-
Allergy attack, for sure
My vertigo isn’t gone yet but it seems to have taken a step back the past day or so as my allergy attack has become more obvious. I’ve not often had the most typical of allergy symptoms and this time is no exception. Most of my symptoms run along the lines of massive itchiness, fuzzy head/dizziness/vertigo, tiredness, tingly and sometimes numb head,  lips and mouth, etc. It reached the point yesterday where it was worth risking massive dryness from Sjögren’s syndrome to take an anti-histamine. It didn’t exactly do a whole lot for my symptoms yesterday but it also didn’t cause as much dryness. Possibly it’s going to take a couple days to get much effect.  Funnily enough, I now have a more typical runny nose…I might even start sneezing next. :)
I obviously did not go to work yesterday although the Scientist had offered to drive me there and pick me up. I decided I wasn’t likely to be that productive and I think I made the right decision. I’m hoping tomorrow will bring considerable improvement and will see if I can work a few hours if that is the case. It won’t cover all my hours but would be better than none this week. We are in for more rain this week so it might just wash the nasty airborne pollen away for a while….meanwhile creating a blooming environment for even more pollen to be created in the next few weeks.
-
Yearly repeats
I started taking my Beconase for spring allergies early this year, partly because I noticed everything was blooming early due to considerable rainy periods in the last several weeks. I also knew I was going to be working soon and was hoping to bypass any disruptions to my work hours. For the most part this seemed to work and my hayfever hasn’t really been too bad this year. On the other hand, my ears have continued to be blocked so the Beconase obviously is not fully taking care of the ear issues. Yesterday I started getting those first signs of vertigo that have hit me around this time the past couple of years. Â It’s not particularly severe so long as I stay mostly still and don’t make sudden moves. But it is disruptive when it makes ordinary issues like driving impossible. Looking back on this blog, Â it seems my last bout was almost exactly a year ago. I don’t know if it’s allergy-related or not, but it’s certainly interesting that it’s mostly affecting me at this time of year. My temporary/casual work project looks like it will be finishing up this week, at least for the work that I was doing. Tomorrow is most likely my last day but if I have vertigo I won’t be able to drive there. Here’s hoping I get up and feel a lot better in the morning as I haven’t had nearly as many hours of work this year as last year, despite an extra day each week.
-
Vertigo
Last Tuesday night I experienced an episode of vertigo where I felt everything was spinning around me. The initial spinning lasted all of about twenty or thirty seconds but it definitely took me by surprise. I started feeling a bit off earlier while still at work. There had been a variety of mishaps for me and one co-worker who stays late with me. I thought it might be the effects of spring pollen at the time as I’d opened windows for fresh air. I was feeling a bit lightheaded at that point but also as though there was a pressure around my head. Anyway, the first spinning episode occurred while I was still awake and I don’t really recall how good my balance was once I finally got up to go to bed.
I didn’t sleep well that night, being awaken numerous times by the spinning sensation. I think this is how I first experienced the vertigo the last time. I wasn’t feeling too badly the next day aside from being tired from lack of sleep. So I went into work where I dragged myself through the afternoon. But late in the day I suddenly felt like the pressure around my head had gone and was feeling good compared to the previous day.
There was no work on Thursday so I spent the day resting and wasn’t feeling too badly by later afternoon. I went off to a tai chi class I’m taking with the Scientist and his mum this term. And I didn’t topple over during the class even though there were a few times early on when it felt like I would.
I assumed the worst of this was over as an episode I had a few months back resolved within a day or two. But Friday I found I was feeling worse the more I moved around and ended up calling in sick as I didn’t think it was worth risking a drive to work. During the evening, I found myself getting nauseous and the vertigo was back so the Scientist insisted I go to bed. I took a Stemzine prescribed for motion/travel sickness problems last year and that seemed to help the nausea. Didn’t fall asleep until late but did do lots of reading on my iPad while in bed.
I found this weekend that I have had little of the vertigo and lots of the nasal congestion I get with spring allergies. This was highlighted when I went outside yesterday morning and found one of my ears had blocked up by the time I came back inside. Which again caused some balance issues…but these I’ve had in the past and don’t worry about quite so much. Today I was feeling improved and I’m hopeful I’ll be fine to drive to an appointment in the morning. Fortunately it’s only a five minute drive so won’t be stranded should any problems occur.