I had a vertigo attack last night, Feb 1, 2012. They are disorienting and uncomfortable. Since most of you, thankfully, will never experience them, I thought you might like to know what they are like.
For me, they start with saccades. Saccades are involuntary very rapid side-to-side eye movements. They are my nystagmus vertigo on speed. When I say very rapid, think 80-100 miles per hour. That’s what it feels like to me. I have no idea what it looks like to other people, because I’m effectively blind. I can’t see print, because my eyes can’t keep up with what’s in front of them, no matter how large the print is. I can’t see where I’m going, because my ocular reflex no longer works from either eye.
If I’m just slightly dehydrated, and I catch the saccades in time, I can drink a half-liter of water, and stop the nystagmus. I thought I did that yesterday, an hour before my vertigo attack. Even though I kept drinking, it was not enough. The saccades stopped temporarily, but returned. Sometimes, I can stop them by looking at my fixed-gaze point, which is up and to the left. Remember, it’s my right ear which is damaged. That didn’t work yesterday.
Once the saccades start, I have 3-5 minutes before the whirlies start. The saccades mean I have no control over what my eyes see. That disorientation and my lack of ocular-vestibular reflex is what causes the whirlies and the stomach upset.
With the saccades, what I see is suspect. I can no longer detect up from down, or what is on my right side or left side. Falling down is a real possibility.
I was able to turn off most of the lights in my office and turn down the heat. I discovered this morning I had turned it all the way down. It’s a good thing it’s a mild winter. I would have been quite cold this morning and my office would have taken hours to warm up. And, I did make it upstairs before I had to vomit the first time.
I walked with my cane, holding onto my bookcase and the wall. The room was whirling by this time. I could only think, “Let me get upstairs, let me get upstairs before I have to throw up.”
When the saccades started yesterday, of course I had to go to the bathroom. Of course! My stomach was already queasy.
And, the question is this: which business do I take care of first? This is not an easy question to answer. Once the vomiting starts, I can’t stop it. I opted to sit first, hoping I could finish before I had to vomit. It’s sort of funny in retrospect. I was able to complete that business before I vomited. I was delighted because I did not want to vomit all over myself. Of course, I did not want to do anything else all over myself either. Which is worse? Both are smelly and stinky. I’m laughing as I read this now. I was not yesterday.
I don’t understand bulimics. I understand wanting to lose weight. I don’t understand wanting to make yourself vomit. I find it so uncomfortable. Maybe because when I have a vertigo attack, it seems as if my tummy says, “Everything must go.” Maybe bulimics can limit themselves. The best comparison I have is getting ready for a colonoscopy. That’s an “everything must go” activity also, except it all goes in one direction. I do prefer that direction.
And, of course, the vertigo attack vomiting is uncontrollable. The best thing I can do is get to the kitchen sink or the bathroom in time. I vomited three times downstairs and thought I was done. I was ready for a nap, so I went upstairs to sleep off the rest of the attack. In the past, when I’m done vomiting, I sleep for 1-3 hours, and I’m okay again.
I wasn’t quite done. It took another two more times to empty my stomach. When I say empty, I mean empty. I walked to the bathroom holding onto the wall, because I still have the saccades, have the dry heaves, and then my stomach says, “Oh, okay, you are now officially empty. You may sleep now.”
I didn’t dare drink anything yet, even though I knew I was dehydrated. I knew I would just throw it up. No, not even my beloved water. It’s not worth the aggravation. I barely even rinsed my mouth out, because it irritates my stomach. What works is sleep. So, I slept for an hour.
When I awoke, the saccades were gone. As soon as they are gone, it’s time to start drinking again. Slowly.
I came back downstairs and started with diet ginger ale and water. Slowly. I managed to drink for a couple of hours and then I finally felt hungry enough to eat a protein bar. If I thought I could have made it downstairs, I would have had a shake instead. I didn’t think I could make it down the stairs to get a shake and get back upstairs without falling down. Of course, Mark is out of town so I couldn’t ask him for help.
That’s when the feelings start rushing in. I’m over the attack part. I’ve lived through the immediacy of it, and I start thinking, “How can I live the rest of my life like this?” It’s damn scary.
When it’s time to go to bed for real, I’m almost re-hydrated. I’m tired, because my body and my emotions have been through the wringer. I’m sort-of hungry, but not enough to eat any more. I’m almost afraid of eating, and happy that the bar I ate is in my tummy, being digested.
The post-vertigo attack symptoms are scary, too. My tinnitus in my right ear always changes for a while, and this time was no exception. It woke me up this morning at 3am. A parenthetical thought: it could have waited until 7am, when I was already awake. My balance is much worse than it was yesterday morning, and will stay that way for a few days.
What really hits me is the isolation. Very few people know what a vertigo attack feels like. I try to describe it, and even my doctors look at me like I’m nuts.
I try not to think of the future, because that’s too damn scary. How can I think of the next 10 or 20 or 30 years like this? I had a great pity party in the shower this morning. I hate to admit it, but I’ve had a couple more since then, between my tasks this morning. When I finish this page, I’ll have one more. And, then, no more until tonight.
I wish I could leave you on an upbeat note, but a vertigo attack is not an upbeat occasion. The most upbeat thing I can say is, thank goodness they don’t happen every day or last more than a couple of hours.
Looking back on this writeup, I was exhibiting the first two forms of emotional resilience during the attack. I was keeping myself healthy by taking care of my physical needs (form 1), and making sure I didn’t make a physical mess.
The second form of emotional resilience was problem solving during and right after the attack. I have had too much experience with vertigo attacks, so I know a little about what to expect. Even so, being able to think through the problem as it is occurring helps me feel more as if I am in charge and less like a victim. Maybe that can help you, too.
Some of you have commented below because you have found this page because you have had your first vertigo attack. I hope it is your last vertigo attack. Here are some things you can do:
- As Douglas Adams would say in the Hitchhikers Guide books, “Don’t Panic.” I know, that’s hard to do.
- If you have not called your primary care physician, do so.
- If you have not called an ENT, and Ear Nose & Throat doctor, call one now. An ENT is your first step towards a real diagnosis. You do not know what is causing your vertigo. You don’t know if this is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, or if this is an ongoing problem. You can live with just about anything, but you will manage your life differently, depending on what the problem is.
- Once your immediate attack has stopped and your stomach has calmed down, drink enough water to rehydrate yourself. I recommend plain tap water. But drink whatever you can keep down. Sometimes, I drink diet ginger ale. Ginger ale with sugar can trigger another vertigo attack for me.
- Watch your sugar and salt intake. If you eat too much sugar or salt or caffeine, you can trigger another vertigo attack.
Good luck. Believe me, I know how you feel. Please keep posting here, and I will keep posting my best wishes for you.
I just wrote Seven Things You Can Do to Help Manage Your Vertigo. That’s what you do after you see an ENT (Ear, Nose, & Throat) doctor and/or an oto-neurologist. I hope this helps.
Remember, I’m a fellow sufferer, not a doctor. Everyone is different. What works for me may not work for you.
Hey, everybody, do you know about PatientsLikeMe.com? When I first joined, they didn’t have many people with vertigo. Now they have more. We have a community now, and they have a way to gather patient data. Maybe it’s time for us to put our data there.
There is a European interdisciplinary network you might like to know about. See the Dizzynet announcement, the vision and aims for Dizzinet. Those of you who are in Europe, if you learn anything, please share. Thanks.
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I have had my first and only case of vertigo for about a month. Yikes! I am miserable…and the meds make me groggy (valium) and don’t do anything for the nausea.
Thank you for describing the nausea and vomiting. I experienced that, once again….last night. It seems that there is a huge something…like a rock right under my breast bone.
Even liquids are hard to keep down now….and I wonder….when is this going to end?
Jane
Jane, I’m not a doctor, and I don’t play one on tv. My kids are grown up, so I’m no longer Dr. Mom. However. I took Meclizine for the initial vertigo, not valium. I had some relief. When you have the whirlies, you can’t keep anything down. You need to get the whirlies under control.
My suggestion is that you find an otoneurologist, pronto. Maybe an ENT will help. An ER doc does not know enough about these problems. You need to calm down your inner ear. Much easier said than done. Good luck, Johanna
I had BPPV 3 times since June, 2015 and all the time I woke up with very serious dizziness with nausea. 1st two times they lasted for few days, I was hospitalized for few days as this was very new and unknown to me. and the 3rd time lasted for 2 days. Does BPPV occur in the mornings only or can they happen any time. My doctor gave me Teva Betahistine 16 mg. 1st couple of times the tabs didn’t work for me at all but during the recent attack I took the meds and I was ok in 2 days. Just wanted to clarify about the occurrence.
HI Malini, I have not noticed any pattern to my vertigo attacks. Since you say it’s BPPV, has anyone showed you the Epley maneuver so you can manage your BPPV yourself?
Yes, sometimes antihistamines work quite well. Sometimes, anti-nausea meds work better.
The real question is this: why are you having these attacks? If you have not seen an ENT, I recommend you do so.
Hi ..How are you, thank you so much for this website, I had my first vertigo episode about 3 years ago, it was scary didn’t know what was happening, went to see my family doctor and learn a new scary word “vertigo” I got strugeron forte and it worked very well, the thing is I always have a balance problem as a result of my PPS, so I guess this was in the making for me, because since the vertigo dizziness become a part of my day, if I stand even though I hold on I get dizzy, if I am using the laptop, my head bops like I am falling even though I am sitting, if I get up too fast I get dizzy, or move my head to another side quickly.
If I am standing or sitting and I watch a vehicle moving I then feel like I am moving too and this has been happening to me for years, that was why I hate to go to the beach , cause of the weird sensation I get when the waves move, the sad thing is I never tell a soul, as scary as it was.
The vertigo is back again this time even more rapid, but I notice that since last year I am having allergies problem and constant sneezing with fresh cold in the mornings but the sneezing last all day even with meds, my throat and nose has been itching me real bad too, so you said something that I realize is a fact, I must have been dehydrated and the fact that I love salt and sugar was not helping at all, I feel so helpless, and I have been thinking about an ear specialist myself, I am just wondering why my doctor did not recommend one.
The only one I know has an office upstairs a building and I cannot get up there because of my disability, so maybe I just have to listen to others advice and see what works for me.
Blessings!
Adassa, allergy problems might make your vertigo worse. Remember, all of the ear, nose, and throat is interconnected. I find that when I have allergies, I am more dizzy.
You don’t say where you live, so I would do several things:
– call the ENT and see if they have an elevator or a handicapped way to enter/exit the building. In the US, all buildings have handicapped access.
– find a different ENT. You have undiagnosed vertigo. Discover what it is.
– Your regular doctor is not competent to help you with vertigo. They have so many other issues to learn. They cannot become experts in ENT or brain issues.
I am not an ENT or an otoneurologist. I recommend you start with an ENT to discover what is going on.
Best wishes to you.
I live in a small Island in the Leeward Isles..I think my chances of ever getting help here is nill..
I had forgetten to tell you that I also have ringing in the ear and slight ear pain,
I assume my vertigo is from my muscular disease plus the menopause and i cannot rule out the amount of time I fell and hit my head, because of the muscular weakness, so every thing added up, only the Lord knows how I am managing with all these things..sigh
I surprise myself that i can still smile some days, or try and keep sane with a teenager on the war path..all i can say is thank God for my husband, i see the pain in his eyes to see me suffering so much, i wish i could wish it away.
I am going to inquire about the ear specialist, and see if he will be able to help me at home, if it turn out to be too expensive for the home visit seeing i cannot get to his office, he has no elevator or handicapped acess after all it is the Caribbean, well i see few with access, but most doesn’t have..i will just continue to hope and pray for the best.
Adassa, I responded to some of your concerns in email. Here is what I have found helpful:
– I keep a spreadsheet of all my vertigo attacks. I include the saccades attacks, and when I bow my head-attacks. I have time since the last attack, and what I think might have caused it: ear pain, dehydration, sugar, salt, whatever. I have helped my docs understand what is wrong with me with this data.
– I track my falls, especially if I hit my head. I am sure I’ve had several concussions. Us dizzy people do not need more head trauma :-)
– I track when I use antihistamines, and see if that changes my vertigo reactions. Sometimes they make it worse. More often, they make it better.
I use a low carb/keto diet, partially to lose weight, and partially to manage my blood sugar spikes. For me (and this is something that is different for everyone), swinging blood sugar is a disaster. I eat less than 40 carbs a day, about 20-30 net carbs (if that much). You should do what is right for you.
I also found that by tracking my data, I was able to stay calmer about my situation. I felt as if I was doing something. We have no control in a vertigo attack. I wanted some control.
A vertigo attack does not need an EKG. You might need other tests, and I suggested some of them in email. It’s not a heart thing. It’s a brain thing. It’s time to look at your brain.
Get your data. Ask for the right kind of doc (ENT, neurologist, etc.) Educate yourself on possible tests and ask for them. Stay away from the ER. Those nice docs don’t know anything about vertigo, unless you are very lucky.
Maybe your husband can help you advocate for different care. Sometimes, when a family member makes a request, it’s better than when a patient makes a request.
Iknow this well had a stroke a few yrs ago now half of the right side of my head is still full of blood vertigo is result what a challenge every day and to make it worse a bone stop headache for 3yrs now. All kinds of pictures of 1form or another just blood stick in there
Nick, I hope you find some sort of relief soon. My best wishes to you.
Johanna,
Thank you for putting into words such an accurate description of what a vertigo attack experience is like. It’s all encompassing. I had a stroke in 2017 ( it was mild, left sided) followed by seizures, severe vertigo, saccades and nystagmus. Extreme imbalance. Several neurologists later and cervical fusion surgery followed by 4 mos of vestibular therapy I regained much of my balance back. Best doctors were ENT, Neurotologist, Neurosurgeon and physical therapist. Zonisamide stems vertigo attacks, lrg dose magnesium glutamate helps with severe migraines ( I’ve had since childhood made worse last several years). I see a migraine specialist now. I have tinnitus in rt ear and total loss of hearing in rt ear now. It’s been a journey to get to this point. Advocate for yourself. Don’t be afraid to “ fire” docs who aren’t interested or invested in figuring it out. Keep fighting. Blessings to all as we fight for our good days.
Becca, you’re welcome. Good that you found a medicine that helps you. Totally agree with your comment on the firing docs who don’t want to support your quest for a diagnosis and ways to manage symptoms. I’ll take those blessings and send them right back to everyone. Thanks.
My husband’s ear specialist prescribed Zofran strips that can be inserted under the tongue and will melt immediately. He would just vomit the pills up. They seem to be working.
Jane…I went to see a few ENTs. Only one prescribed Valium! He was also the only one that didn’t believe in the inner ear stones, and was old a dirt. You might want to try a different ENT. My new ENTs said its common for the older school of ENTs to dismiss newer findings and Valium is a common thread with them.
The doctor I went to had never heard of virtigo …I’ve had the epliley test on my ear after having the tilt test in hospital for falls as I was falling smashing my head off the pavement No warning soo embarrassing..I’ve been told after being on the sick I can resume my heavy cleaning jobs I have a self employed cleaning business. They must be joking but they not..
You couldn’t have explains what I’ve been feeling for the past couple of months Better. I get these attacks about once every couple of weeks and I don’t know what to do anymore. Not to mention the doctors couldn’t help me at all. Being that you’re going through the same thing as me, what remedies have. Worked for you? Any advice would be great at this point becausee there are few besides you of course that understand all this… It’s very isolating in a way.
Hope this gets better for the both of us and anyone who suffers from this,
Alex
Hi I’ve been ill with virtigo I did not know what it was vomiting being sick sweating not being able to feel my feet on the ground, projectile vomiting having to lie down and sleep it took the professionals ages to work out after brain scan ,tests ect they said its my ear so after falling smashing my head of the pavement outside several times no warning I’ve had the epliley ear thing done at the hospital, well what can I say I feel better give it a try it might help .
Alex, make sure you see an ENT, or an oto-neurologist. A regular internist does not have the expertise to manage your problems. He or she does not know enough. You need at minimum an ENT (ear-nose-throat) doctor. If you are having vertigo attacks that often you need to make sure you don’t have Meniere’s Disease or some other progressive vestibular problem. Make sure you have appropriate medical supervision. And, check your hearing. Do you still have your hearing? If not, run to the ER, and ask for prednisone. Maybe you can still keep your hearing while they diagnose your problem.
I am 30 years old,since last 5 years i am having Tinitus(Buzz sound in my left year),now since last ten days i am also feeling Giddiness…no ENT helped me yet
Go see an otoneurologist. They are neurologists that specialize in inner ear problems. There are not too many of them, so it depends where you live. You may have to travel to find one.
Hi! I just suffered vertigo 2x. First was last aug 2012 and it
Lasted for 2wks i guess. Then the second attacked happened this november 2012. Its been 6 days and im still suffering. I went to the ENT and the dr told me that i have a vertigo. She didnt give any medicine to me to cure my vertigo but rather a she gave me a vit B complex. Help me guys to find out on how to cure my vertigo. I couldnt start to exercise because im worried that during my exercise vertigo attack me. I so helpless. My son it too young. Hes only 4 yrs old and im 37, too young to die.. Pls help me coz im getting paranoid. Thankyou so much. Pls do email me at atuh0796@yahoo.com
Peachy, You only feel like you’re going to die. You need another ENT, one with empathy. There are no meds to cure vertigo. There are meds to manage vertigo.
You can do anything with vertigo, including exercise, as long as you manage it. The question is: which kind of vertigo do you have? If you have BPPV, learn the Epley maneuver, so you can bring the crystals back inside your inner ear, where they belong. It’s quite easy to feel paranoid. I will email you, too.
Just wanted to say that you arent alone…I had 2 major attacks of BPPV in 2009…Put me in the hosp both times..they sent in a neurologist the second time and turns out i had BPPV…Didnt learn about the Epley manuever till recently & since i didnt have anymore symptoms since, i never did them…This past July when i had a mini whirly attack, the symptoms went away after 30 mins or so….Ever since then..I have had some slight ringing on the left side, it comes and goes, and a constant slight pressure headache/fogginess/feeling like that a MAJOR attack is gonna happen… Sometimes at random ( for the last few weeks) i would get woozy and slightly dizzy at random and then my heart races like hell, i try to relax, breathe and it subsides and eventually goes away in a few minutes… I have an ENT appt next week so ill see what he has to say…But im thankful for you and other on the internet bringing us all Vertigo sufferers together and find some relief from all the advice out there….Glad to have read your postings and your dealings with Vertigo and what you have gone thru and still are…..Sincerely….Chuck Von Dietsch
Chuck, good luck in advance with your appt. I do hope that you find some relief.
The thing that makes me nuts with vertigo is that it is so random. I can be at my normal level of dizziness, which is tolerable. Then “something” happens. And, if I just knew what it was, I wouldn’t have done it!
When I posted this page, I was angry about having yet another vertigo attack. Now, I’m really glad I did.
How do I do the maneuver im suffering right now n cant take it anymore
Cristine, start here: http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/bppv/epley/first.html
It will lead you through a series of pages. This works if you have BPPV, where the crystals in your ear have come out of the canals. If you do not have BPPV, it won’t help. Best wishes to you.
Help me with suggestion for vertigo plz
Toni, without more details, I can’t suggest anything. Did you see Seven Things You Can Do to Help Manage Your Vertigo? The people here have many great ideas. If you have not seen an ENT, you should.
My husband has vertigo and unfortunately there is no actual cure for it. He is on prescription Meclizine every 8 hours and when he has an attack the doctor gave him Zophran strips for vomiting.
First of all your not going to die . I’ve had it it’s pure hell I had the epliley thing done on my ear it’s great get it done ASAP your doctor can do it in surgery or the hospital, good luck and stop worrying as this makes it worse.
It all started for me about 4 weeks ago. I was at a training day writing and listening to the speaker when i felt what i can only describe as a fizzing sensation starting in my legs which rushes up to my head, making me feel like i am going to faint! I ended up in the floor, numb and spasmed in my extremities. Everyone thought it was just heat and exhaustion. I was fine until 4 days later when i was sitting in the Drs, it happened again only much worse! I ended up on the floor again in front of everyone, crying because i was scared as my extremities had twisted so much, and my face too. When they wheeled me (eventually) into the Dr, he basically said id had a panic attack! Totally out of the blue for me. He did look in my ears and said they looked infected too, he sent me on my way with antibiotics and said get a paper bag!! I had never been so scared, and i have good medical knowledge as i have always worked in clinics and hospitals. It happened again a few days later, this time my heart was beating so hard and fast, my mum could see it pumping our my chest. We called 111, they sent a paramedic who was lovely. She hooked me up to the ECG to catch my heart rate spikes and said i want having panick attacks but she want sure what wad wrong apart from i had a slight temp. So at the hospital they did a chest xray, bloods, another ECG and found nothing wrong, so face me beta blockers and refered me to a cardiologist. In the time from then to now i have been monitoring my own condition, looking at my medical history etc. i have also been meditating, seeing a therapist, going to yoga and swimming. I know that it’s not panick!!! Anxiety maybe, due to the new problems and scariness of it all! Im just waiting for my Ent app to come through as I’m not sure if it Labrynthitis, Minieres etc?? I too feel increadably sick when it happens, and my bowel needs to empty, my heart races, i feel like i can’t breath and I’m going to die. Then i get really tired and feel like I’ve been run over by a steam roller! I’m now trying to find remedies to relieve my symptoms. Any advice will be greatly received. Thank you. X
Emma, I have no idea what this is, but it sure doesn’t sound like a panic attack. At least, not as a primary cause. When I get a vertigo attack, I too feel quite sick first. First, come the saccades, then the whirlies, followed by a need to empty my bladder and bowels, then my stomach. I don’t know what happens for other people. By that time, I’m exhausted and kind of panicky, because I can’t see very well and I have no balance.
If your ears are full, your balance will be affected. At least you went to the ER. If you have labyrinthitis, make sure you get vestibular therapy. The faster you see an ENT, the faster you can be helped. Good luck.
Emma, did you have any seizure type activity?
i have light vertigo from time to time. one of my triggers is high-low blood pressure (when u stand up or lay down)
Ask ur dr for Epply Maneuver .
ginger helps
I too suffer with vittigo . For 15 years I have it . But the attack I am having right now is diffrent to the usual ones normally I feel like I am moving not the world around me
but this time the world is spinning so fast my goddness it is scarey i called for my husband screaming my vision i am blind the sweat was pouring off me in fear . Then it stopped but if i move my head to the left oh my it comes back . I feel bloody awful and scared it will last forever .
Pia, I also have what I call “trigger” points. If I look at a certain place or look in a certain way, I can trigger a vertigo attack, sometimes. Yes, talk about scary. The scariest thing is that you have no control over your body. Something is happening inside of you that is out of your control.
We are adults. It comes from inside our bodies. This is not supposed to happen to us, is it? I cannot think of anything scarier. I suspect there is, but I can’t imagine it. My heart goes out to you.
Hi…you wrote this article six years ago as it is now 2019. I came down with Vertigo on December 19th, 2018. I went today to an ENT doctor today. I was put on a table by a PT with my head dangling and being twisted in all different directions to get those crystals to move. The spinning was so terrifying that I was crying. The PT was good though and kept saying the spinning will stop which helped me. I did feel better by the end of the session so I will shall see. It sounds crazy but it’s like trying to expel a demon who has possessed my body. Like you said, it’s like losing control over your body. You are the only one that had true insight into the shear terror I felt. Thanks so much!
Regina, good luck. Yes, the techs and PTs helped me find my “spot” to focus on, to reduce the spinning and help my vertigo.
Came across this thread today and thought I’d share my recent experience in the case it helps anyone: I woke up to a spinning room 4/4 and 4/5/2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The vertigo lasted only 30-60 seconds. Many symptoms followed. Dizziness/Motion type feelings all day every day. Some while sitting still, others with head and eye movements. Swaying feelings, vertigo (spinning), etc…Headaches , nausea, sweating and fatigue. Daily symptom management exhausts me. I was prescribed meclizine over the phone for possible inner ear infection but no in person visit for diagnosis due to Pandemic. After 10 days, I had a virtual appt with Dr. and was told unable to diagnose without looking in my ears. I found an urgent care Dr. that would see me in person. I was (later to find out) misdiagnosed with a Bilateral Middle ear infection and Fluid in both ears. Prescribed antibiotic and Zyrtec d. I am 52 years old w/no history of headaches, ear infections or vertigo. After 5 days and no relief that same dr changed my antibiotic and added 6 days of prednisone. I immediately had more energy and quit waking up 4-5 times a night w/room spinning! (Later realize that prednisone relieved inner ear inflammation). During this time I also had to ER visits for high BP w/pounding headache and severe nausea. (Later to discover this was probably due to a combination of meds). I historically have very low blood pressure and low blood sugar! I had a cat scan and cat scan w/contrast and ER doc said I have fluid in middle ears and the infection must’ve cleared w/antibiotics. Finally, as the US reopened I was able to see an ENT specialist on 5/1 after weeks of all day symptoms. More annoying than major, as I was able to move about my home and no vomiting. Just daily symptoms described above. I was diagnosed with BPPV. I was told that the cat scans and ENT tests revealed NO fluid in my middle ears and that non-specialists typically misdiagnose! The specialist conducted a maneuver in office to put calcium crystals back in place and this didn’t work. I was referred to Vestibular physical therapy and told to do at home exercises. I was also told that taking meclizine will delay recovery and to try not to take it. Thus, I take zofran quick dissolve tabs as needed. On 5/7 I had my first PT appt. The therapist conducted balance tests and vertigo tests that were more extensive than the ENT appt and she performed same maneuver as ENT had done prior, but she told me to stay upright for 3 hours following and I also noticed it was similar maneuver, but not exact! I felt pressure in my head, headache and nausea as soon as I relaxed following the 3 hours. This went into the full day after. In the next day, (spinning) vertigo seems to be gone! However, the motion/off balance symptoms remain. As well as fatigue, headache nausea. The PT had told me that she thinks I have 2 things going on! I had a double upper respiratory infection 6 weeks prior to first vertigo symptom (I don’t have a history of frequent URI’s or any issues w/outdoor allergies). She said she thinks the virus probably caused damage to my vestibular nerve affecting my balance and she provided home balance exercises and told me to quit the side to side w/head tilt exercises the ENT prescribed. She said sometimes the nerve repairs itself, but that exercise will train my brain/body to overcome the imbalance. The BPPV probably secondary to the inflammation from vestibular nerve damage. So, 3 days after my first PT appt., her explanation seems to hold true. The maneuver seems to have helped and/or stopped the spinning vertigo episodes and although the motion/off balance issues remain and seem to be more noticeable, I think it’s because the other type of vertigo is no longer there to mask it. I have balance exercises daily and 3 more PT appts (1xweek) and Im hoping I can recalibrate my brain to compensate for the balance issues. It’s been a learning experience indeed. I plan to seek a Nuerologist only if I don’t improve with PT.
Angela, good for you. Totally agree with you—no need to see a neuro if you improve with PT. Thanks, and best wishes for your continued recovery.
i think ginger pills helped me
Try the epliley it’s done on your inner ear it’s painless your doctor can do it or your local hospital..Good luck and stop worrying as this brings it on ..I’ve been through hell with virtigo
I am suffering from vertigo attacks. If my blood pressure elevates, if I bend my head down and come back up quickly, and heat. I went to work and had a vertigo attack so bad that I was put on the floor, this was very embarrassing. I just do not know what to do. I have been off work since the last attaxck and am anxious about going back. I am afraid that this will happen again. I seriously do not know what to do.
Brenda, you can’t prevent your vertigo attacks. You can choose how you feel about them.
All you mommies has anyone had these symtpoms after a c section. Started with a cold the hole room spinning for. 4 months double vision blurred vision lightheaded sweating shaking tremors naueas then came the awful dimentia for almost 2 months low grade fevers ER with 104 fever with severe leg pain an vomiting all for them to send me home every time;( say they don’t know! I am so depsperate I have been this way for a year an 5 months now I sway all day as if on a boat an still get low grade fevers sweating low bp;( any help would be great
They say an illness brings it on.. try the epliley test on your inner ear ask your doctor to do it or get it done at your local hospital.
It’s really nice to hear from someone else who experiences these attacks. Nice in a relative term of course. I’m at work right now and feel a bad one coming on :( Trying to figure out how to keep upright and able to drive my 50 mile commute back home. It’s not looking promising so far.
I had my first attack last year when I was pregnant with my first child… coming out of sleep in the middle of the night – talk about scary. It was so bad I couldn’t stand unsupported and every time I even looked sideways the world spun. I was so terrified that something had happened to the baby! Fortunately for me the ER doc on duty had experienced vertigo herself! I’m sure it had been coming on earlier as I did not feel well and went to lay down then woke up freaking out. I actually used my cell phone to text my husband in the other room at 3am because speaking was not possible. I have NO IDEA what she gave me but it was an IV of wonderful icy instant relief. It was so cold going into my vein and helped immediately. She gave me some pills that were actually for chemotherapy patients to help with the nausea, you let them dissolve under your tongue and they work phenomenally.
Of COURSE I have NO CLUE where any of the meds are as it has been over a year! Ugh… 36 more minutes of work… then hopefully I will be able to get my children & make it home. Worst comes to worse I will have the hubby come get me.
I found that my trigger is drinking too much soda and getting dehydrated. It was just a hunch before, but this confirms it. The first day I got it I drank 2 glasses of sprite with lunch and had Chinese (very salty also) and did not hydrate well otherwise. I had a nasty head cold yesterday and drank sprite to help clear out my throat and very little water. I almost never drink soda so I must be very sensitive to it. I also use little to no salt at home when cooking, so I think I must be sodium sensitive. Which makes sense since sodium can upset all sorts of balances in the body.
Anyways… thanks for your story. Being able to talk about it somehow feels empowering and I’m hoping will help me keep control for a little while longer… for now meditative breathing and sips of water… wish me luck!
Barb, My goodness! Yes, I drink tons of water. I rarely eat Asian food in a restaurant because of MSG. The sodium is a killer. I cannot afford to get dehydrated. I hope you make it home safely.
Phew, managed to take a short walk in the frigid air outside and that cleared out my head quite a bit. Then sipping water made it home, a few hours after being home it passed. I’m so happy! The last time it lasted DAYS! Unfortunately my hubby lost his job back in October so we’re currently without insurance. Once it’s back I need to go have a dr check this out, I’ll see if I can find the specialist you mentioned a few times before. Probably not in Wyoming, but, worth a try! I’m only 24 and I’ve been having little 20 min mini episodes of vertigo several times a week lately. I have a very low sodium diet and drink almost exclusively water (and lots of it!) the only thing that’s changed is lots of bending over & back up with the baby and that’s a lot of the time when it hits me. I also have this weird thing where when there is a loud noise – like if 2 pots clank together while I’m washing dishes – I get dizzy. So something is definitely screwy inner ear wise. I thought I was crazy & just ignored it, but I bet it’s somehow related.
Barb, When you can, please see an otoneurologist. I’m not a doctor. But you definitely have something wonky going on in your inner ear. Maybe it’s just labyrinthitis. That would be great, because that goes away.
Is there any way you can see a doctor now? You might get some relief from the dizziness. If you are 24, you should be able to get onto your parents’ health care if they live in the US and have insurance. Ask.
BTW, if leaning over makes you dizzy, get your hubby to lean over and bring the baby to you.
Ok, I have inflicted enough help for today. I am not a doctor. I am a fellow vertigo sufferer. I am not diagnosing you. I am inflicting help and I should know better. But I don’t.
Epliley done on your inner ear will resolve all symptoms your doctor can do it or your local hospital it’s painless…the uk
Julie, I think you mean the Epley Maneuver.
Barb,
My first attack was exactly like yours. It’s weird, dehydration wasn’t an issue-and it took three months for the worst of it to subside, but I still had only residual ‘spinnys’, as my then 6 year old son dubbed them. (a term we still use in my house.)
You hit on a good point-looking to dietary triggers. In finding this yesterday, I upped my water intake dramatically and never went beyond the weird body feeling and dizzy spells into a full objective vertigo attack. I’ll start keeping a food diary now that it appears vertigo will be visiting me again, so thanks for triggering the idea to do one.
