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

Thank u so much.

Yes i have been talking to him.

Will see what he decides

Age is a factor

Hi all,

I thought I would check in to let you know that over the last few weeks my dizziness and lightheadedness have diminished quite a bit. For the most part it is gone. I do have moments where I feel slightly dizzy or lightheaded but it seems to only last for a minute or two. Overall, my dizziness and lightheadedness has improved 99%! I wanted to check in and let you guys know that  there is hope. For the first 4.5 months post jump I was worried that I would be dizzy and lightheaded permanently, but it appears that is not the case. I have improved drastically over the last few weeks and pray that the healing continues. I hope that everyone suffering sees relief in the very near future and do know that healing from benzos can and does happen. Take care and keep fighting!

Fp

Hi all,

I thought I would check in to let you know that over the last few weeks my dizziness and lightheadedness have diminished quite a bit. For the most part it is gone. I do have moments where I feel slightly dizzy or lightheaded but it seems to only last for a minute or two. Overall, my dizziness and lightheadedness has improved 99%! I wanted to check in and let you guys know that  there is hope. For the first 4.5 months post jump I was worried that I would be dizzy and lightheaded permanently, but it appears that is not the case. I have improved drastically over the last few weeks and pray that the healing continues. I hope that everyone suffering sees relief in the very near future and do know that healing from benzos can and does happen. Take care and keep fighting!

Fp

 

Hey Fp,

That's fantastic news! Great to hear! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. Can I ask you to remind us what you were on, how long you took it and at what dose? Was it just Ativan (as per your signature)?

Ativan for about 1.5 years including taper. Switched from Pristiq to zoloft during thia time. Ive been on an an AD for 20 years for GAD. Finally feeling really well - The best I have felt in the last 2 years since starting Ativan.

Ativan for about 1.5 years including taper. Switched from Pristiq to zoloft during thia time. Ive been on an an AD for 20 years for GAD. Finally feeling really well - The best I have felt in the last 2 years since starting Ativan.

 

Excellent news! I hope you'll write a Success Story as well so that others on BB can share in your good news and get shot of hope too.

Thank you Lapis! I will definitely write a success story when the time is right. I dont want to jump the gun, but I feel better today than I have in the past two years. Im sure I have more healing today and may face some bumps in the road, but thank the Lord; Im heading in the right direction. Also, thank you for your support and information on this board. It has been very helpful and informative. I hope you see much improvement in the very near future.

Fp

Thanks so much, Fp! It really is wonderful to know that you're doing so well, and I'm sure others around here are happy to share in your good news too. Lots of people come and go here, and we often don't get to hear the good news stories because people are pretty happy to get out there and enjoy their new lives. But it means so much to those who are still struggling to know that yes, indeed, people get better from this.

 

Anyway, I'll keep my eyes on the Success Story section for your contribution -- whenever the time is right.  :)

Hi Dizzy Buddies,

How's everyone doing? I'm having a really dizzy day today, so I'm not in great shape. I'm just trying to get through the day, having had a pretty rough night last night. Not so easy. Lots of tears today.

 

Anyway, here's a recent study that I thought might be of interest:

 

"Advances in Vestibular Rehabilitation"

 

Abstract

 

Vestibular rehabilitation is an exercise-based program that has been in existence for over 70 years. A growing body of evidence supports the use of vestibular rehabilitation in patients with vestibular disorders, and evolving research has led to more efficacious interventions. Through central compensation, vestibular rehabilitation is able to improve symptoms of imbalance, falls, fear of falling, oscillopsia, dizziness, vertigo, motion sensitivity and secondary symptoms such as nausea and anxiety. Early intervention is advised for falls prevention and symptom management; however, symptomatic patients with chronic vestibular disorders may still demonstrate benefit from a course of vestibular rehabilitation. Recent advances in balance and gait training, gaze stability training, habituation training, use of virtual reality, biofeedback, and vestibular prostheses are discussed in this chapter in the context of unilateral and bilateral vestibular disorders.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30947180

I’m dizzy today, floaty boating! 

