I do understand that this is a forum and not a replacement for actually talking to a doctor. That said, it's the first time I've discovered somewhere with real people who could possibly answer my questions. So I'd really appreciate any input anyone might have. I've had poor balance and dizzy spells as long as I can remember. Although I was never officially diagnosed, a doctor suggested Meniere's when I was 7 because he couldn't think of anything else, and my grandmother is diagnosed with it. I'm in my 20s now and still have consistent dizzy spells. Sometimes it's more vertigo and sometimes more like I lose all sense of coordination. It's worse when I'm stressed, but depending it can happen multiple times a day or a couple times a week and range from just noticeable to struggling to walk. For some reason when I have a fever, it's so bad I can't walk at all. I've started carrying a cane if I'm out all day. As far as I know I don't have hearing loss, but I'm autistic and started out with very sensitive hearing and it's been a few years since I was tested, so it's possible. Plus my grandma is half-deaf now at 70 but says it didn't get bad until her 40s. I've done research and Meniere's is the closest thing I've found, but I've never been quite sure. I am eventually going to go to the doctor but I can't right now because of covid and when I can, the dentist is going to come first. Does this sound remotely like anyone else's experience, or am I completely wrong and going to have to keep looking for answers somewhere else?
Details I forgot: all of me loses coordination, including my tongue apparently, so it gets really hard to talk. And though I can hear, I do have really bad tinnitus.
Stimmy, I'm no doctor but you are asking.... it does not sound like meniers to me. Do you have any problems with your inner ear? That is a major component.
I did get a lot of ear infections as a kid. But you may be right, I'm not sure my symptoms quite line up.
I would find a specialist, an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. Since you don't mention seeing one, that would be the place to start. Only they can run the tests necessary to determine what might be wrong with your balance mechanisms. As far as information on the subject of Meniere's goes, this is my treatment article: Treating Meniere’s & Its Symptoms
I agree with teesdale! Not trying to scare you, but a friend of mine has a son who was recently diagnosed with MS. Me and him have several similar symptoms.
Sorry you have had this experience. Do you have tinnitus? (Ringing in your ears?) You indicated you have experienced symptoms since your earliest recollections, and an MD suggested Meniere's when you were 7? Rarely does MM strike anyone that age. If you simply had dizziness, then your problems could be either circulatory or neurological or both. With rotational vertigo, I think it points to, as another mentioned, there being a problem with the inner ear. This could be related to migraine (you don't have to have an actual headache to have migraine) or intermittent labyrinthitis. You also disclosed your are on the Autism Spectrum--a significant percentage of people on the spectrum develop seizure disorder during adolescence--of course, seizure disorder does not mean you have full blown epileptic episodes, but, if you do have seizure disorder, that is clearly a neurological issue and one that could affect a number of functions. I strongly encourage you to attempt to make an appointment with an ENT or a neurologist. The specialist for inner ear disorder is a neurOTOlogist, but it is hard to find one of them, depending on where you live. Any MD can speculate, but it sounds like you need a specialist to actually come up with a diagnosis and suggest possible treatment. Good luck.