I’m so glad I found your website. I am 31 years old and had my first vertigo attack last week. I felt absolutely fine the entire morning, then I quickly felt nauseous and light headed. Within 2 minutes the world was spinning. I was outside in the cold and very frightened as I didn’t know what was happening to me. I sat down on the sidewalk and realized there was an entrance to a local building about 30 feet in front of me. I stood up and tried to walk to the entrance however instead of walking straight, I could only walk to the right. I finally made it to the museum and asked the gentlemen at the front desk to call an ambulance. I then lied down on the floor until the ambulance arrived. I did not want to move or open my eyes or even have the EMS crew move me for that matter. The episode lasted for about 2 1/2 hours, however it seemed much shorter to me. The ER doctor said it was vertigo however I am concerned it was something else. Do my symptoms sound like typical vertigo? After the episode passed I felt completely normal. Concerned it might be a neurological problem or possible stroke?
Dan, remember, I am a fellow sufferer, not an MD. Vertigo comes on for many reasons. Our inner ears are the size of our fingernails and contain about an ounce of liquid. No surprise that things go wrong.
If you are worried that you have had a neurological problem, start with an ENT, and Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor. That doctor can always refer you to a otoneurologist. An ER doc has successfully diagnosed your vertigo. What you don’t have is the reason why. You need an ENT for that. Make an appt with one.
You might try the Vestibular Disorders Association, and do a little digging there.
The problem with inner ear problems is that we don’t yet have sufficient imaging to really see what’s going on. However, if it is “ordinary” vertigo, you have many options, much of them quite good. If it’s BPPV, you can learn the Epley maneuver. If it’s a bacterial infection, you had an incident, and you’ll be susceptible to vertigo again, but you might never have another attack. It could be other things, and you need to see a real doctor, not someone who has been researching her own vertigo, looking for answers.
See your ENT.
I keep seeing references to the Epley and if it doesn’t work it’s not BPPV – but that’s not necessarily true. The Epley maneuver doesn’t treat every canal… and if you do it on the wrong ear, it also won’t work. There are other maneuvers, but nothing treats every possible canal.
Jlynno, face-palm. It never occurred to me that people might choose the wrong ear. I might! Yeah, because the canals are circular, people might have to change how they do the Epley. That might not even be the Epley anymore. Thanks.
It sounds like vertigo but you should see a doctor and see for sure, it could also be a stroke. My husband has vertigo and he cannot walk without help. He also vomits until the doctor put him on a Zofran strip. I have had him in the ER 4 times this year because of it. See a ear specialist.
I’ve been suffering from vertigo intermittently over the past 13 years. I’m a 33yr old busy working mother of one. This website is a great find & support for all vertigo sufferers. Over the years I’ve been told everything from viral infections to sinusitis have been causing my vertigo. However last month I was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease and I couldn’t be happier to finally have a name for my condition. I’ve spent a lot of time reading up on vertigo and researching it. Yoga, regular exercise, low sodium diet & staying hydrated are all key elements in managing vertigo. I also recommend an excellent book written by a fellow vertigo sufferer, its called “Vertigo Vertigo and what you can do about it”, the author goes by the name Meniere Man. An important thing for all vertigo sufferers to remember is that you can’t let it control your life! Carry on as normal with your life and don’t let it inhibit you. In the 13 years I’ve been suffering from vertigo I haven’t let it stop me living my life. I live in Ireland but I’ve travelled around Europe, North America, Canada, Egypt & South Africa since getting vertigo. I’ve also studied hard for 2 science degrees, gotten qualifications in both interior design & reflexology. I’ve learned to ski & snowboard, have taken part in numerous road races & half marathons & I also managed to do the world’s highest bridge bungee. To top it all off I gave birth to a beautiful boy 2 years ago despite suffering from extreme vertigo in my first trimester. So please please please do not let vertigo overwhelm you or discourage you from doing anything. Take each day as it comes & keep in mind that these attacks do pass, whether they last mere minutes or a few days. Most importantly STAY POSITIVE and have a sense of humour about it all (trust me it helps a lot) :-)
Yup!
You are a gem what a wonderful encouraging message
I shan’t be canceling my holiday now
Shirley, glad to hear you are carrying on as usual and productive….having my first long-term vertigo attack.
I am 52 and this started when I was 30 years old and pregnant, in the middle of the night the room started to spin violently. Since then, only intermittent attacks quickly dealt with by only one 12.5 mg meclizine pill. Today is the 5th day of dizziness, I have been to internist and have bloodwork and an ENT appointment scheduled. I have never had a workup for this, I guess the squeaky wheel now needs grease, though. I am currently beginning a new phase of career that requires self-study, and I am happy for an excuse to take a few days off, but not like this. Very happy to have a support page to go to, will add to favorites, will read book you suggest and keep my fingers crossed that this is not a new problem I have to deal with for the rest of my life. Love the STAY POSITIVE….that’s what’s getting me through the last few days!
I started off with extreme dizziness and nausea last september. It was mostly gone for two weeks in december. Now it is february first and i wake up every day dizzy and then the nauseacomes a little later. Never thrown up from it, just feel like it a lot. This seems to be getting worse since i now have no days free of it. It got really bad yesterday AFTER my exercise class. Now i dont feel like doing anything but stay in bed.
I am so miserable thinking this will never end. I want to go to my daughters 40th birthday party at the end of the month, but it is a 600 mile round trip, and i am afraid to be that far from home. :(
Cheryl, I do a few things to manage car trips:
1. Stay well hydrated. Yes, that means we find bathrooms. No more acting like camels. Yes, it takes us longer. Oh well.
2. Consider going early so you have recovery time on the front end.
3. Is it different if you drive? I find that if I drive, my dizziness is better, because I have better proprioception (knowledge of where I am in space). I can’t drive for too long. Driving takes a lot out of me, but then I sleep, and that’s okay too.
4. I have not been on Meclizine for a long time. I would consider that for a long drive.
5. I sleep when I’m not driving. My husband no longer considers me good company on a long drive, but that’s okay. I’m fine up until I fall asleep.
To be honest, for a trip that long, I would consider a train or a plane, if there was one. Trains don’t have the bumps that cars do. Because the ride is more even, I find I am less dizzy.
My $.02
:-)
My vertigo hits me about every 3-4 months and will last anywhere from a few hours to a week. It’s the most exhausting, depressing and scary feeling! I HATE it!! When I get it I can’t wait to be able to take my meds because they knock me out. The only problem with that is that I often throw them up and man! That is nasty!!! It’s great to read that I am not alone. It’s comforting when other people know how it feels and are sympathetic to how I’m feeling:)
Poor u make the most of the time inbetween..be determined to live life to the full don’t cancel events’just in case’ you’re not alone x
My husband would vomit his meds up and recently the doctor prescribed zoftran strips. Put them under the tongue and they dissolve immediately. He just had a vertigo attack and we used the strip for the first time and he had no vomiting. He also takes meclizine on a regular basis. He would vomit so bad and violently for a couple hours or more and get dehydrated so bad that we would have get him to the ER.
Hi, i have had one bout of Vertigo which left me very unwell and bed bound for 10 days, i seen 2 doctors, my own GP and then the doctor at the hospital out of hours GP, both of whom told me i had different things. I also spoke to 2 doctors on the phone who also said i had another thing. My own GP said i had BPPV, then the doctor on the phone (when i couldn’t cope any longer after 1 serious day of illness) said i had meniere’s disease, and then the doctor at the hospital suggested Labryinthitis, i was given tablets, but the doctor at the hospital gave me an strong injection of Cyclizine. I am absolutely PETRIFIED that this is going to happen to me again, i hadn’t a clue what was even going on the first time it happened. I had strange symptoms 2/3 nights before the attack which felt like anaemia (all my bloods came back fine). Most worrying is that i am only 21, i work full time and i am about to sit my final exams of my degree. The initial attack made me fall behind in every essay i had but i am catching up, just one more to go.
I am feeling very panicky and scared about this and feel like i am slightly breathless which is the feelings i was initially having when i got the symptoms over the 3 nights before the attack. I am also so scared i may have MS as i sometimes get tingling through my face and arms.
I am extremely anxious. How can I prevent attacks? or can I?
Hi Paula. Here’s what I do. I don’t know if this will work for you. You’ll have to experiment and see what works for you.
No one can diagnose you over the phone. No GP can diagnose this. You need an ENT, Ear Nose, and Throat specialist.
If you do have MS, you can live with MS. If you have vertigo, you can live with vertigo. It’s not easy, but you can do it.
Hi I had what I believe to have been my first severe vertigo attack yesterday. I have had dizzy spells for the past month but never so extreme of where I couldn’t walk or hardly talk. I showered fixed my hair and BAM I felt it then sat down and all hell let loose lol. I know I was not lol when this happened. My mom called 911, they took me to the hospital. They did blood work, ct scan, and a EKG I believe for my heart and nothing. The er NP was not very understanding, and was acting like I was crazy and said nothing was wrong and why I felt that way. The thing is that since then I have been very sleepy and somewhat fatigue. I am very sleepy often and I actually felt a bit strange the days before I had this major attack. I wonder if me going to the chiroprator and the having the massage after set something off, I felt so tired right after. The next morning I was still sleep and it happened a couple of hours later. I am 33 yrs old and have a 11 yr old son and am a single mom and his father is deceased. I can not help but fear the worst and I start to worry about my son if something were to happen. I know I should not think these things but I also have some anxiety so I dk if that is it also. I have a appt. Friday so I am hoping for some answers and some peace of mind.
Princess, good luck with your appointment. If you can, maybe you can let us know what happens.
I have vetigo! Water water water and more water! I take a multimineral calcium supplement that helps and iron tablets help. Gatorade a day a bottle helps. Im 39years old and I have battled since 2013. I have spells where i can’t walk long distances but I must endure.
Ive done ent neurlologist mri twice. cat scans and its horrible the same. No findings thank God But supplements make a world of difference.
Carmecia, good for you that you have a way of managing your life. I hope things get better for you.
I woke up to cover up the baby(I am 65 and raising two great granddaughters that I have had since they were born they are now 10 and the baby is soon to be 5) and as soon as I laid back down I had my first vertigo attack. Not being able to control the spinning was terrifying! Can’t say how long it lasted, but if finally calmed down, I laid on my left side for a few minutes, checking my racing pulse. It slowed down after a little while, and I sat up slowly to go to the bathroom and almost fell because the dizziness came back for a minute or two. I could tell that I was ok. I asked myself the heart attack questions, ex: do you know what year it is , that kind of stuff
and I answered me correctly. LOL. I have been at the PC since then. I considered going to the ER, but the girls and I live alone and there would be noone to care for them while I was at the hospital. I started reading up on vertigo, and learned about the crystal things that are in our ears, and figured that must be what this was. The nausea was there, and I am still wobbly, but was so glad to come across your site, and saw that there are others experiencing this. I have most of the old folks medical challenges, (HBP, CHL, glaucoma, the works. I am soooooooooooo guilty of not drinking enough water and I think this is what triggered this attack. Will let you know how thing go during the day.
I have been suffering with vertigo for several years. Diagnosed as BPPV. I have it right now after not having it since sept. 2012. I met a women who told me she started wearing a patch over her eye and that it helps. I tried and it really does help. I mostly get attacks when I am lying down on my right side. Try the patch, it helps when you need to get things done around the house.
Hi Fitzred, I wonder if the patch changes your ocular reflex? — Johanna
So I had my first vertigo attack about 3 weeks ago. I thought everything was better last week. I rarely drink any coffee but yesterday i stopped and got some on the way into work. Later in the day… an attack happened. Wasn’t that bad, but today it is much worst. Going to call my ENT today to get an appt.
Arch, good luck. An ENT can help. I drink almost no caffeine. As with everything, your mileage will vary. Once you understand what is causing your vertigo, you can make better decisions.
I am writing on behalf of my husband, all of his problems started a month ago & he works in construction. He attacks started when he got hot or was driving or was up in high places. he is almost 49 and I have health problems & my youngest daughter (we have 2) she is almost 15 uuuulland was born with Spina Bifida (SB) we r use to our far share of health problems. My husband had been having bad dizzy spells working in the heat & being up in high places. Now they happen off and one all the time.We just seen our family doctor. She is taking all the steps to help us figure this out (he also has a few other problems) he has been working since he was a teenager & he is a good worker. He is proud of his work & so am I he is OCD to lol. Well most of his other problems are from wear & tear on hid body from working manual labor since he was 16. For almost 32 years. I am very proud of him :) he has working man hands lol he can build anything & work on & fix most old cars & cars without computers. Well he also would never go to doctors (VERY STUBBORN MAN) Most are lol we he went a he had has a ear infection & they said he has was compacted in one ear & the other ear was fine. Our appt was at 4:30 and we didn’t walk out until after 6:00 the nurse & I were joking about it was like waiting for him to diallate haha I held his hand & they flushed that ear out & omg the biggest nastiest hardest piece of nasty huge ball of stuff came out and hit the floor after working on him for over a hour & a half. Well he is still having dizzy spells and his nose was broke about 10 years ago. Our family doctor God bless her we love her & we r lucky to have her. Praise Jesus she is ording all the blood & urine test xrays & hopefully a MRI also he will being seeing a ear noise throat specialist with in the month plus gave everything else squeezed into the next month. I have to make him stop working (he works in Texas HEAT and up in attics of new custom homes. But I can’t have him falling 25 feet or more & all that is under him his concrete. I can’t lose him. He has 5 other health problems so I am having him retire as soon as all test results one back. I am pretty sure he has Vertigo Attacks. He hid this from me for a while once I found out I set the first appoint. He has worked most of his life & I think if the test results come back saying what I think they will, I dont think it is wrong me to tell him it is time to retire. He has lots to do to keep busy..he will also be in therapy with me as soon as I am over my broken foot. I have to many health problems to list 75% of them r heritable. Butt husband has Scoliosis (in his family history)
he also has very bad back problems & both knee &.neck and our doc was talking about real bad arthritis in his hands. Ok well he uses all that to make a living he is self employed,we are & have always been tax payers. But with my daughters SB and my health problems (I have about 10 & most from getting hit by a drunk driver & others run in my family. But I am trying to keep him from working & dragging him to all the future doctor appt and blood & lab work and the ears nose throat doctor. I think once the diagnosis come back it may be time for him to retire from the only work he has known since he was a teenager and he may have to file for disability BC with this he will have 6 health problems & will not be able to keep working. We need to Thi k of his health & safety & our children…I know he is not happy about this. But his family is here for her threw it all & always :)
If he had something in his ear, then maybe his dizzy spells will stop. It’s a good thing he’s seeing an ENT soon. The ENT WILl be able to diagnose what is going on.
You want to separate all of the issues. Inner ear issues are separate from back problems and arthritis. Certainly his back and arthritis will make things worse. And, you do want to make sure he keeps his appt with the ENT.
I have found that staying hydrated–not easy to do on the Texas heat–is key for me.
Try not to think ahead to the worst possible outcome yet. Until you know what’s going on, wait to see. I have an inside job, but I still work full time and I travel internationally. Hang in there until he sees the ENT, okay? I do think you can ask him to stay safe. That’s quite reasonable!
Good luck.
My wife had a attack this morning for the first time ever. She cant stop throwing up. She has been for about 2 hours. How long do these attacks last? Feel bad I can’t help at all.
HI Chancy. Did you page down and see the things you can do? Make sure you call your primary care physician or your ENT, if you already have one.
My first vertigo attack—the throwing up part—lasted about 3-4 hours. I would vomit, lay down for a while, have to vomit again, lay down, repeat until my stomach was empty. That’s because I had the whirlies. If your wife has the whirlies, I think the vomiting doesn’t end until her stomach is empty. However, I am not a doctor. I am a patient. You should call your doctor. I am not qualified to dispense medical advice. I can only tell you what happens to me.
If you provide emotional support, you are helping more than you know.
Make sure there are no rugs in her way to the bathroom, that she has a clear shot. Call her doctor. Help her articulate all of her symptoms. With any luck, this is a one-time thing and this will never happen again. Good luck.
I’ve had issues with vertigo for most of my life. I’ve never been able to ride a roller coaster or any carnival ride for that matter–nor ride an airplane without Bonine and my home pillow. My equilibrium is so sensitive that I can’t even re-arrange my bedroom furniture. I can lay on my mattress and know whether or not it’s on/off my bed frame. Anyways, I had a serious case of vertigo 2 years ago and had to see a physical therapist for 6 months to regain balance. I was wondering if anyone else gets major anxiety before fun, social exciting events/concerts/social activities where you can’t sleep the night before and are dizzy just thinking about another possible attack. I carry snacks and meds in my purse, but I’m finding myself not wanting to leave home. It’s starting to interfere with my own happiness–as I cancel events/concerts, etc , for the comfort of home–and just feel miserable for giving in. What are some steps you take to overcome your anxiety? Thanks in advance.
Hi Kelly, since I never know when I’m going to have a vertigo attack, I don’t worry about them. I know that sounds kind of wacko, but how I can I worry about something so random?
I do stay hydrated–for me, that’s key, much more than snacks. I also make choices about what to participate in.
You might see your ENT or otoneurologist about other options. I had injections of steroids in my inner ear a few months ago, and that helped a lot. It’s supposed to be a treatment for Meniere’s Disease (which I don’t have :-), but it provided me relief from major dizziness.
You might check out my post on Lawrence Gonzales’ book, Surviving Survival,. I loved his rules to live by.
I just recently started having vertigo attacks. I am going to an ENT. My PCP feels that the fluid in my mastoid cells that showed up on an MRI are what is causing my vertigo, but my ENT feels its not. I had an episode this Sunday where I ended up in the ER. They did a CScan and a chest Xray and sent me home with some Ativan. The most scary part for my husband and I was the complete loss of function of the head, hands, and feet. I was flailing around like something disembodied with seizure like symptoms. Very scary. I went to my ENT today and have another appointment this week. He said we have to get my symptoms under control before he can run other tests. He doesn’t believe that the fluid in my mastoid cells is the trigger. I certainly don’t know, but am very scared by this whole thing. Anyone out there ever have seizure like symptoms?
I am 67 years old and had my first attack 3 mos ago, Had another one in June and went to ER. They did bloodwork, EKG, CT and MRI. I was worried that I has a stroke but all tests were clear. Had another one in July took medicine that ER had prescribed. I am very upset since another DR told me that a CT and MRI are not always reliable if you have it immedately after attack like I did when I went to ER…I have noticed some light tingling in hands and legs and now worried that I had a stroke and not vertigo
Mary, Please read my suggestions on that page and see an ENT. Only an ENT can tell you what caused your vertigo.
ER docs are great. And, they are not vertigo specialists. They do not understand the causes of vertigo. Go see an ENT. You might have unrelated symptoms, you might have related symptoms. You might have symptoms from your meds. You can’t tell.
Good luck.
My husband has vertigo and has been to the ER and under went all those tests. They are run to rule out what caused it. You do need to see a doctor. There is no cure for vertigo.
Hi Johanna,
I am glad/sad to have your blog mean even more in my life now than when I first read it two years ago. I developed positional vertigo in the last couple of weeks. It isn’t so bad but it is annoying and still catches me off guard when it happens. I am reading your blog again for inspiration. I will go see a specialist just to make sure my primary’s diagnosis is confirmed and it isn’t anything worse. I appreciate all the support you give to those who suffer from vertigo. Miss seeing you too ! Hugs!
Andrea
I have had vertigo for about 18 months now. I have rapid eye movements upon waking up and then my day begins and I eat my breakfeast and it will typically come and go but sometimes it lasts for over half a day and will leave me foggy like. I also have some ear pain in my right ear. I have been to a ent which says there is NO hearing loss but there is pressure in my right ear. I have a bit of vision problems and feel very offbalance at all times. I dont know weather you can help me.. but, I would like to get your opinion. I am only 21 keep in mind, with a very healthy lifestyle. I hate to have this affect my lifestyle. It has drained me and left me completly exhausted this whole year. I have a kid and I need to be able to keep up. I also feel like if I tip my neck forward I am going to fall. I have headaches off and on associated with the immense eye and ear pressure. It really has made my eyes sensitive to light aswell.
Hi Amber. You went to an ENT? Hmm. Given your eye movements, I’m not surprised you feel ear and eye pressure. Here’s what I do:
– I eat low-carb, so that I don’t get sugar swings. Many people think that eating healthy means whole grains and low fat. That does not work for me. I eat adequate protein, minimal sugar, no grains, lots of dark green leafy veggies, and high fat. My blood pressure is normal, my cholesterol is great, my sugar is terrific. I drink a ton of water during the day. If I get a sugar swing, it ticks my vertigo. Watch the sugar.
– I watch my salt. MSG, high sodium really knocks me off-balance, literally.
– Have you tried the vestibular therapy? Your ENT or primary care should be able to prescribe this for you.
Has your ENT provided you with a diagnosis? Any path to a diagnosis? If not, maybe it’s time to see an otoneurologist. They are inner-ear neurologists. I don’t know where you live. In Boston, where I live, we have Mass Eye and Ear. There are 4 or 5 :-) There are about 30 across the US, and more across the world. It’s a sub-sub-specialty.
If you keep a journal of your symptoms, what makes them better/worse, that might help.
I have a link on the side of the blog to the Vestibular Disorders Association. They might be able to provide you better help. They are actual health care professionals!
I’ve been replying a lot today. But I can’t help to comment that I have chiari malformation and if people have it, symptoms mostly show up in people around your age. You should look into it, it causes headaches, vertigo and constant fatigue along with other symptoms but I don’t want to get too involved. Good luck
I’m 24 and I’ve been living with vertigo for over 2 months. When I went to the ER they told me I had BPPV, possibly triggered by a menstrual migraine and they put me on a migraine med and told me to take either Dramamine or Meclizine. I went to an ENT who performed the Epley, but that didn’t work. I’m filling out the paperwork for a new doctor (I just moved) and I’ve been drinking tons of water and taking magnesium. It doesn’t seem as severe as before and I am slowly getting back to living normally, but it is exhausting. In addition, I have Cerebral Palsy and therefore use crutches to walk and I am emetophobic ( I have an intense phobia of vomiting ) and I’m a grad student, though this bout of vertigo has made me fall behind with my work. I can’t wait to get back to normal.
Ashley, my heart goes out to you. I cannot imagine vertigo and crutches. Good luck.
As I read this, I was agreeing with everything. I can’t nod, because I’m feeling the manifestations of another Objective Vertigo attack and it is hell, knowing what is coming, but unable to prevent it.
11 years ago, I was diagnosed with BPPV, but the ENT and my doctor didn’t find the cause. If my MRI had also captured the back of my skull and upper spine, we would have found the Chiari Malformation that is the probably cause of mine.
11 years of the occasional slow spin if I tilted my head just a little too high and nightly spin as I lay down to sleep. 11 years of complacency that it had settled down to a dull roar that I could live with, and 27 days of waiting, wishing I could get in to see the neurologist sooner.
Thank you for articulating so well what vertigo is like.
Oh Suzanne, I feel for you. I know what you mean about the “little too high” business. I had a new symptom last year: if I tilted my head down in just a certain way, I got dizzier. Huh?? If I picked up my head in time, I was okay. If I left my head that way, onwards to a vertigo attack. I asked my otoneurologist. Well, there was nothing in my MRI to explain it.
Of course not.
Thank you for explaining about Chiari Malformations. I didn’t know about them.
Good luck to you. — Johanna
I spent 40 years of my life with weird health issues that I jokingly introduced myself to doctors with “Hi, I’m the 2% girl-if it only happens to 2% of the population, then it happens to me.” They laughed, then found that I was not kidding.
Sure enough, most of those 2% issues are tied to Chiari, which was not found until 4 years ago to figure out my neck and shoulder issues (also Chiari related). In fact, the neurologist was quite concerned about the Vertigo, but when I told him that it’d been 7 years since the Objective episodes, he relaxed. Later, he found the Chiari on my MRI and said that was why I had it.
New doctor because mine left the practice…
I’m glad i found this site. Suzanne, I am also 2% :) I’m 17 and was recently diagnosed with chiari malformation type 1. To be honest I’m scared about living with this although I recently had decompression surgery. I’m still feeling some symptoms though. :(
Hi
I stumbled onto your site by accident but im glad I did… I have had the worst year of my life and from what im reading sounds like it will be an ongoing life stlye not of my choice..
In June I had a episode at work which turned out to be arrhythmia and spent 2 weeks in the hospital.. I was told I would have to have an ablation and was sent home with medicine and to wait for a date for the procedure which could be up to 6 months from then… After being home for 2 weeks I was driving my wife to work where I had a spell and went to the hospital directly, upon arrival I pased out and woke up in CCU and was told they will do the ablation within the next 3 days….
Had the ablation (5hours on the table with not setitives) fun wow and next day sent home… Week later back in emergrncy complaing of light headness and fuzzy feeling kind of a brain fog as I saw written here, doctor said heart find and sent me home.. Ummm I didnt complain about my heart and I know its fine.. This went on for a month 5 Times in emergency when finnaly a dotor thought I had a stoke and listened to what I was saying the problem was… I was admited and the scans started. 2 ct scans and a mri should no tumour or were normal, the neurologist then came to see me a we spoke and he did a bunch of test to check balance ans eye movements and such.. Then he did this one test saying it could bring on dizzines.. First to the right nothing then the left.. OMG the room span and I was clutching the bed and I was so nauseas……
He felt so bad he brought this on and asked the ENT to see me right away… Once the ENT came and did the same procidure he then performed one of the other procedures to fix it… All in 15 MINUTES.. I did fell a little better but a specest the week before put me on serc which will help control the dizziness but it can make you nausea.. I perfer the spinning than being nausea…
After a week I stop taking serc as I thought my head was going to explode.. I am also on high blood pressure medicine, no idea how I got high blood pressure as it was normal before…. I told the ENT and my gp never to perscrib serc again.. There has to be another med.. Is there..? I live in Canada, so I know we dont have all the same drugs as they do elsewhere…
After A month I was almost back to normal and the fog had lifted until 2 days ago when the dizziness came back… I did notice I had not been sleeping weel over the past week and I have an appointment with my sleep doctor next week…
I am trying to be positive but like most its been a tough year with all the other issues and being pretty stuck in bed for the last 6 months…
I have stated to drink more water as I read here its important and my diet for the past 6 weeks has been almost salt free and lots of veggies and less red meat.
No coffee hurts miss my Tim hortons…
So to sum up no coffeee no ciggerates no crappy food for 6 months…heart getting better and start physio next week to help lose weight… Actual thought I saw the light at the end of the tunnel until the no cure for BPPV just learn to live with it…. Thats tough one.. As I had boughts of depression from being the hospital and feeling nausea for days and even had a counselor come talk to me…
I am trying to tough it out as best I can.. Some times its tough to go to sleep as im scared what may happen next day..
Question is there a correct way to sleep with vertigo, I heard multiple pillows helps..
Thanks for this site.. I wont mention all through this my wife left me… God I think I will write a country song.. Lol
Chris, my goodness. Okay, one thing at a time. Yes, write your country song!
With BPPV, learn to do the Epley maneuver. Your crystals need to go back where they belong. (Make that part of your country song ;-) You are on a bunch of meds I know nothing about.
Do lose the weight. Sigh. I’m with you there, buddy. I have said, “My belly is the root of all evil in my body.” I swear that of the 20 pounds overweight, 18 of them are in my belly. The other 2 are in my chin. How attractive. One day at a time. One meal. One choice. That’s all you can do. This is why I low carb. It’s much easier for me to make decisions about my food and my food is delicious. And I eat a ton of veggies.
You may want to keep a journal, so you can tell what helps and what doesn’t.
I sleep on two pillows because that does help my dizziness.
Good luck, and write back when you can.
Hi
Question for you have you seen a chiropractor? I have been reading that they can help more than a Ent… Not sure, I find do have issues with my neck since I was young so I need to see one anyway. Also read lack of sleep can bring on spells again not sure if true…
The one med called serc is commonly known as betahistine… Again it help with the dizziness but made my head feel like it was going to explode and made me more nauseas
Thanks for listening
Hi Chris,
No, I don’t see a chiropractor.
I am sure that insufficient sleep can cause more dizziness. I’m considering writing a post about all the things I know that help me. I think I’ll draft that now.
Oh dear, meds that make you more nauseous? Not good! There have to be other options.
My ent gave me theBrandt-Daroff excercise to do… Is the epley better and how often do you do it.. TheBrandt-Daroff is done 3 Times a day…
Chris, oh yes, so glad you wrote! There are a whole set of vestibular exercises you can do. You need to see physical therapist who specializes in vertigo. I’d forgotten about this.
I saw a vestibular therapist for six months before I gave up. (Yes, I am persistent.) My brain did not adapt. Why? We have no idea. I am stubborn, but normal people adapt to vestibular loss. For some reason, I did not. Since we can’t discover why without an autopsy, I will wait, and let my children find out :-)
See if you can get physical therapy visits with a vestibular therapist. The therapist knows, ahem, more than your ENT about the exercises and will have many ideas about your day-to-day living.
Pingback: Seven Things You Can Do To Help Manage Your Vertigo
Thank you this has been really helpful, funny you mention therapist as I was looking at the other link you rpovided and vertigo.org and found canadain therapist and had booked an appointment before I saw your reply.. Hehe simalar minds I guess..
As for the daily log I just started just putting everything in foods thoughts etc.. Not sure so I put everything, its in the swme file as I have to do my blood pressure 2 Times a day anyways.
I did try ginger tea, its actually quite spicy which is ok I like spicy.. It did help with the nausea feeling….
I am happy to share and have dialog with people in the same boat… I searched for one when I had my ablation with no luck.. Man that was depressing as I had no idea what I was to feel and expect and my gp (which I trying to replace) but me farther behind in getting healthy…
It does help to get things out….
Again thank you.. And I will continue to post here and review others post and pass this link on to others..
Hello,
First I wanted to say thank you for posting such a detailed description of your vertigo. It sounds very familiar to what I am experiencing but have a hard time putting into words. I am a 20 year old female whose had a few problems with vertigo attacks lately. A major attack sounds very familiar to what you have described at first my eyes start to bug out so I can not focus on anything, it’s hard to describe, this increases as I get dizzy and start getting very hot and sweating. If I try to walk I feel very unstable and almost fall although luckily I haven’t…yet. My first major attack lasted about 15 minutes and the whole day after ill have a bad headache and slight dizziness. Anyways after my second major attack I went to the ER they took blood and did a cat scan but everything came back normal. I saw my regular position and an ENT and everything came back from them normal as well. I should mention when at the ER they gave me antivert to help the vertigo and nausea. I don’t really know if it works all that well. But anyways after all the drs appointments I didn’t seek further medical attention because I had not experienced an attack within a few weeks. Anyway the main reason I’m witting is that week I had one of the worst attacks resulting in me getting so dizzy and unstable I ended up on the toliet regularly and then on my knees to puke into in it 3 times. This is such a big deal for me because it is very unlikely for me to puke and takes a lot for me to do so I don’t think I’ve puked in the past five years till last week but this time I just couldn’t help it. At this point I’m wondering what to do. I know you are not a doctor I’m just looking for some sort of guidance whatsoever from someone who actually knows what I’m talking about and knows how terrifying this is. Should I try to see a neurologist? Could it be due to the fact I have scoliosis and my spine is misaligned? Could it just be a panic attack, which I have had in the past but are very different from this? I’m just looking for guidance I hate going to the dr to have them te me there’s nothing wrong, there’s nothing they can do, it’s just stress or just take this pill when it happens. I’d rather have something be wrong to be able to address the issue than worrying about it, what it is and when it will occur next. Any suggestions would be very helpful. Thank you.
HI Kayla. Oh boy. It *sounds* like vertigo to me. But the cause? You need an ENT to understand why you have these attacks. You want to get to the cause of them.
What I did was:
1. See an ENT.
2. Tried vestibular therapy.
3. Saw an oto-neurologist.
I wonder if the scoliosis is an “incidental” finding, meaning, you have it, but it’s not a cause? It’s difficult to separate causes and effects with vertigo.
The problem with vertigo is you can’t diagnose anything with a blood test. It’s all in your inner ear. You need vestibular testing.
There are anti-nausea meds, which might be helpful. I found exercise to be more helpful. I don’t want to live my life on anti-nausea meds, but you have to get your vertigo under control before you make any decisions, right?
You need a doc who will work with you. An ER doc can’t. You need to understand why your inner ear is going bonko. That’s not a technical term, but it’s good enough for now.
