Dizziness in teen son - Updated in first post

[mamamary]

My 16 year old woke up feeling very dizzy about an hour and a half ago. His only other thing out of the ordinary is that his temp. (orally) is only 96 degrees. It was even lower the first time i took it. He said he feels really cold. I just had him try walking and he was tipping over to his right side. Everything is spinning. He does not feel like he is going to faint or anything though.

So while I wait for the doctor's office to open any ideas? I'm hoping maybe it's just his ears or something not too bad. He is on an antibiotic for acne but that's been for about three weeks so i don't know if he'd have such a late reaction to that.

Update: Well we just got back. She couldn't find anything wrong with him. Blood pressure, ears, vitals were all good. Nose looked slightly inflamed but she didn't think that had anything to do with it. She did a strep test just in case - said since he has no tonsils sometimes you don't get all the symptoms. That was negative. Thought maybe he was starting with a virus but other symptoms should show soon. Said to give her an update in two days. Also to increase fluids for the next few days. Oh well at least I brought him and know he is ok.

Thanks for all the other replies.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Low blood pressure, low blood oxygen saturation, low iron, low blood sugar?

A virus?

An ear infection?

Substance abuse?

 

[Poohforyou]

The only thing I'd have him to until the doctor's office opens is to lie down. It could be an inner ear thing. It could be a concussion (has he had a fall or gotten hit recently). The crystals in his ear could be out of whack. Is he dehydrated? Perhaps have him try drinking a little water and see if he keeps it down.

I hope he feels better soon. I've had those symptoms with illness and it can be miserable.

 

[Laura66]

My daughter experienced dizzyness while taking Solodyn (sp) for her moderate acne. She had to switch to something else.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

Fluid in the sinus cavities or inner ear can cause vertigo or dizziness. No one in my family ever has a 98.6 read on a digital thermometer, if that's what you're using. I hope he feels better!

 

[Liberty Belle]

If he's dizzy and tipping, it could be inner ear. I've had an inner ear infection with no fever and really no pain. The doctor had me lie on my back and he held on to me (so I wouldn't fall) and had me sit up very quickly (straight up from my back). When I about toppled over doing that, he diagnosed an inner ear infection and gave me antibiotics. Cleared it up in a couple of days.

 

[MissManda]

Sounds like he has vertigo, which is most likely an ear "thing".

Several years ago, I work up and was horribly dizzy. The whole room was spinning around me. I could hardly even walk it was so bad. I thought I was dying or something. I drug myself to the doctor (actually, I called my mother to come get me because I couldn't drive and DH was out of town working). She told me I had Labrynthitis, which she said was basically a sick inner ear. Something about the crystals being out of whack. She didn't give me any medication though as she said it normally has to work itself out and mine didn't appear to be an actual infection. She did tell me to take meclazine (non-drowsy dramamine) for the motion sickness caused by the vertigo. It took several days but it finally went away. A friend of mine was just diagnosed with the same thing along with a sinus infection so she got antibiotics but it still took several days for the vertigo to wear off.

I hope your son feels better soon.

 

[mamamary]

If he's dizzy and tipping, it could be inner ear. I've had an inner ear infection with no fever and really no pain. The doctor had me lie on my back and he held on to me (so I wouldn't fall) and had me sit up very quickly (straight up from my back). When I about toppled over doing that, he diagnosed an inner ear infection and gave me antibiotics. Cleared it up in a couple of days.

This is what I'm hoping it is. He actually fell asleep right now so I'm not sure how he is currently. One more hour for the drs office to open - hoping they can take him right away.

 

[marcyinPA]

My DS17 was diagnosed with vertigo in September. Same symptoms, but we never took his temp. His temp is always low anyway, and he is also always cold, but we contribute that to having (treated) Lyme Disease.

When he was diagnosed with vertigo, they said it was likely from a virus. They gave him a script for meclazine and told us if he wasn't better in a few days, up to a week, call them back. He was better in about 4 days.

He had another bout with veritgo about a month ago. Just woke up, stood up and was dizzy- for about 4 days again. This time I took him to a chiropractor, who did an adjustment on him. He has been fine since.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My 16 year old woke up feeling very dizzy about an hour and a half ago. His only other thing out of the ordinary is that his temp. (orally) is only 96 degrees. It was even lower the first time i took it. He said he feels really cold. I just had him try walking and he was tipping over to his right side. Everything is spinning. He does not feel like he is going to faint or anything though.

So while I wait for the doctor's office to open any ideas? I'm hoping maybe it's just his ears or something not too bad. He is on an antibiotic for acne but that's been for about three weeks so i don't know if he'd have such a late reaction to that.

Give him some hot beverages to drink to warm himself up and then take a shower if he thinks it is safe to do. Might help some of his stuff drain.

