<p>Does anyone here have any experience with either of these two conditions? </p>
<p>My daughter has had a very traumatic year (her high school senior year no less) filled with various medical issues. In Dec. of 2007 she had a violent attack of vertigo. Several weeks later after MRI’s, CT scans and exhaustive bloodwork, the only thing the docs found was damage to her vestibular nerve which left her right ear at about 50% functionality. Acccording to all the docs, most 17 year olds will bounce back in a few weeks. Well weeks turned into months and after 6 months she is is still periodically feeling the dizziness/vertigo.</p>
<p>Also over the months since this has happened, she has started to have other physical pain symptoms and overall lethargy. She is now diagnosed as having either anxiety and/or depression by both her primary doctor, a neurologist and a psychiatrist.</p>
<p>She was prescribed an anti-depressant that she tried for six weeks with no results. Now she is on another medication for the last two weeks and we are waiting to see if it will work (takes at least 4 weeks so I’m told).</p>
<p>She is supposed to go off to college in September and I don’t know if this will happen. </p>
<p>Before this all happened, she was a very healthy, bright and physically active teenage girl. The only concrete thing that I think may cause her any stress or anxiety is that she suffers from acne that we have not been able to get under control for a few years.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any experience with a diagnosis of anxiety or depression and how are you dealing with it? I never knew these conditions could cause physical pain but the docs are saying this is common. </p>
<p>In all the medical diagnoses, did anyone mention the possibility of Benign Positional Vertigo and Epley’s Maneuver as treatment (to dislogde stones in ear).</p>
<p>That’s been bothering some members of our family and the simple therapy helped a lot in one case; in the other, it was just a matter of time. It comes and goes but isn’t dangerous, just puzzling and annoying.</p>
<p>Thanks P3T… they have ruled out Benign Positional Vertigo. Apparently they determine that based on certain eye movements when moving one’s head side to side. She does not have that so the Epley maneuver does not solve the vertigo issue.</p>
<p>I wish it were the the “ear crystals” causing her problem.</p>
<p>My son now 25 has anxiety and takes two medications daily for it. When he first was treated, in an emergency room, the very first dose of valium or its equivalent had a positive effect. We’re fortunate he responds well to medication. He’s been on meds about 4 years. Has tried unsuccessfully to wean himself off, but resigned to take meds for the foreseeable future.</p>
<p>Leading up to the first ER trip he had heart palpitaions, leg twitching, didn’t want to leave his room…a host of motor symptoms for a few weeks. We were all very scared. </p>
<p>Your D doesn’t have to have identifiable stress in her life to suffer anxiety…some just get it. It’s my understanding late teens/early twenties is a common age for onset of symptoms. My son’s onset coincided with the start of a summer internship in Manhattan, plus breakup with a girlfriend, but he assured us there was no connection. He’s a happy upbeat person.</p>
<p>She needs to be stabilized before she goes to college. Best of luck…odds are you’ll find an effective regimen of meds, but unfortunately for some that takes time.</p>
<p>thank you 233 for sharing your experience with this. I agree D needs to be stablized before sept. and I am really hoping this new medication will work. She will only be about 40 minutes away. She is doing everything she can to try to overcome this herself. For instance “they say” that serotonin is lacking in people who are depressed/anxious. She has started to exercise more and more to help with this.</p>
<p>So besides the meds 233 is your son also in therapy for the anxiety? because I hear that both are needed for full recovery.</p>
<p>You might want to ask her psychiatrist about prescribing Provigil for the lethargy and depression along with the antidepressant she is taking. </p>
<p>It seems like I know many people who developed vertigo/inner ear problems this year. I just take sudafed and that seems to have helped the ear thing anyways.</p>
