testing that, in the end, doesn't reflect what we're experiencing. We've tried many different things, including exercises, vision checks/glasses, etc. And we've got non-linear dizziness, i.e. it's not the same every day and it doesn't get better in a linear fashion.

I'm trying to using logic here when I say that the body tends toward [...]. Also, the brain is "neuroplastic", i.e. changeable. We know that others have healed from this horrific symptom, so it DOES seem possible, but it can take an extraordinarily looooooong time. Those facts taken together provide some compelling evidence that things can be better. Please stay strong, Folks! I'm trying to do that, but we all know that it's really, really hard sometimes.

I'[...] keep putting up useful pieces of info, since I find that rational, logical thought can help to dispel myths and some of the anxiety. In the meantime, take care, Everyone, and thank you for your input. I [...] others will join in too. Suffice to say, if you come across anything that you think might be helpful for the [...] of us, please share it. Knowledge is power (the good kind of power!).

[[Buddie]]

I just thought of another thing: I recently came across some information about other things that can affect the GABA receptors, i.e. the GABA A Positive Allosteric Modulators. They include some sedative herbs -- like valerian, kava kava and chamomile -- plus alcohol and many other medications. Niacin/niacinamide (vitamin B3) is also on that list. It makes sense to me to avoid such things while I'm [...] in case they're affecting the GABA A receptors that have been so affected [...] benzodiazepines.

If anyone is taking other medications, it makes sense to find out what the possible side effects are. It's hard to know what's "safe" these days!

[[Buddie]]

Lapsis, i take Previcid every day i can only imagine what that is doing and as for medicine i do not trust anything anymore !~[...]

[[Buddie]]

Hi [...]! I'm not at all familiar with that one, and of course, we all have to make our own decisions about what we take. If I look anything up these days, I see huge laundry lists of "possible side effects", and SO many of them include dizziness. It's always a gamble when we take medications, since our genetics determine so much. In any case, [...], I [...] that whatever you're taking, you're aware of the possible side effects and you're comfortable taking it.

[[Buddie]]

Here are a few more pieces of info that may be useful to you:

1. According to this research from Johns Hopkins University, an MRI machine can make some people feel dizzy. Here's why:

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/johns_hopkins_researchers_pinpoint_the_cause_of_mri_vertigo

2.  Info about GABA A Positive Allosteric Modulators:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GABAA_receptor_positive_allosteric_modulator

3.  Further info about GABA A Positive Allosteric Modulators can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GABAA_receptor

And from that website, here's a list of PAMs:

"Positive allosteric modulators: barbiturates, benzodiazepines, carisoprodol, thienodiazepines, ethanol (alcohol), etomidate, glutethimide, kavalactones,[23] meprobamate, methaqualone, neuroactive steroids,[24] niacin/niacinamide,[25] nonbenzodiazepines, propofol, stiripentol,[26] theanine, valerenic acid, volatile/inhaled anesthetics, and lanthanum.[27]"

4.  Here's a related and detailed article that explains how some "natural products of plant origin" can "influence the function of ionotropic receptors for GABA":

http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/pharmacology/adrien-albert/images/pdfs/RefsPDFs/376.pdf


All of these articles have been posted elsewhere on BB, but I thought it might be useful to have them on this thread as references.

[[Buddie]]

chamomile is a GABA A Positive Allosteric Modulator? that's too bad. i just had some last night and i felt fine from it.

[[Buddie]]

I know! Chamomile! But makes sense that any herb that can make you feel calm and drowsy may also work on the GABA receptors. What's unclear is how strong the effects may be and how much these things are factors in our continued [...]. My personal plan is to avoid these things as much as possible. I just found out that my multivitamin had a few herbs in it, plus niacin and niacinamide. For now, I'm erring on the side of caution so I stopped taking it. If I get off my "floaty boat", I'[...] reassess the situation.

What's your take on it, [...]?

[[Buddie]]

well i think for the most part we should definitely stay away from all the GABA A Positive Allosteric Modulators as much as we can. it's hard to do though and even for me and i'm kindling and sometimes i still want to try out different things.

i also think to just keep track of how you feel each time you ingest something no matter what it is and to also not become to obsessed about everything as that sets up it's own unique energy for the cells to go [...]. you know? we keep telling ourselves certain things and the body will respond in accordance. so to just be careful and keep a check on how you feel. not necessarily your symptoms all the time -- but how you feel overall. we can always tell is something is affecting us badly or not. too bad we didn't know that about our first [...].

[[Buddie]]

Yes, you're right! I think it's best not to get obsessed with such things, but it's good to have a sense of what works and what doesn't. Here's the kicker, though: It's not always an immediate reaction. For instance, I took benzos for quite some time and didn't notice what was happening at all. The dizziness didn't start until I'd been taking the medication for quite awhile, and I wouldn't have been able to say it was them until I started reading and finding out more. Perhaps it's the same with these herbal things. Who knows?!