Dizzy on the Beach!!

[Kilroy1976]

Hehheh, I was down at the beach this past weekend, and I can't agree more about the sand and balance. Try this on for size: Fruity rum punch + sinky sugar sand + nighttime + looking up at Jupiter rising over the Gulf. Talk about dizzy!

[Sue]

We could have a theme park without the rides!  Who needs roller coasters, when ya got your own built in dizzy machine!

Sue

[matti]

Sue -  The next time I take the ferry to Victoria, I will sit in the middle of the ferry and not next to the window. Had I done that, I think I would have been fine. The ginger candies that they sell on board are very helpful.

Cheryl

[suelay]

The increased dizziness makes sense to me, but I'm a FL girl (no longer a girl and no longer in FL) and my parents still live on the beach with very soft white sand and totally uneven unless a Hurricane flattens it:(    If there is a way to overcome this, I will find it and share.  My whole life has been water.  Even as a forlorn land lubber these days, I live on a reservoir and have a boat.  Worst case, maybe we can take dramabine.  I will let you guys know what works when they release me to the water again.

[kat]

   ;Hi everyone

I went for a long walk with husband yesterday here in North Yorkshire UK. I was doing fine walking up and down hills and dales but when I had to cross a small river on stepping stones my balance went haywire and my husband had to assist me across like I was a small child . I think it was the sight of water rushing between the stones that did it . I was perfectly Ok as soon as we got across but decided to take a long detour on the way back to avoid the same stepping stones .  This was no hardship since it was a lovely day and the detour went past a lovely country pub which was impossible to resist.
Whether my An or my GK 18 months ago has anything to do with this temporary balance disturbance I do not know .

regards Katarina   

[HeadCase2]

  Balance is an interesting and complex thing.  We get positional data from three main sources; prioreceptors in our body that sense pressure (for example in our feet, sensing pressure on the right side of our foot if we're leaning right), vestibular data from the balance organs in our ears, and from visual data on what's happening around us.
  My guess is that when our vestibular system is compromised from an AN or from AN treatment, one or more of the three vestibular data input sources is not working as before.  The vestibular nerve on one side is often affected during AN growth, or even cut entirely during treatment.
  Many AN patients find that they can't visually track moving things as well, especially if a vestibular nerve is cut.  It seems as if the patient's bandwidth to process "balance" data is reduced.  For example, if things around the person are moving too much (people flying by in a crowd, or fast water moving in a brook), they can't process the visual positioning information fast enough, and may feel off balance.
  The brain is expecting the same vestibular balance data as before, ah, but things have changed.   Vestibular training therapy can involve trying to get the brain to affectively use the new balance data.  For example, visual exercises to help retrain the brain to the new feedback it's getting from the eyes.  Or exercises to help get the brain to perhaps weight one type of balance data over another compromised input.  For example, an exercise where you stand in a corner (the walls are there to catch you if you begin to tip over), legs apart, then as that becomes easier legs together, then one foot in front of the other, then with eyes closed, then eyes closed while moving your head around.  Somtimes this is all done while standing on a pillow, which is harder to do.  All this is to retrain the brain to affectively deal with the modified balance input it's getting.
  If you have balance problems related to AN, I would really recommend seeing a  Physical Therapist experienced in vestibular retraining.  It can help.
Regards,
 Rob

[Sue]

Wow, thanks Rob for the information.  I appreciate it and will try those exercises.

Sue in Vancouver

[Gennysmom]

I am definitely one that has trouble with the moving stuff.  I'm generally fine if things are moving exactly with me, or parallel to me, but if it's perpendicular or non-sensical, I have the urge to sit down or hold on to something.  It makes for big trouble when I'm driving.  I talked to my Dr. about it, and he didn't think that vestibular training would help that condition, that I would hopefully grow out of this.  Maybe, maybe not...maybe VT would help....since I'm only 3 months out I'm just going to keep an eye on it for now, and practice my sand-walking in a couple weeks....maybe we can add that to the list of the AN games we were talking about!!!!!

I do think continually challenging yourself is helpful to most of us in getting past these issues. 

[Pembo]

My friend is a pt who specializes in vestibular training, she would argue that she could help you gennysmom.

Our first trip to the beach I was a year post op and my dh had to hold both my hands while we walked in the water, like a small child. This year, 2 years post op, I could walk with him only holding one hand....so things do improve.

[Rc Moser]

I went to the flea  market the last saturday, I wasn't feeling all that great before I left. the short car ride made me feel even worse. Once I got at  the flea market which was really busy trying to look at all the junk I didn't need, the people moving by, and the swaying over the uneven gravel I got sick and had to go home. This IMO triggered a mild migraine enough where I had to take tyn and go to bed with a ice bag on my head. Seems like alot of movement around use IMO is more than our one balancer (8th Nerve) can handle. I also have a problem on anything that moves or uneven surfaces.