Speaking of chocolates...I might be allergic to chocolate!

[Left Is Write]

For years I've been getting occasional dizzy spells that don't seem to have any definable cause. They are very intense, like getting the spins, and sometimes cause me to feel as though I am going to faint.

I used to get one two or three times a year. Then it was maybe once a month. Then it was every week. For the past month, I've been getting them a couple of times a week or more. The intensity has increased and is starting to scare me. I feel like I'm going to faint (or hyperventilate), and I can't remain standing when it happens. I had one last week while fixing supper that was so severe, I had to stop chopping onions and lie down on the kitchen floor.

All kinds of horrible ailments have crossed my mind, and I'm thinking I might have to go to the doctor. I was telling my mother about it, and she said, "Maybe you're allergic to chocolate." She is. My grandmother was also. When I described my spells, my mother said they sounded exactly like her spells - and she was about my age when they started getting very severe.

I've had more chocolate than normal recently (holiday food). So there might be something to what my mother says.

She thinks I should go to the doctor anyway, in case it's something serious. But what do I tell the doctor? I'm dizzy a lot? What if they think it's all in my head?

[Merlot]

1. It could be as simple as a vitamin deficiency

I used to have the same type of faint/dizzy spells. I started taking vitamins about 6 years ago. They hardly happen anymore.

I've been eating more chocolate, not less as I've gotten older, so it's not related to chocolate in my case, But if your mom and granma have both been allergic, you might consider it. Before going to the doctor, cut all chocolate (sorry!) out of your life and see what happens.

Doctors will either a) tell you it's all in your head, or b) order multiple tests and put you on all kind of drugs.

[Left Is Write]

3. I take a multi-vitamin every day and eat well, so I don't think

it's a vitamin deficiency.

I did decide to stop eating chocolate and see if the spells stop.

[Merlot]

10. Multi-vitamins aren't very strong

Look at the breakdown of vitamins on them, they are to small and diluted to do any good.

Try taking tablets of the individual vitamins you may need. It made a big difference for me. Read up on vitamins and decide what's right for you. I like the book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing."

If it concerns you, go to the doctor to rule out anyting serious.

Hopefully you won't have to live a chocolate-free life.

[HEAVYHEART]

2. Do it

Don't waste another minute. Go to the doctor asap!

[nofurylike]

4. those are distinct symptoms. they'll know it's something physical.

though they might suggest it could be a stress reaction, too. have you eliminated that and hypertension/high blood pressure?

i'd say check it out.
also, have you been checked for anemia? more common in womyn than previously known.

take care of you.


peace!

[Left Is Write]

8. Thanks -

I have not been tested for anemia recently at all. My blood pressure is low-normal.

I think this is really shaping up to be a visit to the doctor. I just hate all the red tape involved with going to the doctor these days.

[nofurylike]

20. i can understand hating that! i'm glad you're going, still. be well! n/t

[Karenca]

5. Sounds exactly like Meniere's

Syndrome......Which is caused by fluid build-up in the ear.
This could be anything, but it sounds like a problem that is originating from the auditory balance center causing you to have vertigo. This is a benign condition, but ir can be very frightening.
Of course, you should definately see your physician.

[Left Is Write]

7. Ohhhh....you might be on to something.

I have had fluid build up in my left ear for almost two years. Two years ago in February I went to the doctor for it, thinking I might have an ear infection. He said he could see the fluid, but that it wasn't infected. He recommended Claritin to clear it up. I took Claritin for months and it made no difference at all.

I can't sleep on my right side. If I do, I can feel/hear the fluid "bubbling up" and it drives me insane. When I sleep on my left side, it feels like the fluid drains, but it never does. It has been bothering me more lately, but I never thought to connect it to my dizzy spells.

Is there a specific test for this syndrome?

[Karenca]

12. Make an appointment with an Otolaryngologist........

That's an ear, nose, throat specialist.
It's doubtful that a General Practitioner will direct you to the proper treatment.