I’m 17 and I had your same symptoms. My problem came up in an mri. My doctors were confused at first and when they found the problem, they kind of ignored it because it was “slight” but when they did a more advanced video mri they found i have something called chiari malformation (type 1) which causes vertigo and headaches. Maybe do some research on it because symptoms usually show around your age.
Hi, has anyone been affect by lack of sleep becuase they have vertigo? I fall asleep ok but wake up around 4:30 am everyday and cant fall back to sleep…
I saw on another site that another person had this and it went away doing the semont maneuver…
Does any one wake up and feel the lower part of their bodys has no energy aswell..???
Yes, constantly. When I lay down I know i’m not getting vertigo but I feel slight movement and i can’t help but think i’ll get another attack. I get scared. But eventually I have no choice but to fall asleep despite my uneasiness
does this cause severe pain in head that makes you think your going to explode cause Therese nowhere to go?
Lucy, I don’t have pain in my head when I have a vertigo attack. I don’t know about anyone else.
I do have pain when I fall and get a concussion.
I don’t have pain, either. With my most recent attack, I got this tingly, lightheaded feeling, then my nose felt weird, and then the ‘spinnys’ (as we call them in my house) ramped up.
I had been feeling strange all morning prior to the attack, and had a mild headache about 2 hours before it presented, but had taken something for that and it subsided.
Johanna, I hope you don’t fall and get a concussion during any future attacks!
The only time I felt like my head was going to explode was when I was taking vertigo medication Serc, I stop taking it and all that went away.
Johanna thanks for mentioning the physio omg the first I saw was of but the next guy is my hero. He did a full work up on me wnd spent a half hour just qsking all kind of test, he did the eply procedure and finish with accupuncture to give me energy and take away the nausea. I felt so good for days ahd with folowup session no need for the emply, he did some neck thing and accupunture…
He did mention that some symptoms may be my high blood pressure and go see the cardiologists to see
One good day at a time…
Go to a Upper Cervical Chiropractor. Look up Dr Michael Burcon, Burcon Chiropractic, Grand Rapids, MI
Crystal, do you work for Dr. Burcon? Do you have vertigo? Did he help you? What makes you say this? I’m curious. I’ve never been to a chiropractor. Vertigo has nothing to do with the back. It’s an inner ear problem. I cannot imagine why going to a chiropractor would change anything in your inner ear or your balance. I’m ready to be educated, but I do not understand why you said this, especially with no context. Please provide more information.
Hi Johanna,
Sorry I didn’t elaborate. No I do not work for Dr Burcon. I flew here to Grand Rapids, MI last Sunday to get the adjustments. I am from the Dallas Texas area. I have had a few vertigo attacks and many dizzy spells. I actually had a drop attack the day after the first adjustment and it stumped Dr Burcon because he said of all the patients he has helped with Menieres (over 300 now) that told him about these they are followed immediately by vertigo and I didn’t have vertigo. He has a website burcon chiropractic.com and I would suggest you go to that and call them. Jane Burcon (his wife) will send you an information packet and explain the way it will go. Desperate situations call for desperate measures hence my trip to MI. I bought Earplanes from Walgreens to put in my heard because I was afraid of flying and getting dizzy. I did fine. The reason upper cervical chiropractic helps vertigo is because the upper 2 bones in the neck are off. Unless you go to a upper cervical most conventional chiropractors won’t adjust up that far. Even if you don’t come to MI find a upper cervical doc in your area and get to him. Dr Burcon specializes in Menieres and he told us if he could he would do nothing but Menieres but he has other patients and doesn’t want to send them away. He’s spoken at conferences, symposiums, taught other doctors all around the globe. Good luck Johanna!
Crystal, thank you. This might work for people with Meniere’s Disease. I’m not one of them. (boo hoo.)
I still don’t understand how adjusting neck bones works for inner ear problems, but if it provides you relief, that’s great. I’m not going to argue with it! As I say in other places, the brain is a mysterious organ.
Johanna,
What is the source of your vertigo? I guess I just assumed you had Menieres. As far as I know no one should have to suffer vertigo. Yes the inner ear is the place of manifestation for the vertigo but the ear is ultimately run by nerves and blood vessels that go down through the spinal cord. If there is impingement on those there will be manifestations occur wherever they run to. It’s worth checking into it. The Internet holds a plethora of information. Take control of your health, you deserve it. The body is an amazing thing and we have an equally amazing ability to heal ourselves thanks to our awesome Creator. I am not claiming EVERYTHING can be “fixed” but give your own body a shot to help you out.
Crystal
Johanna,
Also please do NOT boohoo that you do not have Menieres. Believe me you do not want it. There are no words to describe the horror of this “sentence”.
Crystal
Crystal, I had an inner ear hemorrhage, which blew out at least one of my semi-circular canals, my cochlea, my auditory nerve, and one of my cochlear nerves on my right side. What I have sometimes mimics Meniere’s, but is not Meniere’s. I have a page, Intralabyrinthine Hemorrhage Information, because what I have is so rare.
Normal people have brains that adapt. For some reason, my brain did not adapt. Why? Who knows. We can’t know until we do an autopsy, and I’m not ready for that yet :-)
If I had Meniere’s, I would have a diagnosis and a prognosis. We would know about my brain. We could test and know what my brain would do. I wake up and have no idea how I will walk when I get out of bed. Will it be a good day or a bad day? It’s a total crap shoot. My meds make it much more even.
It’s much better to have a diagnosis. Even a crappy diagnosis. I am a medical mystery and a dizzy broad at that. That I do not wish on anyone.
I was diagnosed with vertigo in 2009.
I recently had a bad attack and woke up with no hearing
In my left ear.I visited an ENT Dr and am now
On prednisone to hopefully bring back the hearing
And correct the vertigo. Thanks for the advice on
No sugar and no salt as he mentioned the same
I will be sure to practice this.As well as,drink plenty
Of water and rest. I will be checking in to update you
You on my progress..I’ve decided to not let this beat me
As yourself we are both fighters and will beat this
Best of luck to us both. ttys miss kitty
Miss Kitty, good luck. I hope the prednisone works for you. Maybe I will post how I felt on prednisone, when I took it. I felt great! It didn’t work, but I felt great!
On a more serious note, my heart goes out to you, and I wish you the very best. I hope the prednisone restores your hearing. Do let us know, when you can, how you are doing.
ive had vertigo (bppv) for about 4 years now. i am slightly dizzy everyday. but i had the worst vertigo attack a few days ago. it scared the heck out of me since i had never ever had one like that before. its a good thing i didnt panic. it was quite scary not being in control. it must have lasted 15 minutes. i cried and screamed during the duration and told myself to calm down. i have tears just thinking about it. whew!!!!!! i’m going to search on the internet and re-learn the epley maneuver. also, there is a device called the dizzyfix. has anyone had any experience with it? thanks to everyone who has contributed to this site. i feel for each and every one of you. thanks..
Hi Rick,
I agree. I hate the not being in control. Makes me crazy. I just did a search and found this page about the Dizzyfix. Just shows that the internet has everything :-)
I have always done the Epley on my own. But I don’t have BPPV very often. Now that I fall down less often, I have it even less. Good luck.
This is the first site I have seen that describes vertigo to the tee and I only read the first 3 paragraphs. I spent Tuesday 1/7/2013 in the ER because I had an attack (my third in two weeks) and it started in my sleep. When I woke up feeling like I was going to throw up the attack was in full blown mode. Is this even possible I had been sleeping for probably 4-5 hours. After about an hour I was able to fall back to sleep and when I woke up 5 hours later it was still happening. I am at a loss about this and my ear is still plugged up but with nothing in there. I HATE THIS !!!!!!!
Karen, I feel for you. Good luck. Have you seen an ENT yet? You need one. Your vertigo is out of control. (Yeah, you didn’t need me to tell you that!)
Good luck, and try my Seven Things You Can Do To Help Manage Your Vertigo. I don’t know if they will help.
BTW, the professionals who try to describe vertigo have never had a vertigo attack. That’s why they can’t describe it.
I found your posts on this website this morning. I have had 3 major attacks and 1 minor attack (the whirlies without the vomiting) since mid-October, 2013. Mine are caused by a brain cyst pressing on my brainstem and 4th ventricle, at least that’s when they started, when that was diagnosed.
Like you, I have learned the scenario, and cope with it as best as possible. What I do not have is the current peace of mind that this won’t get worse or more frequent, due to the nature of what’s going on in my head. However, it was something of a relief to hear another person’s experiences, and realize it affects other people similarly.
Here’s hoping everyone who goes through these episodes, incidents or attacks, whatever we choose to call them, finds the best way to cope for their individual situation.
Hi Lynn, Well. I hope you have alternatives that can provide you relief. Or, that neurology or neurosurgery will someday have the tools to provide you relief. Best of luck to you.
i know exactly hiw u feel i had my first vertigo attack in aug of 2009 i wwas 23 and i have no idea why but like u said most people have no idea
Hi,
Thanks to everyone for posting all these informative posts. I have had every test you can imagine to find the source of my dizziness (more like an eneven, lightheaded feelinf) and nausea.
I am a real emetephobe and will do anything to keep from throwing up. Ive only done it a few times in my life, and I am 65! All the ear tests came back normal, as well as a brain MRI and a CT scan of the sinuses. An endoscopy revealed gastritis and esophagitis and am on Nexium for thar and the gastro doc says that should be healed. I have had this dizzy and nausea since the end of sept last year. The first 8 to10 weeks of this, all I could do was stay at home and take meclizine, phenergan and xanax for all the symptoms I was having. The xanax was for the immense anxiety I am experiencing as a result of not knowing what is wrong and feeling so unwell so much of the time. I had a couple of good weeks between Christmas until after New Years, but since then, I am back to taking meds several times a day and just trying to keep from getting dizzy and nauseous.
I was told I dont have Menieres, or BPPV, or anything like that. They just called it “disequalibrium”. I have been to a physical therapist and amm doing all the exercises everyday.
I have been to the chiropractor and an acupuncurist as well.
I miss my active outgoing self! I am sick of feeling sick and tired so much of the time!
Hi Cheryl, Wow. Have you been to an ENT? Sounds like it. How about an otoneurologist? It sounds as if you don’t have a diagnosis either. Sigh. Welcome to my club. Not a good place to be.
Please see my post above.
Hi, Johanna,
Yes, I have been to both anENT and an oto neurologist. They all say my ears are fine, great nerves between ears and brain, no fluid in the inner ears, healthy cilia etc. It really is getting very discouraging. I also had vision changes with this but I have a couple of problems with my eyes so I went to my opthalmologist. He didnt see anything really wrong, but I am going tomorrow to see a neuro opthalmologisr, who I hope can shed some light on all of this. Then on Feb 25th Ivam getting a second opinion from another oto neurologist to see if she can find something the first one missed. My GP goes to her, so I feel confident that if anyone can find the problem, maybe she can.
Cheryl, good luck. I’m rooting for you!
Thanks, Johanna,
I went to the neuro opthalmologist today and he also looked at a copy of the MRI I had done on my brain a couple of months ago. He found nothing on either the MRI or upon examining my eyes that could be a problem causing my vision change.
I told him I was going to see another oto neurologist to get a second opinion, and *who* I was going to, and he said she is the doctor to see. Soooo, if this doc doesn’t find anything different from my original oto neurology exam, I will have to believe that all of my sypmtoms were caused by the round of Bactrim I took for a sinus infection at the beginning of all my symptoms. I have looked at several blogs about people having severe side effects from Bactrim, and some of them have had similar experiences.
I’m 17 years old, senior in high school and over this past summer I found out I have chiari malformation. It causes me migraines and I’m ok with migraines and headaches after I experienced vertigo. I will tell you that I don’t have much fear in life, but vertigo is what i’m scared of (my #1 fear) Experiencing vertigo the first time was the WORST day of my life. And I was SCARED like never before. Ive never ben that scared In my life. Every time I have gotten an episode I feel my heart drop and instantly panic. I recently had a surgery That’s supposed to help reduce. I’m two weeks into recovery and I haven’t had vertigo, but if you have experienced it before, that feeling of unsteadiness or the feeling of falling you get before or after, thats how I’ve been feeling. I don’t really know how to explain it and I know there are people out there with diseases worse than mine but I just can’t take it anymore I want to be a normal 17 year old, i want to be active and go out with friends but I can’t. No one understands what I go trough everyday and I’m hoping someone here does. I just need to get this off my chest somewhere where people wont question me 1000 times and will understand the struggle. I just hope I can be “normal” soon.
Karla, I hope that the surgery provides you relief. I agree that the vertigo is quite scary. I hope you can be normal, too soon. Maybe you can keep us posted on your recovery?
Thank you very much! I will keep you posted. Yesterday wasn’t much of a change but i’m praying that i’ll get better soon I really am :) I appreciate you sharing your story!
Hi, Johanna,
Thank you for yuor reply.
I do almost all of the driving because I enjoy it and my husband doesn’t. I drove a school bus for 25years. Taking the train from San Antonio to Dallas is, unfortunately, a 10 hour ride, and that is if there are no delays. I hate to fly, always have, so I don’t think I could do that. I am so obsessed with my cond ition that it causes me great anxiety. I currently am taking meclizine every day, usually several times, but I cut the pills in half so I don’t get more than 50mg in a 24 hour period. If I get the nausea to where I cannot stand it any more, I will take half a 25mg phenergan, so 12.5 once or twice most days. I also have Xanax, but I don’t want to take more than. 5mg a day, one pill total, so I cut that pill in half too. My daughter says I should bring the lavender oil she gave me in the car so it can help me relax on the drive, and the peppermint oil for the nausea.
I really pray I can make it!
Thanks for listening! I know it is up to me to change my thoughts about this illness and not let in run and ruin my life.
Cheryl
Hi Johanna,
Your oscillopsia condition sounds like an on-going nightmare. I am in awe when I read how you have whacked your condition into a somewhat more docile condition than it could be.. Thanks so much for posting your descriptions of vertigo. All these posts give us ideas of other things to try.
As you said, very few people know what a vertigo attack really is. They think it’s only when you stand up too fast after sitting on the couch or look over a railing on a tall building.
My “main event started when I awoke one night and raised my head to see what time it was. The red numbers on the clock were spinning around the room at a zillion miles an hour. The only thought I could muster was … this is a very bad dream. I put my head down and went back to sleep.
The next morning I went into the bathroom and without warning experienced the “colonoscopy-prep” event you mentioned. Following that delightful episode, I began walking out of the bathroom but didn’t quite make it. The world went into over-drive spin. I fell to the floor and shut my eyes as tight as I could, not knowing what was happening. I could feel my body go into shock but my mind was functioning just fine. I called my wife (who nearly fainted seeing her husband lying with a sheet-white face.) I suggested she might want to call 911.
The medics arrived within minutes and thought I had vertigo. The ER doctor gave me a Meclizine tablet and said he would be back in ten minutes. When he returned he too concluded I had vertigo. He asked if I wanted him to conduct the Epley maneuver which would re-adjust the ear crystals. He did the maneuver and pronounced me fit to go. In what was likely a record-setting ER visit, I was out of there in less than an hour, feeling only slightly dizzy from the Meclizine.
I didn’t follow up with my primary care physician even though I felt unsettled and dizzy in the following weeks, along with a few hours of ringing in my right ear. About six months after “the main event,” I began experiencing more dizziness and nausea. I found a highly recommended otolaryngologist who specializes in dizziness and balance. Over a six-month period, he ran the suite of hearing and balance tests looking for Meniere’s Disease and other progressive vestibular problems. Then came physical therapy sessions which provided no noticeable help. Next it was a neurologist and the brain MRI, again nothing apparently related to my vertigo.
Other symptoms appeared. My balance became noticeably poorer. Low-level dizziness and nausea were almost constant, sometimes much worse than at other times. Loud noises were painful. People’s normal voice levels were painful on occasion. But I’ve never lost any hearing in either ear.
At the end of six months and many visits to the doctor, he told me I “probably” had vestibular neuritis caused by a virus which had destroyed part of my inner ear. He gave me a prescription for Acyclovir and said that I should take it for life. And that I may need a cane or walker to help with my balance in the future.
I’m still taking Acyclovir twice a day. My symptoms are much the same as they were a year ago. Constant low-level dizziness of varying degrees with occasional nausea. I don’t become nauseous to the point of vomiting, however. The dizziness can be debilitating at times but then it lets up and I can get on with life.
Here is what I’ve noticed about my condition. There are no advance warnings as to when I’m going to have a bad vertigo day. Poor sleep brings on more severe vertigo that can last for several days. With poor sleep comes a headache at the top back of my head. Watching some activities on TV sets it off, as does standing behind a group of people who are also standing (and moving around.) Watching waves hit the shore or watching water run down a gutter are vertigo generators. Sometimes sleeping on my right side gives me a queasy, vertigo-is-coming feeling so I usually sleep on my left side with an ear plug in my right ear to get better sleep.
While I’m walking and driving, the vertigo is less noticeable. Neither caffeine nor dehydration makes any noticeable difference. I’ve used Stevia in my two cups of decaf coffee for years. I’ve never been much for sugar or salt so those don’t figure in to it. My vertigo can be much worse on Sundays. I’ve found nothing that might trigger those frequent Sunday-morning vertigo smacks.
I might also mention that vision in my right eye has an uncorrectable distortion due to a retinal detachment and surgery about 20 years ago.
I think my vertigo doctor’s diagnosis is right. It explains most of the symptoms. I am thinking about searching out another specialist just for a second opinion. With a life-time issue like this, I think a second opinion is more than justified.
Thanks again, Johanna. You have done us all a huge favor by posting your experiences and letting us post ours. Perhaps a common thread will emerge someday and some of us (hopefully all) will be better because of your blog.
Don, my goodness. I am speechless. Which for me, is quite an accomplishment!
I wonder if your Sundays and my Sundays are a similar “problem”: if I sleep “too” late, and I start the day too late, where I take my meds too late, my vertigo sometimes gets worse. It’s not consistent (nothing about my vertigo is), but I’ve noticed it more often, rather than less often. I do agree with you about the poor sleep.
Some things I can’t watch on TV. Right now the Olympics are on. I cannot watch the snowboarders do their flips and turns—they make me dizzy, depending on where the camera is. I have the same problem watching some gymnastics.
If I were you, I would get a second opinion. Your vertigo is not controlled. I wouldn’t called it managed very well. Well, that’s my opinion. But if that many things can set off your dizziness, maybe it’s time for an otoneurologist.
You might go to patientslikeme.com, and see if there is someone else there like you.
Good luck with this. I do hope all of us find a way forward to better health. Certainly, less frustration from dizziness in our lives.
Johanna,
Thank you for you reply and good wishes. I have been seeking an otomeurologist for a second opinion and think I have found one. So I have that to look forward to.
You are right about the winter Olympic sports with all the flips, turns and spins being hard to watch. I just cannot do that. (I’ll have to wait for summer Olympic archery.) As to my Sunday morning vertigo, I try to follow a strict sleeping routine even on Sundays. Same time to bed, same time to get up. One of your readers mentioned that the thought of a coming social activity made her dizzy. Perhaps the thought of seeing all those moving bodies in church sets off my vertigo. Not good because it’s easy to become hermit-like. Arrgh! (Or is that a pirate?)
Keep up the good cheer and your great posts.
Don
Johanna,
I am so glad to find this site! I have been experiencing “dizzy” attacks for over 12 years. All were transient and easily managed with meclizine. All drs. said labyrinitis. Then after 2 weeks of bed rest for a severe hamstring tear I woke up at 5am to a severe attack in August, 2013. I could not stand. I went to the local ENT that I had seen before and missed 3 weeks of work. Meclizine did nothing but my Zyrtec seemed to help a little. Since then my head always feels a little “funny”. A few days ago I began to get dizzy again but mostly when lying down. Only another vertigo sufferer can understand the fear this causes. Most drs. don’t listen. I did read that there is a specialist out west who actually had vertigo herself and has developed an exercise similar to Eply but better. Has anyone heard of it? I think she lives in Colorado. It seems to me with so many people suffering from this disorder more would be done to help prevent attacks.
Thanks for listening!
Colette, Wow, glad to have you here. Well, not glad, but I’m glad you know there is a community here. I hope you find someone who can help you.
Hi, Johanna and all,
I went for a second opinion to another oto-neurologist, and finally got what I think is a viable diagnosis. She thinks I have MAV, or migraine associated vertigo. I had two occular migraines ten years ago when I was stressed out over a life changing decision I had to make, and have not had any other symptoms since, until this dizziness/nausea started at the end of last September when my daughter was diagnosed with cancer and I drove 600 miles round trip 9 times in just over 4 months to take care of her and her 3 year old daughter. I have been dizzy and somewhat nauseated off and on, mostly on, for 5 months.
Has anyone here ever had, or ever heard of MAV without horrible headaches? I have had some minor headaches, and from my reading, have determined that migraines don’t have to be head banging ones, but can be a lot less painful and still be considered migraine.
If anyone *has* been diagnosed with this, what drugs worked for you? This doc is thinking about putting me on an old antihistamine, cyproheptadine (sp?)
Colette,
Were you thinking of the occupational therapist, Dr. Alene Schmid, Ph.D. at Colorado State? I understand she uses yoga to generate better balance in stroke victims. She may also have some more exercises specifically for vertigo.
Here is a site listing her various publications.
http://www.ot.chhs.colostate.edu/faculty-staff/arlene_schmid.aspx
I have vertigo and it is scary. I am 32yrs old. I lose hearing in my right ear. I get dizzy. My world starts spinning. My heart beats extremely fast. I can barely stand, well actually I can not stand. Afterwards I can hear my heartbeat in my ear for days. I have an upset stomach I feel as if I have to vomit but I don’t. I have slight headaches. I take medicine for my vertigo.I want to learn how to live with it and work as a nurse. Is this possible?
Hi Christina, I don’t know if you can work as a nurse with your vertigo. It depends on what kind of a nurse you want to be.
How often are your attacks? Do you know what causes them? If you have Meniere’s Disease, maybe you can be a nurse, because there is a way to manage Meniere’s. If you have labyrinthitis, maybe, because that has an end.
You need to discuss your vertigo with your ENT and what your life plans are. Ask your doc if your nursing plans are compatible with your vertigo. I suspect that if you want to be an ER nurse, the answer might be no. But another kind of nurse? The answer might be yes.
Good luck. I hope you get your vertigo under control and let us know what happens.
I have had my vertigo since i was in 5th grade until now, I’m graduating in High school in a few months but i still have my vertigo.. Please help… I don’t know what to do anymore. I take medications that doctors give me but still. my vertigo still attacks me… I want this to go away. When my vertigo attacks, i feel very dizzy and I would get a crossed eye, idk why… I always hear ringing in both my ears that are sometimes too loud.. Please help me. How should i prevent this vertigo?
Hi simplek31, I don’t know how to prevent a vertigo attack. Do you have a diagnosis? For example, do you have Meniere’s Disease? If you have had vertigo since the 5th grade, and you are graduating high school, that’s 7 years. I assume you have an ENT. If not, you need one.
Your tinnitus (ringing in your ears) is a side effect of your vertigo. If you know why you have vertigo, you might know why you have tinnitus. I have tinnitus because my auditory nerve is broken. The connection from my auditory nerve to my brain was severed when I had my inner ear hemorrhage (which caused my initial vertigo attack). I have constant tinnitus now. It’s not so bad under normal circumstances. When my ear fluctuates (we don’t know why), my tinnitus increases, I have pain in my ear, and I have a vertigo attack. I am not normal; my vertigo is not normal.
What kind of vertigo do you have? Meniere’s? BPPV? Something else?
Now that you are graduating from high school, you must learn the specifics of your condition. (Maybe you already know.) The more specifics you know, the more you can learn if there are new treatments. Do you need to eat or drink in a specific way? Will the steroid injections that I had, that they give Meniere’s patients work for you?
If you have not seen an oto-neurologist yet, consider it. They are neurologists who specialize in inner ear conditions.
You need to become educated about your condition and search for alternatives that fit your life. This is difficult, but do-able. Good luck. If you can, maybe you can let us know what you discover.
Her name is Carol Foster, MD. She is at U of Colorado Hospital. Has anyone tried her exercises?
Colette,
Thanks for revealing Dr. Carol Foster’s new technique for vertigo sufferers. I found her YouTube presentation … a do-it-yourself video. I also found a U. of Colo. website that had written instructions to her “half-summersault” technique (which differed slightly from her YouTube presentation.)
I tried her technique over the weekend. I was hoping I had found the silver bullet to cure my vertigo. Sadly, I still have my dizziness but using the technique may have brought some relief. I must say the technique itself can make you really dizzy and nauseous during and just after performing it.
Has anyone else tried Dr. Foster’s technique? Results?
Cheers,
Don
Don, you mean this video? I didn’t try it. My crystals are in place right now. I’m interested to hear if anyone else tries it.
Hi Johanna,
Yes, that’s the video I mentioned in my note to Colette of March 17.
Dr. Foster, et al., wrote a scientific article comparing her half-somersault technique with the traditional Epley maneuver. In the article’s appendix, she provides the written instructions for her technique. The article’s abstract provides the conclusions if one is not inclined to plow through the article itself. Here is the link to her article.
http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/337947
Cheers,
Don
I have had vertigo since last April and its recently gotten worse. Now, I can only lay on my left side because laying on my ride side makes me soo dizzy. I also have a sleeping disorder which causes me to sleep about 10 hours every day. Laying on only my left side for that long is hurting my ear so bad it feels like it is bleeding, but I have no choice. Do you have any suggestions or tips? Thank you so much
Hi Cassandra, Sorry, you have stumped me. Sounds like you need a neurologist to untangle the sleeping part from the vertigo part so you can get better quality of sleep and therefore life. I agree, it’s very difficult when conditions intersect.
You can tell I am searching for an “answer”1 Has anyone tried the device called DizzyFix?
Thanks for the information,i hope it will help.But my great concern is that it embrace when i want to be with my husband(hope you understand what i mean) and does it mean that it doesn’t go completely?
Hi Prisca,
If I understand what you mean—you still have the vertigo when you want to have intimate time with your husband? What do you do then?
We used to have a waterbed. It was a contemporary waterbed, so it had baffles, but it was waterbed. Now we have a Tempurpedic. The bed does not move. That helps.
I try not to move my head. That means we don’t swing from chandeliers. Okay, we never did before :-) But, since I can put my head in a certain position and get dizzy, I make sure I don’t do that. That restricts us, but there are still plenty of options. We have to talk to each other.
We maintain our sense of humor. I read somewhere that if you can laugh in bed, you can have a great intimate life. Ours is different from before, but we are still laughing, so it’s still great. Sorry, but that’s all the detail you’ll get from me. Maybe someone else will comment?
Hi, I found this website because like everyone else, I’m looking for advice on how to live with vertigo. My story is similar to others who have just ‘woken up’ one morning to find the world spinning, and from then on life is never the same. My attacks are usually spaced months apart, but its the constant fear of not knowing when its going to happen, that is hard to live with. Most of us here have been to see Drs and ENT specialists with not much result which is frustrating. I have also spent a lot of time and money on going to an ENT who is situated 3 hours away from my country town. That involves lots of travel and nights in a motel to make the early appointments and my husband taking time off work to come with me. And after 6 months of tests and appointments -the Dr said this should all go away by itself in time. Anyway in answer to Colete I have the Dizzyfix. I have used it once so far and it seemed to help. Its a hat/device that gives you detailed help on how to do the epley maneuver. It comes with a dvd and a reading card that explains how to use it. My husband helped me follow the steps with the card, but if you lived alone you could set up the dvd player at the ready if you needed it and then you can just hit play and listen to it. Its a good idea to watch it or read the card while you feel ok so you have an idea on how to move your head when your actually spinning. I’m in Australia and bought it from an outlet in Adelaide, but I think its base company is in Canada. I also have a question of my own. After an attack I am left with a headache that lasts for days and a weird floaty/woozy feeling. Does anyone feel like this? And thank you Johanna for this website. Vertigo leaves you feeling very lonely and it helps to talk with others who know what its like. Best wishes to everyone : )
Hi Corri, it sounds like the Dizzyfix is useful. That’s great. I do find the Epley maneuver helpful when I have BPPV. I did find that after my first vertigo attack, the BPPV calmed down, especially with vertigo therapy. I keep a spreadsheet of my vertigo attacks. I bring them with me to my doc visits. It’s helpful for my docs to see my history that way. I track the days between attacks.
Your question about the headache that lasts for days and a “floaty/woozy” feeling is a good question. I hope other people answer you. I know that after I have an attack, I do not feel normal for several days. I feel “extra dizzy.” I don’t normally have a headache.
Do you know about patientslikeme.com? They help people collect data on common and rare conditions. You might find other people and a community there, too. I’m really happy about the community here, don’t get me wrong. They actually collect data. (What a novel idea!) Not just stories.
I’m glad you’re here, Corri. Well, not glad that you have vertigo. But, I’m glad you found this site.
OMG!!! Not to be mean, but finally Simone who knows what it’s like and has it worse than me!!! Funny as I’m a grown man an I find my eyes tearing up to know that someone has described to a “T” most of my issues. Although your continues on where mine ends.
Typically mine starts in the morning when I have to wake up really early for work….maybe exhaustion has something to do with it….but it comes at other times as well. I have no idea what my eyes are doing, as the only time I tried to look in the mirror it made things 10x worse and I nearly vomited immediately. What I do know of my episodes is that I to can feel it coming most of the time. It’s a weird feeling like something just under the surface of the water. It’s there, but it’s not. And that’s the worst part….waiting, not knowing if it will full kick in and what movement will make it kick in. It could be a tilt of the head…but it has also come when I’m just sitting, looking straight forward. Then all of the sudden it’s like the room shifted, and shifted back. Then the swirl usually is close behind if I move…kinda like being on a 360 degree tilt a whirl carnival ride.
I’ve managed to get really good at finding my fixed point….like fast. That usually stops mine dead in its tracks. Then I just have to wait it out….seconds, minutes, and hour? You just don’t know til you decide you are brave enough to go for a test rise of moving your head around. Then, just as fast as the initial symptoms came on….they are gone!! Total relief follows and the thoughts of how long til next time? Do I have a incompetent ENT cause he can’t figure out what’s wrong? Did the test actually show anything? Will the neurologist be any better? (That’s what I am up to in my search…advised to see neurology) Do I want the neurologist to find anything? Isn’t it worse if its ur brain? Jeez this sucks!!!!!
HI Jaison,
Let’s not compare. There are people here who definitely are worse off than I am. I’m glad you feel as if you’ve found a home here in this dizzy community :-)
I agree. Tiredness makes my dizziness worse. When my nystagmus/saccades get going, I can’t see what’s going on, so I don’t look in the mirror. I do keep a spreadsheet of my attacks. It’s the engineer in me. I keep hoping if I provide my docs enough data, they will give me The Answer.
Vertigo is in your brain. You should see a neurologist. Generally, it’s an otoneurologist. Be aware: they have fewer people skills than ENTs. They have way cooler tests :-) If you go to a balance lab, like the one I went to at Mass Eye and Ear, you spend a few hours and you get much more information about your vertigo.
The problem is we have insufficient imaging for our inner ears. We don’t know enough about the nerve endings from our semicircular canals into the brains. Those hair cells in the inner ear? Not totally figured out. Mine are dead (from my hemorrhage). What does that mean for me? Total mystery. Are yours working? Maybe the tests will tell you.
If tilting your head can trigger your vertigo, and finding your fixed point can stave off an attack, I would certainly recommend you see a good otoneurologist. You don’t necessarily have an incompetent ENT. You are on the very edge of your ENT’s knowledge. He/she wants to fix you. He/she’s frustrated that everything you two have tried so far hasn’t worked.
Docs are human, too. They want to succeed. You have to advocate for yourself. You have to be the one to say, “It’s time to see someone else. You have done your best, and it’s been great, but it’s not enough. Would you please refer me to an otoneurologist?”
Good luck to your fine self.
I am glad i stumbled upon ur article.i just had my very first vertigo attack three days ago. woke up to a feeling that the room was spinning.i was brought to the emergency rm this am bec my dizziness wouldnt stop and bp was goin up.i have bppv.i was womdering how i can go wrk with this
HI Wendy, When your dizziness calms down you can return to work. You might need meclizine for a few days. If you have BPPV, you can learn to do the Epley maneuver or something else to get the crystals back in their places. You need to understand what caused your vertigo so you can prevent it (as much as you can) from occurring again. Vertigo is not going to prevent you from working. It’s the other stuff (like falling over because you don’t know which way is up!) that is a problem.
