I'm a 55 year old caregiver for my 91 year old mother. She's ambulatory, however has vision impairment and requires complete assistance. Four years ago she fractured her hip and had a hip replacement. Since I am the primary caregiver, I was at the hospital every night till early the next morning when my reliever gets there. Right before she was discharged, I started to have spinning vertigos which cause me to end up in urgent care each time. Series of labworks were done, CT scan, referred to an ENT, an audiologist and thankfully everything was normal. The doctor kept saying it was stress and the only thing that I was prescribed was Meclizine. During each episode, my blood pressure became high, at which point the doctor prescribed hypertensive medication for prevention measures. The vertigo was really bad to the point that I couldn't drive for weeks. After several months the vertigo slowly sudsided and by then I felt better and was also driving again.

Months went by and then it started again... thank God it wasn't the spinning but the feeling of imbalance. Other symptoms were ® ear release and then got dizzy, tremor sensation on the head and then felt dizzy. At this point I was still back and forth with the doctor, referred to a neurologist and was told about BPV and recommended to continue the Meclizine and start this Epley exercise twice a day. Had another CT scan with contrast, and subsequently MRI which all came back with good results... thank God! Thankfully after couple months, the vertigo subsided and was able to drive again.

This June the vertigo started again... referred again for audiogram which showed everthing normal. Referred back to the neurologist at which time ordered an EEG. That result should be done this week. In the meantime, I am not able to drive again, going 3 weeks now.

Have you ever heard of such a thing? Do you think it's "stress" again? Can someone help me and tell me the best solution to this problem? I would really appreciate it.

Thank you so much for hearing me out.

My first question would be, how is your stress level?
If it is high, the first thing I'd recommend is talking to a professional.
Not a medical doctor, but a therapist.
Caring for aging parents is difficult, especially when it's being juggled
with your job and other responsibilities. Plus, there could be other issues
just beneath the surface that are causing added stress and leading you
to these instances of vertigo. You can even contact and correspond with
therapists online.
Best of Luck, Liz!
Cheryl Petersen

I have had the same thing for the past 6 months my friend, I was just recently diagnosed with Acute Hyperventilation Syndrome. I wonder if you have the same thing, my blood pressure immediately went up like yours and has leveled off at 140/80 but I never had a bad BP until this struck me in June 2007 as well. Do a search on the net for this, I think you will find it might be it. I was diagnosed by a Neurlogist as well. Let me know how you make out.

Todd

ur symptoms sound similiar to what i experience from time to time...i was diagnosed with "benign paroxisysmal positional vertigo"....there is information about it on the internet...hope this helps....

I have similar symptoms. I am taking a lot of drugs for this and am in the process of coming off diazapam(valium). I too am now seeing another neurologist. He says-the buck stops here! THANK HEAVENS! I am so tired of doctor hopping, not being able to see, and being dizzy, I could scream. Hope you have luck with the neurologist. Sue