JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Mike Caro

Thanks again you guys, and I will do that Brian, or John will drag me out

Just an update:

Wanted to thank John here as well as in person like I did yesterday. When he drove me ALL the way to Bloomsburg University In PA to see a doctor. My 60th doctor. Also thanks to Iggy for meeting us there and hanging out for my five or six hours of testing and consultation.

We drove for four hours to get there. The doctor was a young guy nice as could be and caring. Full of energy and knowledge, had a a staff of students with him that were helpful and caring, they sat me at a table and listened. I had them laughing in two minutes Sick as I am lol with this 15 year sob story of frustration and aggravation from the problem itself and at the hands of others. (Doctors etc..) They were ALL nice people.
They got a big charge out of my enthusiasm spirit,sense of humor and my New York accent. Just the way i spoke and the way i put stuff across. The doctor also built guitars and played and had a massive collection of great amps. So we hit it right off.

The last time I saw a balance specialist back in December they put me in the device called the Rotational Chair. I made it through the non rotating tests but the minute it was put in motion, I threw off the goggles avoided passing out, whined like a child and quit. So I never completed the test.
I promised myself I would NEVER EVER take that test again, or put myself in that chair.

So what do they do yesterday first thing ? They tell me you need to go in that chair. The chair is in a black booth, you are strapped in at the head neck, chest waist, legs and feet. You hold on to hand controls that you need to use in some tests. You have goggles over your eyes, headphones on your head. Then you are shut in to complete darkness. Cool so far right?
Then you stare at a red light, a dot. Then it moves and you follow it. This alone makes you dizzy or spinny. Then you draw some vertical & horizontal lines with your controls. That's okay like a video game, but still....

Then they put that chair in motion!!! That's it, lights out amigo. I get tippsy and dizzy when I'm sitting in the studio and someone just puts there hand on the back of my chair!!!
This is where I bailed out last time and was planning to bail out again.
I was never good on rides, roller coasters or anything. If you didn't have a vestibular/vertigo problem this chair would assault your senses and well being. It was MURDER for me.

They kept me talking as I was hanging on being twisted and spun around. One test was called the "Thrusts" a series of me getting spun and stopped to a fast hault. All the time having to keep my eyes open on a little red light.
I wanted to BAIL, but I kept thinking. I WANT more than anything to get better, I would rather they stabbed me and beat me up then do this, but I have to hold on long as I can. The only way they may know anything is by doing this damn test. Also we came SO far to give up now. And lastly I didn't want to whus out in front of the doc and the students, especially girls lol.

So I stayed in there for I dont know how long, geez two hours perhaps. I was talking clearly to them when i started but near the end, I was mumbling. Couldn't get a whole word out. They wore me out totally, useless!
Right after that it was time to stick tubes in my ears fill them with hot water still I started spinning out of control round and round....

I waited for a little bit with John & Iggy for the results. John still can't believe I let them put me in that chair...
They said, I may have neck & back problem a neurological disease that is associated or contributing to my problem. They dont know for sure. But they are almost certain, positive that I do have an inner ear problem. They said the tests show that my vertical perception is not one of a normal,average persons perception. I live on a tilt.. I believe they said to the left.

And that this - The Ultricle Organ part of my inner ear was the cause. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utricle_%28ear%29

Three solutions
1- Drugs like Meclazine which he agreed don't work, I've tried.
2- A surgery removing the thing, a whole in head which would leave me deaf in that ear.
3- Vestibular Therapy, Which i have done in the past but failed to work. Only this would be a different method of it, applying to my problem. He's developing it now as it's NEVER been designed really before. This guy is at the frontier of this kind of problem, that's why guys nearly twice his age sent me to him.

So lets see what he comes up with for me to try. I woke up today and had such a vertigo attack I could not get out of the bed, I fell back every time I tried. This has NEVER happened before in my life. I have had the tips, a quick spin, weakness, pain and stiffness, the sinking into the ground sensation, and have fallen, but NEVER was in can't stop spinning mode the TRUE vertigo that I was always thankful for NOT having. The kind you can NOT live with, the kind that has to go away soon....

It took me nearly an hour to get out of bed, tricking myself to get up and move slowly with eyes completely closed. I crawled to the phone and called the doctor. I said Doc I got new troubles...
He said it was uncommon what i was experiencing for the next day. That I may have dislarged some crystals in my ear, no no YOU dislarged some crystals lol.
I said we roughed up my vestibular system pretty bad and maybe this is a result. He agreed and said count how long the attacks last and let me know.

While I have calmed down greatly and tapered off, enough to let me write this thread, I DREAD waking up tomorrow. If it happens again I will crawl back and blow that chair off the map.....

Thanks Johnny Daubert you are a friend beyond the meaning of the word....