Persistant Sickness and Balance Problem.

[DrWazzock]

Not myself but an elderly relative in his 80's has had a problem for three weeks now. Struggles to keep food down, though has managed a couple of days without being sick but then sick again and back to square one. When getting out of bed and walking he has difficulty with balance. Other than being weak and wobbly he says he is OK apart from the misery of being sick when he eats anything and lack of appetite.

Had the nurse round and nothing obvious wrong. Would norovirus last this long? Will have to seek medical attention again tomorrow if no improvement but just wondered if anybody else had seen or experienced such a protracted sickness bug this winter or whether it could be something else.

Thanks.

 

[Lincs Lass]

Might be a Hiatus hernia ,,elderly customer of mine cant eat anything much or she just oiks it back up ,,the week and wobbly is a sign of not absorbing enough food to give them energy

 

[Lincs Lass]

Lots of various bugs been going round this winter ,,he might have been in contact with somebody who has passed on gastroenteritis or the flu bug ,,best get him to the GP and checked over

 

[DrWazzock]

Thanks. Will be booking him in tomorrow.

 

[milkloss]

Labyrinthitis?

 

[DrWazzock]

Labyrinthitis?

Could be. The nurse said one of his ears was inflamed when she looked in. He had an op on that ear a couple of years back and it's been prone to blocking up since.

Thanks. Doc will hopefully shed some light on things tomorrow.

 

[NH8360]

Vertigo?

 

[DrWazzock]

Vertigo?

Doc reckons it's vertigo and has given him some pills. Sounds like one and the same as labyrinthitis, or in plain English his balance detector isn't working properly.

Hope the pills work because we need him back on the 360 when the weather dries up.

 

[JCMaloney]

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/labyrinthitis/

The other option is a form of crystalisation in the inner ear older folk can get that manifests itself the same way.

Hopefully the pills do the job & he`s back at work!

 

[milkloss]

Usually seasickness pills?

 

[ridger]

My grandfather had this for years. Turns out he needs an injection of some kind every 3 months to keep something right in his blood. I'll find out exactly what

 

[Wendy10]

It could be BVP. Benign Positional Vertigo. Mention it to GP. I found pills not very helpful but there is procedure that can help. Needs to be done by a professional first time but then a member of the family or friend can help. It really is a horrible thing to have. What I find helpful keeping it at bay now is to sit still on the edge of the bed when first getting up. Then turn my head slowly as far as possible to each side before standing. Good luck.

 

[5020man]

It could be BVP. Benign Positional Vertigo. Mention it to GP. I found pills not very helpful but there is procedure that can help. Needs to be done by a professional first time but then a member of the family or friend can help. It really is a horrible thing to have. What I find helpful keeping it at bay now is to sit still on the edge of the bed when first getting up. Then turn my head slowly as far as possible to each side before standing. Good luck.

Hi.

The Epley manoeuvre,

5020 man

 

[Wendy10]

That's the one. But you need to see someone first to tell you which side it effects with you.

 

[llamedos]

Alternatively meniere's disease

 

[Howard150]

Alternatively meniere's disease

By hell but tha knows some stuff dunt tha!

 

[llamedos]

By hell but tha knows some stuff dunt tha!

Mother suffers with it, and has done so for last 40yrs

 

[DrWazzock]

The first anti vertigo pills the doc gave him nearly knocked him out and he fell over getting to the toilet but no damage done. Sickness stopped, which is a good thing.

Now the doc has prescribed some over-the-counter travel sickness type pills and he isn't being sick but he is still a bit wobbly. How much of this is due to weakness and how much is due to lack of a sense of balance is difficult to know.

He seems a bit more positive now that he can sit up and get about a bit without being sick. But he seems to have a lot less power than he had before Christmas but this was noticeable before the sickness started.
Can't see him being able to do much outside for the foreseeable which is frustrating for him, but in his mid eighties it's hardly unexpected.

Thanks for the very useful pointers. It's a bit of a struggle with the NHS who are trying their best but seem overloaded with all sorts of bugs here.

 

[llamedos]

Loosing their balance for older folk really knocks their confidence, especially if it has caused falls they get very frightened.
One of the drugs used to counteract any kind of dizziness or balance problems is called stemetil, it is a tablet which the user melts against their gum, just under the lip, sadly it also has a lot of side effects and the dose needs to be just right.

Some of his balance problems now could be down to the constant vomiting, once he starts to be able to eat a bit better without fearing he will bring it back up, hopefully he will settle back down again and build his strength a bit, if he is used to being out and doing, it will be very frustrating and lonely for him, which sadly in the elderly can be worse than any illness which brought them to this state.

I hope he mends up.

 

[DrWazzock]

Yes, the thought that he couldn't get out and about again and that he would be "useless" did more at him than the illness as it sapped his morale and he seemed to give up for a couple of days and retreated into a shell.

Thankfully he seems a bit more positive now. He is living with us anyway so shouldn't be too lonely. He has started reminding us of what needs doing again and questioning what we have done so he is getting partially back to his old self.