Getting dizzy and feeling off balance while walking sometimes. (infections, blood pressure, surgery)

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by HodgePodge

Wow, glad that your problem "went away".

I did initially think it was some kind of inner ear problem. That would explain feeling unbalanced.

The problem I have is that my "family" doctor retired over 20 yrs ago. Then my "new" doctor moved to the other side of the city. It's difficult to find a good doctor here.

Trust me, if I had a doctor I'd make an appointment. I'm just fishing for possibilities to contemplate before I fall dead on the streets lol.

Could this be age-related? Vertigo can happen as people age through their 50's into the 60's. It has to do with the thinning of certain tissues in the inner ear. (A lot of PCP's aren't aware of this.) Though symptoms usually aren't limited to onset during walking; it can strike at any time. Try taking 100 mg. of alpha lipoic acid twice daily. It provides relief for some vertigo sufferers.

[oh-eve]

Get all your thyroid levels checked out. My sister had your symptoms, it was the thyroid. My dad had your symptoms - low blood sugar.

It could be anything. You need your blood work done.

[Tabbychic]

I have been dizzy for 3 years now. It's awful.

[otterhere]

I've heard this can also be a side effect of the Covid vaccines and boosters. Have you gotten them?

[Scorpio60]

Whenever I have a buildup of fluid in my inner ear (had this since childhood) and I'm in my 60's now I get dizzy and can't walk straight. I have been to many ENT's and they all said I have seasonal allergies which cause the fluid to build up. A shower helps me get rid of fluid. In the past I have put hydrogen peroxide drops in my ears and I hear it bubbling and that helps me as well.

As others said no one here is a doctor so your best best is to see your doctor.

[WouldLoveTo]

Originally Posted by Scorpio60

Whenever I have a buildup of fluid in my inner ear (had this since childhood) and I'm in my 60's now I get dizzy and can't walk straight. I have been to many ENT's and they all said I have seasonal allergies which cause the fluid to build up. A shower helps me get rid of fluid. In the past I have put hydrogen peroxide drops in my ears and I hear it bubbling and that helps me as well.

As others said no one here is a doctor so your best best is to see your doctor.

Do allergy meds work for you? With a decongestant?

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by WouldLoveTo

Do allergy meds work for you? With a decongestant?

Allergy symptom relievers/decongestants can help with dizziness resulting from low grade middle ear infection with effusion. I've gotten this before in summer pollen/wildfire smoke season. No ear pain or other signs of acute infection, just persistent dizziness or vertigo. Other potential causes for dizziness were eliminated, but dehydration is often the first culprit. My GP checked my ears and found evidence of fluid behind the eardrum. He suggested a long acting OTC such as Claritin (took it in the morning so it didn't keep me awake that night). It can take quite a while to resolve...several weeks.

BTW, putting something like hydrogen peroxide in your ears (the outer ear canal) can certainly help clean them, soften wax, and reduce bacteria, but it isn't going to penetrate past the eardrum. It won't do much of anything for middle or inner ear infections.

[farm fatale]

Aspartame side effects. If you drink diet Coke or other soda pop.

[WouldLoveTo]

Originally Posted by Parnassia

Allergy symptom relievers/decongestants can help with dizziness resulting from low grade middle ear infection with effusion. I've gotten this before in summer pollen/wildfire smoke season. No ear pain or other signs of acute infection, just persistent dizziness or vertigo. Other potential causes for dizziness were eliminated, but dehydration is often the first culprit. My GP checked my ears and found evidence of fluid behind the eardrum. He suggested a long acting OTC such as Claritin (took it in the morning so it didn't keep me awake that night). It can take quite a while to resolve...several weeks.

BTW, putting something like hydrogen peroxide in your ears (the outer ear canal) can certainly help clean them, soften wax, and reduce bacteria, but it isn't going to penetrate past the eardrum. It won't do much of anything for middle or inner ear infections.

I tried Claritin D for a similar problem last month but only lasted a week on it before giving up. I drink a lot during the day but this just made me drink more, which meant I had to get up at 4am to pee. Which didn't matter as I couldn't sleep even taking it in the morning (I even tried half a tablet). And it made me feel like my head was in a vise. All without relieving any dizzy symptoms. Too bad I couldn't stand it for longer. An ENT found no evidence of fluid though.

[HodgePodge]

Lol, so many possibilities... from reasonable common things (dehydration) to scary stuff (MS, cancer etc).

Thank you all, I will certainly digest them all.

I have to admit, maybe low blood sugar and / or dehydration. More probably the latter. Though the allergy twist and inner ear problem is certainly intriguingly possible.

The smart thing is certainly to goto a doc. Let me restate this - I am currently with NO family doctor. I need to find one, and just ask any Canadian how difficult it is and you will understand my dilemma.

I like to see what people's experiences are in real life. Sometimes they are much more useful than docs trying to diagnose and getting nowhere (just read the horror stories on lyme disease).