Monday was doctor day. I had a follow-up visit scheduled with my ENT to go over my MRI results and next steps regarding my balance issue.
I arrived at the hospital an hour early to get some blood work done first, then spoke to my ENT. Since the vitamins I started taking have been helping my balance improve, he said we should put the physical therapy on hold and revisit the issue in three months.
I asked what was checked during the MRI, and he said they scanned my brain for any pressure, aneurysm, etc. as well as the inner ear canal. Everything is clean, which is reassuring. This article actually explains my diagnosis very well (Vestibular Neuritis). It is scary to think a virus can attack your inner ear and destroy the nerve without even knowing there’s a problem though! And that’s assuming that’s really what happened to me as there’s no way to prove it.
The doctor didn’t mention it, but I read on that same site that an autoimmune disease could have attacked the vestibular system. I’ve long suspected I have an undiagnosed autoimmune disease because I have so many different things that seem to go wrong at different times. Things that will bother me for months and then mysteriously disappear for years. It’s so frustrating because even to me it makes me sound like a hypochondriac. I’m just tired of feeling tired, sore, anxious, depressed, cold, irritated, etc.
Anyway, I also saw my primary care doctor to get advice/referrals for my depression/anxiety, sleep issues, and my cold feet. Either later today or Monday I’ll be calling around to make appointments with all the respective specialists.