I am using Flonase for the fluid to drain in my ears. My eustachian tube gets blocked and this does the trick for me.

He could have low blood sugar or low blood pressure? If you have a blood pressure cuff or a blood tester, I would use to see what those #'s are.

I get dizzy from low blood pressure as well.

 

[mamamary]

Didn't think about low blood pressure. But i got a 10:15 appt. He's eating now and thinks he is feeling better but temp is still at 95.9 and says he is cold.

Hopefully I'll have an answer soon.

 

[nemajovc]

If it is vertigo he can do special exercises to make it better /prevent it. Meclzine also helps for short term.

 

[tennisfan]

Didn't think about low blood pressure. But i got a 10:15 appt. He's eating now and thinks he is feeling better but temp is still at 95.9 and says he is cold.

Hopefully I'll have an answer soon.

I'd be surprised if it is low blood pressure and that usually leads to being dizzy and faint. It is sounding more ear related due to room spinning and tipping to one side, possible infection which may explain the low temp. Good luck at the dr's

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

DS16 is a runner so he has a low resting heart rate, so he wakes up sometimes feeling dizzy. DS has been told to never spring up to fast from sitting or laying down.
I hope your DS feels better soon.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Pollen counts are very high right now, at least where I live. I imagine they are elsewhere, too, since it's spring. Allergens can cause fluid build-up in the head and ears, which in turn can cause dizziness and other symptoms. I'm not prone to many allergies, but this happens to me sometimes during allergy season. For my DH and DS, it's the norm. Our doctors have us take decongestants, which help drain the fluid. DH and DS also take inhalers, one of which is a steroid, which also decreases inflammation. Good luck. Hope he feels better soon!

PS if it is allergies from pollen, have him shower if he's been outside and make sure he sleeps on a fresh pillow. Also keep his bedroom windows closed if it's warm out.

 

[mamamary]

DS16 is a runner so he has a low resting heart rate, so he wakes up sometimes feeling dizzy. DS has been told to never spring up to fast from sitting or laying down.
I hope your DS feels better soon.

That's interesting - my son is also a runner but I did not know this.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

DS16 is a runner so he has a low resting heart rate, so he wakes up sometimes feeling dizzy. DS has been told to never spring up to fast from sitting or laying down.

That's interesting - my son is also a runner but I did not know this.

You can look it up as orthostatic hypotension.

It's not just for runners. Anyone who gets dizzy going from laying to standing should "dangle" their legs over the side of the bed for a minute or two before standing, which allows their blood pressure to get up enough to support brain perfusion. Very common in the elderly who take a lot of medications.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

You can look it up as orthostatic hypotension.

It's not just for runners. Anyone who gets dizzy going from laying to standing should "dangle" their legs over the side of the bed for a minute or two before standing, which allows their blood pressure to get up enough to support brain perfusion. Very common in the elderly who take a lot of medications.

Yep, DS is in a bunk so he has to hang his legs over the steps for a few, and never bounds off the couch quickly. He's done it a few times and gets a swimming feeling. Never passes out but needs to sit down.

His DR said his RHR is around 45 bpm.

 

[NoSoup4U]

Update: Well we just got back. She couldn't find anything wrong with him. Blood pressure, ears, vitals were all good. Nose looked slightly inflamed but she didn't think that had anything to do with it. She did a strep test just in case - said since he has no tonsils sometimes you don't get all the symptoms. That was negative. Thought maybe he was starting with a virus but other symptoms should show soon. Said to give her an update in two days. Also to increase fluids for the next few days. Oh well at least I brought him and know he is ok.

Thanks for all the other replies.

Glad he's ok. The same thing happened to my kid....had a few dizzy spells, when we got to the doctor, she said i have a healthy child. Nothing is wrong. Thats so frustrating, but oh well. That is good news.

 

[minkydog]

You can look it up as orthostatic hypotension.

It's not just for runners. Anyone who gets dizzy going from laying to standing should "dangle" their legs over the side of the bed for a minute or two before standing, which allows their blood pressure to get up enough to support brain perfusion. Very common in the elderly who take a lot of medications.

I agree. I have had vertigo for several years, but especially bad this year. If I stand up, bend over, roll my head back or to the left, or turn over in bed, the whole room goes whoosh! I never jump up from the bed or a chair. The vertigo doesn't last very long, thank goodness.

Christian had vertigo about 3 years ago. We didn't know it but it was due to a med he was on. He would be walking and suddenly just fall over. Thankfully, he never hit his head on the fireplace or fell down the stairs during an episode. When I figured out it was a med, it took us 2 weeks to wean him off it, all the while giving him Meclizine 3 times a day. Let's just say, he was a mellow fellow.