Dizziness is one of my most debilitating symptoms. I know that it's been said that dizziness and Lyme disease are rarely connected, however, rarely doesn't mean that it is impossible. To be fair I will say that I have no real proof that my dizziness is directly related to my Lyme, but I suspect Lyme as the culprit. as I write that last sentence, I am realizing that I have a number of other health struggles that could also contribute to the dizziness. My neck is in horrendous shape thanks to a car accident in 2009. I have disc issues with C4-C5 and narrowing as well that could be pinching or pressing something and causing this to happen. Additionally, I do struggle with extreme anxiety and OCD, and I have noticed the dizziness and anxiety are often a packaged deal. I will note that the dizziness does not always accompany the anxiety and the generalized anxiety has left me with PTSD of the dizziness if that makes sense. So, in other words, when I am anxious, I begin to fear the dizzy spells, which in turn make the anxiety heightened, which in turn triggers my nervous system to go haywire, and ultimately the dizziness shows up, so the double-edge sword is kind of crappy in this situation. Back to the dizziness though, I have been dealing this symptom since somewhere around 2015.
It sucks!
To wake up falling into the walls is a horrible feeling. Throughout the day I feel like I am on a boat, and I HATE boats! I hate boats because I hate motion sickness, so lucky for me, I have been blessed with constant motion sickness. I think it goes without saying the motion sickness is accompanied by extreme nausea because I never feel grounded.
Sometimes it feels like someone is rocking me forward and backwards repeatedly. It's very difficult to put into words but I know there is bound to be a few of you who can unfortunately relate!
After a while it really started to mess with your head because there really isn't anything you can do to control it.
I have had probably ever test known to man done. I started my quest for answers about the dizziness years ago with the Ear, Nose, and Throat specialists who did a complete workup. I went through hours of testing, everything from basic ear, nose, and throat examinations to more specialized testing that I cannot even begin to tell you the names of, I just remember the worst part of it was blowing all this warm air into my ear.
There was talk for a while about maybe it's Meniere’s disease, but they never clearly gave a diagnosis because I don't think they were convinced that's what it was
I went to my physical therapist, and they ran all kinds of testing and even consulted with a second physical therapy office who specialized in balance issues. They also did a thorough workup and found the obvious balance issues, but not a great explanation for why it was happening.
I continued physical therapy to do vestibular rehabilitation and also received treatment for my neck issues. The dizziness has only ever temporarily improved, so I suppose it is possible that it is related to anxiety disorder, but it's also possible it's related to Lyme and co-infections. I just know that I didn't always have this.......
I have tried out different supplements to try to alleviate the dizziness and of course I have medication to take when it's unbearable. I feel like I have been literally drugged though for a couple of days following the meds but at least there is treatment.
I just wanted to write this up really quick to let you all know that I know how hard it is to deal with the ever-changing symptoms, especially the dizziness but I want you to know that you are not alone.
There will be good days and bad, but just remember you have been here before and you always get through it, so keep pushing forward!
Below are some good articles related to dizziness and Lyme:
The information shared on this page is for informational purposes only, it is my opinion and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult your medical provider for medical advice and before starting any new treatment.
