When she stops nobody knows . . ..

What is the difference between dizziness and vertigo?

Dizziness is two dimensional.  Like when you spin in circles and then stop.

Vertigo is three dimensional.  Like sitting in a chair while the world spins in all directions around you.

When the World Moves

So, some people wonder what it would feel like if you could feel the rotation of the planet….  I can tell you; you DON’T want to know.

I have dealt with vertigo for the last 25 years.  I call it gravitational issues.  Why?  Because it feels like gravity changes direction.

This sudden shift in the gravitational pull of the planet causes many challenges that I could live without:

• Falling
• Doors moving as you walk through them (It is disconcerting when a door isn’t where it was just milliseconds before.)
• Floors that change places with the wall or the ceilings.

It can feel like you are being mauled by gravity.

My Recent Experience

I have not had any serious gravitational issues (vertigo) since I started taking Eleviv over 10 years ago.  It has been really nice to have gravitational stability.

That changed last week on Monday.

I was sitting in a chair talking to a friend when I started to watch the room spin so fast that the people seemed to move from one side to the other so fast that they left a shadow trail in their wake.

My first thought?  This isn’t good.

I grabbed both arms of the chair that I was sitting in.  I was feeling the rotation of the Earth more than I ever had in memory.

I let myself fall off my chair and tried to crawl across the floor to my recliner so that I could stretch out horizontally.  I didn’t make it five feet.

Youngest grabbed an old towel and a bucket just in time.  I proceeded to vomit up everything in my stomach.

I just laid there on the floor.  Horizontal is best when gravitational issues get out of control.

I said good-bye to my friend and assured her that I would be fine.  Youngest knew what to do and would take very good care of me.

The Aftermath

Youngest wanted to call Oldest but I assured her that I would be fine.  I was already feeling better just laying on the floor.

After about 15 minutes I was able to crawl the rest of the way to my recliner, climb into it, and stretch out.  Youngest made sure that the towel and the bucket were right next to me.

I struggled with vertigo for the next several days.

When Oldest brought her family to dinner on Thursday, Youngest ratted me out.  She was then taken to task by Oldest for not calling.  Youngest stated that I had talked her out of it.  Then Oldest said something had not expected to hear:

“You are almost 16 years-old!  You should know better than to listen to Mom!”

I intervened at that point and told Oldest not to get after her sister.  She told me that I knew better and promised me the emergency room if I didn’t straiten up and behave myself.

Oldest reminded me that if her siblings found out she was the one who would hear it for not keeping a better eye on me.

My children can be so bossy sometimes.  At least I know that I am loved.

Off to See the Doctor

It wasn’t any better after a week, so I went to see the doctor.  He could find no physical reasons for my vertigo:

• No ear infection
• No sinus infection
• No wax pushing on my ear drum
• No fluid build up

So, he put me back on the anti-gravity (vertigo) medication I had been on before.

Oldest picked it up for me on her way home from work.  When she found out I had driven to the doctor’s office she put her hands on her hips and told me off.

I am not to drive for two days after starting the medication or until I have not had any gravitational issues for 24 hours.  Which ever is longest.

Youngest was put on tattle-tale duty.  I am glad my children love me, but do they have to be such bullies?

Unfortunately, yes.  I tend to NOT behave myself.

I Hate Medication Side Affects

So now I am back on Meclizine.  Side effect – makes me very sleepy.  So, I fall asleep within 20 minutes every time I take it.

How often do I take it?  Four times a day.  So, I am now sleeping most of the day.   All night, too.

Benefit:  I am catching up on my sleep.

Problem:  I am still not able to get anything done.

I got pass-of-all-passes.  Youngest and I have Summer plans.  We are:

• going to the water park 2-3 times a week with her friends.
• going miniature golfing.
• going laser tagging with her friends.

How are we supposed to do these things if I am too dizzy to drive or always falling asleep?

Youngest is patient and kind.  She assures me that she would rather I feel better than do all the things we had planned.

I still feel guilty that my health is preventing us doing fun things.  Again.

I Am Behaving Myself

This is always the hardest part for me.  I am a natural mischief maker and somewhat rebellious in nature.

I am feeling better.  Most of the time.

Anyway, my children are not giving me much of a choice.  Youngest threatens to call Oldest, Sister-in-law, and my mother.  Oldest threatens to call her brothers and tell them to use grandchildren and guilt to make me behave.

I’m so loved.

I’m feeling so rebellious.

I am behaving myself, but it is so hard.

Hope

This is what I have.

I hope to feel better and shake the sleepy side effect of my new medication.

I hope to go to the water park and miniature golfing.

I hope to take Youngest and her friends laser tagging.  I don’t play because the flashing lights cause instant anxiety attack.

I hope to have my life back.

Only time will tell.