Has nothing to do with Goblins (Labyrinthitis)

Member Name: Tingram2012

Product:	Labyrinthitis
Date:	13/08/09 (90 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: I'm going to have to go with NONE

Disadvantages: Too many too list

I am writing this review as I am just recovering from Labyrinthitis and came across it in the Dooyoo catalogue. Labyrinthitis is a viral or bacterial infection that affects the inner ear and makes you see things a whole lot differently.

A couple of weeks ago I woke up on a Saturday morning feeling nauseas, dizzy and had a headache. Once again I put it down to being somewhat of a hangover as I had been out the night before. I spent the whole day in bed as the dizziness was overwhelming and it felt much better to just lie down and keep my eyes closed, this was so I could concentrate on keeping my stomach contents exactly where they're supposed to be........in my stomach. I managed to get up at about half 7 that night and wobbled downstairs and put the tv on. Within 20 minutes the tv had to be turned off as watching it had brought the dizziness back which was unbearable.

By the next morning I was still feeling no better and had come to the conclusion that it wasn't a hangover that I was suffering from as I had not drank any more than usually. The dizzy spells had decreased to a manageable level so the next day I got up for work as normal. I work from home so working when I dont feel 100% is usually ok. Well over the next few days I started to feel worse and by Thursday afternoon the nauseas, the dizziness and the headaches were back. Not only that but on a number of occasions I felt close to passing out, which is very scary especially when I live alone.

I immediately called my Doctors Surgery but could not get an appointment until the next week. I dont get ill very often so I was getting a little panicky so I rang NHS Direct. I just wanted clarification that what I had wasn't serious. The Nurse asked me a number of questions and recommended that I see my Doctor that afternoon, I informed her that I could not get an appointment so she suggested I tell the receptionist at the surgery that I had spoke to a Nurse at the NHS Direct and they thought it would be best to see my GP. Well I knew straight away that this would make no difference but I decided to give it a go anyway.

I was told that I could see the Nurse that afternoon but that no Doctors were available. My next mistake was driving to the Surgery. There was no other way for me to get there in time for my appointment so I had no choice but to drive. It was quite a scary experience and I made sure I went around the edges of town to avoid as much traffic as possible.

On arriving at the surgery I waited in reception for my appointment. It was a nightmare for me having to wait, the lights were too bright and were making me more dizzy and the noise from the other patients and children playing were making my headache worse. I tried sitting there with my eyes closed and blocking out as much as possible until I was called in.

The Nurse was absolutely great. She did a few tests, asked me some questions and then checked in my ears. Straight away she knew what the problem was. She told me that I would have to be careful if i'm around hot things like the kettle or oven as the dizziness was obviously affecting my balance and I may burn myself and also to get up slowly and not move my head too much. The she asked me to wait in the reception area while she got me a perscription from the Doctor.

I was perscribed 30 Prochlorperazine 5mg tablets which are to help prevent the dizziness, unfortunately Labyrinthitis is an infection that has to go by itself so ther was no perscription for that. The tablets were a life saver, although the dizzines stayed with me all the time the tablets reduce it to a bearable level. Although it didnt totally stop me wobbling into furniture and such like and for the past fortnight I have been covered in bruises.

I was given a sicknote for two weeks and told to request another one if it didnt subside. Labyrinthitis is one of those viruses that can just creep up on you and then disappear as quick as it came. The average time the virus stays with you is 3 to 8 weeks. For me thankfully it has only been 3 weeks. If it had been any longer I dont know how I would have coped. Every day was long and boring. I couldnt watch tv for long periods of time, I could only spend short amount of time on the computer, I even had to be careful in the bath, because too much water movement made the dizzy, nauseas feeling come back full fold.

Labyrinthitis basically makes you feel like you are drunk all the time without any of the actually fun. In fact when you have Labyrinthitis you cant drink at all, so its been a tough couple of weeks I can tell you. There are a number of things that make it worse; sitting still for long periods of time, the dark, computers, walking, small rooms and sudden head movements.

I could handle being nauseas and having the odd headache but the dizziness was what I found the most difficult to cope with. It was like having a constant head rush and not in a pleasant way at all. And I've also ben told if you get it once theres a chance you'll keep getting it.....why oh why???. But apparently its not so severe after the first time.

Alot of people think that your making it up or you are actually drunk because overall you dont actually look unwell, but anyone who gets this is not exagerrating and really is suffering. All you can do is take Ibroprofen (as it contains an anti inflammatory) and paracetamol and hope that it doesn't take a lifetime to go.

I dont know how I ended up with this and the Doctor could only tell me its a virus and did not know the origin. Its not a very nice thing to have but you do feel better once its diagnosed and you know its not serious.

I also think you should be able to rate some thing's as no stars as Labyrinthitis is definitely not something I would recommend to anyone.

Summary: 0/5