Bummed :(

[makbike]

For the past month my head has felt like it is swimming, for lack of a better description. Sometimes it will last for a few minutes and other times it hangs on for hours and hours. It is typically accompanied by a dull headache just to add to my misery. I've had several sinus infections this year and during on bout I blew my nose and the room began to spin and spin and spin. I saw my doctor a couple of weeks ago and she referred me to an audiologist for testing. My hearing is normal but my balance is well out of balance - I have vertigo. I've been using my trainer through all of this and at times the rides have left me feeling like I was on a roller coaster and not a bicycle while at other times things are perfectly normal. I've even been able to get outside on some of our nicer days and do some true riding with no problem. Yesterday I went back for the audiologist to correct the problem, to attempt to move the crystals in my inner ear back to where they belong. She informed me that I was not to ride my bike for at least a week and that I should cancel my massage next week. Okay I know it's not a big deal but I'm just really bummed - I want to ride so badly and now I'm grounded. I know a week off the bike is not going to kill me but to me it is like one of the worse punishments one could hand me - so the pitty party has officially started. As I told my BF I may stay off my bike until Tuesday but that would really be pushing it. I do get to take my cervical neck brace off tomorrow evening and sleep in a horizontal position,again so I guess that is something to look forward to - but I really want to be on my bike. So please all of you ride one ride for me this week while I sit and stare at my bike and count the days until I'm free again to ride!

[Trekhawk]

Makbike - thats no good mate. I will go for a ride for you today. Take it easy and enjoy the break you will be back on the bike before you know it.:)

[DeniseGoldberg]

makbike -
I've finally convinced myself to ride today - the temperature is almost reasonable at 35, but the wind is howling out there at 14 to 23 miles per hour according to the National Weather Service. I'm going to brave it though, and I'm happy to dedicate the ride to you. Are you sure you really want to ride in this wind?

Seriously though, I hope that the procedure clears up your vertigo. I had a touch of that myself after my crash back in 2004, but luckly mine was limited to when I switched from a horizontal to a vertical postion (or back again) rather than the situation you describe. (And even more luckily, mine eventually resolved without medical intervention, although I did visit an ENT.) Yours sounds like it was absolutely awful. So while I'm happy to share my rides with you this weekend, what I really want to share is no more vertigo.

Healing wishes are winging their way to you.
--- Denise

[latelatebloomer]

Makbike, vertigo really s*cks, I had it for the first time last month. It came on as a few tiny spells that I think were a result of some chiropractic work - then I got hit with a whopper spell one evening after a gym workout. I thought I had low bloodsugar, so I ate an apple and tried to drive myself home. I wound up on a dark country road spewing my guts.:eek: and spent the next 2 days either in bed or on my hands and knees. The doctor led me to believe this would go on for weeks, gave me Antivert for the nausea and told me he'd look up some exercises I could do at home. Good thing I went right home and looked them up on line, 'cause his never showed up. Bad doctor!
There are a number or exercises out there, the one I tried cleared up the vertigo after one evening session and one morning session. This may not work for you, and you may want to ask your doc/nurse/whomever. You also want to take your anti-nausea medicine before you start.
Sit on the edge of a couch with your feet on the floor. (Keep your feet on the floor throughout the exercises.) Stare straight ahead until the vertigo stops. Then fall quickly to your right side, head on couch (feet still on floor.)
Wait for symptons to subside. Pop up to sitting up position - wait for symptoms to clear. Fall to left side. Wait again. I did 10 sets of these. I will try to find the website I got this from and PM you. There are a number of self-help vertigo websites - apparently, it's a very common complaint.
Take good care of yourself. With some luck, you'll be back to your old self in no time, so hang in there. ;)

[latelatebloomer]

for Makbike and anyone else, I got the vertigo exercises from
www.yourhealthinformation.com

[Duck on Wheels]

[QUOTE=latelatebloomer]
There are a number or exercises out there, the one I tried cleared up the vertigo after one evening session and one morning session. This may not work for you, and you may want to ask your doc/nurse/whomever. QUOTE]

My mom had some vertigo exercizes prescribed a few years back. Worked after just a few rounds for her too, but I don't know what they were. Good luck!

[tprevost]

I'm so sorry makbike! I know what a bummer it is to have to stay off the bike when you just want to get out so badly! I hope the procedure works well for the vertigo; when will they do it?