<p>My S suffered 2 debilitating episodes of vertigo during his junior year of college that sent him directly to the ER of the hospital at his university. After many CAT scans, MRIs, and consults with 2 neuro-otologists it was determined that his condition was probably caused by a cholesteral granuloma on one of the small bones in his ear. This was concluded after he had undergone a full neuro-otological workup as well, including full audiology testing. The test results ruled out Meuniere’s and other more obvious diagnoses. He was diagnosed with hearing loss on that side as well. After some short term treatment with a drug commonly used for vertigo whose name I cannot remember, he felt much better. We did figure out that his symptoms became much more pronounced when he was dehydrated, so he has had to be very cognizant of those circumstances. He also learned to take the meds (I think it might have been meclazine(?)) as soon as he felt the onset of ANY symptoms. He graduated last year and (knock on wood) he has had no major episodes since senior year. Though he did not become clinically anxious or depressed as a result of this, he was not in a good state for a good 6 months after the onset of the symptoms. He found it frustrating, especially as he tried to negotiate 2 different university hospitals and multiple specialists on his own. And the fear of the unknown, not knowing when an episode might occur, was in and of itself a source of much frustration. I flew in for one of the consults, but he otherwise handled it himself. I suspect that if your child can get the anxiety/depression under control, the vertigo can probably be managed by doctors wherever her school is.</p>
<p>Is she just taking antidepressants or is she in therapy as well? Some people find success on meds alone, some with just therapy, and many others with a combination. Some types of therapy will give your daughter concrete tools on how to handle her anxiety and depression, so it’s not just her talking about her problems with someone. Panic attacks are notorious for causing vertigo and dizziness. It’s possible that her vertigo could have initially been caused by an inner ear issue (or whatever) but is now caused by anxiety attacks. A good therapist can teach your daughter ways control anxiety attacks. </p>
<p>I have experienced vertigo time to time for years now. When I was younger it was brought on by triggers only, but a couple of years ago I started experiencing brief episodes of vertigo many times a day. I never got a firm diagnosis, and after a while it faded. Now I only experience it sporadically. It seems that vertigo is often undiagnosed or comes and goes.</p>
<p>It has been approved by the FDA for treatment of narcolepsy and helps people who are tired due to lack of sleep for a variety of reasons, but it can be used as an adjunct to antidepressants to help with lethargy and daytime fatigue. It is a like a stimulant, but may not contribute to anxiety. Your daughter wouldn’t have to be on it for weeks to wait to see if it works-she would know in just a few days if it was worthwhile for her to continue with it.</p>
<p>A year ago, I had infection of the inner ear (detected through an MRI) that damaged my vestibular nerve. The first month, I had lost all my hearing in my right ear and had right side facial paralysis. The paralysis and hearing cleared up but I still have have dizziness and some balance issues. A couple of weeks ago, I had another MRI which showed some of the infection is still present. I’ve done vestibular therapy which has helped me cope with the balance issues to a pretty good degree. I know of another individual who suffered vertigo after some kind of medication and has been suffering on and off for 15 years. I can tell you from personal experience that the condition can be extremely debilitating and difficult to cope with. It can make it difficult to focus and can make you very tired. It may be useful to try physical therapy.</p>
<p>One of my dearest friends was stricken with severe vertigo some years ago that was eventually determined to be Meniere’s Disease. She also lost some hearing in one ear. During the initial course of her illness, she also became highly anxious and depressed and ended up in therapy and on Paxil and, if memory serves, Klonopin. She still has vertigo and says she will never go off the Paxil as it helps. I think the vertigo was tied to the anxiety, etc. True vertigo is one of the most unpleasant things that can happen to a person – I had an inner ear infection once and realized I had no idea what vertigo was until then. Anyhow, it’s not surprising that someone who has vertigo develops anxiety at the same time. It’s a very anxiety-producing sensation especially if you can’t predict when it will happen.</p>
<p>Bellaro, my son is not in therapy, although the meds are prescribed by a psychiatrist. Perhaps therapy might help, but S does well on the meds (I’ve suggested therapy but at age 25 I can’t drag him there).</p>
<p>I don’t recall vertigo as one of his symptoms.</p>
