Vertigo

[Merridith]

I have been experiencing a low level of vertigo for several weeks.

It started out about 2 months ago quite suddenly. I could walk around but I was weaving all over like a drunken sailor. The acute symptoms lasted maybe an hour. But they didn't completely disappear.

They are most apparent when I change from a laying position to standing up. Sometimes when I am walking around, I feel slightly off balance - as if I could be easily pushed over.

Does anyone know if this relates to symptoms of a developing brain tumour?

Currently I am considered NED. I completed herceptin in Dec 06.

Regards,
Merridith

[RhondaH]

unfortunately it IS possible and if it has been going on for 2 weeks, you should probably have it checked out. I had the problem DURING Herceptin, but finished 8/06 and have had no problems since. Prayers that you are and remain NED. Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

[Joe]

Call your oncologist immediately. Christine suffered several episodes of vertigo shortly before she was diagnosed with brain mets in 1999.

Accept no less than a brain MRI.

Regards
Joe

[Mona]

I also had several episodes of vertigo last Dec. and my onc immediately secheduled a brain MRI. Fortunately it came back normal. Inner ear disturbance can also cause vertigo but be sure to get an MRI if only for peace of mind. Mona

[pattyz]

Meredith,

Not until my third occurance of brain mets did I experience this. Mine was 24/7. Sitting still without eye movement was the only 'remedy' I found. Until I began treatment.

Do call and get an MRI w/contrast scheduled asap.

Best wishes,
pattyz

Merredith,

I would follow the good advice about seeing your oncologist; however, to keep you from panic while waiting, this could be from a number of different things: sinus problems, which are also caused by herceptin; a virus. There's been one going around that occasionally causes dizziness, an inner ear problem, etc. Under normal circumstances, if you didn't have cancer, you would probably think of all these yourself. So definitely see your oncologist, and insist on an MRI, but don't panic. I found Ronda's comment interesting also, that she had the same experience while on herceptin but not when she came off. Good luck.

[Patricia]

Hi Meredith,

I have also had a low level of episodic vertigo for about 5 weeks now as well, although yours sounds more pronounced than mine as I did not notice a change in my ability to walk well. I am unsteady though when I close my eyes, like when I wash my hair I wobble and feel like I am going to fall over so I put one hand on the wall to steady myself. The main symptom for me is that I feel like the world is moving and when I move my head or change my visual perspective I feel dizzy and it feels like there is a delay for it to all synch up. I get it in waves that can last from 1 minute to all day.

My onc told me to let him know if it got worse and he would schedule a MRI, I went to the internist yesterday to try to explore the non cancer possibilities and the internist thought it could be BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo - although I was missing one of the classic symptoms) and suggested I do the BPPV exercises (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ver...S00547&slide=1) for the next week. He said if it persisted after a week, it was definitiely not BPPV (because the exercises are like 95% effective at solving the problem) and to call the onc to get the MRI.

If you dont mind my asking, what was your stage of dx? I am curious if you are an early stager like me. I keep thinking it is highly unlikely for it to be mets for me given my early stage.

Hugs,
Patricia

[Merridith]

Hi Everyone:

Thanks for all your insight.

And thanks Patricia for your vertigo fighting tip.

I had to laugh at proceedure #4 though. 48 hours in an upright position??????? Not quite that desperate yet.

Anyhow, have a routine check-up appt with the doc on Jun 29. I'll bring it up then.

Funnily enough, I'm not particularly worried. Probably too much school work to think about it. But I'll probably angle for an MRI just to be safe.

Regards,
Merridith

I was stage 1 at diagnosis with a 1.7 cm tumour & no nodes.

[AlaskaAngel]

Hi Merridith,

About a year or so out from dx as 1.6 cm IDC I suddenly started having difficulties with vertigo. I'd be in the yard gardening and bend over and then couldn't tell down from up and would just topple over with no way to figure out how to stay upright. I don't have an onc locally where I live so I saw my internist about it, and he checked me out with the maneuver for vertigo, and then we agreed to sit on it and see if it continued.

Vertigo is a pretty common problem, but because HER2 has a way of going to the brain and for some there are even no early symptoms, I think Joe and Christine are right - get it checked out if it doesn't sort itself out. I eventually did have the MRI, and the result was considered negative. I am glad I had it because it also gave me a baseline in case other problems crop up.

I just want to add that I continued to have vertigo from time to time until I had a very helpful physical therapist, who gave me exercises specific to a problem I have from an old shoulder injury that tends to cause misalignment of the neck vertebrae just from the neck muscles trying to help the weak shoulder muscles out - PLUS, that was the side of my lumpectomy. As long as I am consistent about doing the exercises I have not had vertigo since then. So you may want to see if you can find a physical therapist who knows anything about that possibility, since most of us end up with some weakness on the side where surgery was performed.

AlaskaAngel