Mrs. De Vries’ Story About Her Balance Problems and the BalanceBelt
In 2001, Mrs. De Vries first began experiencing balance problems. It started with mild but persistent dizziness. “I never fell, and I never felt truly nauseous, but it did limit me in my daily life,” she explains. “At work, I had several long periods of sick leave, which was difficult. I really loved my job.”
At the time, she worked in psychosocial support and education at a regional cancer center. “I organized meetings for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to improve education and psychosocial care for cancer patients. It was work that meant a lot to me.”
However, as her symptoms progressed, her work became increasingly difficult to maintain. “I saw several ENT doctors—first in Den Bosch and later in Eindhoven—and they diagnosed Ménière’s disease. Eventually, I ended up with Professor Kingma in Maastricht. He determined that I had bilateral vestibular hypofunction. The explanation of what that meant hit hard, but it also gave clarity.”
In 2009, she had to stop working completely. “That was very difficult, because my work was a big part of my identity. But I simply couldn’t continue. What followed was a long period of searching, accepting, and learning to live with my limitations.”
A Long Road to Acceptance
The years that followed were dedicated to adapting to a new reality. “I was never afraid to go outside. I went for walks using a cane, because I wanted to keep enjoying nature.”
After a difficult period of grief and fatigue, she slowly found more stability around 2015. “With psychological support and physiotherapy-guided exercise, I gradually regained some balance. I learned to plan my days very carefully: resting the day before an activity and spending two days recovering after. Everything had to be done with caution. That worked—but it limited my life enormously.”
A Chance Discovery
It wasn’t until late August 2025 that she came across the BalanceBelt—completely by coincidence.
“I was searching online for a video to explain my balance disorder to my French son-in-law. That’s how I found the BalanceBelt. I thought: I want to try that! Even though I had just become a widow and was in a difficult emotional period.”
The First Weeks With the Belt
She contacted the BalanceBelt team and was referred to a physiotherapist in Nijmegen. “I travelled to my first appointment without a cane, by train and then by bus — to the physiotherapist’s surprise. I am seemingly just mobile, so people do not see that I have balance problems.”
During that first appointment, she didn’t notice much difference yet. The real change came once she started using the belt in her daily life.
A few days later, she went on a weekend trip with her daughter and son-in-law. “We walked three days in a row, went out for dinner, visited a city, and did some shopping. Normally, I would have been exhausted afterwards. But when I got home, I thought: Where is the fatigue? My daughter even said: ‘I think we are more tired than you are!’”
She could hardly believe it. “A week later, I walked with a friend in the dark, without a cane, on uneven ground. I waited for the fatigue to set in—but it didn’t. That’s when I knew: this really works.”
More Energy, More Freedom
Since using the BalanceBelt, her life has changed dramatically. “I have more energy, more days in the week. I used to have only two or three functioning days — now I have all seven. My mind feels calmer, I sleep better, I enjoy the world around me again.”
Even cycling short distances has become easier. “Before, I had to focus all my attention on cycling. Now I can look around and enjoy the ride.”
The effect is subtle, but powerful. “The belt has made my life so much richer. I can spend my energy on living instead of just coping. I have room in my head again.”
Enjoying Life Again
Over the years, she had adapted her hobbies. From long walks and attending concerts, she moved to more seated activities such as sewing and drawing. “I design Arabic patterns; I make birth cards and birthday cards. If I ran out of energy, I could just stop and continue the next day.”
Now, with more energy, she can slowly rediscover what she wants her days to look like. “That will take some time — I’ve lived more than 20 years with limitations.”
She smiles: “I’m 75, but I feel more active than I have in years. Instead of slowing down, I’m becoming more energetic again. People say I’m glowing. And they’re right — I have all seven days of the week back!”