Any thoughts or ideas on "dizziness"?
I've spent weeks now chasing a solution to my dad's constant complaint of dizziness. It's been 24/7 for well over a month. He has a history of vertigo, which was seemingly solved by an outpatient surgical procedure on his ear last fall. But now it's back and unrelenting. On our own we tried ginger, both the pills and oil, which upset his stomach greatly. We've seen the ENT multiple times, who has tried several meds to no effect. Next a visit to a neurologist who believes the issue is degenerative damage in his neck causing less than good spinal fluid flow, and hence issues with dizziness, as well as the shuffling walk and unsteady gait we've seen for a few years now. The neck issue is alleviated with a neurosurgery that no one is willing to do on an 86 year old with heart disease. Family practice doc says we could see 5 more specialists and they'd each likely find another cause for the dizziness as it's so multi factorial. He wrote a Rx for a new rollator walker and advised being careful. ENT doc has been called back as he was waiting to hear what neurologist thought, so we don't know if he will have anything left in his bag of tricks. I know we're officially at the age of more problems with less answers, but thought I'd see if anyone had any thoughts or experiences that we haven't heard?
My dad is still living alone in his house with lots of help from me. He's adamant that he won't live with me and doesn't want anyone living with him. He has a sound mind. He completely freaks out at the cost of assisted living every time we look, but knows it may soon reach the point of no choice.
I'm afraid I think your GP is right. I mean, even suppose you could get the neck surgery done: if you were a betting woman, how much would you stake on this being the right answer? Could be, who knows? But at least the neurologist must have ruled out the only other cause of shuffling walks and unsteady gait that I can think of! - not that I'm any expert - so that's some reassurance.
Does the dizziness bother your father much when he isn't trying to get around the place? Is it possible to leave well alone, or is it getting him down and driving him crazy?
Angel
My Mom had the same problem when she was in her 90's, and she tried antihistamines and that helped. The best product was brand named "anti-vert" but the pharmaceutical company that made it stopped production about 5 years ago. I was told to use generic, but that was useless as it didn't work very well. Isn't it always the case, you find a drug that was fantastic and it goes off the market :(
iI it is really getting him down adding a little anti anxiety or depression meds might help
I also agree that there could be interactions between the meds. You say he's taking a "truckload" - are all these really necessary? I've worked hard to find doctor for Dad who shares the minimal med attitude that we do.
He also be getting dizzy if he gets up too quickly from a seated position. Is he on blood pressure meds?
I also agree that allergies could be a problem. Do you have any kind of HEPA filter in the house to clean the air?
I assume the ENT cleans his ears regularly as well?
There are maneuvers that can be performed to alleviate some dizzyness.
My PCP copied them off the internet when I asked about this. As I was having dizzyness at the time even lying down, the entire room would seem to be spinning, and seem to continue for a time with my eyes closed!
Designed to be done yourself, or under the observation and instruction of another, the little maneuver, or exercise if you will, forces you to go through the dizzyness by gently turning your head, left, then right a certain number of times. Don't try this without finding the instructions online. Have someone with you to watch for your safety.
Sorry I don't have the name, or source. I will go looking for it, but you can start by looking for balancing dizzyness maneuvers-or something like that. If I fail to find it online. A chiropractor might know.
I also thought of something else - pesticides in foods. Do research on the foods he eats frequently to determine what pesticides are there; he might be sensitive to one or more of them. Strawberries and apples, for example, are unfortunately high in pesticides because of spraying by corporate agricultural food producers.
One other idea is NPH, normal pressure hydrocephaly. I only mention it because of his shuffling gait that you mention. If you google it and look on youtube, you'll see a 60 minutes video segment about it.
I had a friend who's mom had vertigo and when she really watched her salt, it went away. But she had to be vigilant about not using or eating any foods with salt.
Good luck!
I also agree with Garden Artist about the pesticides.
And you are smart to look at all possible sources, as Rainmom suggested.
Then, after that, Veronica's suggestion, leaving well enough alone, or acceptance may be the best approach. Some doctors just announce, you cannot cure or treat everything. Especially when it comes to surgical efforts that don't have a known result, I would hesitate.
Otherwise, researching cannot cause harm.
I also thought about the issue of normal pressure hydrocephalus? Has that been ruled out?
Does your dad see a geriatrician? When my mom switched, her boatload of meds was remarkably reduced and she felt better for it.
My parents both have dizziness. I think PT is the most effective treatment if your father can tolerate the head movements. A person with dizziness also does better if they make themselves keep moving. When a person is dizzy, they end up sitting all the time, so the problem with the ear stays the same or gets worse.
I thought it was helpful to read what your neurologist said about the neck area. My mother has spinal stenosis and scoliosis, along with vascular dementia and diabetes. She says she feels like the floor is giving way under her feet when she walks. She uses a rollator now when she walks. She is 89 years old, so I wouldn't want to risk surgery if we weren't even sure it would help. I think what Veronica said is good. Sometimes we have to accept and work with what's possible. I definitely would see what medications he could safely stop taking.
Soooo ... just a thought. All the above answers are certainly equally valid.
The ENT doctor gave me exercise (which I understand do help) but I've never tried it. I admit, I'm just too busy to bother and can't discipline myself to take the time every day!
Just a side note, recent research has shown that daily use of Benadryl can bring on or worsen dementia. Google anticholinergics and dementia before diving into that. It's also a powerful sedative and could make him sleepy all the time, which probably isn't desirable. If relieving his allergies works to lessen the dizziness, see if there's some kind of mild prescription med he could take for allergies instead, like Singulair.
Long shot -- have you asked the doctor about Ménière's disease? It can cause severe dizziness.
I'm also concerned about your dad's depressive reaction, it's entirely natural of course, given the situation, but not something to overlook. One thing at a time though!
Best of luck with helping your dad. It's so tough dealing with a daily issue like this.
Many doctors overprescribe medications. They overprescribe because it's easy.
There are medical doctors called clinical pharmacologists who specialize in drugs and their interactions. You may want one to look at your dad's meds.
Geriatricians also know a lot more about drugs and prescribing them in elders than regular internists do. Drugs affect old people differently, as they affect children differently.
I would also trust a good pharmacist to review your dad's meds. There may not be a dangerous interaction - pharmacies have computer systems that check for those - but a pharmacist knows things about meds that physicians don't.
Remember that our health care "system" is fragmented. Doctors also will hardly ever criticize each other. So we have to be our own health care advocates and ask questions like why something is being prescribed. Most drugs are not tested on women or on old people. But doctors often fail to take that into consideration before whipping out the Rx pad.
I've been dizzy before and it sucks. I understand why your dad, like my FIL, would like to get rid of it.
the next visit so I can get a more informed opinion. Thoughts anyone?
I'd really be interested in learning more about this treatment method, and the PT that your father is getting. What specific workouts is he doing in PT?
Thanks for sharing the good news.
Whether or not you will relish this prospect will depend on your personal sense of humour, but is he planning to tell his PCP about this? On a need-to-know basis, he ought to.