Symptoms

[Jacquie802]

Hi, does anyone here have a worsening of symptoms if they are at malls, supermarkets, or any other busy places. Sometimes when I am driving I feel dizzy faint and lightheaded and of course the anxiety that comes along with the symptoms make it worse!! I have the ear problems so its hard right now to figure out what symptoms go with which diagnoses. The increased salt I am supposed to have bothers my ear problems so that is out of the question. I go to Beth Israel to see my neurologist soon. I asked about work and he said before I should be okay but I had to leave my job because I couldnt even make it through a whole day. Applying for disability takes soo long. Not to mention the added stress of paying bills....sure this doesnt help my problems!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Going in for some testing..rotational chair tests, etcf for my ear problems. If anyone has any advice etc. its greatly appreciated. I hope I don't seem like such a whiner this is the only place that understands this whole ordeal, even more so then doctors. Thanks guys!

[dizzygirl]

You are not a whiner!! OK.. get that thought out of your head my dear!!

Living w/ constant dizziness and other invisible chronic illnesses (such as pots) is hard.. and alot of symptoms do over lap with other problems and/or disorders..

If you are having a hard time working a full day.. can you cut down to part time.. maybe w/ hours that will best work for you??

I realize that having an understanding employer and also depending on the work that you do.. that that may be hard to do.. But keep the lines of communication open.. I would say be upfront with them.. tell them you want to keep working.. but need some accomodations... i also realize that financially that may be hard also..

I see that you are going to Beth isreal..my friend lives in North Attleboro.. and she wanted me to get into see a cardiologist through there.. but I am a long ways away from Boston!

Will your neuro back you up in filling for disability?? Meaning will he fill out the necessary paper work w/ o making things more hard for you??

Oh you mention that you have ear problems.. have you tried antivert for the ear related dizziness?

I hope that you start feeling better soon.. and can make head or tails of things..

and again you are not a whiner!! we DO understadn with what you are going through!

hang in there!!

[JaneEyre9]

Hi Jaquie!

I haven't met you before so welcome and hello I certainly do feel worse in busy places. I think, for me, it's for 3 reasons. Usually, I am standing up in the busy place after sitting in a car to get there, so the postural stress starts off the dizziness. Then, like you said, I get stressed/anxious knowing that i'm now in a public place and there is "no turning back" so to speak. I start thinking about not being able to lie down, and I try hard to keep tabs on my symptoms so i don't crash to the floor unexpectedly. And the third thing is that the extra noise is extra stimulation, and therefore makes my brain work that much harder to stay alert and in the moment. We have to filter out the background noise and motion from what we are trying to do. All these things add up to make busy places not so fun. Hope you are able to get some answers from your upcoming tests! I know how stressful it is to think you will go back to work, and then not physically be able to cope. It is very distressing! I hear you!

Kristen

[Lukkychrm42]

Hi!

I always feel worse when I'm shopping- I think all the walking plus carrying things, and being in noisy atmospheres with lots of fluorescent lighting and varied smells aggravates it.

I'm sorry you're having such a tough time, and I hope you figure something out that works for you!

Megan

[Ernie]

Hi,

I get worse in public places because of all the stiumulation and being upright. If I am in my wheelchair then I don't get has bad.

[Mrs. Glass]

Hi Jacquie

I too have problems at stores. For one I can not stand for very long or walk very much. I do use their motorized wheelchairs when available. If they do not have them then I can not go to that store. I can not stand noise, especially a lot of it. It just seems to make things worse. The lights are horrible, so I wear my dark shades and I hate the stores that do cooking in them. I have never really liked to go shopping before, Now I Hate It! My daughter makes me go with her at least once a week just to get out of the house. My symptoms are worse when I get home and all I want to do is to lie down. I can not drive any more, so I gave up my license, that was hard to do. But then it wasnt safe for me to drive anymore. I have filed for disability, and it is a long stressful battle. My docs seem to think that eventually I will be better, but then they dont know very much about this disease. I hope that my Neurologist can give me more answers than the other docs have. I just seem to always be running into brick walls with them. I need someone to come in and sit with me when my family can not be here, and all I needed was a statement from one of my docs stating what my diagnosis is and my prognosis,My primary said that my Cardiologist has to do it, and my Cardiologist because he was the one that diagnosed me, and my Cardiologist said that my Primary has to do it. So like I said I have run into brick walls. Well boy did I get off of the subject. Sorry about that. I thought that it was just me not liking to shop is why my symptoms seem to be worse in stores, but I can see that I am not the only one. Hope that you are not one who loves to shop.

Have a great day!

Vanessa (theycallmemrsglass)

Hi, does anyone here have a worsening of symptoms if they are at malls, supermarkets, or any other busy places. Sometimes when I am driving I feel dizzy faint and lightheaded and of course the anxiety that comes along with the symptoms make it worse!!  I have the ear problems so its hard right now to figure out what symptoms go with which diagnoses. The increased salt I am supposed to have bothers my ear problems so that is out of the question. I go to Beth Israel to see my neurologist soon. I asked about work and he said before I should be okay but I had to leave my job because I couldnt even make it through a whole day. Applying for disability takes soo long. Not to mention the added stress of paying bills....sure this doesnt help my problems!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Going in for some testing..rotational chair tests, etcf for my ear problems. If anyone has any advice etc. its greatly appreciated. I hope I don't seem like such a whiner this is the only place that understands this whole ordeal, even more so then doctors. Thanks guys!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[morgan617]

I can't remember the last time I was in a mall or even a grocery store. All the noise and stimulation makes me really ill. I can't do the salt either, so really know how that feels too.

My inner ear thing is meneires, so not that familiar with yours, but the treatment is the same for most inner ear disorders. I haven't driven since 2003, except for once or twice in an emergency, but the neurologist just legally took my license away from me, after he said I was just crazy...

I can't really give you advice, can only tell you I totally understand your symptoms and the difficulty sometimes of telling them apart. Good luck with the neuro....morgan

[d4g7]

I find my dizziness/light-headedness is worse in places with flourescent lighting, and you have to stand still for any period (like post offices, banks, esculators (sp?) in malls etc).

I've been like that since I was a kid, and have learned now to always make sure there is something (or someone) nearby to steady myself - if I don't have a a full faint, and that's more embarressing, than just sitting on the floor at the queue in the post office...

[Evie]

When my symtoms are particullay bad i can take malls or any noisey crowded place ... its just overkill on my body at that time....

Sorry to hear you had to leave your job ... its really tough and quite confronting to have to do that. How silly is the disability system? I realise they have to to block people who fake illnesses out... but it usually is the hardest on the people who need it. Its really unfortunate.

I hope the neurologist helps you at your next vist