I spoke to sammy about a week ago, and she was in the hospital due to severe vertigo that had been going on for 3 weeks unabated. She couldn't walk or stand by herself, and was throwing up a lot.
They couldn't figure out the cause. She didn't seem to have a lot of congestion, was taking Allegra, anihistamines, nasal sprays, was taking anti-nausea meds, tried meclizine---and nothing was working.
Now she is back in the hospital again. It's still no better, and no one knows the cause.
I had several suggestions for her from a CranioSacral point of view, but I guess those didn't help either. I was hoping that she could see an CranioSacral Therapist, but that probably didn't happen.
I think they already tried the Epley manuever.
When she's in the hospital, they don't continue her IV abx either.
She asked me to ask people to please pray for her. I'll get more info tomorrow. (I presume the mods will want to move this to General, but if you could at least leave this here for people to see, that would be good).
Arghhh! As if she didn't have enough to deal with! I truly believe that by now she is a saint, as is Bea, and many here; I'm not even joking.
She was supposed to make a trip to see her LLMD at the end of the month, but that isn't looking likely now.
[ 10-25-2012, 01:13 AM: Message edited by: Rumigirl ]
Posted by Dogsandcats (Member # 28544) on :
I will leave it here for now.
I will be praying for her, she is really having a rough time.
Please keep us posted.
Posted by BoxerMom (Member # 25251) on :
So sad to hear this.
Positive thoughts and healing energy her way.
Posted by susank (Member # 22150) on :
Ugh - I was starting to get worried when I saw that she had not posted for some time.
I will certainly be praying for her and that the doctors can figure out what is going on.
Posted by dbpei (Member # 33574) on :
So sorry to hear this. Sending my thoughts and prayers on her behalf. Sad commentary for our health system when an illness progresses to this point and doctors are clueless.
Posted by Pocono Lyme (Member # 5939) on :
Praying for Sammy and will continue to do so.
Hopefully she hasn't had a steroid injection to her spine.
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
Poor Sammy!
May our Heavenly Father touch her with His perfect healing power ... and guide the doctors who care for her.
Posted by Dekrator48 (Member # 18239) on :
I am praying for sammy.
She has been through so much.
Posted by Jane2904 (Member # 15917) on :
Praying for Sammy. Hope they figure it out.
Posted by Sammi (Member # 110) on :
sammy, you are in my thoughts and prayers. I have been worried about you also. Vertigo is the worst. I hope they can find the cause soon. I am so sorry you have been through so much.
Hang in there okay?
Posted by beths (Member # 18864) on :
Sending healing thoughts
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
Poor Sammy! :( I feel for her. I had this too. I got it after I was bit. Mine was also severe (hospitalized). A couple of nurses told me that I had the worse case they'd ever seen. Nothing they gave me in the hospital worked. Epley manuver only helped a tiny bit (negligible).
I was absolutely miserable until a physical therapist at the hospital taught me to focus on an object in every room so I could at least walk slowly. That at the very least made it so I could go home. Even after the hospital released me, I couldn't go out to my mailbox for six weeks without throwing up.
Rumigirl, please tell Sammy that acupuncture helps. It helped me even more than physical therapy. Nothing worked better than acupuncture. My husband drove me to my apts (couldn't drive for 3 months). It was worth every penny.
Posted by debilyn (Member # 35753) on :
Sending prayers for sammy. May the Lord bless you, keep you safe and heal you.
Posted by prayerworks (Member # 37602) on :
Father God, we present to You Sammy and ask that you intervene on her behalf and restore her health. Give the doctors the wisdom they need to offer relief to Sammy's condition. And give Sammy and her family the strength and courage they need to trust you once again to see her through one more time. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Posted by soccermama (Member # 35101) on :
Father, I lift Sammy to you. She is Your daughter and one who has an abiding faith even though all her difficulties.
I pray that in your mercy, you will go to the very source of her illness and heal her.
I am crying out for justice for her. Draw her close and whisper your tenderness to her.
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Sending prayers and good wishes. Vertigo is such a terrible afflication. I hope it miraculously just disappears.
God Bless.
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
Didn't she recently start parasite treatment? If so, could this be a parasite herx...?
I second the acupuncture. Everything I've read about vertigo says acupuncture is well worth the attempt, that it may help a lot or even stop it completely.
My MIL has Meniere's (and yes, I think Lyme is a possibility, but can't say anything to this person about that, unfortunately) and has been hospitalized with severe vertigo, too.
