ENT Recap

If you're not aware I have been dealing with dizziness, I would say consistently since February but it started at the end of September. I thought it was due to low iron but despite having an infusion nothing changed. I then had a glucose test, echocardiogram and holter monitor tests which showed nothing. I was then referred to a specialist physio and was put on a migraine diet which did nothing (except for breaking my addiction and dependency on chocolate which has been a good thing) before getting sent for an MRI and trialling a variety of medication. This has been happening since October last year, slowly getting worse along with adding fatigue, tension headaches, nausea and memory loss into the mix. I joke that when I turned 25 my body decided to fail on me as it was just over 2 weeks after my birthday when it all started. 

My doctor has been amazing through all this and is determined to get to the bottom of it but despite his best efforts he knew I needed another opinion when the specialist physio's diagnosis didn't add up. So he did his research and found an ENT who has an interest in inner ear disorders which is his theory as to what it is. I immediately rang up the ENT's office as soon as I got the referral but due to Covid it was shut and they were prioritising referrals as they were receiving them. I managed to get through to the office the following week and pleaded my case to them, of course this ENT is in high demand so the earliest I could get in was 6 weeks which my doctor told me was really good. I think it helped that I had already had an MRI and I had tried to many medications which hadn't done anything plus seen a well known physio who specialises in inner ear disorders. I got an email with paperwork to fill out, along with the cost ($350) and directions to the office so I printed it all out and put it in a folder along with a document that I had typed up explaining what I had been experiencing and what tests I had had done. I began counting down the weeks to the appointment and eventually days once I hit the 3 week mark.

I felt like I was preparing for a job interview in a sense, I stressed about what to wear and took time on my appearance. My anxiety was heightened and I found that I couldn't sit still today and obsessed over random things. I also decided to leave one hour before the appointment so I could have plenty of time to get there.

It was actually near where I had the holter monitor put on so I kinda knew where I was going and thankfully this time round the building was easy to identify and I found parking easily. I was 30 minutes early, so I grabbed a sprite at the café in the building as the nausea was showing itself and that seemed to help. I went in handed over my referral and prefilled paperwork and then had to do a ear pressure test and audiology test which lasted 10 minutes before seeing the doctor (which was around a 20 minute appointment). The tests were both fine and my hearing is perfect which is always handy to know. 

I explained to the ENT when the dizziness started and what tests I had had and about the specialist physio I had seen, he then looked in my ears which were both perfect. I also handed him over the document I had typed up for his records which he was thankful for as my history is very thorough but not straightforward. So long story short he isn't sure what's going on, so he is sending me off for some balance tests (which go for 1.5 hours) and to a see a neurologist who specialises in balance issues. I left feeling defeated like don't get me wrong I wasn't expecting a diagnosis today, but it would've been nice if the ENT had some idea and I'm not a medical mystery. 

I have the balance tests on the 8th of July (2 weeks away) and then he will call me with the results and he is going to directly contact the neurologist to discuss my case with him before I get an appointment. I have no idea how much the balance tests will cost but from some googling I know that the neurologist wont be cheap but he does specialise in dizziness and seems to be the top guy that area (so if he can't help me I am doomed!). 

I always feel like a fraud talking about my health issues, it's only dizziness and you would think that I can live a somewhat normal life. When you say dizziness people think random vertigo spells that aren't uncommon to experience, they don't think of the consistent head spinning that you can't ignore but you learn to live with. I feel like I am stuck in a maze that I can't get out of and I get no relief (I go to sleep dizzy, wake up dizzy and in my dreams I am dizzy). My body is turning against me and I'm not getting any answers, no one knows what's wrong with me and it's taking a toll. If I knew what was going on and had a diagnosis then it would be easier and I could focus on treatments (whatever they may be) and knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel but that's not the case. 

I had to pull out of my churches annual young adults retreat next month at the advice of my doctor, psychologist, ENT, a friend and my mum because it was going to be too much for me to handle. I'm disappointed that I can't go but I know it's the right decision and for the time being I need to put myself and my health first. I can't drive for more than 30 minutes and not on country roads (there aren't that many near me within 30 minutes drive mind you) and I'm using discretion where I drive to, because I can't risk getting into an accident and after 30 minutes the fatigue sets in. My anxiety is heightened and I'm not coping all that well so self-care is becoming super important. 

I am over people giving me their medical opinions because it's nothing I haven't heard before and it's not straight forward. I am over getting asked "are you sure?" when I explain that I am positive that all my levels have been checked and it's not a vitamin or mineral deficiency (I will say this many times I thought an iron infusion would fix it!). It's also not a psychological issue or an anxiety medication side affect just to clear that up. 

I have spent over $1000 (including the iron infusion) trying to work out what is wrong and trying various treatments and that amount will only increase. I know God is in control of it all and there must be a reason why I am experiencing this dizziness but I have no idea why and I wish my life was straightforward for once. 

Watch this space for what the next steps are in this dizziness diagnosis journey.