I am 25 now and have suffered with vertigo attacks since I was 6 almost every other month or every 3 months. I have had every consult you can think of. No medicine helps. Undiagnosed vertigo is the worse and I wouldn’t wish this on even my worst enemy. Good luck.
Farron, my goodness! I feel with you.
I returned from Scotland this past weekend. I sat next to a woman who sells MRI equipment. She says they are experimenting with much stronger MRI machines in Europe. So far, they are only for clinical trials in things like Parkinson’s or MS in Europe. Phht. I hope that means that regular neurologists will have access to them in several years.
You and I need better imaging. The reason we have undiagnosed vertigo is that no one can see far enough into our inner ears. Or into our neurons to see what the heck is going on. We need better tools.
I almost wish we could be a part of the clinical trials. If I weren’t a strong individual I would have given up in life already. This has hindered me from so much. I fear for my career when I finally get going. I have lost jobs over this. It’s been nothing but a burden. However I only found out that there were more people than just me with this problem. I wish there was like a support group. I grew up alone in all this. Dr’s think I’m crazy, people think I just make myself sick or go out partying and have a massive hang over the next day. It really is a downer. I sure hope they bring it to the states soon.
Do you know about patientslikeme.com? They gather data. Some people have blogs. You might try that.
No I didnt. I’ll check it out. Thanks. Dealing with this issue now…. :/ went to the ER yesterday, they seem to think nothing is wrong and sent me on my way. So may be going to the VA hospital maybe my Dr will do something. :(
Hi Johanna,
I’m a bit gun-shy in writing this but I think it’s the right thing to do. As you may recall, I wrote previously detailing my two-plus year struggling with vertigo. About a month ago, I noticed a significant reduction in the severity of my symptoms. It all happened within a few days. On a scale of 0 (no symptoms) to 10 (worst ever) I went from around a 5 or 6 to a 2 or less.
Did I do anything different? I can only come up with two things … I stopped putting cardamom in my coffee and I started taking a Centrum Silver multi-vitamin each day. Coincidence? Most likely but you can bet I’ve discarded the cardamom and am continuing with the vitamin. (I read somewhere that low B=12 might be related to vertigo.) Yes, I’ll try anything to minimize the symptoms.
I still have bad days along with the good days, but now they range from a 2 to a 1. Will I ever get to a 0 day? I hope so.
Cheers,
Don
Don,
Well, good for you! We all need to be our own scientists.
I also take a multivitamin every day, along with glucosamine, calcium (I am a woman over a certain age), and omega 3.
I drink green tea many days, but not every day. I drink water when I don’t drink green tea
Greetings! I love how you wrote about your experience with Vertigo. As I am writing to you I am currently on my way to have a Vertigo attack. I am 21 now and I’ve had it for a year.
My attacks happened a lot during the winter time, as I live in Norway, winter gets pretty cold here. Now it is May and it’s been several months since I’ve had an attack. I really hate this a lot cause it basically ruins most of your day and I have work tomorrow morning.
I feel with you when you say your doctors look at you as if you were crazy, I have been going back and forth to specialists and therapists to find out, they say they cannot be sure about what I have but I kept saying it is Vertigo cause I get every symptom which leads with vertigo to the end.
The weird thing is that I have my tinnitus on my left ear and the rotations moves to the left as well, not to the right. Often I find my self walking on all 4 to get to the bathroom, when it gets to the worst I cannot see what is in front of my anymore, just now I have a hard time concentrating what I am typing here and I am soon going to bed and hope I can avoid the worst.
In my case I don’t think I will ever get rid of Vertigo but it doesn’t occur as much at least. I only get it about 10 times a year, but it is kind of scary and a little sad to think I have to live with it the rest of my life. I travel A LOT and most of the times I am scared of having an attack before I go on holidays as I know it would have ruined everything and most people doesn’t understand that it is IMPOSSIBLE to go anywhere whilst having an attack.
I hope it goes all well for you and I feel your ” pain “, Now I will go lay down and wait for the roller coaster ride to happen.
Most kind regards from
Kristin, Norway.
Kristin, “only” 10 times a year? I think that’s a lot! I hope that they find the cause of your vertigo and you can manage it better, so you stop getting these attack. Nobody needs these roller coasters.
Best wishes to you,
Johanna
I hope so too, but Doctors in Norway are really hopeless when it comes to finding out things in a quick, effective ways.
I thought my numbers were quite common but I guess they are not! Usually the attacks are minor but it still puts me out for 3 – 5 hours, the worst one I had one time lasted more than 10 hours! I’ve been finding out ways to prevent them for being really bad and it helps most of the time. At last, I hope to not have this the rest of my life since I am only 21 and it’s a bit frightening to see my self having this for the next 60 years.
Best luck to you as well!
Hi thank you for your post but first I want to say I am so sorry;( I had a baby by c section last year in march 3 weeks later lifted my head the hol room was spinning all day every day I could feel it in my breathe in bed!!! It’s awful I have found so many moms going through after childbirth I have been to a million doctors no one knows;( it’s been a year an 6 months I sway all day lost my balance have an awful heart beat in my ears!
Sometimes I think the doctors has to check you while you are having the attack, no one of mine can find what ever causes my Vertigo attack’s, but as I’ve read there is two things that causes it, either your ear or there is something with your balance nerve in your brain, and that nerve is right behind the ear.
I have tinnitus which is constant or 80% of the day my ears are ringing or beeping very high pitched tones. My condolences to you for discovering Vertigo so soon after having a baby!
If you have these attacks I recommend you to lie still on your back and depending on which way the room is spinning, try to tilt your head either way and see if you can sleep like that without feeling the room is spinning with your eyes closed.
When I get this attack the room is spinning if I have my eyes open and if I try closing them I can FEEL the room spinning with me in it, but when I laid my self on thick pillows which raised my head up and tilted my head to the left side the room stopped spinning when I closed my eyes and I was able to sleep of the attack more peacefully.
I also recommend you to sleep with thick pillows which raises your head a little more upwards and try getting used to sleep on your back if you’re not. But things works different to everyone so try as well to experiment what causes your attacks and what works for you to get more controll, it took me long time but now I am able to get a little more control when ever I have the attack.
Best regards and good luck too you !
HI Stacy, wow. Vertigo seems like an unusual and not likely complication post-birth, doesn’t it? Congratulations on the baby! So sorry to hear about the vertigo. I wonder what they gave you for meds when you were in the hospital. Did they give you gentamycin? Well, that’s in the past. You have to deal with the present.
If you have BPPV, make sure you know the Epley maneuver. Or, as Don pointed to Cr. Carol Foster’s youtube video. Mona talks about her husband’s Zifran. I took meclizine when my vertigo was very active and preventing me from driving. If the baby is over a year old, you are probably not nursing, so you have more options with meds now, right?
Your heartbeat is partially from your tinnitus. Make sure your ENT explains all of your condition and symptoms to you. You deserve to know everything.
Being a new mom is life-changing. Now you also have this condition which is life changing. Educate yourself. Get vestibular therapy. Determine the cause of your vertigo. Take care of yourself, so you can be your best self, for you and your family. Good luck.
Ok so I went to see neurology again. It’s been about 12 years since I seen them. So I am hoping they have gained more knowledge over the years. I was told with everything I told them about my attacks. It’s either abdominal migraines or seizures. That’s sums it up. I got for more testing next month. We shall see what they say. They think it’s a form of a seizure. I’m honestly hoping it’s just a migraine but… in any case I’ll be happy to know and to start on the path to finding something to help me. Instead of being a lab rat.
Hey everyone, I saw your new comments.
In case you haven’t checked the updates on the page recently, check PatientsLikeMe.com? When I first joined, they didn’t have many people with vertigo. Now they have more. We have a community now, and they have a way to gather patient data. Maybe it’s time for us to put our data there.
We are all different. But they have a way to gather data, on meds, on causes, on ways to go forward. Consider filling out a profile there.
NOTE: (sorry I mistakenly posted my comment as a reply so you can ignore the 1st one >.<)
I agree that people really won't understand how awful and scary it feels like to have a vertigo attack unless they experience it themselves. I experienced my 1st and only (for now and hopefully forever) vertigo attack last year and having it around the end of the semester (a very busy and stressful time) was of no help at all.
For me, I started feeling a bit out of breath and was hyperventilating just a teeny bit. I felt a bit scared because It was the same feeling I get when I'm starting to have motion sickness. I thought it was weird so I took deep breaths and drank a lot of water to assure myself everything was fine and I'm still breathing fine. I even proceeded doing school work.
Then, I decided to take a break and lie down in bed, eyes closed. Then this crazy thing began when I rolled to my side.
It felt like I was spinning even though I was on my bed. I thought it was the usual quick disoriented feeling you get when you change your position but then it lasted for a few seconds and it felt like I was on an endless spinning ride. Then that's when I thought, 'Okay, this is weird. I'm gonna open my eyes to snap out of it.' But to my surprise, when I opened my eyes, I really did saw the the world spinning at such a fast pace that I immediately panicked and felt queasy. I wanted to vomit so I tried to run to the nearby sink but as soon as I stood up, I couldn't keep my balance and fell down (duh, the world was literally spinning). I vomited as I fell to the floor.
The vomiting was awful. I lost count of how many times I vomited. I felt like my stomach was being squeezed to the last drop and even when I already ran out of stuff to vomit, my abdominal muscles kept on contracting forcing me to vomit…uh, gastric juices, I guess. That night, because the nausea got worse when I try to lie down, I 'slept' sitting on a chair, hyperventilating, while holding a plastic bag just in case I felt like vomiting again. I didn't want to eat too because I knew it was just going to be vomited anyway. I tried though. I also noticed that if the food wih strong flavors made me want to vomit more. What did it though were boiled eggs. They were successfully digested in my stomach.
Luckily, my close friends were there when it happened. I can't imagine what would have happened otherwise. I couldn't even stand by myself for long without feeling the urge to vomit again.
Jec, yup, that’s it. So sorry you are part of our club.
I’m glad you found something you could eat. I’m glad you had friends who could help you. When your inner ear goes “wonko” like that, you cannot help yourself.
Sorry it took me so long to approve your post. I had a saccades attack myself, yesterday. Oh well. I’m back today, a little hungrier :-), a little thirstier, and much more rested. (I’ve been having these strange attacks, where I get the saccades. My eyes go wonky, my stomach gets queasy, but I don’t get the whirlies. It started yesterday afternoon, so I took a nap. Then it woke me up out of a sound sleep last night. I do not understand this.)
I am 28 years old and just experienced my second vertigo attack. Today it lasted about 4 hours. I am on meclizine, however it just makes me groggy for the rest of the day. I have 2 kids and I can’t be groggy. Is there anything I can do to make this stop? Thank you in advanced. DESPERATE MOMMY
Sarah, if you have not yet seen an ENT, go. You need to understand what is causing your vertigo attacks. Without a diagnosis, you can’t manage your vertigo.
I am not you :-), however, I would get help for taking care of the kids. You are not yourself when you have a vertigo attack. Until you have a diagnosis, you need help.
Did you see my Seven Things You Can Do to Help Manage Your Vertigo? They might work for you.
Good luck.
Jec et all
You are soooo right! Noone understands the horror of vertigo unless they have had it – that included doctors. I have been sleeping on my left side since February, sometimes with the light on – that helps. I never lay flat on my back and try not to lay on my right ear. Dentist and the gynecologist visits are a problem! Fortunately both are very understanding. My worse thing is anticipating that another attack can occur at any time. Will I ever be able to turn over in my sleep?
Hi. I just wanted to say, that I read your article and how accurate I found the events of it to be. Last year when I was 23 I had my first vertigo attack, I woke up in the morning for no real reason and I found I couldn’t lift my head off the pillow, I struggled and pulled it up, next minute the world was spinning, and I felt sick. I vomited and then the dizziness stopped and I fell back to sleep. That first attack made me feel uneasy, I shrugged it off thinking it must have been a bug and went to work like normal. About a week later I was working on the bar and the dizziness came back over me, I had to go lie down upstairs in the office, my manager was worried so she called the paramedics, the ambulance came and took me away to the hospital, the hospital left me sitting up in a chair for 3 hours (my attack lasted about 4) until a doctor came and examined me. He said my inner ear was enflamed and it looked like labrynthitis. I was given prochloroperazine, to take 3 times a day. They helped and I started to feel much better. I finished my dose and got back on with my life. About a month later, I was waking through the street when without any warning, the vertigo came back on. I didn’t know what to do, so I panicked and climbed on to the nearest bus, I sat down on the bus, terrified that I was gong to pass out or vomit. My head was spinning, vision was blurred, somehow I made it back, I got back into my house, grabbed the bin and vomited into it. I felt exhausted, the dizziness was still there so I laid my head down on the pillow and fell asleep. When I woke up I felt better again. The next day, I went to see my doctor, he checked my ear but there was no inflamation anymore, I could still hear the tinnitusjust in my right ear and my hearing was reduced so I was referred to an ENT. About 2 weeks went by I had some minor episodes, they lasted about one hour each time, a combination of lightheadedness, dizziness, headaches and nausea. I got on with my life… One afternoon at work, again with no warning, I had another attack, my head became heavy and I had to go sit in the office, my head was spinning, I felt like I was drunk, my head was lolling from side to side, my anxiety levels had started ramping up because of all this, I felt stressed, I felt angry, why is this happening to me? My manager could see I was in distress so she called the paramedics again and the ambulance came. I have to stop my story for one moment here and just comment on how disgusted we were at the paramedics attitude when they came. They looked at me, told me that although this was unpleasant what I was feeling it wasn’t really an emergency, and I shouldn’t really be going to the hospital. I pleaded with them, and they sighed and both picked me up and took me down the stairs, as i was going down I vomited all over myself and down the stairs, they carried on walking me out to the ambulance. In the ambulance you could tell that they weren’t happy, they took my details down and then sat in the front, ignoring me as they drove to their destination, I felt so uncomfortable and I almost felt like a burden to them. I had to ask then for a sick bag, I don’t know maybe they wanted gone for their tea…The only good thing from this was that they took me to Charing cross instead of the hospital I’d been to the first time, and the treatment was much better, they propped me up in a bed, they did ear tests, they did blood tests, they injected prochloroperazine into my leg to stop the vomiting and ease me. I was in there for about 5 hours, again the episode lasted around 4 hours. They also referred me to an ent and it was a much more friendly, relaxing experience. I was given some more prochloperazine and I was sent on my way. A months passed and I’d finally received an ent appointment at Charing cross. I went there and they checked me over. They did some hearing tests and found that I might right ears hearing was reduced, but found no damage to the drum and no infection. The lady I spoke to said that I needed to have an mri brain scan as she couldn’t find the problem and needed to check if I had a brain tumour…..I nearly fell to bits when I heard them two words, brain…tumour.. A month passed and I received my appointment for the scan, I’d barely slept, I was stressed, restless, anxious. I’d terrified myself with thoughts that the reason I was having these problems was because I had a tumour….long story short, it wasn’t a tumour, my ent specialist didn’t know what it was, she said she would refer me to a balance therapist, and that it could be an echo of the original attacks and I should stop taking the prochloroperazine and I should be better. The medication was the only thing keeping me stable, six months is gone through this he’ll, I was confused, I was angry, I was upset, I was upset at myself for worrying myself with thoughts of tumours and upset at the nhs for not being able to fix the problem, I wanted this to end. I tried to go off the medication but I found that when I did the attacks would start again. I decided to look at other options, so I went to a Chinese doctor, and had 13 weeks of treatment and herbs. The herbs tasted horrible, but the treatment started to work, I came off the prochloroperazine completely and started to live a normal life again, I drank herbs everyday and went for an hour session of accupuncture and accupressure every week. For me it really helped, and after the 13 weeks I only had a tiny bit of tinnitus in my ear. No more vertigo. Only now after 8 months am I having some problems again as I’ve picked up another ear infection (it looks like I’m going to be prone to them) I’ve been put back on prochloroperazine but it’s just a small dose, I’ve only had one slightly severe attack in which I vomited, and the dizzy episodes last about 1 hour to 2 hours. It’s a work in progress but we’ll see how I am. Hopefully it’s just a blip and I won’t have to go through the same stress as last year.
Darren, I’m so sorry for your troubles, and especially the insensitivity of the paramedics. I’m surprised your doc just gave you something to treat nausea and not something to treat vertigo. Maybe I don’t understand the meds well enough.
The standard of care in the US is to always do an MRI. That’s because they want to know if there is a reason for the vertigo. They almost never find anything. Did they check for labyrnthitis?
It’s good that the Chinese doctor approach worked. Good for you. I say, whatever works. That’s what you should do :-)
Hi I am so sorry I am a new mommy an going through the same thing;( I hate this for me started with a cold after my c section then that was it the hole room was spinning non stop day an night I could feel it in my breathe even in bed;( for 4 months every ER no answer I got worse an worse now all day every day I sway as if I am on a boat;( it’s like I got an infection that attacked my nervous system;( if anyone can help please I am open to any responses ;(
Stacy, did they give you an antibiotic when they gave you a c-section? If so, was it gentacmicin? If so, gentamicin, has caused your problems. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentamicin. Gentamicin destroys the hair cells in your inner ear. Have you seen an ENT? An ER doc cannot answer you. ER docs are nice people, but they don’t know about vertigo.
If an ENT can’t help, you need a neurologist. Maybe an otoneurologist, but a neurologist. You need someone who understands what the proper checklist is for saying, “Yup, this. Nope, not that. What does your primary care physician say? Have you looked on patientslikeme.com?
Hi Joanna I will have to look back an see what they gave me during the c section ;( I have been to every ENT Nuero the keep blowing me off telling me it’s anxiety my Phycatrist said this is not anxiety there is clearly something wrong ;( I need help so bad I can’t handle it anymore especially with a baby. Do you live in Orange County?
HI Stacy, I am on the east coast, in Boston. You need to get your docs to separate everything. I keep a log of what I eat, sleep, and drink. That might help for you. With a baby, everything is more difficult. You might be anxious, but that’s not a cause. That’s an effect. (I’m trying to write a blog post about that, but I don’t know if I can clarify that enough to post it this week.)
I have a spreadsheet of my vertigo attacks: the day they occurred, how many days since the previous occurrence, and what the precipitating cause might be. I have a list of all my falls, where I was, and whether I had a concussion as a result. This is data. Your docs need data. You need data.
You have a right to be upset. You have a right to be concerned. You have earned it. Now, understand your data. Your docs do not understand anything except data. They will treat you like “a mom with baby brain” until you bring them data. I am serious.
Write down everything you take for medication, including vitamins. Write down everything you eat and drink. Write down your weight. Do this for weeks. Pain in the tush, I know. Do it.
Write down your sleep, your exercise. Pain in the tush. Do it.
Get help for managing the baby. Can you lean over to pick up the baby? No? Get someone else to.
When you see a neuro again, bring your husband, your parent, or someone else who will advocate for you. One of my neuros actually asked me, “Do you like being dizzy?” Because my brain had not yet adapted, he though I was faking. Idiot. (Him, not me.) He had the bedside manner of a flea.
Yes, you have crap going on. You need to help your docs solve this problem. You have the data, in there somewhere. The problem is, we don’t know where. Start with stuff you can see.
Maybe go to different docs. An academic neuro might be able to help. I had to go to Mass Eye & Ear, although that is the guy with no bedside manner :-)
Your job is to collect data. When I walked in with my spreadsheet, I surprised my docs. They had no idea I had data. But it made getting a history much easier. Everything I have is well-written, with grammar-check turned on. With data. Data is key.
hey, i’m 18 years old and last week i was in gym doing excerise got dizzy i thought its normal will go soon but it doesn’t so i went to the hospital they said your blood pressure is low thats why you got dizzy and its normal drink lot of water, i did what they said but next day i woke up dizziness doesn’t went it was worse i was scared it never happend to me before i was very scared so i went again hospital i explained them clearly what i’m facing they see my ears and my eyes so they said its vertigo so they gave me some medicine but it didn’t work and next day it became worse and worse i also thought maybe its my last day i went to emergency they did my head x ray and results was normal so again they gave me some new medicines, medicines doesn’t work for this (what i feel) but now i’m 70% better without eating any medicines i’m doing exercises to get my inner ear normal sometimes it get very dizzy but i’m not afraid now, i go out too much brightness also effect me but i’m trying to be normal its my second week and i feel soon i will get recovered let me know what you think about this :)
HI Carlos, I have no idea. If you are doing the Epley maneuver and it’s getting worse, maybe it’s your inner ear, but the crystals are not lining up?
Have you seen an ENT, an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor? If brightness does affect you, it does sound like some form of vertigo.
There are several medications they can give you for the nausea and/or the dizziness. If you still have your hearing, that’s a very good sign.
If your vertigo persists, make sure you go to the biggest hospital in your area. See an ENT, or a neurologist. Maybe get an MRI. If you are not vomiting, that’s also a good sign. Vertigo as a symptom is not something the docs can easily diagnose. You have to help them. Good luck.
hey, i went to the biggest hospital in my city they checked me all what they found is vertigo and now my dizziness its not before its getting better if i’m not moving too much and i’m at home but if i go outside hangout with some friends my vision blurs and dizziness get worse, is that normal? and yes i have still hearing and i’m not vomiting but i’m still dizzy not too much i can see, understand, walk alone doesn’t need help for walk, i’m getting appointment with ENT doctor lets see.
Time seems to be standing still since I woke up around 5am almost 4 weeks ago with the room spinning at a very fast speed. Two and a half hours later we headed to the ER, after pooping everything that ever entered my system and wanting so much to vomit but nothing came out. Was given an IV, anti vert and prescriptions for mecluzine and a nausea pill. Two days later, after a night spent sitting up biting my nails and focusing on one spot, went for wcupuncture, given herbs also. I felt normal after the acupuncture, vertigo on the winding car ride home, but the herbs started to work by the next day.
Finally able to see ENT 5 days ago. Dr diagnosed BPPV. Did Epley maneuver,, trying to keeo head erect and sleeping with head elevated on several pillows. Also went to chiropractor who has known me for years, but see infrequently because we are not always here. Chiro said that C1 was completely twisted, that blocks communicwtion between brain and rest of body. We moved at the end of July, big big stress and I did all of the pqcking. Even ENT thought that may have caused this.
I have begun to feel normal again. There is great fear that this will start again. Wondering if I will be able to drive. I am wriiting all of this to review the alternative modalities that may help someone reading this blog.
Also to express my infinite appreciation to Johanna and everyone else who has contributed and shared their story. Thank you.
Oh, will you clarify: Can dehydration cause vertigo?
HI Rachel, it is quite frustrating to wake up and be in the middle of a vertigo attack. Especially if you have to poop, and then feel as if you want to heave. I know that feeling. Argh. I’m glad you found relief with the meclizine, the other meds, the gaze-fixing, the head-lifting, and herbs, and the chiropractor. It can often take a village.
Until you know what caused your original vertigo attack, you don’t know if you will get another. That is the big mystery of vertigo. I keep a spreadsheet of my attacks with my probably causes of them. I have found no common cause.
I do find that dehydration, too much salt and especially MSG can make me susceptible to saccades, which for me, are often predecessors to vertigo attacks. As with everyone, your mileage will vary. I drink a ton of water every day.
Thank you Johanna and to everyone else who has shared their story and advice. Vertigo attacks are very scary and I hope to never experience them, but my 57-year-old mother suffers from them.
My mother has always had issues with dizziness. She gets dizzy very easily. Certain things can trigger a dizzy spell, like tilting her head back at the hair salon to wash her hair or looking up for too long. She has to sleep with a couple pillows to elevate her head. When she gets dizzy, she vomits multiple times and says the room is spinning around her. Nothing can help her when she’s dizzy, she just has to wait for it to pass but it doesn’t last seconds or minutes, it takes hours.
Yesterday night, around 9 p.m., my mom suffered from another dizzy attack. This one was not triggered by anything. She was experiencing the usual symptoms, but this time it was serious. After she vomited for the sixth time, we took her to the emergency room. She vomited in the car and in the waiting room. She said everything was just spinning around her. While waiting to be seen by the doctor, a blood sample was taken and after vomiting again, she was given medication through IV to help with the extreme nausea. I believe the medication was called Zofran. She was also given fluids and potassium because she lost a lot when she was throwing up. When the doctor eventually saw her, he asked her to move her feet, squeeze his hand with her hands, and walk a few steps. Walking was very difficult for my mother to do because even after several hours, her dizziness had not yet subsided. I believe the doctor was checking for symptoms of a stroke. Thankfully, he ruled that out. He then ordered a CT scan. The scan came back normal. He said that what my mother suffered from was benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. He prescribed a medication called Serc to help with the side effects when she has another attack. We were discharged from the hospital around 10 a.m., and while my mother was considerably better, she was not 100 per cent. She felt weak from all the vomiting and she could’t lift her head to a neutral position because it made her more dizzy, but she wasn’t vomiting and her dizziness was mild enough that she could get some much needed rest.
This morning, she woke up feeling like a 6/10, but after she ate breakfast, she had another attack. She felt the same symptoms as last night. She did not throw up though and she is currently resting in her bed.
Seeing my mother like this is very scary, but I’m happy I found this thread because what I’m reading is what I’m seeing in my mother. Is seeing an ENT worth it at this point? What new information can they give us? And what procedures do they do? I don’t want them doing anything that will trigger another attack. If anything, I would see an ENT because I’m curious to know more about the Epply manoeuvre.
I’m desperate for answers like I know many of you are in this thread. I’m worried about my mother and I’m hoping that I can find out more information that will lessen the effects of a vertigo attack or find out what exactly triggers it.
Thanks for hearing me out.
Hi April, if I was your mother, I would want to see an ENT, and pronto. Maybe some kind of a neurologist, also. Something is going on in your mom’s inner ear. An ER doc does not focus on the inner ear. An ENT and an otoneurologist does focus on the inner ear. One focuses from the ear perspective (the ENT). One focuses from the brain perspective (the oto-neurologist). Either can prescribe vestibular therapy. Either can help you find a place, such as Mass Eye and Ear, where I went for my vestibular testing, if it comes to that.
Maybe your mom is going through something acute, and she needs to take something like Mucinex to dry everything up. Don’t laugh too much, it works for me when I’m having bad times in the spring and fall. It’s allergy season in Boston, and I’m on Claritin and Mucinex for now. I don’t feel as if I have post-nasal drip, but I must because I’m dizzier. But, that’s me. I’m not your mom.
If she was fragile enough that food triggered another attack, it’s time to keep a food diary. Did she have caffeine? That’s a trigger. I would make an appt with an ENT and see what’s going on. ENTs specialize in inner ears. It sounds like you had a great ER experience, but that’s no substitute for a specialist.
My $.02. Maybe someone else has another opinion.
I been having vertigo for a year …i have them for days ,hours at a time . Tuesday was the worst of them all ,12hours of non stop spinning and vomiting. Its useless to go to the ER they can’t help me not even my ENT sad to say . I feel my life is coming to an end with this disease.
Della, I have recently been diagnosed with a motor neuron disease. One of my problems, I think, is clonus (involuntary muscle spasms) in my middle ear, which sets up vibrations in my inner ear. That is why my vertigo is unresponsive to “traditional” treatments and why I am a medical mystery. I started taking baclofen, a muscle relaxant, which stops the spasms.
I have no idea if this is your problem. However, if you have a good ENT, and you have been to a neurologist (which you should do), and you have tried meclizine, and all the other possible meds that the kind people here have suggested, you should talk to your neuro and your ENT about the possibilities of clonus in your middle ear. It’s a long shot.
You don’t say how old you are. Different motor neuron diseases strike people at different times in their lives. I don’t have ALS, so I have a normal life expectancy, assuming I don’t fall over and crack my head open. (That was black humor. In case you couldn’t tell.)
It took me 2 years and 4 neuros to get to this diagnosis. I’m not quite ready to share the details yet. But I’ve been on baclofen since April, and my dizziness is more managed than it has been since my hemorrhage. I can nod my head without becoming dizzy. I can turn my head without too much trouble. I no longer get dizzy driving. But this is me, and not you.
You have a problem in your brain (and it’s not your psyche). If you had a problem in your leg, you would see an orthopedist, or a trauma guy. They would do the tests and go from there. If an ENT isn’t adequate, you need a neurologist. Your inner ear is deep in your brain. They are intimately connected.
If you live near a big city, get a referral to an academic practice, either an oto-neurologist, or a neurologist who specializes in dizziness. You do not have to live this way. You don’t.
Good luck.
My experience:
One minute I’m fine, 15 seconds later the room is spinning so fast that I lay down on the floor. It was like a super fast typewriter carriage going back and forth sooo faaast. I have never felt this before. This was 6 weeks ago on August 10th, 2014 at 6:30pm boom. Another 30 seconds later, I crawled back to the table where I was sitting, could barely grab my cell phone from the table, crawled into the bathroom and vomited till I had nothing left. Very scarey, almost called 911, but didn’t want to move. I looked up on the net on my phone, it was hard because I could barely read the print, and it said I wasn’t dying, I was having vertigo and my inner ear was the culprit. I slept on the bathroom floor for an hour before crawling to bed. I had acute spinning vertigo for 2 days and could barely walk, I read that it should last a week at the most, but after a week I was still dizzy and it felt like my eyes were moving (nystagmus), so went to M.D. he didn’t like that I had persistent nystagmus and had me get an MRI. The MRI showed a normal brain, no tumor. All my bloodwork came back normal too. He said it would last up to 4 weeks, but I’m in my 6th week now, at that time he diagnosed BPPV and sent me to P.T., which I went 3 times. They did the Eppley on me twice and gave me some balance exercises to try at home the 3rd time. The Eppley seemed to help at first but within a few hours it was back to the same. I did my own Eppley’s at home usually 2 times a day, but they are not helping much, it helps for an hour or 30 min, then it always goes back to unbalanced.
Current symptoms after 6 weeks: Spinning is gone, nystagmus is mostly gone, mainly dizzy or unbalanced. Seems better some days, then followed by a relapse day. I also have a slight sensation of a slight pressure in my head, maybe in my sinuses, above or near my eyes and the bridge of my nose and above my ears, but it is really low level feeling. Another symptom, when I move my head back and forth rapidly I feel dizzy and unbalanced, or when walking and look either left, right, or up I will weave when I walk. I am able to go on walks again (couldn’t for a couple weeks) but I walk into the people I walk with and walk off the sidewalk, although that has gotten better and I’m walking a little straighter now.
My other complication is that I have always had Strabismus, or cross-eyes, but my brain figured out how to only look thru one eye, so I have a dominant eye. I was so good at this that I didn’t realize I was cross-eyed till an eye doc pointed it out about 8 years ago. The only time I usually notice it is when I’m tired at night then I have to close one eye or I see double. But since the vertigo attack I am seeing double all the time and have to wear my prism glasses, which I never have worn prisms until now. I think my brain might be figuring it out again, and I am able to wear my regular glasses some of the time now but still definitely see double. The Strabismus is hereditary, all my siblings have it, my mom, 1st cousins on my Mom’s side, and my granddaughter too. My brother and Granddaughter have had the surgery to correct it. I never got the surgery but am thinking about it now if this doesn’t correct soon.
One other consideration, 5 days before the vertigo started, I had a bad but quick case of the stomach flu, I was in bed for 30 hours, didn’t drink or eat hardly anything at all for those 30 hours, then for 2 days I was fine, then got gastroenteritis for 3 weeks. My current theory is the combination dehydrated me and caused this vertigo, so I have been drinking 100 ounces of water a day for the last 3 days. Too soon to tell if that is helping, but I beleive that my balance is better since 3 days ago.
HI Ed. Welcome to our little club.
Glad to hear you have a normal brain! (When I get an MRI, I always ask the techs monitoring the scans. They always say, “You have big brains.” Big grin. You would think I would know by now not to ask.)
If you have a little sinus pressure, you might be having allergies. Just a thought. In that case, over-the-counter sinus meds might help drain your sinuses and relieve pressure on your Eustachian tubes. Everything is connected there. If you are not seeing an ENT, your regular doc might not consider this. Just a thought.
