[ShepherdsDog]

First symptom of the zombification process.

[Thanos]

Probably. Most likely my fate to end up as one of the rotters and not the survivors. Too bad, because back in high school we had big plans on how to survive the zombie apocalypse with style. Just my luck I end up as another one of the 99% losers instead of the 1% winners again.

[Thanos]

Bump. I'm starting to think that I've developed some kind of inner ear disturbance that might be at the root of this. The NSAIDs kicked it off but the inner ear might be making it worse. I know I shouldn't look this up in the internet on my own but there's a couple of things that have been happening that indicate it could be a motion problem.

1) Last week when I was out I stepped of a curb down to the level of the pavement and walked to my truck. I was immediately hit by a bad burst that caused me to dry heave several times. Immediately prior to that I was feeling fine but the step down from the curb set something off.
2) When I'm showering I've noticed that on multiple instances over the past several weeks the motion of the water, the movement of lathering shampoo in my hair, and drying myself off with the towel have been consistently setting off bursts of nausea, even when I've felt fine.
3) I did a stepping test (Fukuda stepping test) today that I looked up on the internet. I closed my eyes, set a timer for one minute, and marched in one spot. When I began I was facing square to the kitchen counter. When the timer went off and I opened my eyes I had turned almost 90 degrees to the right and my left side was facing the counter.

This is making me think I've developed some kind of balance disorder, or the NSAIDs triggered a chronic nausea that was always there from an already existing balance disorder. This nausea has always felt more like something that was caused by motion, like seasickness is, than by anything I'm digesting or drinking. This would explain why things like what's happening in the shower is setting nausea off. It can't be food related because for over a month my diet has been so bland I haven't eaten anything that can be causing indigestion. I am not currently experiencing dizziness or vertigo, which might make this all in vain, but the absence of those conditions doesn't necessarily erase the possibility of an inner ear problem. Also, some of the articles suggested that a period of massive mental and emotional stress, like I've undergone in the last year, has been linked to inner ear problems as well.

This discovery could be an answer and I'm going to approach my doctor with it. If anyone has any experiences like this or has any suggestions I'd more than appreciate it if you'd share them with me.

[BartSimpson]

Thanos Thanos:

3) I did a stepping test (Fukuda stepping test) today that I looked up on the internet. I closed my eyes, set a timer for one minute, and marched in one spot. When I began I was facing square to the kitchen counter. When the timer went off and I opened my eyes I had turned almost 90 degrees to the right and my left side was facing the counter.

Your last name could also be "Patton". Seems they have an innate ability to efficiently make 90 degree turns without thinking about it.


More seriously, what are the doctors doing for you?

[Thanos]

As of now the doctors are doing fuck all. They think it's from the NSAID's but it was so long ago (over six weeks) since I had the last one that it shouldn't be a factor anymore. All I've been told to do was to double up my anti-reflux meds to keep the stomach acid under control. I don't dispute the NSAID pills caused some damage to the stomach lining but that should have been self-healed by now. The stepping test was a genuine shocker because I thought it was a bunch of BS when I first read about it yesterday.

[martin14]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

Your last name could also be "Patton". Seems they have an innate ability to efficiently make 90 degree turns without thinking about it. /quote]

I saw what you did there.

Thanos Thanos:

This discovery could be an answer and I'm going to approach my doctor with it. If anyone has any experiences like this or has any suggestions I'd more than appreciate it if you'd share them with me.

You remember back in February I had a little dizzy episode ?

One of the things I did was go to an ear-nose-throat guy.
No help there, but she suggested something in my neck might be off. Turns out, she was right. And I didnt even feel any pains in my neck.
Went to a phsyio, got some therapy and massage for my neck. Seems it did the trick.

I would just go to an ENT right away, their basic exam is 10 minutes,
and the camera they stick up your nose is quite fun.
And then go see a massage therapist, not the 'Asian' girls , but a real one.

Don't wait for your doctor, just go.

[Thanos]

What did they do for you specifically? Work on the vagus nerve as it comes out of the head and neck? I looked it up but I can't recall any specific instance over the last year, aside from excessive rolling around in bed due to lack of sleep, that might have caused the vagus to get crimped anywhere. I already see the best genuine massage therapist in Calgary so if she could help with this it would be a godsend.

[martin14]

Thanos Thanos:

What did they do for you specifically? Work on the vagus nerve as it comes out of the head and neck? I looked it up but I can't recall any specific instance over the last year, aside from excessive rolling around in bed due to lack of sleep, that might have caused the vagus to get crimped anywhere. I already see the best genuine massage therapist in Calgary so if she could help with this it would be a godsend.

Never got that specific, she did mention a pinched nerve, and the top 2-3 vertebrae
being out of alignment. Like I said, it was weird because I didnt feel it at all.

Stretching, head rolls, hot massage, and a hand massager just under the ear, where the
jaw neck and skull meet.

[Thanos]

I haven't actually had any dizziness or vertigo but that doesn't necessarily mean that a nerve isn't getting pinched somewhere. The vagus is a really touchy one too because it goes all the way from the head/neck, down through the abdomen, and into the pelvis. While in the midsection it affects the stomach as it helps with digestion. The flip side is that if it has issues it tenses up in the abdomen and the muscles can clamp up and squish the stomach.

I'll give my gal a call tomorrow and see what she says. I'm still concerned about the inner ear but looking at a nerve pinch in the neck somewhere might also be worth looking at.

[martin14]

Thanos Thanos:

I haven't actually had any dizziness or vertigo but that doesn't necessarily mean that a nerve isn't getting pinched somewhere. The vagus is a really touchy one too because it goes all the way from the head/neck, down through the abdomen, and into the pelvis. While in the midsection it affects the stomach as it helps with digestion. The flip side is that if it has issues it tenses up in the abdomen and the muscles can clamp up and squish the stomach.

I'll give my gal a call tomorrow and see what she says. I'm still concerned about the inner ear but looking at a nerve pinch in the neck somewhere might also be worth looking at.

Good, and get the ear checked out too.
One test the physio did was for me to stand up straight, eyes closed, for 30 seconds.
What I thought was straight.. wasn't. My head was not square to my body.
Didnt have symptoms half as bad as you, though.

Enjoy the camera.

[Thanos]

I'll survive the camera. I'm all too used to pain and barfing by now.