Is vertigo like, I'm not spinning and have never spun.. but I just feel like I'm drunk. Like I'm walking straight and I know I am because if I touch the wall it feels correct. Both feet are on the ground, I can follow the tiles on the floor, but it *feels* off. Like I'm drunk. And I'll get places and be like "wow. I don't know how I physically got here . But I'm here" like my body feels weightless. Does that make sense? It's like floating. I dunno. What does vertigo feel like? I haven't thrown up..just trying to understand
No that’s not vertigo. I don’t mean to minimize what you are feeling because that’s not fun either, but what you describe is more dizzy or imbalance, not vertigo. vertigo by medical definition is it feels like either you, or the room around you is violently spinning out of control. You can’t tell up from down. You likely can’t walk yourself to the bathroom (where you want to go as your stomach is about to be sick from what your inner ear is experiencing). It can last for minutes, or more commonly several hours. You pretty much just want to die when you are experiencing real vertigo.
SB, What you describe is what I experience just prior to a vertigo event. When I get to the point where I need to touch walls to walk, the room is already starting a slow rotation. That is usually the 2 minute warning for me. Get to a safe spot where I can get to the floor with a bucket close by. It's usually a 1-2 hour ride after which I pass out for another 2 hours. It's been 7 months now, but I can remember it like yesterday.
I'm just so anxious. Like I'm afraid I'm moments away from this real vertigo you all describe and I'm absolutely terrified.
SB, Don't let your fear rule your life. Put together a plan and get started searching for your solution. I recommend doing all the easy and non invasive stuff 1st. Low salt, MAV diet, JOH, AV's, a good vitamin regimine. Read Buchholz's "Heal your Headache" regardless of if you get headaches or not ($9 on kindle). Start seeking out a good oto neuro type doctor. It may take some time to find one who actually thinks outside the box. Your only 29. this is not gonna whip your ass.
having a Meniere’s episode for me has been the most fearful experience in my life. Besides the mental anguish, your body is out of control with nausea, fatigue, yet you are unable to close your eyes. It’s a mental form of torture. One thing I have done for myself is to purchase an Apple Watch with fall detection and GPS. I wear it all day and in the shower. I have fallen and been so sick that an ambulance has been required with a hospital stay. It gives me peace of mind and wherever I am, I will be able to be located. I have also installed a lock box on my door with a key in it for these occasions when an ambulance has had to come and get me or a friend - because I can’t move. My episodes last 6-8 hours and after, you need 2 days to recover. Everyday we live on the edge. Quite unsettling to say the least. But.... we push through every minute and hope for medical improvements. Such an old disease, and it’s hard to believe there is no better medical opportunities to stop the vertigo attacks!