Hang in there and don't rush things; even though it feels like a long time now, you'll look back and it won't be so bad.

Take care of yourself and keep us posted; we'll be thinking of you!

Tracy

[snowtulip]

Makbike, I feel your misery! I have the same thing, I did the ENG test last week,yuk! I've got my paroxysmal positional vertigo paperwork here on my desk. My ENT didn't recommend a procedure for the crystals, he's got me doing a diary and exercises. I get spells that keep me from work sometimes because the spinning doesn't stop, I was prescribed valium (basically knocks me out), so I use sparingly and only for the worst episodes.

I'm heading out to ride tomorrow, so I'll do some extra miles for you!:D

[Brandi]

I get verigo when I work sometimes. I stand up on high form work to carve and my dh will want me to hand him something so when i do that's when it hits me. Scary let me tell you. I think it steams from when i burst my ear drum when I was in high school. I was a swimmer. synchronized swimming to be exact.
But if it makes you feel any better you are not alone this week. I threw my neck out the other day. So I am grounded from riding as well. I used to push myself but realized it didn't help me get better any faster. So here is to us, the grounded! A toast!:D

[helga]

Makbike, vertigo really s*cks, I had it for the first time last month. It came on as a few tiny spells that I think were a result of some chiropractic work - then I got hit with a whopper spell one evening after a gym workout. I thought I had low bloodsugar, so I ate an apple and tried to drive myself home. I wound up on a dark country road spewing my guts.:eek: and spent the next 2 days either in bed or on my hands and knees. The doctor led me to believe this would go on for weeks, gave me Antivert for the nausea and told me he'd look up some exercises I could do at home. Good thing I went right home and looked them up on line, 'cause his never showed up. Bad doctor!
There are a number or exercises out there, the one I tried cleared up the vertigo after one evening session and one morning session. This may not work for you, and you may want to ask your doc/nurse/whomever. You also want to take your anti-nausea medicine before you start.
Sit on the edge of a couch with your feet on the floor. (Keep your feet on the floor throughout the exercises.) Stare straight ahead until the vertigo stops. Then fall quickly to your right side, head on couch (feet still on floor.)
Wait for symptons to subside. Pop up to sitting up position - wait for symptoms to clear. Fall to left side. Wait again. I did 10 sets of these. I will try to find the website I got this from and PM you. There are a number of self-help vertigo websites - apparently, it's a very common complaint.
Take good care of yourself. With some luck, you'll be back to your old self in no time, so hang in there. ;)

These exercises are like what I have been given for my vertigo, a result of my biking accident. I recommend the exercises....not the vertigo! I'm still not back to bike riding, but hopefully that will come some day soon. As I tell or yell at everyone, WEAR YOUR HELMET!
Helga

[Brandi]

RIGHT ON SISTER! I think when people post about accidents either to themselves or other people we should all consider that it might have been us. And that people like Helga and Nanci have survived because of their helmets. I think it is always a good reminder. I just can't believe there are people who don't wear their helmits.
In WI motorcyclist don't have to wear helmits.:eek: I would never. My dads best friend was a harley rider, he's girlfriend fell off the back of he's bike and died. He is finally at peace with it but no one rides with him now without a helmit. That was over 30 years ago too.

[makbike]

Sadly, the procedure the audiologist did on Friday to fix the vertigo issue did not work :mad: I noticed yesterday and today while walking in a store that my head was once again swimming. As I told my BF I'm starting to think my eyes are involved and triggering some of these episodes. I wear Rx glasses and was told several years ago my vertical prisms were off and I can't help but think that just maybe my Rx has changed and in turn the prisms need to be adjusted or at least that is what I'm hoping. I was also told by the audiologist that I failed the eye tracking tests which suggest there maybe some CNS involvement but they did the test without my glasses and thus I did not have any adjustment. I see my doctor on Wednesday to discuss the results and go from there. I've made myself stop reading about what could be causing all of this for it has me scared at this point - MS and tumors top the list of CNS involvement - neither of which carries any positive outcomes. I've decided it is just best to wait and see what my doctor has to say, what my eye exam on the 13h reveals and go from there. Keep your fingers crossed and I've decided to get back on my bike for it holds some of the best medicine in the world for me.

Marcie