 

Thank you, Lapis!

Hi lapis!

 

It cought my attention your first post not only for the dizziness issue but the pulsatil tinnitus too.

As you'll see in my profile I was exposed to benzos but not that long as many here. My nightmare started without any previous use of benzos. In my case I'm pretty sure it was the Antibiotic (Cipro) that started all, given the low those of the benzo I took at the same time. The exposure to benzos afterwards took me here to BB and thanks to that I learned also the VERY bad reputation of the Fluoquinolones AB's.

 

Short after I started suffering the withdrawals of Cipro I got pulsatil tinnitus on my left ear. That by itself is another hell to fight. Went thru several ENT's and lots of MRI's and CT scans to not avail. There is a Internet forum like BB "Wooshers. com" that helped a lot of people on this.

My tinnitus now is a little bit better than it use to be but still there. I still have faith that it'll get better with time. Please let me know how how did you deal with yours.

I also developed dizziness just after I jumped. It was only in the morning. It would last for 1/2 an hour or so with mild nausea. In the last three weeks it had diminished but it comes back some days. I'm not sure if the dizziness was masked by the benzos due to the damage that the AB did or is just the result of the benzo use. Never had dizziness until I jumped.

 

Lapis I would really appreciate any inputs on this issue. I'm still struggling with after jump sxs. Mine have been more psychological than Phisicall while on taper with the exception of the PT and dizziness now...

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Regards,

 

Miguel

Hola Miguel!

Thanks for sharing your story. I'm glad to hear that your dizziness isn't too bad, since it's such a debilitating symptom for many of us. As far as the tinnitus goes, I'm still dealing with it too, but I really do try to ignore it as much as possible. Mine changes volume, so it's not always really loud. The best thing I've found is distraction. I listen to CBC Radio (here in Canada!) much of the day, and in the evenings, I'm either reading or watching something online, which keeps my mind focused on other things.

 

There are so many medications that are considered "ototoxic", i.e. toxic to the ears, and benzos, SSRIs, antibiotics, NSAIDs and many other meds are on the list. They can all affect ears, hearing and balance. So your tinnitus might be a result of taking not just the benzos, but also the antibotics and whatever else you've taken. In any case, I really do think it's a matter of trying to ignore it as much as we can, since, to my knowledge, there aren't any miracle cures for it right now. It's quite common too.

 

The fluoroquinolones are obviously risky meds to take, and the general public likely doesn't know about those serious risks unless they've had reason to look them up. I've forwarded info on them to family members and friends very recently since two people in my close circle were prescribed Ciprofloxacin and not warned of the risks. I'm not sure why doctors aren't more careful with these meds, because there have been a number of FDA warnings over the past few years. One would hope that prescribers are keeping up with such warnings.

I’m dizzy today, floaty boating! 

 

Thank you, Lapis!

 

Hey SaraSue,

Hang in there! I hope we both get a break tomorrow. It's been a doozy of a dizzy day for me today.

I’m wondering if gabapentin helped any of you? Or any meds that are safe for dizziness? I can’t stand this much longer. Doctor said it’s vestibular migraine but I call BS and think benzos

Hi Meganz,

I wouldn't take any meds for dizziness at this point. There's one for Meniere's Disease called Betahistine that I tried, but it did nothing, and of course, had side effects. I stopped it after a fairly short trial, having consulted with the pharmacist who said it would work rather quickly if it was the right medication. Benzo dizziness requires the brain to re-adapt without there being any suppression of the vestibular system, since benzodiazepines are known as "vestibular suppressants" and they interfere with the process of vestibular compensation.

 

Did your doctor suggest gabapentin?

 

 

This gabapentin info from WebMD states that dizziness is a possible side effect:

 

Uses

 

Gabapentin is used with other medications to prevent and control seizures. It is also used to relieve nerve pain following shingles (a painful rash due to herpes zoster infection) in adults. Gabapentin is known as an anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drug.