She figured out that avoiding artificial sweeteners and other artificial food additives has made a huge difference for her, and she hasn't had a flare since she stopped all the food additives.
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Razzle - that's interesting about the possible parasite treatment connection. That reminds me, a good friend of mine developed some very serious bouts of vertigo when he started parasite treatment.
What a shame that Sammy will probably not be able to have an open-minded discussion with the docs at the hospital (not try to be pessimistic, just speaking from my own personal ER experience and what I've heard from others.) Hope she feels better soon.
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
They are now making her talk to an ID dr (arghhhh!), and want her LLMD's name and info, etc. And she is worried, and rightly so. I have to call her back in a few minutes. Lord have mercy!
(I thought that they had her LLMD's name and info, but she never gave it to them, thankfully. They are pressuring her for it, but she won't give it to them. The ID dr wanted to call her dr to see how long she will be on the abx.
She has the "perfect excuse," because she has an immune deficiency, and her immunologist said she will probably always need to be on some abx.
[ 10-25-2012, 01:17 AM: Message edited by: Rumigirl ]
Posted by Sammi (Member # 110) on :
Rumigirl, please tell her we are all praying for her and hope she feels better soon!
Posted by lax mom (Member # 38743) on :
Praying and praying!
Vertigo was one of my first symptoms and it was horrible. In my case, it was caused by an antidiuretic (Spironolactone that was in YAZ) that was working too well.
Antidiuretic hormone imbalances can also cause vertigo.
Another possibility to consider -- 8th nerve neuritis. Years ago hubby had a dizziness problem and his doc at the time ordered an MRI to check for 8th nerve neuritis. That was not the problem though.
But a visit to a neurologist eventually solved the problem -- the neuro tested for B12 levels. Told hubby they were normal. This was before his tickborne illnesses and we were not very medically educated. The PCP knew enough to get a copy of the B12 results which we had not done -- hubby's level was 206 -- the lab range considered 200 low normal.
6 weeks of B12 shots made a big difference with the dizziness.
Bea Seibert
Posted by Dawn in VA (Member # 9693) on :
My initial neuro Sx was vertigo- I agree w/Bea above that the 8th cranial nerve inflammation is likely going on.
Orals did not do it for me all all; it took IV Rocephin to knock it down a bit.
Neurotologists (aka "balance doctors") can help you locate if the issue is central (CNS) vs peripheral (peripheral/cranial nerves) sometimes.
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
I just spoke with her again and edited my post above, saying that she didn't give out her LLMD's name and info----very important! Even though he's out of state.
She was in the hospital for 5 days before, and then went back in on Monday(?). But the hospital is not doing much for her, other than keeping her from falling---which is extremely dangerous for her with all her vertebral fractures.
The neurologist hasn't so much as watched her walk, or try to walk. Excuse me??!! And he hasn't done a full neurological work-up.
I, also, was thinking that it was likely a cranial nerve involvement. So tomorrow her homework (from me) is to ask the neurologist to watch her try to walk, and to investigate an 8th cranial nerve neuritis. And a full neurological work-up!
And also to call her ENT to get him to talk to the neurologist to get him to do it.
She is VERY grateful for everyone's prayers. She can't get online, because when she tried before, she kept getting bumped off (doesn't have a lap-top, has an iPad at home).
She forgot to try the CranioSacral maneuver I recommended, so hopefully she will try that.
She certainly won't be able to make the long trip to see the LLMD next week. She's nervous about letting him know what is going on, because he is nervous about everything that she has been
going through. She's afraid he will pull her off IV or even off treatment. I doubt it, although he does get nervous about these things.
I agree, if she could be home, get her regular abx, get CranioSacral Therapy and/or acupuncture, over time, she would likely get over it. But falling is the big worry---not to mention all the throwing up.
More prayers, along with any experience of vertigo and of what worked for you---or suggestions.
I used to have horrific vertigo repeatedly for many months at a time. Before I knew I had Lyme (but did have it). I had it really bad the summer before last. Nothing in particular made it go away---tincture of time, and working on eliminating any congestion/allergies.
PS I read her your posts---good work, guys!
Posted by sparkle7 (Member # 10397) on :
Don't have much to add but I'm sorry that she has had to suffer so much. I'm not big on religion but I hope that some universal healing energies will help her through all of this.
All the best to you sammy!
Posted by Dogsandcats (Member # 28544) on :