2 Years of Dizziness

Well I can't believe I am typing these words but it's been two years since the dizziness started and it's officially considered permanent. To be honest I knew it was permanent since I saw the neurologist and got given the diagnosis of Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness  which I am 80% sure I have and it's the one diagnosis that matches the bulk of symptoms. I suprisingly took the news well from my doctor when he told me last Thursday because as I said before it hasn't been getting better (but slowly worse) and if was to go away on it's own it would've. 

So what happens now? Well my doctor has been hesitant to start me on any treatment as it requires I take a Tricyclic antidepressant which doesn't have the easiest side effects and at the moment I have been dealing with a lot of stress in terms of my job and my parents and sister leaving the country. So my doctor doesn't want to start me on any treatment until early October and even then take it really slow. There's also a chance we would need to decrease my anti anxiety medication I am currently on which he doesn't want to do as he honestly thinks it was 110% the right decision to increase my dose in March. I agree with my doctor fully as while my workplace is supportive (my boss is amazing) and I have flexible hours I don't want make things harder for me than I need to them be just yet. The other treatments are physio and psych, I do regular psych, but I am not keen to rush into seeing a physio just yet. Especially as I have hypermobile joints which complicates things but I do have the name and number of a physio who specalises in hypermobile joints so I will look into it in the new year. 

I am learning how to manage my dizziness and knowing that it is permanent means I am trying to do all I can to lessen the impacts it has on me. I'm slowly increasing the amount I drive but also knowing that it's ok to take breaks especially when I am driving for a long time. I am being careful not to stretch myself too thin as I know I will pay for it down the road. I normally would be spending this weekend volunteering down south at a the interchurch sports competition but I made the decision not to as I know I wouldn't cope at all. Also last time I went was the weekend before the dizziness started so I joke I would come back with green spots this time round. I am thankful to have a job where I work from home so I don't have to commute and also I am able to take breaks when the dizziness gets bad. 

I don't know what the future will look like honestly and while some part of me wishes it wasn't permanent I know that whatever happens God is in control and he knew this would happen. I said this last year but hopefully next year it is at least managed but we will see.