When you move your head back and forth rapidly, you trigger your vestibular ocular reflex. I know this, because I am missing mine on my right side. That’s why I have nystagmus.
If the Epley worked once and then not again, your crystals keep falling out of your ear. Maybe it’s time to sleep? That’s what happens to me. I don’t know about anyone else. It’s a pain-in-the-tush when this happens in the middle of the day. But if I take a nap, even a 30-minute nap, I’m much better.
I’m with you on the hydration. When I hydrate, my vertigo is much better, too. I had a vertigo attack 8 days ago, 9/13/14. It was a Saturday night and we were at a party. I was queasy, and not hungry. That was the first clue :-) I drank club soda as if I was in the desert. I had the saccades, but the water calmed them down. I only postponed the attack. We left the party at 9, and I really thought I was okay. I started to vomit at 10. But because I hadn’t eaten much, I was done by 11 and went to sleep.
When I woke up on Sunday, my balance was much better. It’s as if a fog had cleared. Before the attack, I’d taken naps two days before, and had been out of sorts. After the attack, I was back to my normal self. Balance under control and stronger.
Good luck to you. Making all these decisions (strabismus) is never easy. The docs want to take you as individual pieces. But, you are an entire person. You must be comfortable.
Hi Ed,
My sympathies to you … and I wish you the best.
I read your note to my wife. She accused me of writing it because she has heard me tell her the exact same symptoms. I’ve been dealing with vertigo for over two years. My ENT diagnosed it as vestibular neuritis caused by a virus which had destroyed part of my inner ear. He gave me a prescription for Acyclovir (an antiviral) which I still take. After all the other tests and exams I went through, I had the feeling that if nothing else can be tested and nothing else can be imagined as a cause, vestibular neuritis was the default “explanation.” And maybe it is. Who knows for sure?
Early this summer, my symptoms nearly disappeared. It happened over a period of two or three days. I felt like I had been given a new life. Last week, the symptoms returned in full fury. I have no idea what brought them back. My “new life” was mighty short-lived but I am grateful for those few weeks. I’m looking forward to another relapse into reduced symptoms.
I will be interested to hear if Johanna’s suggestions of lots of water and naps also work for you. I’ve always been camel-like with my water intake, and I rarely take naps. I could become a quick slosher/napper if it works for you.
I did find your suggestion of an eye/vertigo connection of interest. Fifteen years ago I had a botched detached retina procedure that ended with distorted vision in one eye. For several months after my first vertigo episode, my vision in that eye changed dramatically until if finally settled down. I mentioned that to my ophthalmologist, who chuckled and said there was no connection. I’m not so sure of that.
I wish you a speedy end to your symptoms. And please let us know if you find something that helps.
Cheers,
Don
I have had vertigo off and on for the past 5 years. I took this test to tell if it’s my ears of my head…and it was my head. My neurologist prescribed Gabapentin and it seems to help, unless the dose has to be increased due to head pressure then I get vertigo more for a while. I’ve never really got a definite diagnosis. I was just diagnosed with Hepatitis C and I could of have this for 10 years. I wonder if the vertigo is a symptom of chronic Hep C. I plan to ask my neuro and my liver specialist.
Anyways, I am now living alone and it’s a bit terrifying to have vertigo without someone there. I keep having to tell myself that it will pass but sometimes I don’t believe it.
Hi Amanda, I’m so sorry you are a medical mystery. I’ve had most of my vertigo attacks when I’ve been alone. But, I always knew that someone would be home at some point. That’s a big difference.
I now live on a single-level house, and that makes things much easier. When I wrote this page originally, I did not. For my most recent vertigo attack, it was quite easy to get to the toilet to take care of things.
Maybe with the Gabapentin, your symptoms will ease? Maybe it’s too soon to tell. I know that when I start new meds, it takes a couple of months to see what is really going on. I wish you the best.
Hello again,
I posted originally on Sep 21, 2014. I thought I would give a little update, might help some other people in the same dizzy boat.
I’m now in my 10th week of vertigo / dizziness and still have symptoms which is disappointing, but my symptoms are better than four weeks ago. I was getting slightly better about one-half percent a day, and at that rate it would take 200 days to get all the way better. So I mentally prepared for a long recovery, then 1 week ago I had a noticeable improvement of maybe 5% in one day which was very encouraging. Two mornings, woke up and I thought I didn’t have any symptoms, but then when I got up and started walking I realized I still had them. Two steps forward and one step back and sometimes two steps forward and two steps back, and less frequently one step forward and two steps back, most days there is a very gradual, very slight improvement or stays the same.
Not sure what is helping, because when you have vertigo / dizziness, it is with you all the time, so you will do anything, and try almost anything that anybody suggests, and I have tried a combination of things, I’ve been drinking more water, if I’m tired I take naps, I started taking Loratadine (generic version of Claritin) for allergies because I got an allergy flare up a couple of weeks ago which turned into a head cold for 2 weeks (getting over that now). Loratadine can make you tired so I’ve been taking naps about every other day. I have a friend totally into vitamins and she is pushing me in that direction, so I started taking B6 B12 C and magnesium plus a multi-vitamin twice a day. 3 days after I started taking the B6 is when I had the 5% improvement, so maybe that is helping me but 3 days seemed pretty soon for an improvement. I think that was just a coincidence, but I haven’t stopped taking them. I also was taking Meclizine during the day. I don’t know if that helps only with nausea or dizziness too? I don’t have any nausea at all, so I’m lucky in that department, just the dizziness.
Current symptoms are: if I sit perfectly still I don’t notice anything except for a very slight pressure in my sinuses area above my eyes. Then, if I tip my had one way or the other, even slowly tipping, there is a sloshy feeling and my eyes don’t feel like they are tracking right, like they are slightly behind and the pressure in my head becomes tingly and more dizzy. You know the feeling, like the tingle you get when you are in a car going fast over a hill, or in a roller coaster ride, except that I get this in my head. The pressure is very slight above my eyes and near the top of my head and feels like it moves around when I move my head.
My next step will be to go to an ENT, but I don’t think they will give me much more information than what the other doctors have told me which is pretty much that I am healthy and they don’t know what causes it. This has already cost about $3500 in medical, and my deductible is $1600 + 20% after that, so cost me about $2000 out of pocket so far.
I also am going to have the surgery done to correct my Strabismus. The Strabismus is hereditary and not caused by the vertigo, but the vertigo has changed something enough which has caused me to not be able to see mono-vision anymore, I see thru both eyes, so i see double. I am off 16 diopters (about 8 degrees) left to right and 4 up and down (about 2 degrees), I will have the surgery on Dec 4th. I have been thinking about doing this for a couple years, but I decided I do want to get it done now. Hopefully most of my dizziness symptoms will be gone by that Dec 4th.
My only other observation is about half the people I tell, give lots of advice, or tell me I should not be doing something, but I am not going to let this change my life, so I am doing everything i did before (except I haven’t climbed on a roof yet, but I have climbed up a ladder very slowly and held on pretty good). A lot of people think vertigo is the fear of heights because of that unfortunately named Hitchcock movie. I patiently explain that it is not the fear of heights and tell them my symptoms if they care to hear them. I know they care and that is why they give the advice, but it is almost comical that I get similar reactions for everyone, except for the people who have had it or know someone close that has had it and those people just tell me it is bad while it lasts, and most of them got over it. So that makes me hopeful.
Hi Ed,
Thanks for letting us know what is going on with your vertigo. It’s always encouraging to hear that someone is getting better. Here’s hoping you eventually get over the symptoms entirely.
Cheers,
Don
Hi Ed,
I echo Don. Thanks for letting us know what’s going on with you. I hope you find more relief. Keep that experimentation going. It’s that feedback to yourself that’s helping.
I am 66 years old. I had the first vertigo episode in 2002. Since then, I have had severe episodes every 2 or 3 years, with milder episodes in between. When I have the severe episodes, the body appears to signal the bowels to empty, with vomiting and purging at the same time. As described by you, it is difficult to maintain balance, because empty bowels cause more dizziness.
The following antihistamines help –
Dimenhydrinate (generic name) Gravol (trade/brand name)
Diphenhydramine (generic name) Benadryl (trade/brand name)
Chewing a small piece of FRESH GINGER helps diminish the severity of the nausea and vomiting.
You might find the following websites of husband and wife, David and Karen Henderson, quite helpful. David had very severe Menieres episodes (the symptoms are similar to BPPV), so Karen did a lot of research on her own to help her husband’s condition. After several years of searching for answers, they finally found a set of nutritional supplements that have kept David attack-free.
Karen is a retired nurse. They reside in British Columbia, Canada. They can be contacted through the websites. They will provide information (to anyone who requests it), about the supplements David is taking.
http://www.menieres-disease.ca/benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo.htm
http://www.menieres-disease.ca/what_worked.htm
HI Jennifer,
Thank you for explaining your experiences and sharing the links to the Henderson’s web site. I don’t have Meniere’s Disease, so I have no idea if their info is any good.
I am a little surprised when you say that you can chew a piece of fresh ginger when you have a vertigo attack. I can’t chew anything. But, that’s me. One thing I have learned is that everyone is different.
Hi, my sympathies with your condition. I’ve had a virus damaging my inner ear. I went to a normal GP and was twice misdiagnosed (nobody mentioned going to a ENT). It was only about a month later (when we got back from holiday) that someone said I should go to a ENT. By then, it was apparently too late to really do anything about it – the damage was done. I have lost half of my hearing in left ear, got stuck with tinnitus and horrible balance problems. When I first got ill, I had those vertigo attacks. Trust me, I know how you feel!
I will never forget – we were on holiday (got sick a week before leaving) and visiting curio stores with lots of little things on shelves. And I just looked into this one shop – staring at those overfull shelves, and the narrow isles between them. And decided that I won’t enter – because I couldn’t walk straight (even if I tried!)
Yes, salt and sugar aggravate the condition. And … water is your friend! :-)
The ENT gave me Serc24. it worked wonders!
It’s been about 5-6 years since it happened to me. My balance problems sorted itself out (more or less), but sometimes comes back (especially if I work in the garden whilst standing – bending over at the waist, or washing my hair in the bathroom sink). There is some things that I still struggle to overcome – somehow can’t seem to ride on my bicycle anymore and I have a terrible fear of going down escalators (up is mostly fine)!
I am still stuck with the tinnitus and the semi-deafness in the one ear. I learned to cope with it. What else can one do?
And I wonder how totally deaf people cope in the world. Going to the bank, post office or any place where people are sitting behind glass proves very difficult (to hear). I’ve caught myself that I am looking at the person that is speaking, lips to catch any words. I just love subtitles on DVDs – why can’t they have them on in the movies, also?
Sorry this is so long – it is nice to talk to someone that actually knows what I am talking about!
I hope that you get some relief from your vertigo. All the best.
HI Anita, you have my empathy, too!
I have never heard of Serc24. Here is the wikipedia page for those of us who may be interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betahistine.
I know what you mean about the going down part. I can go up all day. (Well, not all day, but you understand.) I think down is difficult because of our lack of proprioception. Because we have broken inner ears, we don’t really know where we are in space. Placing that foot on the down escalator–oh boy. What a challenge. I also have weak ankles/drop foot, so I take elevators. I don’t do escalators at all anymore. Just don’t.
I think of my tinnitus as a pain in the tush :-) Loud places increase the tinnitus. I bet that happens to you, too.
I have no idea how totally deaf people live in a hearing world. I think if they learn to lip read, it’s better. I look at people’s lips, but it’s amazing how often people hide their lips behind their hands. Irritating.
Glad you have found us, sorry you need to be here.
“…but it’s amazing how often people hide their lips behind their hands.” Haha! So true!
Or, they speak to you with their heads turned away. It is just about impossible to understand what they are saying.
I once went to renew my driving licence and just couldn’t understand the person behind the glass – I mean, how many times can you say: “sorry, can you please repeat that?” At long last she realized that I had a problem and shown me some writing! :-)
The only negative I had with that Serc24 was that I got a rather dry mouth. Had to drink lots more water!
i had my first vertigo attack Sunday at 5:30pm, September 19th, 2014. It is the scariest ever and most uncomfortable feeling. It started when I got up too quickly from the couch. After that I had the urge to go to the bathroom with no dizzy feeling yet. All of a sudden I felt lightheaded so I laid down again, when I tried to move my head, the spinning started. it was so bad that I vomited and peed on myself. I called my insurance advice nurse 3 times that night and they told me to relax and take it easy until I can get hold of my primary care doctor. My third call to the advice nurse, she told me to call my primary care doctor. The advice nurse at my primary care told me to go to ER as she cannot tell me over the phone what is causing the dizziness (I did not go as I cannot move without throwing up and messing myself so I waited the next day). The next day, i called my doctor, the nurse was able to get me an afternoon appointment. I told the nurse i cannot lift my head without getting sick so I begged her to tell me what I can take to relieve the dizziness, nausea and vomiting. She told me to take otc meclizine. Luckily I have some on hand so I took a couple. It did help relieve the nausea but not the dizziness. When I got to the doctor’s office, she asked me a lot of questions such as if I have numbness, tingling and etc. She checked my BP too and it was high. I asked what it was and she told me vertigo. She also performed epley maneuver. she prescribed 50mgs of meclizine 3x a day and doubled my BP med.
I am on day 3 of being off work, how do I know when it is safe to return to work? I am still feeling mild dizziness, heavy headed and off balance but nausea and vomiting is gone. I can also walk slowly now, and and cautiously to make sure I do not fall. Do I wait until all the symptoms are gone? I asked my doctor, she said symptoms may lasts for weeks but i may return to work when I am feeling better. This virtigo threw off my judgement too seems like, what does feeling better means? is the heavy headed and off balance caused by meclizine? I would greatly appreciate if you can let me know what I should do. Thank you so much!
Hi L. I cannot tell you when it is safe for you to return to work. I can tell you that when I had my first vertigo attack, I worked from home. I was able to work a little starting about on day 3 or day 4. I was too tired to work much before then. I no longer remember how much meclizine I was on.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself:
1. How will you get to work? Do you need to drive? If so, are you safe to drive? I did not drive for several weeks, because I could not turn my head. I had an inner ear hemorrhage, which I suspect you do not have.
2. Are you able to eat and drink regularly? You need to be able to maintain your strength and get through the day when you are not at home.
3. Have you seen an ENT or do you have an appt to determine the cause of your vertigo attack? We have attacks. We need to learn why, if at all possible.
4. Are there other questions you need to ask yourself, that I do not know, because I am not a doctor?? I am not qualified to provide medical advice. I can only tell you my thought processes when I decided to go back to the gym, the grocery store, out for lunch, i.e. leave the house.
For me, feeling better means that my dizziness is gone, at least temporarily. When I was on the meclizine, I felt much less dizziness. Maybe someone else can chime in.
L. Very sorry you are going thru this. I had the same experience my first few days, I wouldn’t go to my doctor because I was sure I would vomit in the waiting room, so I didn’t go for awhile. OTC Meclizine helped me immensely with my nausea but not at all with my dizziness or spinning.
What I do when I have something like this, is I immerse myself and read a lot about it. One thing that stuck in my head was somebody said they were not going to let their vertigo/dizziness control their lives so they decided to not postpone anything. I took that to heart , I decided to go back to doing almost everything that I used to do, I didn’t cancel any plans, although I was very cautious and slower. I didn’t drive for 2 weeks, I had to beg rides from other people. I knew when I was safe to drive again and then waited a couple more days just to be sure, and even then I was super cautious. Another thing I did before the vertigo was walk a lot, so I called my walking partners and started walking again, I picked walks with wide level paved paths because I was weaving so much. There are obvious things I won’t do yet, I won’t get on a roof, and I haven’t ridden a bike. I’m not sure if I can ride a bike or not, but I don’t want to find out the hard way if I can’t. I’ll wait awhile for that.
Some things that have been helping me are: getting plenty of sleep, keeping hydrated, having a positive attitude (the vertigo does get me down, so I had to work at this one), and getting out of the house and socializing with friends takes my mind off the issue. Also, I have an ENT appointment for next week, they are busy, I called last week and the 1st available appointment was almost 2 weeks. I want to find out what is causing this so I can beat it.
I just realized i’m a month off. I had my first attack this month not september.
I get to work by driving to park and ride then taking a shuttle bus to work. The bus ride is between 1-2 hours or longer each way. I am not sure if i can drive yet as moving my head triggers dizziness. I am also afraid of the jerking motion of the bus more so now. I have another appointment with my internist this monday, i’ll ask gor an ENT referral to know what caused the vertigo and why my balance is still off. Thank you do much for your advice!
Ed, I agree. I think of myself as a survivor. That helps.
I also think of my vertigo as “along for the ride.” I can’t get rid of it, but I refuse to let it take over my life. I am in charge of my life, not it. I refuse to let it dictate to me. I live safely—I’m not stupid. But it’s along for my ride. I’m not along for its ride.
Good luck with your appt.
What helped me with the dizziness was doing eye exercises ( http://www.livestrong.com/article/212824-exercises-inner-ear-problems/ ) . Be prepared to feel nauseous. :-( And I would definitely sit when doing it!
Even now, (several years after the initial attack) when I feel dizzy, I do my eye exercises. It helps.
Thank you Ed!
Thank you Johanna and Anita! I will try the eye exercise!
I was given similar exercises to do by a PT, who was excellent. It really does seem to help.
Johanna,
Thank you so much for your positive attitude of dealing with vertigo. I took your advise to ” think of my vertigo as “along for the ride.” I can’t get rid of it, but I refuse to let it take over my life. I am in charge of my life, not it. I refuse to let it dictate to me. I live safely—I’m not stupid. But it’s along for my ride. I’m not along for its ride”.
I went back to work yesterday, still off balance and all but i tried to forget it. I am a little slower walking and more careful, but my mind is alert and able to do my work, that’s what matters. I take one day at a time and hope one day I will wake up with all these symptoms gone.
My GP doesn’t think I need an ENT as I am slowly recovering, not getting worst.
Thank you again!
L., glad to hear you are back at work. If you are getting better, that is great. Glad that the ride metaphor worked for you.
I also think that’s excellent advice “the vertigo is along for the ride” and it is not going to be the boss. I will not let it stop me from doing anything I did before.
Since I have had my dizziness symptoms for 2.5 months, I went to an ENT yesterday, it took about two weeks to get an appointment. I’m glad I went, first they did a complex hearing test, more involved than any hearing test I’ve had before. Took blood pressure both sitting down, then waited a bit, then took blood pressure standing up, also checked the pressure in my ears with some some neat device, also a special hearing test where the sound went through the bone in my either my head or my neck so it would go to both ears at the same time except thru the bone not thru the ear. Were very thorough and asked a lot of questions, and all this was before the doctor saw me. The doctor spent 15 min with me, which I think is a lot now-a-days, asking a lot of questions and looked in my ears and looked at my MRI to double check the scans, and he tested my balance. His feeling was that I definitely did have vertigo, but the vertigo was not caused by BPPV, but instead I have a viral labyrinthitis of just the labyrinth of one of my inner ears http://www.webmd.com/brain/tc/labyrinthitis-topic-overview. He also ruled out Minears disease for now, but if I have more vertigo episodes later then maybe that could be the culprit, but he didn’t think so. I told him that I had a stomach flu and gastroenteritis 5 days before my vertigo attack, and he thought that might be related. He said the labyrinth part of the ear is inflamed and will go away, and that my brain needs to adjust with signals from my ear and my eyes, and that will take some time, maybe 4 months, but up to 6 months. He definitely wants to see me again if I have another vertigo attack, otherwise I will go back again in a couple months if it still hasn’t cleared up. There are some steroids that he can use later to help but wanted to wait on that. Very happy I chose this particular ENT, he turned out to be a great caring doctor. I felt like he was on my team, which is what I need right now.
Ed, I’m so glad you have viral labyrinthitis. It will get better and you will be able to leave our happy little band :-) I’m delighted you have a diagnosis.
It sounds as if you have a great ENT. Yay!
This is why I suggest people go to ENTs. If you don’t know what causes your vertigo, you can’t know why you have it. You don’t know if you will get better, or why. Why take the chance?? But, that’s me.
I am so glad you found a good ENT and that you knew what’s causing your syptoms.
Thank you for your positive attitude!
Although I do appreciate your little group very much, I hope I do leave, and never come back :-) I say that in kindness with a smile. This has been the most frustrating illness of my life and I will be so happy, thankful, and appreciative of good health if it ever goes away.
Do u know any wAy to not have attack Ive been have the samething youve been talking about since I was about 12 or 13 im now 31 I havnt had a doctor know whats wrong with me Iive had one doctor tell me I had vertigo but insurance wouldnt help paying for anything when it came to vertigo I would love to never have this attacks again. It most likely the worst pain ever I need help
Hi Chris. I do not know of a way to prevent vertigo attacks, sorry. Did you read Seven Things You Can Do To Help Manage Your Vertigo? Those things have helped me.
If you have seen an ENT and an otoneurologist, I do not have any better ideas. If you have not seen an ENT, I would start there. If you have not seen a big-city ENT, you might want to consider that, as a second opinion.
I don’t have pain with my vertigo attacks. Well, aside from stomach-cramping pain. If you have pain, you might have something else going on. Here’s some free advice: Journal/chart your symptoms, food (including beverages), sleep, and workouts for the next several months until your next vertigo attack. With data, you can explain better to your doctors what is happening to you.
When I bring my spreadsheets to my doctors, they are 1) astonished, and 2) able to diagnose me better. I am also able to diagnose me better. I don’t need much information from them to pinpoint my condition. I am not suggesting you become a hypochondriac. I am suggesting that you learn what sets you off (if possible), so you can prevent it (if possible), and that you become a partner with your doctors.
This might be the most difficult thing you have ever done. For me, my health and mobility was worth it.
Hello johanna, I was hoping you or anyone else could offer advice or knowledge from their own experiences, as time with the Dr is very limited and you dont always get a chance to ask everything you would like to. I want to know if it possible for the loose ear crystals that cause vertigo attacks to be dissolved or absorbed by the body, or simply go back to the right position in the ear and stay there. I had my first vertigo attack at the start of 2012 with occassional episodes there after, but I have not had an attack for 7 months now. Could it be possible that my body has adapted or fixed this problem? I hope you are well Johanna and thank you for this site.
HI Cori,
I thought that the crystals went back into place in the inner ear. But I have no idea. Maybe someone else knows for sure?
Good for you that the vertigo attacks have subsided. I do know that once you have had an attack you are more susceptible. I do not know if you have adapted. If you know why you have vertigo attacks, maybe you know why they have subsided.
Best wishes to you…
I have had dizziness on an off for 3 years….certain times are worst than others …mine is more floating feeling and can’t lay on certain side sometimes ..I have woke up spinning a few times an I get so upset then take meclizine which helps but makes me feel so bad hours later …swift head movement will cause it and before and during my period its worse..and I’ve noticed if my sinuses are bad it seems to come on me easier …its so dibilitating and makes me plan my life around it …any help or info would be great
Hi Melissa, you don’t say if you’ve seen an ENT or a neurologist yet. Since you know that a full nose can bring on a vertigo attack, you should see an ENT. Your Eustachian tubes are connected to your ears, which is why when your ears are full or you have a swift (and I bet a specific head movement), you can initiate an attack. Everything is connected, and in your case (and mine), things are kerfluey.
I’ve never had a floating feeling, so I don’t know what you feel. Maybe if someone else here has had that, they will chime in.
I wish you luck. — Johanna
PLEASE check out the book, Healing Back Pain by Dr. Sarno. Despite its title, it isn’t only about back pain. It’s about TMS, or Tension Myositis Syndrome. Vertigo and Tinnitus are both common symptoms. I deal with vertigo occasionally myself (about once per year since my first episode in 1992). I’ve had it so bad I could only get to the bathroom by crawling on the floor. Ahhh, good times. Not.
Anyway, TMS is a very, very real thing. I learned about it 2 years ago when trying to overcome a horrible 7 month long case of sciatica (which I did once I read the book). Not everyone can bring themselves to believe these extreme symptoms can be caused by our brain’s reaction to our stress or tension (for me, the worst trigger emotion is simple annoyance….so it doesn’t have to be anything majorly stressful). But keep an open mind, it might help you a lot in the long run.
Not every case can be attributed to TMS, but you’ll never know if yours is or not unless you are willing to accept the possibility that it could be. Please, read the book (he has 2 more about TMS as well, but I really found Healing Back Pain to be the most helpful – I have SO many TMS symptoms, and have had several of them all my life and I’ve been able to suffer far, far less from them since learning about TMS). We all accept that we get things like headaches, and muscle tension, and nausea from stress…it’s really not so far-fetched to consider that many other physical symptoms are caused by it, too.
Best of luck to you!
Hi Brandy, Thanks for the tip. My vertigo is not caused by TMS. (I added the wikipedia link.) But, maybe other people have that. We have to be our own scientists. Good for you, for learning about this and seeing what your symptoms added up to.
Darn…am always hoping someone’s symptoms can be controlled through TMS techniques. Maybe someone stopping by can be helped by the reference. Thanks for your article! Hope you’re feeling well today. :)
I started getting spells in grade 8, I am now 41, over the years I have taken spells that put me in bed for the day, I luckly do not get the sick feeling , just the spinning or when I try to move my eyes with my head everything is all out of focus and makes me dizzy, I used to be able to hold my head perfectly still and could use me eyes normally but as soon as my head moved it started again. Over the last 5 years I have not really taken any long spells, I just seem to be getting a quick swirl in my head and everything spins and it lasts anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes then goes away, I have been getting these a few times a year until monday, I took one at 5pm, and then another at 11pm and was then fine again until I woke up the next morning and when I tried to look around the room it was like my eyes were not keeping up to my head, I have been like this all day today along with headaches behind my eyes, it is making me upset and nervous as I keep thinking it is not going to stop and I will have it from now on. I was going to attempt to do the excercise for the crystals in the ear canal to see if this can fix it but I am always scared of making it worse. Not sure if this is stil vertigo or I have something else happening, at this moment I am able to walk fine , just getting a funny sensation when looking around the room.
HI Shawn. Do you have a diagnosis? What does your ENT say? Much has changed in the last 30 years.
Hi when I initially went to the doctors it was in the 80s then again in the 90s, and they first thought I had meniere’s disease but I had no ringing or noise, then after some tests with water in my ears and a mri they said it was vertigo and gave me meclazine which I only used once in awhile, I really never went back in to get looked at again as the spells have been so far apart that It was something that I have just lived with, but now since this spell I am making an appointment to see my famiy doctor and then go from there, I feel better today thank goodness but I am still a bit off, if I look right to left quickly I get a small yet funny issue with my right eye as if its not focusing fast enough, I also have had a lot of headaches behind my eyes, I am full of a cold right now which may be a contributing factor for some of my issues but I hope it eventually goes away as this is something I would not wish on anyone.
Shawn, it sounds a little as if your vestibular ocular reflex is off. That could be a symptom of many different things. You need an ENT or an otoneurologist to tell you why. The otoneurologist has the strange glasses to examine you, to see if you have nystagmus.
Your brain can adapt. But, you need to know what is going on. There are medications to help, but you need to go to the right people to get them. Starting with your family doc is a good thing. That doc can rule out all the common problems—which you want to do. It’s the uncommon problems that make us berserk-o. And a cold on top of the vertigo? Oh, my heart goes out to you.
Good luck. After you wind your way through the maze of docs, maybe you can let us know what happens.
I am so relieved to have read your article and so sorry that you experience vertigo.
I have Meneires disease. It was diagnosed by ENT. The attack of vertigo, the complete loss of movement and loss of bowl control and vomiting are indescribable. I am doubly impressed with your article because it sounds like you are handling this while being blind. You sound so brave.
The worst part for me is that I have no warning symptoms. One second I’m ok and the next I’m on the floor.
God bless you and thank you for sharing.
HI Mary, I’m not blind under normal circumstances. It’s just that when I have a vertigo attack, I can’t resolve what I see. That’s what I mean. I suspect you feel the same way when you have a vertigo attack.
One of my second-opinion neurologists told me (several years ago) I had “vestibular Meniere’s Disease.” There is no such thing, of course. I told him I did not want to be a medical mystery, which is what all the other neuros had told me. I have a motor neuron disease, which is why the neuros had such a difficult time diagnosing me. I am quite unique!
I have this recurring fear that I will have my 2nd vertigo attack in a public place, like at a wedding, or church, or a meeting. Have you had that happen and what do you do? My first attack was so violent and fast with no warning; 6 seconds from normal to super spinning vision, dropping to the floor, full on attack, then 60 seconds to loosing everything I had eaten for the last day. I lost 7 pounds during those 10 days, not my preferred dieting method :-) Would be so embarrassing out in public, I’m grateful my first attack was in a safe place.
HI Ed, I had my 2nd attack while I was driving home from a doctor’s appt. I was terrified. I managed to continue driving—I was .5 miles from home. I don’t know how I did it.
I had my 3rd, 4th, 5th attacks at home. Those were the full-blown whirly attacks. I have also had several saccades attacks, where my eyes go wonko (crazy nystagmus, but no vomiting).
My most recent attack was September 2014. We were at a Bat Mitzvah party, at a function hall. My husband was with me. I had felt fine all day, but did not feel well when I got to the party. I was able to drink a ton of water and postpone the attack for a couple of hours. But, the adults soon had to go into the dark hall where the strobe disco ball was, along with the loud DJ. That did me in. I started to feel nauseous. I told Mark I didn’t feel well and went to the bathroom. I thought I might vomit, but was okay. I thought I might have to poop, but I was okay. But, it took me 30 minutes to feel okay. He met me outside the bathroom and said, “Let’s go home.”
I kept drinking sips of water. I really thought I had triumphed over the attack. But no. I had just postponed it. I got ready for bed and lay down. Big mistake. That’s when I needed to vomit. But I was so exhausted I needed to sleep. You just can’t win with this vertigo business. I pooped first, vomited for an hour, and then was able to sleep.
I have to say, I have lost water weight. I have never had that tremendous weight loss you have. My goodness. How awful.
I guess because I’ve had so many attacks, I don’t care about them. I don’t anticipate them. I try to sit near the bathroom on an airplane. I know my tinnitus increases just before an attack. I often have ear pain. It says so in my spreadsheet. (I keep a spreadsheet of attacks, days since previous attacks, and possible precipitating condition(s).
I try to stay healthy and not cause them. That’s the best I can do. I get more warning now, or maybe I’m more aware. My attacks now are nothing like my first attack. That one came on with no warning. I know now that my not-so-great feeling all day was something I can be more aware of.
I’m not fearful of the attacks. I don’t want to fall and crack my head open. That would be bad!
my first vertigo attack was in 1968..then I had 2-3 others and then 2 times a few weeks ago..most have been at night , asleep,,when I wake up to go to the bathroom,,switch from my left side to my right side..and all hell breaks loose. room spins and spins…
at times I will pass out for a few seconds and find myself not making it to the bathroom to urinate.
In 1987 I was attending a trade school during the day that was on the first floor and on the next floor up was a local powerful radio station broadcasting, that gave me headaches and made me nauseated..all their transmitting equipment was in this building ..by the second week I quit because I was driving on my way home when the street started spinning around..I thought an earthquake had hit,,but it was my vertigo. That was the only time I ever got a vertigo attack during the day. Wonder if the powerful radio freqs had anything to do with the rocks in my ear canals. I went to the er ,got checked and dismissed, with vertigo I was dizzier as hell. What I don’t do after an attack is lay down in a bed right away,,but rather find a comfy recliner,,lay a comforter on it and sleep on it..and wait a week or two before I lay down again..and wait another few weeks before I turn to my right side.
This last time a few weeks ago..(before that time I had an attack was in 1997)..I made the mistake of laying down in my bed the next day after the first vertigo attack and sure enough I got another one..wife took me to the ER ..they ran CT Scan, blood work, urine test, EKG twice and other physical test to tell me what I already know. No heart attack, no stroke, no brain tumor, no nothing..just vertigo..ER doc tells me..:What do you want to do, Sir?”..I’m 68..”I said fix me..he says “We can admit you and have an expert check you,,but not sure your medicare/supplement ins will ok it..since it’s only Vertigo…it’s only vertigo. I asked him..”Son have you ever had vertigo?”…he said “No”..then you’ve never danced with the devil I said…
So the wife and I left..In the past few years I’ve been in cardiac units, ICU units with 24 hour monitoring and they all say you is have vertigo..a little diabetes and slight high blood pressure..but maybe you have BVVP..or whatever they call it…so I am on my second ENT ..who wants to do another ENG test,,which I said hell no..so he does all his balance and coordination test on me,,and then he reset the stones in my ear like the first ENT did,,, seems to help.but still dizzy..and has me scheduled for therapy ..
at the hospital I was given anitvert, (which is nothing more than an antihistamine) which I have at home and take at times,,not much help and Predisone..a steroid which makes me feel very agitated and hungry..this young ENT advised me off these meds..wants the brain, eyes and ears to relearn my balance without them. He says they cause more issues than help…he’s a young doctor. So we’ll see.
