I understand my present Vertigo could be a cause of Diabetic Neuropathy. Has anyone else had an experience with Vertigo? Is there the possibility
that this is somehow related to Diabetes?
Cathy
Don"t know for certain. I have neuropathy and just about a year into having good BG's (A1c 5.5) I noticed increased sensation in my feet and hands. At about the same time I realized my balance had improved and my constant dizziness was no longer constant. I've never had an official evaluation of this. I was a real mess at DX. I just had to work real hard towards a normal BG and see what got better. Thankfully everything seems to be moving in the right direction. The short answer is it seems like they were related for me.
I've not heard of neuropathy causing vertigo. Diabetes can cause hardening of the arteries, which lessens blood flow to head & restricted blood flow could result in vertigo.
Many things could be at the root of vertigo. Meds, combo of meds, an inner ear infection, a neck injury, head injury could cause it.
Feeling the room spinning is a dreadful sensation. Has your doctor ruled out an inner ear problem or infection?
Several years ago I had vertigo which lasted for about a week. It was probably a result of an ear/sinus infection.
However, it was an incredibly frightening week. It took me most of the week to figure out that the vertigo caused me to pass out and become helpless at BG numbers that I was usually able to function at. I had two paramedic visits that week and passed out one morning and never made it to work. In my 35+ years of Type 1, that is the only time that I have missed work due to diabetes and the only time I have needed paramedics.
For me, the vertigo was not caused by diabetes but it affected my diabetes incredibly. I was lucky that it only lasted a week and I’ve never had it since. But had it continued, it would have been incredibly life-changing in a negative way.
Good luck in getting it figured out. Are you working with doctors to get it figured out? I’ve had two friends who actually went to a “dizzy clinic” to get vertigo resolved. In most cases it’s an inner ear problem. I’ve never heard of it being a type of neuropathy.
Does your vertigo happen during particular types of conditions? When you awake and stand up from bed? When you rise from the chair? This could be positional vertigo and which can be a complication of diabetes. When the vagus nerve starts to have problem you can end up with a number of things going weird, gastroparesis and blood pressure regulation. This means that when you stand, your body should naturally help increase the blood pressure in your head, but it doesn't work right and you can feel light headed. Some people suggest sitting on the edge of the bed before standing and taking more time to transition between different positions. You could give it a try and see if it helps.
I have had issues with vertigo for most of my life and always blamed it on my low blood pressure until my endo told me that I was having PAC's and sent me to a cardiologist. A small dose of nadolol takes care of it. For me it almost felt like a panic attack,(or what i assumed they felt like) dizziness, heart pounding, and head swimming.
Is it possible that your vertigo is caused by Postural Hypotension?
There are some simple things that help with postural hypotension, including adjusting any blood pressure medications (maybe you need a lower dose now) and keeping well hydrated.
This is exactly the positional vertigo I mentioned. Bernstein recommends an R-R Interval study to diagnosed vagus nerve problems. I also believe the explanation is that your body naturally restricts the blood flow as your stand to raise the blood pressure in your head, when you get autonomic neuropathy, you stand and the blood rushes our of your head and you feel like you did at that Grateful Dead concert all those many years ago.
Lathummp - I just came from a doctor, pharmacologist. He doesn't feel as if it medicine I take. My GP is out till next friday when I have an appointment with her.
My ears are full today and I'm tired. However, I think, I'm having "pollen" allergy issues. Diabetes have remained stable for the most part.
Dizzy Clinics, that sounds cool. Where do I find out about this, in case the vertigo continues.
Cathy
bsc, Indeed I found I could not move my head much as in getting up and down. Yoga became difficult when I raised my head or went from sitting to standing or lunging positions.
I see the Endo this week. I will ask her if there is anything I need to be checked out for or anything else to do. Thanks for your advice and insight.
Cathy
Lisa - What is a PAC.
Cathy
In Minneapolis there is really a Dizziness Clinic as part of the Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology. I think it's probably something that a lot of Neurology practices have. You could probably Google "Dizzy Clinic" with your home city and see if anything pops up.
I hope it resolves soon for you. I remember that when I saw my internist, he indicated that most cases of vertigo resolve within 10 days. But obviously not all of them. Hope you're one of the lucky ones like me.
I will see my Edo. this week and GP appointment is next week. I'm just playing activities coolly until I can find a solution to the vertigo problem. All the advice here is helping me allot. I have never known this much about Vertigo and the inner workings of my medical condition. Thank-you for your input.
Cathy
Alan,
Is this the name of the book . Autonomic Neuropathy. I'd like to read up on this.
Cathy
Alan, I am sorry to hear of your trouble with Vertigo, however nice to hear your comment. I am glad to hear I'm not in this boat alone. I will watch carefully now , just how I move and stand up. I have noticed Veertigo when I move too fast between Yoga positions. I don't wish to stop Gentle Yoga. I've had so many benefits from it. However now from your comment I will become more careful.
Cathy
After I was first dx'd with a very high A1c, I had problems with vertigo. As my A1c went down I had it less frequently and then it went away. When I have prolonged periods of poor control (roller-coastering) it comes back. For me, less roller-coastering seems to be the key to many of the strange things I have experienced since being dx'd.
bsc,
Isn't postural hypotension dizziness from low BP? Low BP (& feeling light-headed, dizzy) & vertigo are different.
Vertigo is a symptom which can be caused by low BP, other conditions can certainly cause vertigo. Bernstein is his new book on pages 358-360 talks about postural hypotension. This is what I am talking about. And as I reread his section, he doesn't talk about the vagus nerve, but he does talk about the use of the R-R interval study for diagnosis. It isn't low BP per se, it is a failure of the autonomic system to compress the blood vessels properly to increase the blood pressure in the elevated portions of the body.
Thanks, bsc. Postural hypotension is also a symptom of adrenal insufficiency. Adrenal/cortisol problems are fairly common, especially among people with other endocrine diseases, but rarely something doctors examine & test. Adrenal issue symptoms are too often chalked up as an emotional problem rather than being a result of an endocrine imbalance.
I'm curious if what Cathy & Alan mention is vertigo (surroundings or them spinning), or light-headed dizziness when you feel like you're going to faint.
Gerri - For me the Vertigo, I feel, is more like my brain is spinning, that's how I can describe it, and I loose my balance. Almost like a rush in my head and my ears pop.
I've noticed pressure in my ears recently. Most likely I have the beginnings of an ear infection. I won't know for sure until Friday when I see the Endo. I hope nothing serious happens before then. Thanks for your comment.
Cathy