Part 3 of my Vertigo Saga
So, I’m still dizzy, but it’s improved. It’s not as bad as it was when I wrote the 2 Ambulance Rides in 1 Day post, or the Gotta Get Rid of this Vertigo post. It still really sucks, but I’m glad it seems to be improving, albeit slowly.
Monday, I was determined to attempt to do a run, since my traitorous vestibular nerve decided to cheat me out of my Friday run and workouts. I woke up not feeling so great, but ate my oatmeal and psyched myself up. I took half a dose of meclizine because I knew there was no way I could even get to the end of the driveway without it.
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I called Jerry, grabbed my phone and inhaler, and set out. OMG. I could not run in a straight line! Everything was shaky, the trees were moving even though it wasn’t windy, but I just kept trying to focus ahead. For the first two miles, I seriously felt like I was going to puke my guts out. Since vomiting is nothing knew during a hard workout, and I was outside anyway, I thought, “To Hell with it,” and pressed on.
Eventually, as I became accustomed to what I was doing, the nausea subsided a good bit, and I could focus better, and didn’t feel like I was all over the place. I did notice, though, that as I was attempting to focus ahead and run in a straight line, I’d find myself veering to the right- it was so weird. I ended up doing five miles- not the seven to ten I was going to do when “It” happened, but five was better than none.
Right after finishing my first run after my hospital visits!
After my run, I rested a bit and ate, then did some light weights. It was more difficult than usual because of the balance thing, but I went light. Afterward, I let the meclizine wear off and didn’t take any more.
Tuesday, I refrained from taking any meclizine at all. I’ve also cut back on salt to prevent water retention and hopefully prevent even more dizziness. I cut back on caffeine, and have been avoiding alcohol completely- as I read that these can dull the nerve and inhibit the reset and compensation process. (Although, I don’t know who would want to drink alcohol while experiencing vertigo anyway!)
Getting through Tuesday without the meclizine REALLY sucked- every time I got up, I would get nauseated and start to topple over. I went with Jerry to the store, though, and forced myself to walk around without holding onto the cart for balance. I also insisted on getting up to get anything either one of us needed, and worked on some of the vestibular rehab exercises. Later on that night, I realized I had made it through the entire day, without puking, and it wasn’t as bad as the day before.
Wednesday (today), I took another half dose of meclizine, and did another five mile run and workout. The time I felt like puking was shorter- the feeling only lasted just under a mile, then eased up. I still caught myself veering, and got dizzy when spinning my head around to check for traffic, but I got through it again.
I’m a bit nervous about tomorrow since I won’t be taking any more prednisone, but I’m going to check into some natural options. I’ve been taking turmeric as an anti-inflammatory, but I’m going to research a bit more to see if there are better options for inner ear or nerve issues.
Hopefully things will keep improving, I’m keeping my fingers crossed and knocking on wood. I really want to have a great Thursday because I have a LOT to do, and I need to cheer on my alma mater, my beloved Iowa State Cyclones in the NBA draft!
See previous:
2 Ambulance Rides in 1 Day, Part 1 of my Vertigo Saga
Gotta Get Rid of this Vertigo!, Part 2 of my Vertigo Saga
