Hypochondriac

If it's not one thing lately, it's another. From the outside, I must sound like a complete hypochondriac.

I've been pretty badly crashed again this whole week so I have all my typical flu-like M.E. symptoms (sore throat, painful lymphs, breathing ache, severe fatigue, weakness, tremors).

I'm also dealing with bouts of dizziness that aren't OI. It's a balance thing. I went to a talk on Friday at the U (against my better judgement because the M.E.'s been so bad) and the whole first hour couldn't focus because I felt off kilter (balance) and as if I was looking through a haze. I've also been feeling as if my brain is swollen (not painful, just pressure).

I finally went to a walk-in clinic Saturday and was diagnosed with vertigo. Evidently, to have vertigo, you don't need things around to seem like they're constantly spinning. It can come in bouts like I've been experiencing, and express itself as feeling off-balance. According the the Dr., the minor ear pain I've had the last five days is due to my eustachian tubes being inflamed, (swollen) but not infected. He also saw that the pressure in my ears wasn't equalizing.

He said bouts of vertigo typically last 10 days to 2 weeks. I've had this type of dizziness many times since M.E. (2 or 3 times a year). I've tried to get it treated only twice. I have a prescription for Serc, however, he said gravol is almost as effective.

I'm also dealing with another bout of stomach upset. I seem to get this every couple months. It sometimes goes on for weeks (or more) at a time (occasionally vomiting, usually diarrhoea). I've been on a waiting list to see a gastro for over a year. I'm not too hopeful they'll find anything, but if I'm lucky, perhaps. On the positive side, the chronic intestinal issues make it so I don't gain too much weight laying around all day. I have a spell of serious stomach/intestinal stuff, loose a bunch of weight and by the time I'm feeling better and gain it back I have another round. (How is that for glass half-full? Not the preferred method of weight loss, but).

So I'm feeling as if it's not one thing it's another. Isn't the M.E. bad enough without constantly being hit with all this other stuff?

I finally have an appointment scheduled to talk with my specialist. It's through tele health (like video conferencing) so we'll see how it goes. Top of my list is OI. I managed to partially faint in the kitchen Thurs. night but luckily didn't injure myself.