Suggest Remedies For Balance Issues And Dizziness After A Massive Heart Attack

Posted on Thu, 11 Feb 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 11 Feb 2016 Answered on

Sat, 16 Apr 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : My husband had a massive heart attack during his attack he fell and hit his head. In ER the doctor gave him TNK which cause four intercrandial bleeds. Now he is in his fourth month doing rehabilitation. Having difficulty learning to walk and his balance due to nausea,vomiting and dizziness. Doctor prescribed zofran,gravol,domperione and peridot. Nothing seems to help. Getting very frustrated and my husband is now getting depressed. He is 56 years old and was generally healthy before this happen

Answered by Dr. Neeraj Kumar (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Will improve with time, do vertigo exercises

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have gone through your question and understand your concerns.
Vertigo and vomiting unresponsive to medication may be due to central involvement of vomiting centre at brain stem. I would like to know the locations of bleed and whether or not the bleeding involved cerebellar or brain stem? Your treating doctor will know this. Alternatively if you have his scan copies taken at that time, please upload it here.

Improvement may take some time and physiotherapy involving vertigo exercises are key.
Drugs can be continued.
Check for Thyroid profile too.
Avoid spicy food and be active.

Hope he recovers early.
Wishing good health.
Regards
Dr N Kumar
Neurologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Neeraj Kumar (3 hours later)

Thyroid has been looked at. One of his bleeds were in cerebellum area of the brain.CT scans were done several times throughout his coma. MRI was never done would this help us to know what's going on in the brain better then CT scan?

Answered by Dr. Neeraj Kumar (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
No need for Mri, Continue medications as advised

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Cerebellar bleed may lead to vertigo and gait abnormalities.
Vomiting may be due to additional brain stem involvement or drug induced gastritis.
No need for Mri as CT will be adequate for visualisation of bleed.
Take proton pump inhibitors along with other medications and do regular physiotherapy exercises.
Wishing good health.
Regards
Dr N Kumar
Neurologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D