To everyone who suffers from this agitating problem,,just hang n there and fight it the best way you can.
Ah Chill, you have danced with the devil, haven’t you? The young docs who don’t know anything are sometimes worse than no doc at all. They have no empathy.
If you do have BPPV, vestibular therapy should work on you. (Famous last words.) If you don’t, then it’s a long shot. On the other hand, what the heck, right? What have you got to lose except some time for therapy? And, doing it?
I did not find prednisone helpful for my vertigo. I took it briefly to try to restore my hearing loss. It didn’t work. Oh well. (On the other hand, I felt no pain anywhere! Gotta love those steroids.)
I do find it helpful to know what is causing my vertigo. If you can, I urge you to understand the cause. You’ve certainly had it long enough.
Hi Johanna
Thanks for your website. I have many of the symptoms others here have, but one particular that I have no one seems to mention. When I go to have my hair done after getting my hair washed I seem to have issues with my vision, feel foggy, a bit anxious and almost as though the side of my head where my ear feels full and rings most almost feels numb. It lasts until my haircut is done and blowed drive and until I get home. Scares me and makes me not want to go to another appointment in fear I might embarrass myself. Do you ever have this issue? Thanks again.
Hi Sherry, You are quite welcome. Now, to your question. I don’t like leaning my head back without support, so I don’t have my hairdresser wash my hair. I also don’t like the shaking back and forth when someone else washes my hair. For me, it can shake those darn crystals around. I’m fine when I wash my own hair.
I’m not surprised that a vigorous hair-washing can confuse the crystals in your ears, if you have BPPV. Since I have no vestibular ocular reflex, the shaking makes my vision go wonky. (How’s that for a technical term? My vision goes back to normal when the shaking stops, but it is uncomfortable. My hairdresser sprays my hair with water.
Maybe someone else can chime in?
My first vertigo attack was on Nov 1, 2009. I remember it clearly because the day before I had taken my granddaughter to a Halloween parade. It was cool and windy and I didn’t have a hat on.when I opened my eyes that morning the room was spinning/ flipping..I thought it had something to do with the wind in my ears. I went to my reg doctor and then an ent..that episode, no vomiting, but diarrhea probably from fear. They gave me Ativan, antivert( which I didn’t take), a nose spray of some sort and the episodes continued for that entire month on and off.washing my hair bending forward brought it on..bending over too..the ent said avoid those movements and do the bpvv exercises….the vertigo seemed to go away but dizziness persisted on and off a lot of the time but I could function..I got dizzy especially when I went from change of temperature..hot summer days into cold AC or indoors in the heat to outside…the dr seems to think this is unrelated but I know it is..it is more than a coincidence. I had another period of episodes in 2011 which did not last as long..then nothing till yesterday.i have had a cough for a few weeks..lots of dust as we are moving soon and packing..so there I was Dec 4 2014.waking up again, head on pillow with the room flipping.i knew to sit up and hold on and try to focus..but lets face it..no matter what you know you should do ,it still scares the heck out if you. I called my own dr and he said again do Ativan and try the antivert. I need to be alert and am afraid of it..I called my ENT and he was away…his partner was there. This is a well known and prestigious practice on Long Island so they should know what they are doing. The partner told me not to do the bpvv exercises but do Cawthorne head exercises..he did a thorough head nose eye ear exam..cameras inside and all and a hearing test…he also told me NOT to avoid the positions that bring it on, but be aware of them and try to recreate it!! I guess I looked at him as if he were crazy, so he explained it would help my brain to become immune to these sensory triggers..has anyone heard of that before?? Told me no salt( which is a problem because I get dehydrated and have had to go to the ER..they told me eat drink and extra salt.he said he would like me to take steroids but I can’t because of my stomach..so I have nasonex, astepro nose spray, the Ativan and he also wants me to take he anti vert..and do those exercises moving my eyes around..these do not seem to be triggers for me..I don’t understand the purpose..do any of these treatments seem familiar..?my daughter has menieres and he said it is not that..if not. Then what?..he said ” just vertigo” any thoughts on this? What triggers this after 2 – 3 year breaks? We are moving , packing a stirring up 10years worth of dust and I have had allergies and a cough for weeks.
Hi Micki. Wow. I do avoid salt, because it does dehydrate me. I drink extra water. See Seven Things You Can Do to Help Manage Your Vertigo.
I keep a spreadsheet of my vertigo attacks, so I have a shot of knowing what causes them. In your case, with the dust, that could be a trigger for your allergies. (Just a thought. I’m no MD!)
When I first had vertigo, I was on antihistamines and anti-cough stuff for weeks, all in an effort to keep my nose clear. I find Mucinex quite helpful.
Here is a link to the Cawthorne exercises. I think I did some of them when I did vestibular therapy, but not all of them. Wow. I would have fallen over. If they think you have labyrinthitis, that’s something you eventually get rid of. Eventually is the operative word.
If I were you, I would get help for the moving. We did, for our move this year, but that’s because I am close to useless. Given my vertigo, I cannot pick up a box. I can barely pack a box! We paid for help, and it was worth every penny. It cost much less than we expected. It also forced us to make good decisions about downsizing. You might read Is Anybody Using This? or Does This Enhance My Life? as you make these decisions.
Good luck to you.
I know what vertigo is like n honestly id rather be deaf then have this had episode other day n its not pleasant n people whom nvr experience this dont know what its like on a day to day basis so wish thr was a cure fr it
Cristine, have you seen an oto-neurologist? Mine says that *for me* there were several options. I wrote about the options and my decision in Making Difficult Choices. If you are not seeing an oto-neurologist, you might consider it.
If you don’t have a diagnosis, see a regular neurologist. I have a letter to the editor in draft form, urging neuros everywhere to consider motor neuron disease, when they see stubborn dizziness cases. Those of us with persistent undiagnosed vertigo would rather have some diagnosis than no diagnosis at all.
Wow – I can’t agree more! When my parents and husband say how sad they are that I lost 1/2 of hearing in one ear, I just try to put their minds at ease. Even having tinnitus in the affected ear is not as bad as having vertigo.
Johanna,
Thank you for such a supportive web site.
I am about to ask my doctor for a referral to an ENT Specialist. I’ve had one big spin in 2011 and smaller dizzy moments ever since. Although not all the time. I even managed a cycling holiday last year, so I do have normal times and I sail once a year. I take Stugeron every day when I sail, to make sure I don’t get seasick and so far so good with the vertigo, although I am crossing my fingers I will feel better by May! I’ve been spaced out for the last 5 weeks and am drinking lots of water to try and keep hydrated (I heard it can help). I am spaced out most of the time, but I live with it and I function fine until the wave hits me. Wobbly knees and nausea. I feel like I am waiting for the big one and it scares me, especially the thought of it happening while I am away from home. The big spin in 2011 was awful and I am so scared of that happening again. I remember it too well – I had done a yoga class the day before and the person who ran the class specialised in The Alexander Technique so I thought it might be a good class. I remember lying on the floor and she moved my head from side to side. The next day I woke up with the big spin. I am convinced it was because she moved my head …. I might be wrong. I’ve had that spaced out feeling through 2011, August 2012 and now Dec 2014 and a general spaced out feeling periodically over the last few years, as if my head is all foggy.
The smaller “spells”are awful, but I would prefer them any day, at least they go. I keep saying to myself “All things pass” …. and hope they do!
I’m working today and typing so until the wave I’m just kind of spaced out. I don’t like looking around the room, I feel better looking straight ahead. Although I do force myself to look around and Its “just there”. I have to work so in-between those “funny” moments I just walk around like I’m about to drop, but I haven’t so far. Just the odd little topsy turvy moment. I had to hold the desk while talking to a customer the other day, but then it went. So the little monster is still there bugging me and I long for the day I will feel normal.
Anyway, it helps to write it down. My doctor told me not to look on the internet, but I think it’s natural to try and find answers, especially as he’s not providing them. I do find it amazing that in this day and age we cannot find a cure for these inner ear problems …. surely soon …
I am a bit scared of going to an ENT Specialist because I’ve heard the Epley Manouvere and all those balance tests are very unpleasant (yes, I’m a wuss!). I know when you have the big spin you will do anything to get rid of it and I kind of don’t want to put myself through it until that happens, but I guess an initial consultation wouldn’t hurt …
Anyway thanks Joanna! the support helps.
Kind regards,
Lynda
Lynda, you are quite welcome! The problem with vertigo is that it has many causes. The reason your doc doesn’t want you to search online is that he/she doesn’t want you to scare yourself. You might have labyrinthitis, which I believe goes away after a while. You might have BPPV, which the Epley and other other head turning exercises do address. Vestibular therapy will help. Other, much more rare causes are Chiari malformations, and my motor neuron disease. Since you still have your hearing, you probably don’t have Meniere’s Disease.
You are correct. The balance tests are no fun. However, they last a couple of hours at most. At the end, they provide your ENT enough information to tell you what’s going on. That makes them worth it.
Yes, the vertigo fog is quite annoying, isn’t it? I talk about the “vertigo stupids,” because they are real.
I am envious of you. I could not manage to bicycle at all, never mind for a vacation! I don’t have enough balance for that. I can sail, as long as I hang onto things on the boat. (Every time I try something and I succeed, I’m so happy with my small success.) I don’t get nauseous sailing, which is great.
Best of luck to you. I hope they discover what causes your vertigo. I find answers so much more comforting, even if I don’t like the answers, than not having them.
Fabulous site here…such positive and hopeful comments for fellow sufferers. For me, A couple of things i think worked. Drink plenty of quality water with magnesium. Still water and knock off caffeine and tea. Cut down salt. Get exercise. Try to reduce stress. Dont skip meals and eat well.
Read books on the subject. My two favourites from Amazon. I read this one over and over again. i swear what he says got me through the tougest times of my life. Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by Jon Kabat-Zinn et al.
Link: http://amzn.com/0345536932
The other book was the revised Meniere Man book because it was step by step taking me through the beginning, middle and end of vertigo attacks ( meniere’s ones) and had so many techniques for coping.
Meniere Man. THE SELF-HELP BOOK FOR MENIERE’S VERTIGO ATTACKS by Meniere Man
Link: http://amzn.com/0992296447
I also got John Kabat Zinn’s CD for meditation..these were excellent to get me to relax at home.
And I also had a few sessions with a psychologist to work on the anxiety the vertigo was causing me. So with all the above I felt more in control and had a handle on the vertigo..and it seemed that helped . The less stressed I was and the more ” going with the flow” and understanding that the vertigo would not go on forever…
Everyone has something positive here…all so good and how lucky people understand what one goes through with vertigo.
HI Jane. I didn’t know about the magnesium. I take some magnesium with my calcium, so maybe that does it for me.
Thank you for the book links. I like knowing what’s worked for other people. I hope you saw my Seven Things You Can Do to Help Manage Your Vertigo.
thank god for your website. I just had my first severe vertigo attack a couple days ago on Christmas Eve and had to be rushed by ambulance to the emergency room because the spins were out of control and SO FAST causing me to vomit more violently than I had ever experienced. I am not normally a panic type person, but once I started vomiting blood I honest to god thought I was dying. Scariest thing I’ve ever been through in my life, without a doubt. This seems to have been triggered by a deep tissue massage I received the day before – the masseuse was doing a lot of work on my neck – because the first dizzy spell happened 40 min after the massage. I had three more that evening that got progressively worse, but no spins during those ones and they each lasted less than a minute. The next day I felt lightheaded so I stayed on the couch watching movies most the day. Around 4:30pm I got dressed to head out to the gym, got down to my car, and then BAM the big one hit. Thank god it happened before I started driving. Anyway, I’ve been researching the internet like crazy trying to find out everything I can since I can’t get into see a doctor for another 10 days. I can walk straight now, but I feel like one of those bobbly head toys you put on your dashboard. At least the nausea is gone. I’m 37 yrs old, very active and healthy (or was) am scared that my entire quality of life is ruined. I don’t have any ringing in the ears, but your post described what it was like very well. I’m so grateful to have come across your writings. Thank you.
Also, how long does it usually take after one of the bigger attacks (like what you describe) to “get normal” again? As far as where the eyes don’t feel like they’re under so much strain and things “look” normal again while you’re moving like walking and not just sitting in one place. I realize everyone is different, but how long does it take for you? Thank you in advance for your advice and support!
HI Maggie, I hope that the doc you are going to see is an ENT. The massage may have been a trigger, but it may also be coincidence. Although, someone recently posted that she has had luck with chiropractic work on her back. Your neck is connected to your back :-) (and on and on). Other people here have terrific advice and some fascinating experiences.
The first time I had a vertigo attack, it took me close to a month to become “normal,” but remember, I blew out my inner ear. (See Intralabyrinthine Hemorrhage Information.) Most people don’t take nearly that long. Now, when I have vertigo attacks, I sleep it off. I’m close to fine the next day, and within a couple of days, I’m back to my version of normal.
If you have BPPV, your quality of life is not ruined. You have crystals that need to be put back. If you have labrynthitis, that takes a while. Meniere’s Disease is a life-long problem, although people manage it, too. The key is to discover the cause of your vertigo. If you know what the cause is, you can learn what you can do to manage it. I would hold off on strenuous exercise, and do floor exercises and isometric exercises until I felt better. But, that’s me.
If you can walk straight now, you are already way ahead of many of us, certainly me :-) I always look a little drunk. It’s called the “vertigo waddle.” Vestibular therapists have a name for everything!
Good luck.
Reasons for and prevention can vary as i discovered.
I made a rule by learning the hard way. Avoid neck manipulation and neck massage..that is what I do now. First bout of dizziness happened after an Osteo neck manipulation… may have been a coincidence…?
2 weeks of room hugging dizziness where I ended up seeing a neurologise happened after being on a sailing boat for a day. Why I avoid cruises :) and long train journeys. Diagnosis at that time was labrinthitus.
Drink more fluids in hot weather! Seems obvious but ai didn’t. Result was Low blood pressure and dehydration ..not enough fluids on the heat= Not enough fluid volume in the body to keep the blood pumping to my brain! So i got very dizzy .
Another was a nasty virus…that made me fall over sideways when I sat up…really affected my balance..but that caused a high fever too.
I know how you feel.
Water helps me too and I’ve often wondered if my blood pressure medication causes an electrolyte imbalance leading to this problem as it started when my medication was altered to include a diuretic component. Do you take a blood pressure medication or diuretic?
HI Graham, I took HCTZ for years for my blood pressure. It worked really well, except I needed to drink more water for the diuretic effects. A few months ago, it appeared to be a problem, and my doc put on Lisonpril, which is not working at all. I see my doc later this month to see what to do differently.
I have found that when I work out enough, I don’t need BP meds. However, I have had significant radicular pain and problems recently, and my workouts seem to be aggravating those. This is unrelated to my vertigo. It’s a Problem. I will need to figure this out with my doc.
Hi, I found your site by accident. I suffered BPPV for the first time last July. It’s extremely debilitating. Coffee is definitely one of my triggers. It took me 3 months to recover from that first attack. I had another 3days ago and still feel like I have a permanent head cold. It’s comforting to know there are many others out there suffering as I do, in some cases,a lot worse than I ever have. You have hit the nail on the head though, find your triggers, adapt and overcome as there is no cure as yet. Good luck all
Linda, it’s a good thing to know your triggers. I hope you get back to normal soon, after this most recent attack.
Hi there!
I was recently diagnosed with vertigo a month ago and I’ve never been the same since then. I’m 24 years old and I’ve always been very active and the one thing I hated in the world was feeling dizzy. So when I woke up one morning with the world spinning and vomiting everywhere and feeling nauseous I thought I’d just go to the doctor and they could fix me. I hate the fact that she told me that I have to live with this my whole life, she just gave me Mclizine and that was it, she didn’t ask much questions and didn’t recommend me to see an EMT doctor, pretty much she was like ‘here take some pills and suck it up’. But I can’t even sleep on my side anymore because then the world starts spinning. I can’t do cartwheels or paint because when I tilt my head it starts, I can’t even look down for more than a few seconds or I start getting the whirlies. For weeks I felt like was in an unstable bubble that would tilt at every action, and it pissed me off that most people brush it off like it’s just some small thing. I can’t imagine my whole life like this, I’ve had no relief from this for a month, and at times my ears would hurt and I would be nauseous the whole day just lying on my bed. If anything, I’m going to change my doctor and hopefully see a EMT doctor but I just wanted to say that, at times I felt like I’ve been alone so it’s nice to know that their are people who I can connect with about this.
Hi Kareen, Wow. You have just experienced the first law of vertigo: Very few regular docs (primary care physicians or ER docs) understand what we go through.
It can take a few weeks for the dizziness to subside. Do not worry that it has only been a month. If it’s BPPV, you can learn the Epley maneuver, and manage it on your own. If it’s something else, an ENT will help you determine what it is.
Since you still have the whirlies, maybe if you see an ENT soon, you can get diagnosed faster. Getting your diagnosis is key. Good luck. We’re here for you.
A lot has been said about fluids…avoid alchohol is a big one…
Suoer food … green coconuts for hydration ..if you can get them fresh..or coconut water is really good if you are dehydrated. Also very high in magnesium. So if you are feeling in the negative zone ..or if you feel like you are getting a headache or migraine…keep coconut water in the fridge..tetra pack even.
Dont confuse with coconut cream though!
All the best everyone!
Yes I have had this vertigo when I was 5 , but it started back in high school I was losing my balance alot, I have five children now and I’m fifty one they say I need glasses and have ocular headaches but I don’t feel the headaches I do have alergic conjunctivitis just been diagnosed thank god no eye diseases just need glasses I was supposed to have went to the hearing center for test but I didn’t but I’m going now after this I got woke up and can’t go to sleep yes it is scary well I know if I tilt my head lying down it comes back so I lay on my stomach laying on my back makes it come back so I lay in my floor with my head down turned that don’t bother me but if I turn another way it can come back oh well pray for me, thanks
Hi Francis. I don’t know anything about ocular headaches. If your vertigo is that sensitive to how you lie down, I would see an ENT.
In 1990, I had my first attack of vertigo while pregnant. My only symptom was vomiting! I was put in the hospital for investigation and they found it was due to my inner ear. I was young, so I do not recall much, but the dr sent me to an ENT, where they laid me on a table in a room and dropped a very tiny tube in my ear with a balloon on the end, which filled with water. They said they were doing a test, and also asked me to read certain things on a screen.
They said I had some kind of an inner ear problem, but I don’t remember what they called it. After a couple of months the matter cleared up with meclizine and I went on with life.
Around 2007, it returned. Except this time the symptoms presented differently. I had heart racing, dizziness and a terrible pressure in the inner ear. If I stood up, my heart would race. If I climbed steps, my ears would pressurize and my heart would race. The doctor did some cardiac investigating and found nothing with my heart, and concluded it was so form of panic disorder. But I never felt that this was correct, as these symptoms occurred with a pressure in the ears.
Once I had another attack so bad my hands would tremble. My heart would take off up to 98bpm, and I would feel dizzy. When I reported it to the doctor, he once again sent me back to the cardiologist who said it was not coming from my heart and to go to a hemotologist. LOL I laugh because they seriously did not know what to do with me, even as I told them my ears are pressurizing.
I did visit the hemo and had some bloods drawn and he said I need to go see my GP and ask to see an ENT again. GP said I probably had an ear infection, put me on an antibiotic and BOOM, dizzeness gone, pressurized feeling gone, heart racing gone.
Over my life, whenever I get these attacks, I get put on antibiotics and it goes away.
As i get older, I find that the antibiotics do not work as well for this anymore and most days I really suffer.
My grandmother suffered with labyrithitis and had to live on valium to function in her older years. She would get the vomiting aspect and spinning head. I do not get the spins, but I get a pressure feeling and a bumping into the walls at times and my gait is unsteady.
I find that the heart racing goes hand in hand with this for me, and it truly makes me miserable at times. I’m about to go see an ENT and investigate again. God Bless anyone going through this. It’s so very hard and my heart goes out to you.
My symptoms in total: heart racing, pressurized feeling in ears, painful inner ear feeling at times, unsteady gait, bump into walls, light headed, trembling hands, cannot tolerate loud sounds, head rush feeling, hot flush feeling in face, anxious feeling, difficulty sleeping, nightmares.
HI Tab, I can empathize with you re the painful inner ear, unsteady gait, and the difficult in tolerating loud sounds. I sometimes get an attack if my ear hurts for several days. Smart of you to de-pressurize.
My suspicion about the antibiotics: they cleaned out the pressure in your ear and Eustachian tubes. I’m not a doctor. That’s still my theory. If I have pressure, I take Mucinex or some antihistamines (or both) and they work to reduce the pressure in my ears.
If you are not under an ENT’s care, you might decide to go to a neurologist. Some combination of an oto-neurologist, or a neuro who specializes in dizziness and balance issues. If you’re having more frequent dizziness or attacks, it might be worth it for you.
Good luck.
I have had 2 vertigo attacks & they knock me out with fatigue for weeks
Going to house ear clinic for test
& they diognosed my titnitus in my left ear back in 99. Hopefully this visit will
Help me. Would appreciate any help
Or info on vertigo thx
Hi Lane. It’s good that you’re going to a clinic to see what’s going on. You need to know the cause of your vertigo (if possible). In the mean time, check out the Vestibular Disorders Association (link on the right sidebar). You might find my Seven Things You Can Do to Help Your Vertigo useful, also.
Good luck.
I am 42 and had my first vertigo attack this past Monday. I woke up and tried to lift my head but could not, as soon as I opened my eyes, everything was violently bouncing up and down – not side to side. I had to crawl out of bed backwards to crawl to the bathroom – with my head literally dropped because I could not lift it. The sweat was rolling down my neck and as soon as I touched the ceramic floor, I just had to drop to cool down – but felt no fever. Was doing my business than went for the trash can to start the vomiting. My fiancée was so worried and just wanted to call the ambulance. I asked him to give me a minute and to just sit and give me his back; I could not hold my head up very well. I was coherent and calm (for the most part) through the whole thing. I finally let him go to call the ambulance. I vividly remember the whole occurrence, the ambulance ride and getting into the room at the hospital. After that is a blur. We were home a few hours later, I slept than showered and went to work. The whole bouncing sight and heavy head lasted about 1.5 hours. Today I am had a blind migraine (retina migraine), which I have been getting from time-to-time for about 15 years.
The whole thing was scary. To be so aware but yet not be able to have that control. I do notice that if I look to the side, just with my eyes, there appears to be a slight delay in either my eyes to brain or brain to eyes, not quite sure.
Thank you for the posts, it is helping a little – especially when I see some of the timespans that some face and I don’t seem to be dealing with the same timespan – I am thankful.
Malinda
Malinda, it sounds like your side-to-side issue was saccades. If you have not called an ENT, you should. You may be able to discover why you had this attack.
I also find that if I sleep it off, I am better. Good luck to you.
Thank you Johanna. I made an appointment with an ENT. In December I had a pretty bad head cold and the blocking of my ears have been a pain since than so I am hoping that is all it is. Thank you for the response.
So glad to find your blog. My first attack was 3 weeks ago. Woke up to a shocking wild swimming head and rocking body, and couldn’t steady myself, when bending to stand kept going forward into wall. No other symptoms. Thought I had a stroke, I’m 67. So scary. I live alone. Long story short, by mid-day after sitting upright at my desk all morning I was better, good enough for a nice walk outside, but still feeling unsteady. Every day since has been like this, but morning wake-up usually more mild but distinct head swimming, holding onto things and walls to get down hall to bathroom. Some afternoons stable enough to go to store., some not. Day 3 had clammy cold hands and weak rubbery knees so went to doc who said come back in 2 weeks if you still have symptoms. Scary as no explanation. Got second opinion who said if happens with position change go to ENT and gave me a name, and for a neurologist if needed for nerve damage. Beginning this week the secondary symptoms got stronger – cold clammy hands and feet with heat flushes over shoulders and chest, 4 episodes of the shakes and rigid tightened muscles that last 20 minutes, and light nausea that seems not tied to head appeared more often. Doc did EKG, small change from prior one so sent to Cardiologist who said probably vertigo, talked about head rotation procedures and set me up for some heart tests. I found head rotation chart on internet (epley) and tried that. It seemed to make the lying down left side dizziness better, but standing was much worse as my head swam no matter where it was positioned. The right side seemed a little dizzy lying down, so I tried the head procedures for that side. Found a different head procedure of Colorado State U. where you kneel and do a forward half somersault then turn to the left, the come back up so head is even with waist then back up kneeling. WOW that made a mess of my head. Very off balance and wobbly when standing but managed dinner. When in bed lying down, my eyes started rapidly moving back and forth going super fast, it was being blind. It went on and on. Both eyes, no matter where I positioned my head. Sitting up I could focus, but terrible wobbly time getting to bathroom. Back to bed and eyes went crazy again. I figured the somersault maneuver messed my inner ears up, so I did the classic epley maneuver again, very slowly staying 2 minutes in each position. That made the eyes behave much better. Today sitting at my desk all day, I was stable and can walk around quite well, did a laundry. Something is moving around my inner ears, that is for sure. I have had random very mild pressure around my neck area and under ears from the beginning all along, today a tiny bit soreness.
Tomorrow Monday is heart stress test and a review with a second cardiologist. I hope to get to see an ENT within a week, it seems awful that before I was told it would be probably 2 weeks to get an appointment, but I could call each day to see if there was a cancel. So hard to see a doctor!
Living alone, I am dependent on finding someone to drive me, as tests might make me dizzy. The best medical center in NJ seems to be JFK Medical that has a department devoted to this – you go in and their various doctors and specialists do everything that day to diagnosis you and set up a plan. They have all the latest equipment and tests listed at their website. A less robust hospital but closer has a specialty ear department for this and a neuroortonlogist and special PT head it. The closest hospital has a vistibular rehab group, but only an ENT practice that has lots of services with one being dizzy and balance disorders. If I need different help like a neurologist I have to go to another place and maybe again wait 1-2 weeks to be seen. I’m really torn about where to go, which imposes on someone else to transport and stay to take me home, and also risk any rehab set-up being far from home. But maybe the ENT close practice near-by is good enough. Tough decision as insurance will probably only pay for one shot at getting this diagnosis right, you can’t keep doctor shopping I’d think.
Mouse, wow, you’ve had a difficult time.
BTW, I drove to and from my vestibular testing. I’d had vertigo for a few months by that time (the first time), although I was not yet using a cane. The second time, I drove myself and I was using a cane.
I don’t know what kind of insurance you have. My insurance paid for at least one second opinion, especially since they did not know the cause of my vertigo. Maybe you can call your insurance and discover what they offer.
Get them to check your upper motor neuron function. If you have shakes and rigid muscles, something other than straight vertigo is going on. No one ever thinks of motor neuron dysfunction, because it is quite rare.
The ENT can tell you if you have BPPV. A neurologist can tell you why you have the shakes and rigid muscles, unless that’s from your heart.
Best wishes. I hope you get an answer sooner, rather than later.
Thanks. Appreciate your advice. Insurance is Medicare, and I am glad about that!
The 4 shaking episodes happened over a few days in week 3, and has not reoccurred for a few days. Probably tied to increase in cold clammy hands and hot flushes over shoulder, and the emergence of a slight sore throat with sinuses a bit drippy yesterday only. Hope so. Doesn’t help if there is a second illness with those symptoms layered on top of this. If one gets the wild crazy flu, that would sure confuse things. But then the weak hands this morning are a concern. I hope someone figures it out.
Question – For maybe 2 months now I have a large coffee in the evening. I always have had 2-3 large cups in the mornings. Could it possibly be the increase in coffee, and late in the day, that could have caused little crystals to break off in my ear? When one drinks a lot of coffee your head does get a “buzz”.
My otoneurologist is the first one who told me to go decaf. Did you see Seven Things You Can Do to Help Your Vertigo?
Caffeine is not a dizzy person’s friend.
Saw ENT, and he seemed really great. Thinks it is BPPV. Explained why not some other things such as Menier’s. Said to work with Cardiologist to finish the heart tests this week (nuclear stress test and ECHO heart ultrasound). ENT office did an audio test and I am missing one little sound so their rule is to do an MRI, but very unlikely a brain lesion, and any brain problem will show up in MRI. Ordered rehab and evaluation. Ordered an hour long Videonystagmography (VNG) test in their office in early February. Gave me a sheet with Cawthorne Head Exercises to do 15 increasing to 30 minutes twice a day. See him again in 6 weeks.
This seems a good video on the Videonystagmography (VNG) test
https://youtu.be/FVHbIu_1lD4
Thank you for your update and for this video. When I had my vestibular testing, the VNG, we discovered I had no ocular reflex. No wonder I was dizzy!
We can adapt to many things. I have adapted, even to a lack of VOR.
Hi johanna,
I’m glad I found this blog! As you said, this feels so isolating. Some of my coworkers even think that it’s just a psychological thing. I thought of that as well at first but confirmed I’m still sane after the tests were done.
I just had an attack this morning when i woke up. I just opened my eyes and everything is moving. It’s been more than two months since I had an attack and this shocks me. I’ve been limitting my coffee intake gradually trying to iliminate it as the doctor said removing it completely would definitely result to withdrawal sympthoms. Good thing my SO is there to help me or i would really tumble and fall from the staircase. (we don’t have a bathroom near our bedroom and i’m thinking of adding one to at least help when i’m having an attack there) Will start reading your article on managing vertigo.
Thanks a lot!
HI Kath, my best wishes for you to find out what’s going on. I hate waking up in the middle of an attack. Argh.
BTW, I drink an occasional cup of decaf coffee (which still has caffeine), and a cup of green tea (which has not too much caffeine) every morning. You can go decaf :-)
I hope they discover why you have vertigo, and if there are meds, that you can take them. Good luck.
About 2 years ago, I had “severe” attacks if vertigo ( at y they all) my husband had no idea what I was talking about – then one day on the radio I heard a commercial about a cream one could purchase and to call an 800 number-” oh, yea, probably a $200 cream…” but then he said just rub it behind your ear!!
Then — I began to rub the BONE behind my ear AND instantly my verdigo disappeared – a few my times and then infrequently they STOPPED!! I could now bend over and pet my dog or pick up anything on the floor without getting verdigo. I think the gentle message of that And did it for me and I still don’t know what that cream cost! Now, today 71 years old and it has returned — not too severe but there with every turn of my head??? Now my husband has vertigo when moving his head side to side. My attacks & his attacks are frequently and the odd thing is theryre now long enough to message the bone behind my ear. Maybe this info can help others now. I hope so. I hope this goes away soon.
Malu, if you have not gone to an ENT, you should. Yes, some people suffer from vertigo as they age, but why should you suffer if you don’t have to?
You may have been massaging your mastoid bone. If you have an infection in your middle ear, it might affect the fluid in your inner ear and, therefore, your balance.
Middle ear infections are relatively easy to diagnose and fix. Even inner ear infections are easy to diagnose. Not as easy to fix.
I’m 16 and have had vertigo for a couple months now and I take meclizine and a substitute for zofran but neither seen to be helping me. My vertigo attacks happen every day at least 2 or 3 times sometimes more. Any advice? My doctor keeps telling us that it’s nothing and it’s normal but I don’t feel it is.
Toree, having vertigo attacks every day or more often is not normal. Unless you have an underlying condition. Even then, you should be able to find some relief.
