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[RonandJanet]

Well I hope you both get this resolved fast. That has to be scary stuff. My father-in-law has vertigo and it just comes on. Getting old is tough!  Love the bike!

[longlast]

Hope it gets sorted out for you Dan, that would be a concern having something like that going on. Hope your Doc can find the short circuit and get the repairs done ASAP. Good luck and good health to you ride safe.

[Dan_Lockwood]

To me the Shovel motor doesn't just start. It comes to life especially with 1 3/4 drags. I just came from left ear scan myself. They are looking for something middle ear that would require surgery. Results tomorrow 

I hope you have good news today.  If you do require surgery, at least it sounds like you will have a positive outcome.

When I had my ole noggin MRI, I was kind of hoping they would find something in there that was causing the issue.  My hope was that at least if there is a cause, it could be fixed.  But right now it's the process of elimination for me.

Again, hope all goes well for you.

[HUBBARD]

To me the Shovel motor doesn't just start. It comes to life especially with 1 3/4 drags. I just came from left ear scan myself. They are looking for something middle ear that would require surgery. Results tomorrow 

Rooster, that is absolutely the best Harley sound, EVER, to me!!!  I mean, just kick startin' a Shovel over, and grabbin' a handful of throttle before you even mount up!  That's 2 things on my Bucket List, that I hope the Good Lord will let me live long enough to accomplish.  1) build a Shark or a Street Glide with a Blower, and 2), build an 80" Shovel, maybe even on a Rigid-Frame, with a 10" over Wide Glide.  Thatd' be Ol' School heaven for me!!!  Later--HUBBARD   

[Indenial]

Dan, please keep us posted as to what it is. I have a similar thing--only less pronounced that I can't locate.

[Dan_Lockwood]

Okay, here's the update.

First off, too much typing and this will be a Part 1 and Part 2, sorry about the length...

The day of Thanksgiving '14 my first episode after a big day of eating.  Second episode Saturday two day later after another big day of eating.

I thought originally that I had overdosed on carbs from tators, gravy, dressing, bread etc.  I am hypoglycemic and am pre-diabetic.  Even as a kid if I ate say a bowl of Ramen noodles and then a few hours later I would start to get the shakes.  Eating something would help at that point.

Move on to current day.

I had gained weight, up to just over 290# and was there for more years than I care to remember.  My fighting weight is around 230#.  I also drank Diet Coke like it was going to be discontinued in a day or two.

I hadn't had a physical in many years (actually ever).  So that's when I found out my A1C was 7.5, in the diabetic range.  My mom had diabetes all of her life that I remember.  So my doc did me a favor and she didn't diagnose me with diabetes, just told me where I was and that if I didn't change my ways, that's what I would have.

Well as any adult male would be expected to do, I blew that off for about a year until it finally sank into my thick noggin.  I stopped drinking Diet Coke and started to drink water with Crystal Light, about 64oz a day.  My wife is overweight and we both needed to be shocked into doing something.  So we changed to salads, "a" meat product and fresh veggies for our main evening meal.  I eat a can of Progresso soup for lunch at work and a fruit cup around 10:00 and 3:00.  Neither of us exercised any though, another step I need to take SOON...

So over the course of a year I dropped down to around 238# and she dropped about 40#.  We both feel better.  My goal was to get into a 36" pant and I achieved that.

My A1C when down to 6.3, which is still higher than a non-diabetic, but listed as pre-diabetic.  So I can legally say I'm not diabetic for insurance purposes, thanks doc...

So when Thanksgiving rolled around, hey it was Thanksgiving, so we both ate what we wanted that weekend.  So I "thought" it may be related to the life style change and then eating LOTS of carbs.

She did some basic tests and said let's monitor it for a while.  It was going into winter and I really never thought about it again, especially how it might impact my riding.

So fast forward to Memorial Day this year.  Nothing special in the line of food that set this episode off that I could think of.

Then on July 11th at 1:30 am I woke up with an episode.  My wife was in Chicago, had Adele tickets.  So that day I was really sick.  If I sat up for 15 seconds or so, I'd feel like I had to throw up.  Then on Tuesday I felt better, but I could induce dizziness by rolling my head back and forth.

I also noticed that between Memorial Day and July 11th that if I rolled over in bed too fast, I could get dizzy.

My ex-wife said that she had this and that her "ear crystals" were out of alignment.  I told her that I thought she was daft...  Never heard of ear crystals.  But surprisingly, the more I researched them, the more they became common to many people.  She said that a physical therapist did a couple weeks of adjustment and she's been fine ever since.

Continued...

[Dan_Lockwood]

Part 2

So going back to the weekend before Memorial Day, we were with our friends back down at the Lake of the Ozarks.  He has a 42' Sonic with twin BBC's and they are down WAY deep in the rear of the boat.  He said that he needed to have the plugs changed and I said that I would try to help.  Now I've been a mechanic off and on all my life and can turn a wrench with the best of them.... but changing out his plugs was not to be.  I spent 3 hours hanging upside down over the transom and the rear passenger's compartment bulkhead.  I changed out 3 plugs in 3 hours.  Pulling the water cooled exhaust manifolds is how it's supposed to be done and then it's only a few hours to do all 16.

Looking back at my next weekend and having an episode, it could have been due to the movement of the crystals getting into the wrong ear tubes and getting caught in the microscopic hairs that tell the brain that you're moving from feeling the fluid move across the hairs.  But if a crystal has been broken loose, it could do the same thing and tell my brain that I'm moving when I'm standing or sitting still.

