Feeling Giddy

The first four months of 2004, I was sick. I had daily episodes of dizziness and headaches. Actually, they both lasted most of the day every day. I saw several doctors, none of whom seemed to know what was wrong with me. They all concluded with, "Well, I'm not sure what's wrong, but I don't think it's serious and it will probably go away on its own."

It did go away on its own, but I have always been fearful that it might return. Last week it did, along with the frustration of wondering how long it would last. I hated the thought of trying to describe my symptoms to a doctor, to once again get puzzled stares. Part of the problem with diagnosis is that doctors wanted me to classify my dizziness as either lightheadedness or vertigo, but it didn't feel like either. Now I know why.

On Wednesday, after a week of this, I went to a neurologist here. He did a serious of tests to determine the extent of my vertigo. In the end, he concluded that I didn't have vertigo. Actually, that I didn't have "giddiness" which is what they call it here. Or "vertEEgo." Can I help it if I wanted to giggle whenever he said I was giddy? Anyway, he called it "disequilibrium." It's caused by something affecting the inner ear.

He also determined that my headaches are chronic tension headaches. Having something deemed "chronic" makes me suddenly feel quite old. He put me on a muscle relaxant which seems to be doing its job. This morning, three days later, I can stare at a computer screen without feeling like it's rocking back and forth. My husband is now back in town, so hopefully the source of my tension will dissipate because I was tired of feeling giddy.