Side Effects

 

Drowsiness, dizziness, loss of coordination, tiredness, blurred/double vision, unusual eye movements, or shaking (tremor) may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

 

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

 

Tell your doctor right away if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: swelling of the hands/ankles/feet.

 

https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-14208-8217/gabapentin-oral/gabapentin-oral/details

 

 

Lapis -

Thanks for that update!

My doc wants me on a Topamax. My dizziness actually started after I quit depakote!

I quit depakote after I quit Klonopin....so who knows what the culprit is.

Of course doctors think it’s vestibular migraine

Hi Meganz,

There are just so many medications that are considered "ototoxic", i.e. toxic to the ears/hearing and vestibular system. All of the psychiatric meds are on the list, along with NSAIDs, antibiotics, etc., etc. Taking more meds to counteract the effects of previous meds is pretty risky, so consider your decision about that very carefully.

Completed my switch back to k from v pretty quickly. First few days were not too bad. Forced myself to do some things that I have wanted to but haven't felt up to like riding the motorcycle and bicycle. It kind of got worse as I finished with the Valium and went to full klonopin. I crossed over at what was the equivalent of a higher dose I believe. So that may be part of it. Felt really off balance yesterday. I finally got my scale setup and went about creating capsules with the equivalent dose of k I had been on of Valium. Started that new dose night before last. A little less off balance today for periods. Today will be the first full day on the new lower dose. I plan to test that out for five days or so then start tapering down 10% over a month. It is a lot more work than I thought trying to get the capsules correct. First was all the math trying to convert weight grams to dose milligrams. Then trying to equate it back to the Valium. I did the calculations a few times to make sure I had them correct. Simple math isn't so simple when your brain is all foggy and dizzy. I have also switched to dosing twice a day on my Dr's recommendation. So far it has seemed to work even on the "shorter" duration k.

Hi BigSky,

Thanks for the update. It does sound like a bit of work to get it right, but I do hope you'll be repaid with a smoother, more comfortable ride as you taper down. Congrats on everything you've done so far! I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that it goes easily for you. Please stay in touch and let us know!

Hi Meganz,

There are just so many medications that are considered "ototoxic", i.e. toxic to the ears/hearing and vestibular system. All of the psychiatric meds are on the list, along with NSAIDs, antibiotics, etc., etc. Taking more meds to counteract the effects of previous meds is pretty risky, so consider your decision about that very carefully.

 

 

Lapis,

I tried 25mg of topomax because I couldn’t stand it anymore. The spinning STOPPED.

The internal twitches STOPPED.

I doubt I’ll take it often, and probably cut it in half next time to 12.5, but what a relief.

Hi Meganz,

There are just so many medications that are considered "ototoxic", i.e. toxic to the ears/hearing and vestibular system. All of the psychiatric meds are on the list, along with NSAIDs, antibiotics, etc., etc. Taking more meds to counteract the effects of previous meds is pretty risky, so consider your decision about that very carefully.

 

 

Lapis,

I tried 25mg of topomax because I couldn’t stand it anymore. The spinning STOPPED.

The internal twitches STOPPED.

I doubt I’ll take it often, and probably cut it in half next time to 12.5, but what a relief.

 

Hey Meganz,

That's great news! Glad to hear it. It's indicated for migraines, right? So, if your dizziness is caused by your migraines, then apparently, that medication is appropriate for your situation. For those of us dealing with post-benzo and/or post-SSRI dizziness (i.e. due to their vestibular effects from long-term use), then there's no magic bullet, to my knowledge.

 

We've had some other dizzy buddies around here who have had issues with migraines, but I'm not sure what meds they were taking. I know some of them modified their diets based on triggers. Thankfully, I've never had a migraine myself, so I don't know much about it.

 

Here's a bit of info about ototoxic medications, FYI. Depending on which article you read, there are 200 or 450 (I read 800 once) medications that are potentially ototoxic. Something to keep in mind when considering different types of meds.

