16/2/21 Case of a female, 18-years-old just about to sit ‘A’ Level exams.
She was a young musician, at the time working towards ‘A’ levels. She is a sensitive, clever red head who struggles a bit with dyslexia and dyspraxia. She is popular at school, was in the Head Girls’ Team, University applications to Oxford with interviews, Grade 8 trombone exams, course work and lock down pressures with regards to exams.
She came in February – dizzy all the time since November 2020.
- Stress exacerbates it.
- Last term incredibly stressful
- GP prescribed Betahistines for the dizziness after the 1st bout it seemed to help – starts revising – when thinking about exams and school wanting to vomit. Meniere’s muted by the GP as feeling sick with the dizziness. MRI ordered very thorough of the sinuses etc.
- Her interview for Oxford was a bust as she had forgotten her water, had a dry mouth and then could not remember anything.
- She got an offer for Durham with A+ A+ and A
- The GP says it is stress related and suggested Vestibular physio – 30 min walk at lunchtime daily and exercises twice/day.
She says she has 3 hours of feeling like I have dropped – “head’s gone dropped as if fallen over but I haven’t.” Build up to GCSE’s were the same and during similar stresses – similar syx to M.E.
It floors her which makes her more stressed etc. Her father and grandfather are far too involved in the university choice process, do not want her to go to Durham as it is too far away. Heart was set on the Oxford package music! But circumspect about it as these things happen, slightly deflated. Not good 1st interview – tech went down, not sure whether will take a gap year or go to Uni….
Describing Syx: “Dizzy and sick at the point the head drops – 3 hours extreme syx – next 3-4 days less present but spike up and dizziness.”
Dizziness? – “do not know where I am, brain does not understand how I’m moving, feel bent over but still standing. Room not actually spinning, tumble drier sensation, not able to control it.” Everything on screen now – sit in a comfy chair, in practice does not work out.
How often?” Been > in the last few weeks, not sleeping well either – keep waking in the night 1am most of the time between 3-5am.”
Periods? All normal, regular – heavy and back pain.
Appetite? All good
Thirst? All a bit more recently not just me…everyone.
How do you feel about it? Frustrated with it…do actions…do not feel normal doing things anymore.
Retrain brain entirely – watching classmates who can contribute, do not feel up to it. Not as bubbly as normal etc. Same if lying in bed, feels like falling – you are not! Feels like head dropping – thought she had fallen forwards (head like a jerk) – did not though.
She thought low blood sugar or dehydration – neither. Can be sitting in a chair when it happens. GP discounted the heart issue.
Analysis:
I had thought of all sorts of vertigo remedies and did give her Cocculus 30c to hold as an SOS remedy should she need it…. but she never used it.
I looked in my book Sensations As If (Ref: Herbert A. Roberts, MD – B. Jain Publishers) – which I find an amazing desktop companion and have used on many occasions. Head; fall; forward, something were cutting head off from body and he would – Physostigma Venenosum
Having prescribed the remedy before I knew a little about it. I knew it had a connection with the heart and with the neck. As her physical therapist at the time, I knew that she was having a lot of trouble with stiffness to the neck and shoulders.
She suffers with some ataxia, spinal issues including backache and has an underlying heart condition – so having looked in my books I found a connection on many levels. Being a Kinesiologist also, I muscle test all remedies with patients and this tested strongest of several vertigo/dizziness remedies (Gelsemium, Cocculus, Glonoine, China, Lycopodium).
I prescribed Physostigma Venenosum 30c daily for a month and Carduus Marianus as an herbal tonic for the liver to detox the Betahistines and due to the time, she had her insomnia during the liver time.
5/4/21 FU 1: No dizzy spells at all – pretty much overnight!
Took the Rx for 2-3 weeks – did not have any syx. Neck and shoulders felt better, and the condition just went. Sleep improved a bit too – only a few nights tossing and turning – mostly sleeping and not waking too early. Did not take any Cocculus – did not need it. Still stressed out about what to do re University, a lot of unknowns.
Her mother put the change down to the physical therapy on her neck and shoulders when I last saw her – but as I didn’t manipulate her neck at all – I know it was the remedy and so does the young girl!
1/6/21 Follow up 2: Still no dizzy spells, no episodes at all – even though she had received both doses of the AZ vaccine – and after the first dose she had a bad reaction with H/A for 5 days and feeling terrible – none of that triggered an episode. Sleep still improved > and > she says. “I feel FINE!”, she says. No repeat of remedy needed.
I love the “Sensations as if” book. I think it’s great.
Good case. However, no offense, but your writing skills need some serious work. Not only is it written in britglish, but the lack of punctuation etc. makes half the article unintelligible.
I literally did not understand half of it.