"Dizzy Spells"

Hi...

I'm new to epilepsy.com and I was just posting this on here to see if anyone else out there had the same thing I do.

I'm 21 and have remembered having "dizzy spells" since I was 4. I have never had what people consider an actual "seizure", with convulsions and smelling burning stuff. I suppose my whole attack is similar to just a severe aura. I have them about 3-4 months apart.

My attack begins early in the morning around 4-6am and lasts until 3pm or even later. Sometimes I have them two days in a row. I have extremely bad vertigo and nausea. It's nothing for me to have to vomit 10 times or more during an attack.

The dizziness feels like a super fast roller coaster that I can't control and I usually just curl up in a ball and try to ease the sensation that way. The miniattack lasts about 10 seconds I guess. But I have alot of them throughout the day.

After a few hours of miniattacks and throwing up, I feel like the dizzy feeling has kind of let up and drift into a deep sleep. When I wake up, I feel somewhat better and slowly get going about my daily routine. I end up having a headache and upset stomach at the end of the day, though.

Sometimes the "dizzy spells" are weaker than others and I can try to walk around.  After a few minutes of walking around while keeping my eyes open and adjusting myself to my surroundings, I can function normally. I still feel like I'm susceptable (sp?) to having a miniattack, so I try to keep it easy until I feel comfortable. Other times, the attacks are more severe and I just have to prop myself up in a recliner and lay there all day with a cold rag on my forehead and a trashcan at my side.

I haven't figured out what triggers them. It could be stress- I'm not ruling that out. But it seems like if air isn't circulating when I sleep or I get too hot at night, I could end up feeling sick later on. I haven't quite pinpointed what causes my attacks.

If anyone has experienced this, please let me know! Any input would be greatly appreciated!!