 

https://www.asha.org/public/hearing/ototoxic-medications/ 

 

https://www.soundrelief.com/list-of-ototoxic-medications/

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ototoxicity

 

http://www.ata.org/sites/default/files/Drugs%20Associated%20with%20Tinnitus%202013_Updated2017.pdf

Lapis, thanks for that info! I think I’ll take the Topomax when the spinning is so bad I can’t drive. Otherwise I’ll avoid it - it made me zombie out. Not a good thing at work.

Anyway. Process of elimination....must be migraines you’re right. If it doesn’t work for benzos.

 

What I wonder is if benzos withdrawal triggered some serious migraine disorder in me

Hi Meganz,

Didn't you mention that you also took Depakote? How long were you on that? Did you take any other meds that you think might have contributed to the situation? As I mentioned, so many meds can affect the vestibular system, so people have to be very careful. And, of course, all meds have potential side effects, and we just don't know how a given med will affect us until we take it.  You might want to add those other meds to your signature, because it can really help others understand your situation.

 

When I was reading about ibuprofen (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory that used for pain and swelling), I was pretty concerned about its effects. I had fractured my foot and was in serious pain, but all of the meds had side effects that concerned me. NSAIDs can make tinnitus much worse, and they certainly did that in my case.

 

Anyway, I'm glad your dizziness has settled down a bit. That's great! Let's hope it stays away.

Lapis

 

Yes I’ve been on depakote, seroquel, Klonopin, gabapentin....

And what I noticed was after getting off benzos, the dizziness started and never truly went away.

Lapis

 

Yes I’ve been on depakote, seroquel, Klonopin, gabapentin....

And what I noticed was after getting off benzos, the dizziness started and never truly went away.

 

Hey Meganz,

It could be a combination of effects, or a cumulative effect. Maybe the benzo was the "straw that broke the camel's back" in your case. All of those meds can cause dizziness, and they all have withdrawal effects. My guess is that it would be next to impossible to tease out the effect of one from another. Just about any medication that affects neurotransmitters can potentially affect the vestibular system, since there are so many neurotransmitters involved in balance -- at least eight, according to one of the articles I read on it (GABA, glutamate, acetylcholine, serotonin, histamine, norepinephrine, dopamine, glycine -- see article below):

 

https://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/anatomy/physiology/neurotransmitters.htm 

 

Suffice to say, it's a complicated and delicate part of the brain. The neurologist I saw so many years ago told me it's a highly sensitive and finely tuned system, and if it's off even a little bit, one can feel dizzy. The other thing he said is that we don't have the means to test it to the degree that we would like at the present time. So, for those of us whose vestibular testing came back "normal" despite our intense symptoms, we can only say that the testing isn't necessarily able to reflect what's happening in our brains.

 

 

Hey Dizzy Buddies,

Check out the references to the effects of sedative or antihypertensive medication on balance in this study called "The Aging Vestibular System: Dizziness and Imbalance in the Elderly". The suggest reducing the medications.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30947233

 

Abstract

 

Aging in vestibular structures with loss of hair cells in the inner ear starts early in life, but vestibular function usually remains relatively unimpaired up to advanced ages. However, dizziness and imbalance are common in the elderly and have substantial impact on the quality of life. Dizziness interferes with the everyday activities of 30% of persons over age 70. As causes can be multiple, including vestibular and non-vestibular components, it is crucial to detect the factors leading to dizziness and imbalance to maintain mobility and avoid secondary complications like falls and anxiety. The more common causes of dizziness and imbalance in old age are sensory deficits, such as bilateral vestibular hypofunction, polyneuropathy, and impaired visual acuity; benign paroxysmal positional vertigo; and central disorders such as cerebellar ataxia and normal-pressure hydrocephalus. Further relevant factors include sedative or antihypertensive medication, loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia), and the fear of falling. Many elderly persons have multiple risk factors at the same time. Treatable components include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo that can be effectively treated with specific physical maneuvers, sedating drugs that can be reduced in many cases, and sarcopenia that can be treated with physical training. If a specific cause for dizziness and imbalance can be identified, treatment is often successful even in advanced age. The common causes can be revealed by systematic clinical examination and selective laboratory testing.