[amazona]

13. oh Lord it's your ear causing this

Your doctor sounds incompetent. Two years with fluid build-up on the ear is too long. It doesn't just threaten your balance, it threatens your hearing, and the damage can become permanent if left untreated. You should have been sent on to an allergist a long time ago. A steroid injection would provide immediate relief while your allergist figured out which oral or inhaled (or both) drug worked to relieve your symptoms. Some people have terrific results with Claritin -- I do -- but a good allergist knows that sometimes you have to try different medications (and sometimes a combination of medications) to clear up the problem. When my problems were at their most severe two decades ago, I had to have a combination of an older oral medication and an inhaler.

You also need to find out what you're allergic to. Is chocolate causing all this, if so, I'd never eat chocolate again. My problems were caused by cat hair, and I will never live with a cat again. I'd forgotten the awful dizzy spells but they were truly incapacitating.

Yeah, you can't let this go by. I can't believe a doctor would allow you to build up fluid in your ear for two whole years. That is scary that someone with an MD could be so irresponsible.

Get a new doctor ASAP!!!!!!

[tg]

6. My wife is, also,

Strictly speaking, it may not be an allergy but chocolate triggers migraine headaches for her. Similar chemicals are found in hard (aged) cheese, red wines, and colas. When she gave these up, she finally rid herself of the regular, massive, headaches she had been having for years.

[fluffernutter]

9. i think you should go to the doctor anyway.

just to be safe. i hope you find out what it is. :hug:

[amazona]

11. test quitting chocolate before you go to the doctor

There is always time to find out you have Meniere's disease or another serious problem. I would just quit eating chocolate and see if the dizzy spells go away.

My mom believed in going to the doctor first for her severe stomach pain. $1,000 (just enough to make her pay her entire deductible later) the doctors and labs all agreed that they were puzzled and had no clue what was wrong.

Then her older sister happened to remind her, in our family, we develop lactose intolerance after age 50.

My mom stopped with the milk already, and she was 100 percent cured. So that was $1000 down the drain that she didn't have to spend.

Now, if you still have "spells" even after the chocolate has cleared yours system, OK, see a doctor. Just be aware that most doctors won't find food-caused allergies and illnesses. They don't know your eating patterns.

[Karenca]

14. Meniere's is NOT a serious disease. And she should go to the DR.

as soon as she can.
If you go into a vertigo spin, and you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, it could be dangerous...
You could crack your head on a tile floor,
you can get hit by a car, etc.
Meniere's is benign, but you really do not want to risk getting an attack at an unfortunate moment.

[Left Is Write]

16. I will be calling a doctor tomorrow.

I thank everyone for their input, and especially for drawing the line between the fluid in my ear and the dizzy spells. I don't know why I didn't think of that myself, except that I've had the fluid in my ear for so long it just didn't occur to me.

I would LOVE to find some treatment that will get rid of the fluid in my ear.

And I thought of the exact things you're mentioning with regard to the dizzy spells - I said that to my husband the other night when I had the very severe one. What if I'm driving? What if I fall down the stairs when I'm alone with the kids?

I'm looking through my provider book right now to find a specialist accepting new patients.

[Karenca]

18. Good luck at the Dr....I'm sure an ENT will be able

to help you.
In the meantime, what you should do is try not to abrubtly change your head position. (such as shaking your head to dry your hair, quickly turning from left to right, etc). This may help alleviate the frequency of the attacks.

[Groggy]

15. My Dad has a chocolate allergy

He loves chocolate, but gets shortness of breath and dizzy if he has more than a small bite!

[Karenca]

17. He ate the chocolate, and then he'de feel ill within a few moments...

.....Correct? Allergy symptoms appear usually upon immediate contact with the allergen.

[Groggy]

19. yeah pretty soon...

I'd say within a few minutes. He can have like half piece of chocolate..but anymore than that and he gets sick.