Not knowing what was going on I did see my doc.  She recommended that I see an ENT and do their thing.  In the mean time I had the head MRI which was negative and looked "normal".  Other than some hearing loss over the many years of snowmobile and bike racing, I guess I was okay.  I went in and had their ENG test.  This allows them to track eye motion while looking at different things and places.  They also blew cool and warm air in my ears and also tipped me around backwards trying to get me dizzy.  I passed them all in flying colors.

I wanted to have a stress test so the doc ordered that as well as an echocardiogram, an ultrasound of my heart.  I did the stress test up to 20% grade in 9 minutes and 3.3 or 3.5 mph, can't remember.  He told me to quit as he got what he wanted to see I guess.  Then the echo test.  It was good and I guess I have a couple minors things related to age, I'm just 66.

After all of this the doc said you know, it wouldn't hurt to have some therapy on the ear crystals.  So I'm off to the therapist and he ran me through his battery of tests the first day and then I went back and he did the laser on the forehead to check out my eye/motor skills in tracking with the laser to different locations on a screen.  Basically he suggested to NOT do any adjusting.  All he said was that if/when I have another episode to come in while I have the lingering effects of the tilting head dizziness and he may then be able to find a problem and do an adjustment accordingly.

I several suggestions from members, all good ones.  Many had life experiences similar to me or their spouse.  Some were corrected, some were not and I probably won't be going to the Mayo Clinic, but I do appreciate the suggestions and replies.

The bottom line is that I've not had another one since July the 11th and I feel great.  All of the tests have at least given me a base line to compare future tests to.  So not all bad I guess.

My wife caught bronchitis a few weeks ago and I caught it from her.  So I've been going in and out of work, depending on the day and how much I cough etc.  I've had a chest x-ray and that showed up a lump on one of my lungs.  So the next day I had a CT scan with contrast to see what the issue may be.  I have a nodule about 6mm in diameter, about the size of the pencil eraser, on one lung.  They said that I could be due in part to my bronchitis and inflammation of the lungs.  I have no idea how long I've had it, maybe all my life, who knows.  So nothing to worry about now, just get another CT scan in 6 months to compare it to.

I'll probably start riding again on the old Shovelhead as it's a bit easier to pull off the road and park quickly.  I also ride it slower so it's all country 2-lane roads for now.  I'll get my sea legs back and see how it goes.

That's if for now folks.

I do really appreciate your concern and suggestions.  If anything comes up or I find out the problem, I'll report back to you all.

Thanks all and have a great week.

[spydglide]

Dan, all in all it sounds positive and that you've got a good 'plan'.  spyder

[HUBBARD]

Dan, I hope all goes well for y'all!  You're in better health than Ol' Hub....hangin' upside down twistin' wrenches is a 20 year old memory to me, and I'm just (I like that), 65.  I abused my body with booze, and other mind altering chemicals for years, and have long since stopped, but I always managed to exercise and stay in above average shape for my age, until one of the Ritus brothers moved in.  Just can't do it anymore.  But I'm not complainin', just stating the facts.  It could be a lot worse, and my Doctor tells me it will be, but what am I gonna' do?  Quit?  Hell No!  I just try, as difficult as it is at times, to accept my limitations, or my situation, and keep moving.  How I'm still walkin' around is totally by the Good Lord's grace.  Everybodys got problems......it's how we handle them.  You seem to be handling yours just fine.  And, like you say, one of the best ways is to get out in the breeze, every once in a while.  I've often wondered how people that have never experienced that release, that invigorating feeling, that sound, and all that wonderful chit that comes with ridin' a Harley, even know what life is about?  They ain't got a clue, if you ask me.  Their loss.  But us.....hell, we're the Champions!  Ride safe.  Later--HUBBARD     

[jlfxstc]

Nice scooter. Hope your feeling better.

[CVO Aqua-Glider]

Dan, I met you and your Wife at the St. Louis GTG ride to Hermann a couple years ago. I'm in O'Fallon too, so if you ever want a riding buddy or need anything at all let me know. Sounds like things are getting better.

[Dan_Lockwood]

Thanks, I appreciate the offer.

I just got my radio back working last night.  So one more going over for cleaning and I'll be ride ready again.  I hadn't cleaned the bike since May 22nd when I got back from Eureka Springs.  I've got new handlebars installed now too, so it should feel like new bike for me.

We're busy for the next few weekends.  Let me rephrase that, my wife has our weekends scheduled until first of October.

I may give you a call in early October to see if we can hook up for a day ride somewhere and grab a bit to eat along the way.

[CVO Aqua-Glider]

Thanks, I appreciate the offer.

I just got my radio back working last night.  So one more going over for cleaning and I'll be ride ready again.  I hadn't cleaned the bike since May 22nd when I got back from Eureka Springs.  I've got new handlebars installed now too, so it should feel like new bike for me.

We're busy for the next few weekends.  Let me rephrase that, my wife has our weekends scheduled until first of October.

I may give you a call in early October to see if we can hook up for a day ride somewhere and grab a bit to eat along the way.

Sounds great. We can hook up with Chopper Pilot maybe for a mini get together.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[LoRider]

Hi Dan. Seen your post just now. Sounds like a case of Labrynthitis. I've had it in the past, lasted 2 weeks, wife had it, lasted about 2 months. Mother has it now and she's had it about 3 months. will go eventually but everyone is different. Hope thats of some help and hope things get better soon - All the best - Tim

[RonandJanet]

Glad to hear everything is looking pretty d..m good.  This getting old stuff s..ks but it is better than the alternative. If I was hanging upside down for three hours I would be dizzy too (and sore). If I do anything new I get sore!