If you have not seen an ENT or an oto-neurologist, it’s time. At minimum, you can get a second opinion.
had my 1st vertigo attack last wk, standing at my printer at home. The room suddenly tilted & I grabbed the wall. Only lasted abt 5 secs. Felt bk to normal pretty quickly. Hoped it would never happen again! But has been happening almost once a day for the past 4 dys, all random times including once as I rolled over out of a deep sleep in the middle of the night. I’ll call my neurologist tmr & my gp. But I have chronic intractable migraines & I’ve read abt MAV… migraine associated vertigo. I don’t want to have to go thru a bunch of tests if this is yet *another* difficulty of living w/ migraine. I’ve skimmed lots of these entries but haven’t seen any mentioning migraine. Anybody out there like me? But this vertigo… how do people cope w/ this!? What wld happen if I were driving, or doing just abt anything?? It hits so hard w/o warning!
Nancy, my vertigo attacks are much less frequent than yours. I did have one while driving. Scared me. I was half a mile from home and drove home where I promptly threw up.
I have no idea what’s causing your frequent vertigo attacks. You do need to check them out. Good luck.
I’m only 17 years old and my doctor perscribed me with BPPV. My doctor did the maneuvers at my appointment and right whenI got up I had nausea and my doctor couldn’t continue with the exercise. I’m on meclizine but I can only take it at night because of the drowsiness because I have school in the day. It’s really scary. You can’t control when you get super dizzy or get nausea or headaches. But when it happens it’s too overwhelming.
Shannon, other people take Zifran. Maybe that’s a possibility for you?
If the Epley makes you nauseous, you need to know what causes your vertigo. Make sure you see an ENT or an otoneurologist. You can’t let your vertigo run your life, certainly not at 17.
Best of luck to you.
In 2008 I was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease, my vertigo attacks just started in November. Someone here put it perfect when they said you have danced with the devil. My ENT has given me dexamethatone (spelling?)injections in my ear, first one helped for one year, next shot only two months, next only one month, just had one last Tuesday, had a bad vertigo attack Friday morning – doc says can take 7-10 days for it to be effective. Bad vertigo attack for me is crawling to bathroom, not knowing to vomit or poop first. Solved that problem with bucket in bathroom. Yesterday I had a more mild attack and I was out at an imaging place for my mom and the guy behind the desk told me he went through a bout of these and Sudafed helped him. He brought me one, I took it and OH MY GOSH, I felt better. I also take Valium if I have a warning that an attack is coming (blurry vision, queezy) but sometimes they just hit me. I wanted to say thank you for the ideas here. I have started a spreadsheet (data, data, data) and I have thrown everything out with MSG (wow – everything has it?!!! like my ranch dressing and raspberry jelly!!) I’ve switched to Decaf. I have not had alcohol since January 10th – and am trying to quit smoking – do you think a nicotine free cigarette is OK or also constricts those vessels like nicotine? I’ve reduced my sodium as well. I’m going to try the Sudafed again when I have a warning of an attack coming on. By the way, I have lost quite a bit of my hearing and the TINNITUS is enough to drive you crazy but I’ll take that and pretty much anything over a vertigo attack. I have a new scale – like the pain scale the docs say: “on a scale of 1-10 what is your level of pain?” My scale is on a scale of 1 to Vertigo everything is pretty much a 1 or 2. Now I need to get some walking (bad knees) started to help eliminate my stress. Oh, by the way, my vertigo attacks begun in November when some really difficult, stressful events took place in my life. Coincidence? Not if you look at the data! Please keep all your ideas, suggestions, coping mechanisms, etc. coming!
Hi Larissa, my goodness, you have some challenges.
I’m not surprised the Sudafed helped you feel better. It helps me too, sometimes. It depends on what’s going on in my head :-) At the beginning of this journey, I took Sudafed and Mucinex all the time to reduce what was in my ears. Since your Eustachian tubes connect everything, if your nose is at all stuffy, you can affect your ears. Good for you, for figuring that out!
I love the idea that you are collecting all your data. When I bring my data to my docs, they are always surprised. Good for you. Maybe you can manage your Meniere’s that way.
When I had those shots, I had them twice a week for two weeks. I wonder why yours are farther apart.
I have no idea about nicotine at all. Good for you for trying to quit.
Yes, tinnitus is cruel. It gets louder when you are in a loud room. And, if you don’t have much hearing to begin with, it can drown out any hearing you do have. What a pain. I have met people with Meniere’s who have cochlear implants. Maybe if your hearing loss is bad enough, your doc can talk to you about hearing aids that work for you.
Good luck! Rock on. You will figure things out. (It’s all about the data :-)
Thank you! Did the injections twice per week for two weeks help? I will ask my ENT doc about that. All he said was I could have them as often as I want? I wish I had found this site sooner but better late than never with MSG info, low sodium, etc.
Yes, the injections reduced my dizziness quite a bit.
My oto-neurologist said I could only have them once every two years, but I don’t have Meniere’s, so I have no idea what the real deal is.
I don’t know how long the steroid lasts. I suspect the half-life is much less than the docs think it is, but it allows your inner ear to reorganize. I’m all for that.
My dance with the devil was 7 months ago, August 2014. I wrote about it Sep and again Oct. 2014. An ENT said it was most likely Viral Labyrinthitus and it would be gone after 6 months. Well, its now 7 months and I can still feel it, usually, it is a wooshy feeling in the top part of my head. The good news for me is some days I don’t think about vertigo, then other days it is I can feel somewhat dizzy. It is a big deal not to think about the dizziness. The wooshy feeling never goes away, but maybe I’m getting used to it.
2 weeks ago, I had one tiny episode of saccades that lasted for literally 1 second. My eyes did the typewriter thing where my vision bounced back and forth horizontally one time, but then stopped. It thru me into a little panic, because I thought oh know, here comes the vertigo, but it stopped and didn’t start again. I was relieved that it stopped. I probably shouldn’t be complaining because my dizziness is 95% better, I would like to be 100% normal like I used to be. Has anyone else been diagnosed with viral labrythitus and do you eventually get over it? My ENT told me about steroids for the ear. Sounded like a injection into the ear? That would be my next move. What are people experiences with the steroid injection?
Hi Ed, I thought viral labyrinthitis took closer to a year to resolve. I think a colleague had it and it took him closer to a year to be “normal.”
I know that wooshy feeling ;-) I like that word for it.
In my vertigo attack spreadsheet, I have a number of saccades-only attacks. At one point, I could bring them on with a specific head position. (Don’t do that, Johanna!)
As for the steroid injections, I wrote about my experience with them in Making Difficult Choices. Now, almost 2 years later, I have dizzy days and not-so-dizzy days. Today, I appear to more dizzy than yesterday. At least, we now know what causes my vertigo. We didn’t know that 2 years ago.
Maybe someone else has had the steroid injections and will comment?
I wrote about my new case above. It seems like you I have Viral Labyrinthitus. I get my revaluation from the vestibular physical therapist today and go back to the ENT doctor for a second visit next week now that all tests are done.
The VNG test showed 18% difference in balance between sides, the left side the problem. I think below 25% is “normal” but one therapist said that accounts for what I feel. I’m in month 3 and have that light unbalanced or disoriented feeling at times. This makes sense as a walking exercise where I turn rapidly right I am good at, but when I turn left I stumble sometimes a bit, not much. And I have had a light sore ache move around my head from the beginning that in recent weeks only vists the left ear. It is a lingering virus it seems. At week 3 I had other secondary symptoms at their worst that probably were from the virus. The ear ache (and light nausea sometimes) stayed longer and then just the ear ache. All very light but annoying, especially frustrating as I feel the labyrinthitus won’t really recover until the virus is fully gone. We’ll wee next week what the doc says.
If it is a virus that affected the balance nerve, I expected a year or more for a nerve to repair. I had cubital tunnel syndrome (like carpal tunnel but in elbow) that damaged a nerve causing numbness in 3 littlest end fingers, and dropping things – this ulnar nerve took perhaps 2 years to fully heal, but this is fine today.
NOTE: I was given periodic steroid injections (4 total over 2 years) into the elbow to reduce inflammation, after which I felt much better. It brings immediate relief when pills like aspirin or advil do not work. But I recall the concern from doctors including my primary care doc that you cannot have many of these as it could harm your kidneys.
Here are some interesting websites that might help you.
This is from Wikipedia – look at links also at bottom of page to more info.
balance disorder: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_disorder
vestibulo-ocular reflex: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestibulo%E2%80%93ocular_reflex
More:
http://american-hearing.org/disorders/vestibular-neuritis-and-labyrinthitis/
http://american-hearing.org/disorders/destructive-treatments-of-vertigo/
Thanks so much for the links. I have the vestibular organization on my site, but not the others.
I talked with a neighbor who had an interesting vertigo situation. In 2006 he became suddenly dizzy at work, went to medical staff on sight (he works for a big insurance co). In summary, he had a tumor on the balance nerve. His ENT doc sent him into NYC to Roosevelt hospital that had extensive surgery experience, and he had the nerve removed (right side I think). Interestly, he is fine today, just has to be careful when turning right such as on a bike or trimming the nedges on a ladder. Every once in a while he turns without thinking and falls to that side. But he gets around doing anything he did before it seems.
Another interesting link. The study – article is over 10 years old, but it does point out that based on what direction your eyes move and more, there are different maneuvers that the physical therapist for vistibular disorders can do to move misplaced particles around and relieve symptoms, including the rapid eye movements. That is why visiting the ENT or other specialist doctor is important for any symptoms. I got the crazy rapid eye movements from left to right that lasted a week (lying down) after I did a procedure that moved my head forward (instead of backward like the Eplay maneuver). I immediately also staggered walking like a drunk sailor. By doing the Eplay maneuver after, that helped move something that helped “cure” the rapid eye movement. It took a week to play out and calm down, showed up when I lay down.
http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/77/6/602
I have had the symptoms of menieres disease since I was 21 but they told me I did not have menieres disease. So by the time I was 50 years old I have been misdiagnosed 4 times then I walked into mid west ear Institute in Indianapolis Indiana I was with the doctor 2 minutes ,and was told I have had menieres disease for a long time. It has been improperly diagnosed finally I had a diagnosis. I feel so sick most of the time. It looks like the light switch on the wall moves up and down does anyone have that to happen to them? I have the spinning sensation vomiting balance problems I trip over the carpet sometimes. I have ringing in both ears I am deaf in my right ear can barely have any hearing in my left ear I have a hearing aid but sound and voices makes me sick at times. Also my hearing changes with the weather and the seasons does that happened to anyone of you all? I feel like I’m losing my mind if it were not for the Lord I don’t know what I would do. So I continue to stand on his word. I take water pill and advert and numerous other medicines. But I continue to do everything I can however I did not know sugar could make it worse so that is why I like to read personal testimonies of others God bless
Hi Tim. I feel for you.
I thought that with Meniere’s, you could get the steroid injections, or the labyrinthectomy (what I call the roto-router of your inner ear). I was under the impression that both of those would stabilize you. I might have misunderstood my oto-neurologist. If you don’t have an oto-neuro, or a neuro who specializes in dizzyness, I suggest you get one.
My tinnitus and balance change with the weather. I don’t know about anyone else.
Tim, you have my heartfelt sympathies. I tasted a bit of the balance issues, but after revisiting the doctor it seems a virus did a little damage to a nerve and with rehab and time it will get well. I also just learned a friend had a tumor and had surgery to remove a nerve on one side of the head. He leads such a normal life I did not know until I told him about my situation. So if surgery is an answer for you, as Johanna mentions, that may be an extremely beneficial way to go and I encourage you to see the right medical team. Both my friend and I went to ENT doctors who specialize in balance disorders and mine sent me to rehab (what I needed) and my friend’s sent him to New York City to a doctor that does this surgery all the time and had a very good outcome, life even without the nerve is fine, he just has to be careful when turning to the right on his bike and such.
Good luck, Tim, you have all my best wishes.
I started going to an ENT in 2007, after many hearing tests, I was diagnosed in 2008 with Meniere’s disease in my right air. It was not until this past November, 2014 that I had my first and sadly not last vertigo attack. Worst feeling ever in my life. I do get the diamethotone (spelling?) injections and they have helped me. This past injection did take 12 days to work and I did have several attacks prior to the 12 days. I bumped into someone who told me they take Sudafed and it helps them. I have to say it has helped me too. Try it, it can’t hurt. And yes, every single weather change and barometric pressure affects my ear. I too pray a lot and give thanks to this site and ideas. Also, I followed Johanna’s 7 rules and I now have no caffeine, no alcohol and low sodium and started to walk for stress reduction and get sleep and currently doing much better. I can only hope it continues. God Bless you too!
Larissa, I am so happy you are finding a little relief.
I thought I was the only one that the barometric pressure affected. Ha!
Still trying to get over my 1st really bad case of Vertigo, I woke up in the middle of the night with the room spinning and I was so disorientated I didn’t know which way was the bathroom, I started vomiting in my hands and slid to the bathroom toilet on my vomit, It was so violent and went on for hours as I sat in my own vomit and bowel movement unable to move or get up, I have just had a knee replacement surgery last year and I couldn’t kneel on it from the pain or get up. My husband had taken a sleeping pill and couldn’t hear my calls. I don’t remember much about the last two days through the vomiting and pain and its still with me now, I also feel alone and I think my husband thinks I’m over exaggerating my pain and I’m miserable. I wanted to go to the emergency room but he didn’t think I needed it. Today I’m not vomiting but I can’t bend over to clean up some of the mess I have made and the smell in the bathroom is enough to make you sick. I did get meds sent in for the nausea and vertigo, and I feel they did help, but I am going to make an appointment for an EN&T specialist this week, thank you for your kind words it always helps to know what you are going through and to know you are not alone.
Marian, you poor dear. Yes, the problem with a vertigo attack is that it plays havoc with your entire GI tract.
I hope that the meds you are taking help. I’m glad you are going to see an ENT.
You might need to explain to your husband that you are not faking it. Maybe he should read some of the posts/comments on this page. Good luck.
I recall reading you take magnesium, I forgot why? I did buy some and wondered if it would help my Meniere’s disease. I stopped taking my potassium supplements after reading that it is potassium that increases the fluid in the ear, I believe. I’ve read so much information just trying to figure out my triggers and things that help other people, etc. I am keeping my vertigo journal up-to-date and I believe my diet changes have helped too.
I take magnesium because it’s part of my calcium supplement. You do want to figure out the right balance of salt/potassium for you, because it definitely affects the fluid in your inner ear.
I had my first vertigo attack on Friday and it was scary. I called my doctor but got his voice mail so I hung up knowing I was not able to leave a message. He called me back and I could barely get the words our as the attack was still taking place. I was having spinning, my eyes felt like they were jetting back and forth in my head. I was sweating and very nauseous . Yesterday was the day after this all happenened and i could not get my bearing back. I didn’t eat but slept all day until this morning. That’s a lot of sleeping now I feel somewhat ok. Has this ever happened to anyone else?
Vicky, that’s what happens to me. I need to sleep off my vertigo attacks.
Vicky, I strongly suggest you go to an ENT doctor and get referral to a rehab therapist for dizziness – vestibular – evaluaton. There are tests and maneuvers that can be done that help solve this problem for a lot of people. You need to know why you had this attack. Some people are helped with a very simple maneuver like the esply head turns that take only minutes to do. There are a number of possible reasons, and you need a doctor to tell you why you had your attack.
Yes, you must be evaluated. It could be many different things driving your vertigo attack. I was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease in 2008 after a full-year of evaluations/tests. I did not get my first vertigo attack until November of last year. I do not have the eye thing going on, but my body immediately purges everything in my belly simultaneously throwing up and bowel movements. And yes, everything is spinning and complete feeling of out of control. I have no control what goes on and that is scary and awful. Once my body has purged everything, I crawl back to bed and pray for fast sleep. I’m pretty drained and off kilter for at least 24 hours after attack. Make an appointment today for an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat doctor). Take care.
Thanks Johanna , my husband was very worried and kept coming into my bedroom waking me up to make sure I was okay. I told him to please leave me alone
Because I still felt weird. So I slept until yesterday morning. Still a little dizzy but I just pulled through it and managed to fo some laundry. Again thank you
Hehe. I understand about the leave me alone business! Do take Larissa’s and Netmouse’s suggestions and go to an ENT. You need to know why you had this attack. You need to prepare for the future.
I’m going to see my doctor today and I will ask for a referral to en ENT. Because I don’t want it to happen again. It was to scary. Thank you for your input.
I’m only 20 years old, and I had my first vertigo attack two nights ago after working out.
I have also defecated on myself at work twice. It’s uncontrollable. I have never had any major health issues, and my daughter turns one years old tomorrow.
I am so young, and I don’t know if I can live with this for the rest of my life. Help.
I’ve already seen the doctor twice, and he diagnosed me with Vertigo, but he doesn’t know why I’m defecating on myself. He only prescribed me with nausea and dizziness medication
Molly, when you have a vertigo attack, you have *no* control over your GI system. None. I also have to poop when I have a vertigo attack. If your symptoms are bad enough, you will lose control over your bladder and anus. You cannot do anything about this. You are not at fault. Your vertigo causes this.
Your doctor does not know enough to help you. You need to see an ENT or an otoneurologist, pronto. You need to know why you have vertigo. Good luck.
Had my first ever vertigo attack and god I didnt know why or what to do. Woke up out of a dream with my eyes zooming across the room back and forth back and forth which felt so fast and furious so I yelled and closed my eyes turned on my back and just starting sweating like crazy. Felt like I was going to vomit but didnt. I just laid there while the room was spinning. This went on for awhile until I got up and walked to the bathroom very slowly….the only thing that calmed me down was looking out my window when the spinning stopped and I rocked back and forth while I stood there. It just felt good. Not sure how long I stood there for until I climbed back into my bed but at the wrong end closer to the window and slept on my left ear. I didnt wake until noon. This was exhausting and stayed in bed most of the day. I had another one the next morning and then slept most of the day. Had a aching pain in my head and my eyes felt so sore for days. Saw my dr and he said there was nothing wrong with me probably dehydrated and tired. If it persisted to come back. The dizziness went away but I am so tired eveyday. I have another dr appt tuesday but just have no energy at all. I hope this goes away soon.
Shawna, It might go away. It might not. You should talk to an ENT.
I have had my second attack of vertigo my last was about two month ago which was really bad. I have been sat in one position most of the day hoping that it doesn’t turn into a full blown attack. I am scared to lie back in bed as this is when it takes a turn for the worst! Its going to be a long night :(
Christine
Hi Christine, make sure you stay hydrated. No sugar or salt, so you don’t get sugar or sodium swings.
I find that some positions are better than others when I lie down. You might want to (briefly) experiment.
If you are able, call an ENT. You need to understand why you are having attacks. Then, you can do something about it. Good luck, and I hope you sleep it off tonight.
Hi Christine, I understand your fear of lying down in bed. I felt exactly the same way after I had experienced a few attacks during the night or waking up in the morning. I felt scared to go to bed at night and was anxious during the day. Only someone who has had vertigo can understand this feeling. I found that sleeping on an incline helped reduce my attacks. I bought a big foam wedge and put my pillow on top of this, so it keeps the upper half of my from lying flat. You still need to try and get a good nights sleep, as being tired makes you feel worse if you are already hazy from an attack. I make sure that everthing I need is next to my bed within hands reach, such as my phone, water bottle and serc tabs, so if I do wake up needing anything I can reach it right away. Even though you probably feel really awful try to manage a small snack and keep having regular drinks of water. Your body will recover quicker if its not running on empty. Hope things are better for you soon.
Wow…..I just found this site and though I am so sorry to hear of others vertigo attacks, it is so nice to find
people that can really truly understand what I go through. I have suffered vertigo off and on for 8 years now.
I suffer from some really bad attacks. ….life is very difficult…..can never plan anything in advance and travel is out of the question. I did learn a few things today such as the G. I. problems I thought only happened to me, high blood pressure bringing it on as well as too much sugar and salt.
Here are a few suggestions I find helpful. I keep a trash bag in my glove compartment, in my bed headboard, and anywhere else I may need one for nausea because my attacks can be sudden. Also keep a bag of absorbent kitty litter for an easier clean up if ever needed. Also, I don’t know that it actually helps…but it makes me feel better to have a cold wet wash clothe over my eyes, and an ice bag on my head.
If anyone has any suggestions to make life easier, I would love to hear them.
Question…..just before an attack I will get exhilarated “roller coaster” feelings in my chest….does anyone else experience this? Thanks.
Hi Marge, good for you for figuring out what you need to do to stay safe and calm.
I have never had the roller coaster feelings, but maybe someone else has.
Marge, when ever I hear someone talk (write) about a problem like this with continued suffering, and no mention of any medical investigation, I say GO TO A DOCTOR. An ENT or similar specialist could make a big difference in your life.
Hi there! I have had vertigo for roughly 3 years only now and I am 22 years old. Some weeks ago I finaly had enough and demanded some pills from my dr to help me prevent getting the attacks since it often kept me from going to school or work….
Have you tried starting on Stemetil? * you get it from your dr* This is what I got.
It is meant for vertigo, mielles syndrome or labyrinthis. I have used them for 2 weeks now and haven’t had a single attack so far. Good luck to you! I hope you can get rid of it as well!
Sorry I meant meniere’s syndrome not mielles !
Hi Netmouse……LOL……..I have a cardiologist, ENT, Neurologist and etc……I received more helpful info on this site than from any of them. I have been going to them since this all started. They try different meds but nothing really works so far. (I think they truly want to help me but just don’t have the answers)
No one has mentioned a otoneurologist before so will try to find one in my area. (thanks Johanna for suggesting one!)
Oh…..they think I may have Meniere’s Disease but aren’t sure.
Thank you so much for your interest and reply. Have a great day!
Hi, there,
I feel like I just have to get my two cents in here. I went undignosed for several months before I got to the right doctor, an otoneuorologist, who correctly diagnosed me as having migraine associated vertigo. And I *never* had a migraine in my life! You don’t have to have headaches–migraine syndrome consists of many different ailments, from vision and ear problems, to stomach issues, etc. I would highly suggest that you seek out an ear specialist with a lot of experience in diagnosing dizziness and nausea issues. There *are* medications for this that will change your life for the better!
Take care, and good luck!
Cheryl
I was until recently a very active person, then one morning after getting out of the shower my heart rate was beating out of my chest and dizzy, room was spinning. and then the nausea ,dry heaves the worst feeling. I mustered up enough strength to go to work. This went on for a few days. My dr sent me to see a cardiologist thinking it was because of my blood pressure was high. Then one day at work about 2 weeks ago I had an episode that sent me straight to dr who ordered me into bed for a couple of day until they knew what they were dealing with. Rested for a couple of days but no change finally the Dr had a diagnosis VERTIGO. Heard the word didn’t understand what exactly it was. 2 weeks later having episodes just about every day and feeling hopeless. Hoping it goes away soon my life went from extremely active to no existent. I have a wonderful supportive husband but feel like a burden on my family. They keep saying we’ll get through this but I feel isolated and want this to end. Want my life back.
Hi Denise, if you have vertigo, see an ENT. I found relief from meclizine. Other people find relief with Zofran. I hope you read the Seven Things You Can Do to Help Manage Your Vertigo.
The reason I suggest you see an ENT is that vertigo is a function of an inner ear disorder. No one except an ENT can diagnose or help you manage those disorders.
Good luck to you.
Many of us see an ENT if a symptom is “dizzy”, who has many tests and specialists to evaluate you. You may be sent for evaluation by a vestibular therapy specialist. Often they can do maneuvers to relocate – get rid of – crystals and such that get into the wrong place in the inner ear. I apparently also had a virus and it took about 3 months of balance exercises. A friend had a benign tumor (seems to be fairly common) and the nerve was actually removed and he is fine now, just has to be careful riding his bike and taking a left turn.
So! I wan’t to write a little about how I changed my everyday life after living with Vertigo for 3 years. Not my ENT nor my DR could see that I have Vertigo but luckily my DR accepted the fact it was this I had. Until recently I started on Stemetil which is meant for Vertigo and it has gone well so far.
I had huge problems with vertigo and I am only 22 years old! It even worsened when I started on the prevention pills and I got them more often so I had to quit using them and started on minipills which gave me a better reaction. I changed my diet to non sugar and salt intake except for saturdays where I eat little cause it’s saturday and I don’t think I should keep my self 100% away from it either, just recommend people to reduce the intake drasticly! Same goes for coffeine and alcohol, it’s no good for your head!
Another thing is exercise atleast 3 times a week. Trying to do exercies which does not require much movement on your head.
But again, the stemetil, I would highly recommend it because before I had problems being clear in my head but after starting taking it with the combination of changing my diet with almost no sugar or salt ” only a little ” it has helped me A LOT and I can think more clearly and I have stopped being afraid to sleep now as well. Best of luck to you others!
Kristin, exactly! I wrote about the diet part in Seven Things You Can Do To Help Manage Your Vertigo. I didn’t write about the exercise. Oh well.
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Your story was so comforting this morning as I’m barely able to sit up after a mild vertigo attack last night. Which BTW I have not had in 2 years as I do my best to stay away from all the things you mentioned. Except the overly salty popcorn oh and of course butter on it last night . I did what you said this time and started drinking slowly of course on water and I was able to keep that down and I know that helped. It is comforting to hear other people’s story, thanks for sharing. I feel bad mentioning mine when yours are so bad. So Sorry. Gotta lay down and get some sleep as I slept in the recliner last night so you can imagine how that went. Feel better. Susie
Susie, I’m glad you found this comforting. I no longer eat popcorn (the carbs, the carbs), but I can taste it just based on your description. Hehehe. Good luck recovering from this attack. I hope you feel better.
Had one last night while leaving the hospital after being in the ER with my granddaughter and great-granddaughter. Got to my van and boom! So ended up in the ER myself.
Got Zofran for nausea, lots of tests and said Vertigo. When I got home I researched for what I can do to alleviate the symptoms and found a video on Youtube by a dr called “The Half Summer Sault. Hope that can help you.
It is scary when it ladts for 2 hrs!
Thanks for your post. I have a chronic neck condition, so always thought these episodes were from my neck.
Wish you the best
Hi Sunny, thanks for the new ideas. Here are some links: http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/bppv/home/home-pc.html discusses many possible maneuvers. This is the video you referred to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8ucpWIIC3g
You have BPPV, which responds to these maneuvers. Those of you with the crystals in the wrong place–all those maneuvers are possibilities for you. My primary problem is oscillopsia, http://www.advocurenf2.org/livingwithnf2_ailments+care_oscillopsia.php. I don’t do the exercises because they can cause me to have a vertigo attack. Yes, there is a catch-22 there. I take baclofen and that manages my oscillopsia quite well.
Beware that half somersault video! You need to be evaluated to know if you even have BPPV. There are very different head maneuvers depending on your condition and where some crystal might have migrated to if you do have BPPV. It took me a couple of weeks to get to an ENT doctor who then referred me to a vistibular physical therapist to evaluate and diagnosis me. Because of the delay I read on the internet about some maneuvers to try. The epley maneuver seems most common where you bend your head way back over the edge of a bed or table, and that really helped. Still waiting for an appointment I saw that video with the half somersault where you bend the opposite direction – forward. It really REALLY made things FAR worse for me, and I now know it was the wrong maneuver when I was finally evaluated. After dong the forward half somersault I ended up staggering around the house like a drunken sailor, needing to hold onto walls and chairs to get from room to room. So scary. Then when I lay down I got the “crazy eyes” that I did not have before – where the eyes shift rapidly back and forth so fast and don’t seem to stop so I was blind and very frightened. I re-did the epley maneuver hoping that would roll any crystals back the right direction. One video said to hold your head in each position 2 minutes, not 30 seconds, so I was very slow letting things roll out of the wrong place. That made things so much better and I stopped staggering like a drunk when I walked. Each night when I lay down the crazy eyes happened, each night getting a bit better, and after about a week my eyes stopped the rapid shifting. I recommend get a proper evaluation and do not try any of the many maneuvers, as if you choose a wrong one not meant for your condition, you can really screw yourself up.
I had my first attack about 2 months ago. I got up in the morning, let the dogs outside, turned around and everything started to spin like I was going to faint. Then I was in the bathroom dry retching cause there was nothing in my stomach. Everything was spinning, I crawled to the toilet and kept retching, then started sweating along with the spinning, lied on the cold tiles closed my eyes and kept puking. Husband called an ambulance, I couldn’t move, went to hospital, lots of anti-nausea drugs, kept dry-retching and keeping my eyes closed as everything spinned and the light hurt my eyes. 6 hrs later I just wanted to go home. Layed in bed for a week barely eating and just sleeping. Couldn’t watch TV, check my phone, read or do anything. Took about 3 weeks till I felt semi normal. Never had this before and really don’t want it again. Very scared.
Michele, did you see an ENT to discover the cause? Your attack sounds like my first vertigo attack. Although, I think with the meds, I was up at about day 3. I didn’t drive for several weeks, though. Horrible, isn’t it?
No I didn’t. I think also by day 3 I was starting to move about more, however very minimally and things would totally exhaust me. This experience wasn’t pleasant to say the least.
Hi fellow suffers! A lifer here ha ha.. 20 years! My first attack happened when I was 20 after a very windy day at the beach.. I suffered severe spinning upon head movement and was convinced I was dying (what the hell is THIS) .. I had recently lost my Mother violently so I was suffering from PTSD exasperating everything.. I spent the next few years frequenting the doctors surgery (office) every 3/4 months only to be told I needed to get a hobby! Back in those days my attacks were unpredictably predictable! Every 3/4 months with up to a years remission.. I saw various ENT’s all with no diagnosis (idiopathic).. Then 4 years ago I had a particularly violent attack and the behaviour of my vertigo changed! I had a cluster of attacks over the next few months with increased frequency and once experienced 3 attacks on consecutive days which caused extreme panic and depression.. Then another years remission… Then when it came back the behaviour changed again… Increased frequency but far milder attacks.. Instead of severe rotary spinning I’m having more of a wooshy, blurry, muzzy sensation (how hard this is to describe).. My balance is awful always and I struggle to look above eye level.. I’m constantly checking to see if the beast is there and I often wonder if people are thinking what the hell is she bending over and tipping to the sides during dinner/at the theatre/in the supermarket.. I had an attack this morning the third this month and found myself wondering which was worse – these milder attacks with more frequency or the more severe attacks that were less frequent! Just before bed this evening I went to get out of the chair and there it was! The SECOND time in ONE DAY.. the blood rushed to my face and I felt overwhelmed with horror.. 2 in 1 day is very unnerving despite the milder sensations.. I feel depressed, bitter, scared and exhausted.. Mostly I feel alone.. Even if you meet someone who suffers each persons experience is so different!.. In 20 years this is my first entry on a forum! I paid 100’s of pounds to see a private consultant 2 years ago and I’m still left with an idiopathic diagnosis although she suspects I damaged my ear at the beach.. I’m convinced I have Meneres but they won’t even entertain it without the triad of symptoms!.. I normally cope very well but today I feel like driving off a cliff! I wonder whether the increased frequency and much milder symptoms are the result of the ear being fried and the brain compensating.. Strange after 20 years!.. Thanks for listening x
Sorry I would just like to add something if I may? Was very late last night when I wrote my comment! For the longest time I was convinced that the symptoms I was experiencing between acute attacks were psychological.. There was so little information about vertigo that was of any use and my doctor was quite happy for me to go along with the ‘in my head’ diagnosis.. So I fought my symptoms. I spent years trying to ignore their presence instead of adapting my life to be more comfortable.. Now I’m happy to say I have accepted my condition and I don’t force myself to go on fairground rides, ice skate and clean high shelves at an angle! It’s not a phantom .. The unsteadiness, the veering into the person walking next to me, the awful balance (lifting one leg to put on a shoe and hopping about like a circus performer) the constant muzzy head, dizziness when turning your eyes to the side quickly, looking into the sky at planes, tipping forward to wash your hair, trying to walk in the dark, washing your face in the sink with eyes closed (oh how hard your vestibular system struggles with that) the sudden acute dizzy attack when you’re staring into space, driving around roundabouts (although I find driving per ce greatly DECREASES my symptoms I have no idea why) turning around in a circle quickly when someone says ‘quick look’ feeling like your going to fall over when you just tip your head down and look at the floor or in your bag, always having to know where you are in space with a million different anchor points.. NOT IN MY HEAD at least not in the sense they are alluding to.. I have lost so many years to this condition and I think it’s set to stay for good.. Although as I said previously the behaviour of the acute attacks has changed drastically.. Much more frequent but generally far milder.. The daily struggles are the same.. Love to you all x
Anna, yes I felt fine driving, too. You need to see an ENT doctor and get tests and evaluation by a vistibular pt who specializes in these symptoms.