<p>Would it be possible to find a therapist at school before September? If D could have a therapist with whom she is already comfortable in place at school, she would have a readymade source of help onsite.</p>
<p>40 miles is not far, but having to schlepp back and forth to see a therapist, if a therapist were thought necessary or helpful, would be a deterrent to getting help if/when it is needed.</p>
<p>DD also suffers from depression and anxiety. Like your child had a not-so-great senior year from the social-medical aspect-but as always-did well academically. D has a saying that she would gladly trade several A’s to get rid of anxiety and feel more at ease with herself and peers. </p>
<p>Hopefully, your D’s therapist will find a medication (s) that works well for her and that she will feel comfortable with. Staying on medications once they are prescribed ( and working) is important-since stopping them ( or forgetting to take them) can cause severe anxiety/panic symptoms. I believe the huge transition to college is anxiety provoking for any teenager-especially for a child who has additional concerns/issues. I wonder if the “anticipatory anxiety” factor will diminish once D is safely moved-in to dorm and has met roommate. Agree with ADad-40 miles is not far, but a therapist ( even a counselor through student health) might be more accessible than driving back to city where you live. My thoughts are with you and your D-I hope the Fall will bring all our kids much deserved peace and secure sense of self.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your helpful posts. I am going to try to find a therapist either at the school or very close by so it will be convenient for her. And hope that this new medication will start to work.</p>
<p>bellaro-
You have gotten a lot of good advice here. Are you comfortable sharing which meds have ben tried thus far for the symptom management? Do they know what caused the vestibular nerve damage?</p>
<p>Yes, meclizine (antivert) is traditionally used for management of vertigo. If your daughter prefers homeopathic stuff she might also try ginger, those things you put on your wrist with pressure points (all this stuff is sold in the drugstore with the dramamine), etc. But I agree with corranged-- vertigo is a common symptom of anxiety, and regardless of which came first (anxiety or dizziness), learning to manage anxiety is going to be essential. Panic/anxiety attacks are very manageable, but they do recur. I agree that getting her into therapy as soon as possible with someone who deals with mood disorders is a great idea. Perhaps finding someone now who is in her college town she can continue to see when she gets to college is a great idea. Its easier to drive the 40 mi now during the summer than during the school year. Better to have the therapist close by school, not home. Also, the book “The anxiety and phobia workbook” (by Bourne) is excellent!! I call it a cookbook, because in addition to helping identify the kinds of anxiety and possible causes or triggers, it gives you strategies (ie “recipes”) for what to do to manage the symptoms. My patients love this book (I believe the 4th edition is the most current). It’s in any bookstore.</p>
<p>Paxil is helpful for depression and anxiety. Klonopin is for the anxiety, but not for depression. Provigil can be agitating, and can cause side effects that may be similar to those experienced with anxiety (ie she coul.d feel a bit “wired”) so it might not be advantageous to go that route. Is she sleeping ok or is she having trouble-- perhaps worrying, causing trouble falling asleep, or frequent awakening? (early, mid and late insomnia as they are called, can all be signs of depression).</p>
<p>Do they know what caused the vestibular nerve damage? They say this is usually due to a virus. About 2 weeks prior to the onset of vertigo she did have a pretty bad upper respiratory infection. </p>
<p>As far as meds… she was on celexa for 6 weeks and saw no results. She is now on Cymbalta… 2 weeks today. She is not symptom free, but feels this has helped her a little. As I mentioned in my OP, in addition now to periodic dizziness she suffers head “pressure” … not pain but a squeezing feeling. She has started to feel this in her neck as well since starting the Cymbalta. Dr. said it is not the medicine but the anxiety/depression just shifting around from head to neck. </p>
<p>She has never been a good sleeper, or a high energy kid. She found the Cymbalta was keeping her up at night so she switched to taking it mornings and she is sleeping better. But for an 18 year old she spends lots of time on the couch…</p>
<p>And she does take meclizine if the dizziness gets really bad.</p>