Re: my friend of 35 years needs help
 

Hello, this is ginnie speaking. I have a friend of 35 years who does not use the PC. She would not ask you all for help unless she needed it. I am bringing this to you, as her doctors are unable to make a diagnosis for her.
Her name is Betty, and she also knows how important this site is to me.

Betty started to get Dizzy about a year ago. Mostly in the morningings, and it gets quite severe. She has fallen down with it. She is 85 years old. She has had an MRI and MRA, seen two neurologists who thow up their hands, and two ear, nose and throat specialist, who have said it is not related to her inner ear function. She is being fitted for a new hearing aid. Her PCP does not know what to do at this point. She felt her neruologists were not really listening to her, and had no follow up advice for her. So that is a total of 5 doctors, and she is getting despondent. She does not want her ramaining years to be plagued by having to sit down all the time. She was told to take dramamine, which does help, but does not remove the symptoms. This also occurs daily, and she never really knows when it will strike. It sits her right down. The mornings are the worst. She feels this is something in her brain. What other tests can she get done to help solve this problem.? She is of the generation who does not really question her doctors, but in this case she is beginning to feel afraid and needs to get more agressive to find the source of this issue. Any IDEAS? They have ruled out stroke, and I guess a bleed in the brain. She needs help. I love this woman, and would dearly love to get some direction for her. I would appreciate any responce from this forum. Please help me to help my friend Betty. thank you ginnie:confused:

She needs to have her medications looked at...

What does she take now? Some OTC drugs commonly used in the elderly like Pepcid and Zantac can cause this too.

Also I'd recommend a B12 test. Many older patients are low in this and doctors don't consider it or offer testing for it.

There is a simple test called the Romberg's test. This needs two people. One to stand behind the patient, not touching. The suspected low B12 patient closes the eyes, and if they fall back,
that is a sign of low B12 too... then blood testing should be done.
B12 serum level should be 400 or higher in US...don't accept "normal" from the doctor who will consider 250 "normal".
A serum MMA test can also be done with it and be revealing.

NIH and Dietitican groups recommend B12 supplements for all people over 50 now.

Another common cause of dizziness is wax buildup in the ear pressing on the ear drum or fluid build up from the middle ear on the other side, pressing out. Any pressure on the eardrum, creates dizziness.
I would caution not to put the head back at the hair dressers... doing that may compress the vertebral artery, and has been implicated in elderly stroke:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertebr..._insufficiency

Re: will call for list of meds.
 

I will get a list of medications this a.m. from Betty. I will also tell her what you said so far, I copied it. I don't think anyone tested her for B12. Will be back with list in just a little while. She runs an hour behind me and I like to let her get up and be awake with tea etc. Thanks Mrs.D. I can't tell you how much I love this woman, her husband too. ginnie (vern her husband is a WW2 vet who saw alot of trauma)

Also Ginnie

If nothing else is found. There is another thing, make sure the
neurologist's she saw. Are Neurologist-othomalogist.

They deal with issues that have to do with dizziness, and other
issues like this. I had lots of issues with dizziness as a child into
adulthood. But after a car accident, last year, I had a issue with
my balance and dizziness. That was caused in my ears. So the
way it was found, was in a test he ordered.

Donna:grouphug:

Hi Dmom
 

Thanks for advice on neurologist othomalogist. I will tell her that. wouldn't an eye, ear, nose throat specialist pick up on that if it were her ears? She has had all kinds of tests that way by the ENT specialists. thanks ginnie

If medical doctors & tests fail to find answers - sometimes I suggest looking at alternative care.
Naturopathic Medicine, acupuncture, those sort of things.

Ginnie

This isn't to do with her ears. Hard to explain, that was why it was hard
to find a solution for me for so many years.

Donna:grouphug:

Is there someone who can take her morning blood pressure? Also throughout the day when she is, and is not dizzy. I agree she needs to have meds checked as well. Is she on blood pressure medication? That is a common cause of dizziness in the elderly and it is frequently ignored as a benign side effect, sometimes people need less as they age.

How is her heart? I don't know much about it and don't want to scare anyone but dizziness can be a symptom of cardiac insufficiency too.

I've had morning dizziness called benign orthostatic postural hypotension all my life, it may be that she is experiencing that due to her age with no cause other than her bp just doesn't rise as fast as it used to. If she drinks coffee ask her if she feels better afterward, it raises bp a bit.

I'm not too elderly but recently had problems falling over as well. Dr wanted to treat me for Menieres Disease :mad:, but I discovered my bp was way too low for me and stopped my low dose bp med and I'm better.

I hope you can find something that simple for your friend.
Judi

Hi Judi/thanks
 

She is on blood pressure meds. Will get a cardio test when her current cold goes away. She does have some contradictions concerning her medications that mrsD told me about. I sent her the documentation today to support the medicine that interacts negatively. she needs a elder care specialist. Her husband is worthless as far as him getting her to and from appts, so she puts things off. After 5 different docs, at least we here have given her some hope and quite a few good sugestions. I love this woman with all my heart. After 35 years, it is that sister bond, which is very close. she will listen to NT, because she knows from what I have said, that information can be reliable from internet sources. I will also mention alternative care. She endured a 5 level back lumbar surgery several years ago, which has weakened her whole constituation. I know we all have to die, I know she is 85, I just don't want her to go to heaven, because it is something the doctors failed to address. She has been brushed aside also. Her generation didn't learn how to speak up to their doctors, but rather weakly submit to anything they tell her to do.
This incompatabilty between two medications she is on, has no excuse that I can see, on why a doctor would do this. I appreciate all of you, Judi, thank you. I love NT and the friends I have made here. The support we get from each other is a blessing. Have a good day Judi, I have the information to her already in the mail. :hug: ginnie