HI Anna, I may be able to shed a little light on why you feel better when you drive. When you hold onto the steering wheel, you increase your proprioception (where you are in space). When I drive, my head does not drop down forward or go back, so I am in the “neutral” plane for my semicircular canals. The same might happen to you. You have a respite from your vestibular system trying to keep up.
I have a difficult enough time brushing my teeth. I cannot imagine tipping my head forward for anything. I don’t have enough balance to lift one leg off the floor and try to put on a shoe.
I prefer the milder attacks :-) I had to see an otoneurologist to discover more information. My ENT was not equipped to deal with my problems. You probably did not have an MRI after your first attack, so you don’t know what the inside of your inner ear looks like. If you had a hemorrhage, that data is long gone.
You are correct–everyone’s experience is different. Best wishes for living with your vertigo and making accommodations in your life, rather than trying to fight it.
Thank you for the replies :) .. Oh that explanation for the reduction in symptoms whilst driving is perfect! It’s often bothered me as you wonder if it can be harnessed in some way! I think we all kind of walk and sit bolt upright don’t we!? I have seen several ENT’s and a very expensive consultant.. 2 years ago I had a hearing test which was normal and an MRI which was normal .. It amazes me how slow medical science is to catch up with such a common condition. Unless I’m vastly mistaken there are really been nothing new in 20 years!..
Hi, Anna,
My dizziness issues started almost two years ago after my daughter (age 39 at the time) had Hodgkins’ Lymphoma. It was a very stressful time for me. I was totally housebound for over four months. The only time I got out was to see yet another doctor. I finally got the right one! After all was said and done, my “dizzy doc” told me I had migraine associated vertigo–never had the migraine headache, just the vertigo. She put me on 800 mg of magnesium and 400 mg of Vitamin B-2 (not to be confused with-12!) Also, she added Nortriptyline (Pamelor) an old antidepressant, a low dose diuretic, and cyproheptadine (an old antihistamine). She gradually increased the dose of Nortriptyline from 10 to 40mg. All of this seems to be working wonders for me. I am dizzy sometimes, and foggy headed, but not near to the extent I was before the meds. I had to discover on my own what my triggers were–mostly lack of sleep, too much sodium.
So, there *is* help out there! This doc I am going to is an ear specialist who is quite familiar with my problem. Hopefully, you will find the one who can make sense of all of your symptoms.
Take care, and good luck,
Cheryl
EXCELLENT article on Vertigo “A Turn for the Worse” by David Noonan in the August issue of Scientific American. My HP printer’s scan is not working right now after I upgraded my PC to Windows 10. Your library should have this magazine, my county library is bigger than the local library. Interesting future medical possibilities for those that have not found help so far.
I discovered the article online (after I renewed my library card :-). See it here, Ear Implants Could Be Used to Relieve Vertigo.
Yes, this is the same article with a different title. Maybe when it was published in the August issue the title changed then.
I did a search at their website, using your link, for “vertigo” and found a few more articles that sound very interesting and a video. Haven’t read them yet.
It gives me comfort that other people know what vertigo feels like and what I go through. I get these attacks about every 3 months and they feel exactly as you described. What happens to me every time is I will wake up from a deep sleep suddenly and the room is completely spinning. Then I start getting the saccades you mentioned where about every 20 seconds my eyes move upwards suddenly causing my dizziness to increase. When I get the saccades, it makes me naseous and I start to vomit, which I have no control over, nor do I have any control over the saccades and it is a horrible feeling and sensation. Usually for me the only way to stop it is to fall asleep, which takes awhile due to how uncomfortable I feel. Once I wake up I do feel better, however, I feel extremely weak and do not have an appetite. I have told my doctor about this but she just checks my eyesite, and my eyesite is 20/20 so it is not the problem. I am 17 years old, and even though I only get it about every 3 months, it stops me from doing activities or attending school that day. Is there anything I can do to cope with it? Is there anything you do that makes you feel better during an attack? Thank you so much for posting this because it made me feel much better knowing other people know the feeling since my parents cannot understand what I am feeling. Thank you!
Jessica, I also use sleep to recover from my attacks. The real question is why do you have the attacks? Have you seen an ENT or an otoneurologist? A general physician is not equipped to tell you what is wrong.
The saccades have nothing to do with your eyesight, although I agree, you can’t see anything with the saccades. The saccades are telling you, “Something is wrong” with your inner ear. I hope you see an ENT or an otoneurologist if you have not already.
Thank you for your response! I do need to see an otoneurologist for sure to see what is going on.
Jessica, so sorry you keep having this. I experienced it, but fortunately temporarily. I had the extreme dizziness when I awoke one day. For me it was probably a combo of virus and a crystal that moved to the wrong place, and I had 3 months of rehab, tests, etc and today am well. Before I could get an ENT doctor appointment I used the internet to learn. I found various head moving maneuvers to move crystals back to where they belonged. I now know I did a wrong maneuver and bent forward in a half somersault and slowly rose myself up. I started staggering like a drunk sailor when I stood, when I lay down the “crazy eyes” began shifting right and left and would not stop. This was a week after the dizziness began, so was a new symptom caused by the maneuver and seems to be crystals moving into the wrong place. I closed my eyes which helped some after a while. I tried the maneuver that moved my head the opposite way backwards and that really helped. So moving crystals to a different place made a great deal of difference for me. For the next week every time I lay down I had the “crazy eyes”, that got better each day and after a week was gone. It took working with a physical therapist who specialized in vestibular disorders to help determine the best “moves” for me. Good luck.
What I also learned is that the PT watches your eyes very careful when moving you and your head around, evaluating you for any vestibular disorders. The eyes are very telling in how they move or not. The “crazy eyes” can move in different directions depending on what is wrong (assumed a crystal moved to a wrong place, and there are several possible places they can move to). This tells the PT how to treat you and which head or other movements will work for you. There is also a test(s) that an ENT doctor can prescribed and you may be given an appointment with a specialist who tests you in various ways while you sit in a chair, moving you and your head around and again very carefully watching your eyes, – this is all recorded for evaluation and history of your medical problem. I also was given hearing tests by an auditory specialist as hearing damage can be very telling, and had a special brain MRI that emphasized the area for the ears that can also indicate any lesion or tumor in the brain. As I told my ENT after, I was very happy to learn at age 67 that my brain is normal – so there is a big plus from the tests as well.
I will go to an Ent soon and try to figure out the problem. Thank you!
Thank you! I will take your advice and try to do that next time!
I am 45 and was on vacation back in Feb and got sick, had to be taken to hospital by ambulance because I couldn’t stand up. At the hospital I was diagnosed with Vertigo. I spent 10 days in hospital. It has been 5 months and I still have episodes where feel like things are moving and dizzy and nauseous. Has anyone else had this for this long and will it go away? I have seen my PCP an ENT and 2 Nuerologists and they all say the same thing, “you have to wait it out!” How long is the wait????
Hi John, Hmm. My otoneurologist told me I was supposed to adapt to my inner ear hemorrhage in about 8 weeks. He thought I “wanted” to have vertigo. I didn’t hit him, but it was close.
If you have labyrinthitis, you may have several months of episodes. Did anyone tell you that was your diagnosis?
If you have Meniere’s Disease, you will continue to have spells of vertigo until you lose your hearing. Meniere’s is no fun.
If you don’t have a diagnosis yet, get another neurologist. I recommend two kinds of neuros: an otoneurologist who is an ear neurologist, and/or a neuromuscular neurologist. Yes, they deal with diseases such as MS, Parkinson’s, ALS, and other motor neuron diseases. None of them are good news. On the other hand, except for ALS, you can take meds for a long time that manage your symptoms.
You need a diagnosis. No one needs to be a medical mystery. Waiting for 5 months is long enough. Find another doctor.
My best wishes to you.
Have the ENT doctor prescribe getting an evaluation with at a rehab center where PT’s specialize in vestibular disorders. If you haven’t had this nor the tests I’ve posted just above, then go to a major metropolitan area – city where there is better medical help. You can get pointed to a good ENT by a major hospital that lists a department for vestibular disorders as something they treat.
John, here is a link to my own hospital in New Jersey – you want a hospital that has a department or program like this with ENT doctors in their network:
http://www.atlantichealth.org/morristown/our+services/physical+rehabilitation/atlantic+rehabilitation+institute/outpatient+services/adult+outpatient+physical+therapy+services/vestibular+rehabilitation+program
+1 from me. Vestibular therapy didn’t do much for me, except I learned to yank in my core and my glutes. That really helps with standing straight. (It was a side effect of everything else I did.) I can take a shower without a handicapped bar, which is a pleasure. However, I am a strange case. You are probably not like me!
I was diagnosed with labyrinthitis vertigo. Meniere’s was ruled out. I am seeing another Neuro next week to do testing for MS (cross your fingers its ruled out) I have done ALL of the testing that can be done when it comes to vertigo according to a ENT Dr. from University of Pitt. I live in Pittsburgh. All therapy did was make my legs hurt. They focused on balance so much that my legs hurt, I am not in horrible shape but after therapy I couldn’t walk the next day. They focused on balance so much so I felt it was not helping because what good is it if I was down for a day or 2 afterwards. And I let the PT know but said this is what we need to do. I do my own therapy now. Even my Dr. doesn’t seem to think I need therapy now as its not a balance thing, its something else. Doesn’t sound right as vertigo is about balance. When I wake up in the morning I know what kind of day I am going to have. The past 3 days were bad days. Havnt had 3 bad days in a row for a long time. Thanks for all of the help. When this is going on it makes you think its just you. I mean I never even heard of Vertigo before. I had a parasite in my intestines about 6 years ago that almost put me out and didn’t think that would ever happen. I am just waiting for me to come down with the Black Plague at this point! :)
John, Sorry you are having such problems. Pitts, PA is a good city for medical help, good you are not in the boonies. Best of luck getting to the bottom of this.
This article earlier this year, also Scientific American, lists drugs that can make you dizzy. The list surprisingly includes drugs to treat dizziness – they may make it worse.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dizziness-can-be-a-fatal-side-effect-of-many-medications/
Johanna, I’ve been meaning to ask you how many miligrams of Magnesium you take. I currently take 250 and I’ve been feeling better. But I must be sure to take my Vitamins, ALLERGY PILL and when I start feeling like – “Oh crap…..here we go” ….I immediately take a Sudafed – the one you have to get behind the pharmacy desk – not on the shelf. Unfortunately I was diagnosed with Meniere’s but it is remarkable to me how following a better (Johanna’s rules) have helped me. No caffeine, low sodium and getting Sleep have helped me. Also when attacks are consecutive I go to doc to get dimethecone (spelling?) shots in my ear and that does help for a while. Any other suggestions, ideas that you all have is greatly appreciated.
Hi Larissa, I take two calcium/magnesium/D tablets in the morning. I get 189 mg Magnesium, 333 mg calcium, and 204 IU of Vitamin D in those two capsules. I take them each morning. I just realized that in my daily multivitamin, I also get 100 mg of Magnesium.
I am so glad my rules have helped you. Sometimes, it’s hard to know what can help, never mind will help. I think I got those same shots a couple of years ago (4 shots over 2 weeks). They helped me a lot. See this page, http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/treatment/it-steroids.htm. I am pretty sure the name of the steroid I got was dexamethasone. I am not positive of that.
If you really have Meniere’s you might consider the gentamicin injections/pills to kill your inner ear. It’s a one-way procedure. Now that I am on baclofen, my dizziness is much decreased. I still eat quite carefully and get enough sleep. For me, that’s a huge thing.
It’s difficult to know what to do. Best wishes to you.
Thank you Johanna for the supplement info. Yes, they really do make a difference for me. I haven’t lost all the hearing yet in my right ear, but eventually I will. My doc did discuss the procedure with me. Like you said, once done, permanent hearing loss, but no more vertigo. Right now, I’ve been blessed with it being under control. This is a great site and I’m sure many people can benefit from this. Take care!
Such a fantastic site.. Love your posts! I am 46.. Likely peri menopausal. I started having off balance and “shift” episodes earlier this year. I would say May but I’m not sure. But I had one episode at work. I’d been standing up talking a good while. Went and got lunch downstairs.. Came back and had May be half my sandwich and felt off. Lightheaded, marshmallow feet. Unable to focus. I ended up going home, stopping twice to get out of the car to walk around. Get air. Made it home and laid in bed.
I started having more soon or shifting experiences in late June or so. Given bactrim for suspected UTI.. Took 2 weeks to feel remotely normal. Basically bedridden. Was dealing with kidney stones, hence the UTI. It Was bad. Lying in bed, propped up, cold compress on the back.of my neck helped. I had gotten meclizine and phenergen from.a walk in visit and self medicated.
Was supposed to have ESWL late August but main stone which was supposedly stuck moved behind l4 so it was cancelled. Finally passed 2 out of 3 stones in late September, early October.
I have stopped having regular shift etc episodes but still get them very hit or miss. I’ve had two driving which leads to panic attacks. Although the second one I managed well. I finally went to ENT on Thursday because last early Saturday morning I had 4 episodes overnight. Turning my head right to left.. Super quick one rotation spin. Exhausted me.
ENT did dix hallpike.. WOAHHHHH! I haven’t felt anything like that since I went on the tempest when.I was 10 years old. She did it just once, did not attempt Epley. Took me two hours before I could leave. Drenched, literalky, in sweat. Heavily nauseated.. But no dizziness or vertigo after she stopped the position. I gave myself meclizine first.. Then an hour after a half dose of phenergen. Drove myself to work after 2 hours feeling ok,…but far from good.
My episodes are brief.. Literally seconds. Are often more a shift than a spin. Like Johanna I track my episodes. I suspect we have similar careers lol. I’m an it project manager and BA, although due to stress and anxiety I’ve left the field.. Long story. Anyway.. I mentioned earlier being possibly peri. I mention this bc in tracking my episodes they are worst a week before my period is due. I usually have two good weeks a month.
The ENT also confirmed I have TMJ. Bad. On the affected, right, side. She seemed surprised how obvious it was. I notice the more my jaw hurts the more off balance I can be.
I am supposed to get the epley. But I don’t think it’s wise. My reaction to just the dhp was very violent. The ENT suggests if I do the epley that I am well dosed with ativan or something prior.
My bet is I will react badly to the Epley. Someone else mentioned the 2 percent. Put me in the club… I typically fit in every low odd thing if I can. When I had my daughter at 35 I had placenta previa.. Complete.. Chronic bleeder. Contractor. 6 weeks in hospital, every drug imaginable, 18 days on magnesium drip (there’s a paper on me somewhere…normal mag rates created pitocin like reactions,.INCREASING my labor.. So I did 18 days on and off over 6 weeks to stop contractions, at max dose. I reached toxic levels 4 days before they took my daughter (at 29 weeks.. Her mag level was half mine). Anyway.. I tolerated it insanely well symptom wise, despite being toxic from.a lab perspective. In 4.5 months I was the only previa patient in a large metro hospital.. Well.. One other woman came in later and I was supposed to talk to her but she hemorrhage and lost the baby. My daughter is 10…your never ever even.think she was an extreme. Not a thing. But like me She’s a two percenter, developing cyclic vomiting syndrome at 18 months old…not diagnosed until she 3…with my telling doctors What it was.
My point being I’m low odds and my gut is usually right. I don’t want to do the epley. My gut says it will make me worse. My symptoms are manageable. I also suspect that What I have going on is not strictly BPPV.. I have always had a motion problem.. What she triggered is my normal amusement park ride response. Or my general anesthesia or sweet air response. What I’ve been experience is a 20 at worst.. What she did was a 100.
Thoughts? I’m terrified of making it worse. And I’d be that 5 percent where it moves to another canal or becomes horizontal.. What she did Thursday? I’m still trying to get totally right from today. I just don’t see doing it.
Can’t BPPV self resolve? Sorry so long and rambly. On my phone since my daughter has possession of the laptop :-(
P.S…..wanted to add.
1. I think the bactrim was my trigger. What happened in May I think is unrelated. Just a panic attack. The spins and whatnot started with taking the bactrim
2. I.mention my daughter and CVS because CVS since she had it, is linked to migraines. I suspect I have MAV, triggered by peri menopause. What I understand of migraines, you grow out of, or into them. Like kids who start CVS so young like she did,.will likely outgrow cvs by adulthood.
Hi Dawn, I am not sure if BPPV can self-resolve. I have fewer episodes of BPPV now than I did. I credit that to:
– being aware of what triggers an episode (I am careful of my head positions)
– falling less often.
I have not done Hall Pike exercises. For *me*, the Epley was great. You know, if you have had motion problems over a long period of time, I would see an ENT who specializes in dizziness. Or an otoneuerologist (neurologist who specializes in inner ear problems). It’s possible they would call you a medical mystery. Or, they might have a course of action for you to consider.
Hi! I did see an ENT. I’m in northeast CT.. Not a lot of docs here and I’m.on state insurance but he’s the best around supposedly.
The Dix Hallpike is the first step/move of the Epley. It is what diagnoses BPPV.
Unfortunately I had a major panic attack just from that, took 2 hours to recover from, so that first step was as far as we got.
I’ve always had a motion problem. My whole life. But then I’ve been on 9 foot waves on a small ferry and managed it. Not well but didn’t get vertigo or dizzy, just Nauseaus. Amusement park rides cause spinning.
Terrified to try completing an epley due to the panic. My episodes seem to come mid or just before my period for some reason.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I know exactly how it feels to have that pity party and be terrified of how I am going to handle the dizziness and nonstop nausea as I move up in age. I’m 20 now, and have had bppv since I was a toddler. My pediatrician was quick to credit migraines, but it wasn’t until I ended up in the ER my first semester of college that the doctor told me it was vertigo. I’m not sure why they call it “benign,” because there is nothing small about it. The nonstop dizziness and vomiting takes a real toll on the quality of life.
Krystine, I hope that by now you have seen an ENT. You are right. There is nothing benign about BPPV. Although I believe it is called benign because it doesn’t cause other problems, such as cancer.
Dawn, when I had vertigo I could not get to see the ENT for a couple of weeks. So I learned the Epley maneuver from videos on the internet. One said to hold each position even 2 minutes until the dizziness goes away. So I did that. With the first position, I felt the dizziness melt away after about a minute, held for 2 minutes anyway. Then same thing with each position. It was very empowering, made a big difference. If you are with a doctor who specializes in dizziness and can assist you, I would certainly do the Epley. I was also referred to a physical therapist practice that handles dizziness – it is very very common – to evaluate me and provide therapy. In good hands you should be feel safe to try their suggestions.
I’m so happy to have found a shared experience. I’ve recently been told I have chronic vertigo after months of scratching my head, and staying silent thinking it was going to resolve itself. I’ve been struggling with it for about about 5 months now. It’s definitely the isolation parts that gets to me… I suspect I look like a huge complainer when I talk about my vertigo, because nobody really seems to get how scary it feels…so I usually don’t mention it at all with family or friends unless they initiate the conversation or they’re there to witness me going through an episode. I also think the aftermath of the episode is the hardest for me. I can stick it out during the actually attack. Maybe due to never vomited during one, but I also repress the constant urge to because I have a phobia with purging. After the attack is done with, I usually end up getting really emotional and scared. My doctor told me my vertigo was triggered by looking at screens too much, not sleeping enough, drinking too much coffee and not enough water, etc. Makes sense, because the episodes started to occur after finals week near the end of my Freshman year. Apparently the only way to get rid of my vertigo is to stop doing those things– this is the only thing he suggested, he did not prescribe me with anything or offer any supplements that may help. I’m a college student with a major in digital technology, so it’s very difficult to let go of certain unhealthy habits when it also means sacrificing my performance in school. I get slightly depressed after an episode because of the idea that I may have to deal with this for a very long time.
Sharon, my opinion: you need a new doctor. He is correct that caffeine and dehydration make vertigo worse. I am definitely worse when I haven’t slept enough. However, there is almost always a cause for vertigo. There are causes that resolve after time, such as labyrinthitis. There are causes that don’t resolve and you can continue to live your life, albeit with changes. If you have not seen an ENT, do so.
BTW, I read and write on a screen all day. Screen viewing has nothing to do with vertigo. If you need glasses or a change in prescription, take care of that. If you squint, you might make your vertigo worse. Might is the operative word.
Most docs have never had a vertigo attack so they have no idea what happens during one. I am amazed you don’t purge. I have no control over my GI tract at all.
Best wishes in your journey. I found that not knowing what was happening to me to be much more scary than my eventual diagnosis.
I feel relieved knowing that I am not the only one who suffer from this horrible monster. I agree, the feeling is no joke. This is the worst feeling ever. Waking up to a vertigo attack can be quite scary. I sometimes find myself up late at night afraid to go to sleep because I’m afraid I might have one in the middle of the night. For those who don’t understand or never experienced this, you are very lucky. Imagine I’d you were laughing and having fun and all of a sudden you get dizzy, heart start racing and hot flashes for no apparent reason. That’s not cool at all huh. Good thing is they only last up to 15 mins and go away. But for the ones that suffer from this, we gave to be strong and cope with this. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy
Brittany, you are definitely not alone!
My vertigo attacks have never lasted less than 90 minutes, and I sleep them off. How interesting that we suffer from the same problem and the manifestation is so different.
I am right where you are, with titinus and earache .going through peri menopause and also have a chronic pains from my muscular problem seem so everwhelming right now..,never before have I dread going to sleep every position seems like a next episode is coming on..I was crying out to God just now, the panic attacks gets so bad once that I went to the ER one night thinking that I was having heart problems, they did EKG and was looking at me like ‘are you crazy nothing is wrong with your heart’ no one can understand this thing unless they are experiencing it themselves..now this everlasting sneezing is just driving me crazy because i am now getting incontinence with each episodes…Help!
I never had nausea with my vertigo. I also have found some doctors, for various conditions, do not “get it” and realize they have not experienced it, so either give wrong or inadequate help or I get the impression they don’t believe me. Or just don’t know and their knowledge is limited to “medicine 101”. And I’ve also switched doctors as a result. One area is menopause, I now want an older female doctor, I at least get empathy – ha!
Brittany, hang in there. My attacks are pretty severe, when they hit I have no control. I can barely crawl to the bathroom and my body purges everything both vomiting and the other end. Then I crawl to my bed and sleep it off, usually about two hours and afterwards I’m pretty wiped out physically. I found this great site and started keeping a log of my episodes, what might have caused it, where I was, what I was doing, how I was feeling. The worst is that I had one at work once and literally could not drive home for hours. Sometimes it starts with blurred vision and I take a Sudafed immediately hoping to ward one off. I took the advice from Johanna and have been doing much better. I’ve switched to decaf coffee, more sleep, try to avoid too much alcohol and I take a magnesium supplement along with my daily vitamins and have seen an improvement. Scroll further up in this site and you will see her helpful tips. You are not alone, you must try to get a diagnosis as to what may be causing your vertigo attacks. Good luck to you!
hi, i had my very first vertigo episode about 2 weeks ago an then i got another one a week later, i have an appt with my ent doct, but my question is ive had this uneasy feeling, i cant focus too good, i feel like im going to get a panic atack, I feel like im in a fog, is this normal after having a vertigo episode? please help if anybody has had this an how long does it last, please any help
Julie, there are many potential causes of vertigo attacks. Your ENT will help you learn what causes(caused) yours.
Because your inner ear is not working properly, you might feel nauseous. When I am dizzy, I have a difficult time focusing. When I am concerned about my safety, I often feel as if I’m going to have a panic attack. I can’t speak for anyone else.
I recommend you read several posts I have written, knowing that your mileage may vary:
What’s the Worst Thing That Could Happen?
Seven Things You Can Do to Manage Your Vertigo
I have other posts on managing risk. Take a look at the risk tag, https://createadaptablelife.com/tag/risk and the vertigo tag, https://createadaptablelife.com/tag/vertigo for more posts on how I manage my vertigo.
Julie,
I too had this feeling often for a long time, maybe for a few months, I still have that feeling but not very often and not very long now. Every day it seems to be a little less, a little better. Time is my friend. Its been 15 months since I had my episode. I only had one but it was big. I am 95% better now, still have some residual effects. I think part of my anxiety is the fear I will have another attack, some days it feels like I’m on the edge of another attack, but it hasn’t happened again, and the feeling usually only lasts for a minute or two, usually while I’m walking. No one really understands vertigo until they have experienced it. It is hard to explain to people how frightening and upsetting this can be. The good news is, most people writing about their vertigo experiences here get over it way faster than I did.
I was affected from vertigo in sound sleep on 19/11/2015 and immediatly approched to family Dr (MS) and taken HISTAB-16 THAN AFTER THOUGHT AND APPROCHED TO GOOD ENT DR mr bhavin pandya he given the VVERTIN-16MG-10NOS AND NOW FEEL GOOD BUT EVEVTHOUG.SOME TIME FEEL THAT HEADACH IS THEIR AND HAVENESS IN MIND AND FOLOWING THE DR GUIDED EXCERSIE ON SIT THE TSUDY TABLE SLEEP TO RIGHT AND BABCK SLEEP TO LEFT BY MOVING EYER45DGREE
YOUR GUIDENCE IN THIS MATTER SHALL BE HIGHLY APPRICITED
NOW NO VERTGO BUT FEEL HAVENESS IN SKULL (MIND)
HI Bijoshi, you might be feeling the “vertigo fog.” When I have a vertigo attack, it takes me several days to clear the “fogginess” I feel. You described it as “heaviness in your skull” if I read your comment correctly. That describes it well for me. I feel as if I swing my head and my eyes don’t catch up. (I also have no vestibular-ocular reflex, which is part of my problem.)
There are many comments here about what people take for their vertigo. I first took meclizine. If you are seeing an ENT, that doc will help you sort through your options. You might need vestibular therapy to help retrain your brain.
It sounds as if you did the Epley maneuver. Some people (including me) have found that helpful. Others have found alternative exercises helpful.
If you know why you had a vertigo attack, you can use more directed solutions. Until you know why, you might not find a total solution that works for you. I recommend you read Seven Things You Can Do to Manage Your Vertigo. Those work for me, and might not work for you.
Best wishes.
Thank you so much, this has helped a lot, I feel like I’m going to loose my mind ????
HI Gina, well some people think I have lost mine :-) Glad you found this helpful. Best wishes to you.
Feeling stressed about my upcoming MRI. I am a 27 year old, healthy male currently in my 6th week of supposedly a very aggressive BPPV experience. I’ve had on average 2 episodes a week, most episodes passing within an hour and without vomiting. When I do vomit, I’ll usually empty my stomach, puking every 10-15 minutes for 1-3 hours and then like you’ve said, sleep for 3 hours. Beginning Monday of this week, I’ve been in a constant fog, but feels more like I’m on the verge of an episode ALL THE TIME. I’ve been forced to sit in bed all day trying not to trigger an episode. I’ve seen the right doctors, hoping for a clear MRI and ready to let the doctors try to reposition my crystals!
Has anyone else found THC to be helpful when coming down from an episode? Calms the stomach and allows me to drink/eat a little bit.
HI Jeff, wow, you are having a tough time. I took meclizine after my very first vertigo attack, for a total of about 4-6 weeks. It took me that long to calm my vertigo down. I didn’t drive. I didn’t cook. I did read and write. I was pretty miserable, and I only had that one attack.
I have not tried THC. If it allows you to drink, that’s great. With all that vomiting, you need to stay hydrated. I hope you are seeing an ENT and maybe a neurologist. You do not have a “normal” case of vertigo (whatever normal is).
Best wishes and I hope you’ll write back when you know what’s happening.
I can’t thank you enough for this article. I have experienced 3 bouts of vertigo during the last 4 weeks as I’ve had shingles on the left side of my face, scalp, ear & mouth. The Drs believe the vertigo is due to the shingles.
Many of your symptoms are exactly what I experience. I have felt like I was going insane. I’m hopeful the vertigo will leave with the shingles but you have shown me it is possible to live with vertigo. Thank you again.
Michele, I had not heard of vertigo as a side effect of shingles, but it makes sense to me given the areas you have it.
I often say, “I’m a little crazy, but that’s not the vertigo.” I’m delighted you found value here. You are welcome.
Michele, You have my sympathy if you have shingles. I understand it is very painful.
A cause of vertigo can be a virus affecting a nerve in your inner ear. I may have had vertigo caused by a virus (not shingles) that moved around my head areas for a few months, often with an ear ache. I believe it began with a common cold. Moved to sore ears, then sore throat, then sore sinuses, then back to ears, etc.
Physical therapy helped and was no longer needed with a timing that matched when the virus finally left. So my wild guess is once your virus is gone, hopefully your vertigo will also be gone. The PT can help if you need evaluation by a therapist and exercises for your body to regroup your senses to help with balance.
Found great comfort from all your experiences and advice, I had my first vertigo attack yesterday thankfully I got to see an emergency doctor who suffers with vertigo also. Only time will tell if I will suffer in the future but can honestly say it was the worst experience of my life so far and I’m currently terrified it will happens again. Thank u again xxxx
Jaime, so glad you found comfort and advice here. I’m also glad you found an ER doc who suffers from vertigo! In my experience, those docs are rare, indeed.
I also hope you don’t have any more vertigo attacks. Make sure you see an ENT if you do. I don’t worry about the attacks because they are so unpredictable. I’ve also had more than a dozen attacks, so maybe I can be a little relaxed about it.
Best wishes for your recovery.
very comforting article. just got out of the hospital getting over a very bad vertigo attack.
have to find out from ent just what caused this scary episode.
Barbara, glad you found comfort here. Best wishes for your journey. Hopefully, it’s something that will resolve itself.
I’m so glad you wrote about your condition. I understand more now. Even though I go through much as you do, I do not vomit.( thank goodness.)
Sheryl,
Glad you do not have the vomiting part! (I could live without that and be a much happier person!) Best wishes to you.
I am suffering with the almost same as you described. Only I keep a constant ringing in my head it never stops. When it gets really loud it turns to a roaring then I know what’s coming the dizzyiness, sickness, stomach upset bam I can’t walk . Been taken twice for passing out . This is horrible . Heard for MRI timorrowe
Portia, you have tinnitus in addition to your vertigo. You have some sort of problem with your inner ear. Your MRI might show what it is.
I have tinnitus because my auditory nerve was severed in my inner ear hemorrhage. I believe there are multiple causes for tinnitus, and I don’t know what they are. Yes, when I hear a roaring in my ear (sometimes, it can wake me up), I know I will not have a good day, or at least a few hours.
Best wishes and hope you learn something.
Hi. My dad is 86. He is in a hospital with vertigo. Never having this before & our rural dr doesn’t know what to do. After reading your article tonight, I think we will request a ent or have him transferred. We’ve had a black cloud over our family this month. My parents house burned down three wks ago, a total loss. My dad thinking it’s his fault & he should’ve done more (started outside from a wood burning stove pipe). He’s been very depressed & had a cold a couple wks ago. He’s defiantly not a water drinker & loves sugar. Although he has no health issues & just had a physical with blood work that was normal. Monday night he didn’t feel good & didn’t hardly eat. Sometime in the night, came the extreme vertigo with horrible nausea & vomiting. He was taken to ER that night. As of tonight (3days), no water or food as passed his lips. Dr giving him Zofram & Valuim only. Not doing anything else. As a matter of fact, dr said its now a waiting game. Dr saying its a inner ear problem that will clear up sometime. My dad is not improving & still extremely dizzy. After reading your article, I think it’s time we take matters into the family hands or we might just loose my dad. Thanks for writing this! Blessings to you & thank you.
Well, you’ve had more than your fair share of disasters. I am sorry for your losses.
It’s possible that the depression + sugar + insufficient water brought on some of his vertigo. My opinion: See an ENT stat. A GP does not know if an inner ear problem will “clear up sometime.” That’s nonsense.
Some people have inner ear hemorrhages and lose hearing in one ear. They have all the vertigo symptoms when they have this. Please check his hearing on both sides and see if you can get him to drink water. Our inner ears have very little liquid, and that liquid is affected by what we eat and drink.
Best wishes to all of you.
I’ve had this cursed vertigo, most likely due to an inner ear infection. I was lucky enuf to have a neurosurgeon refer me to a balance specialist at Barows Neurological Center in Phoenix, AZ. After 3 months of what I considered difficult therapy, I was able to walk out of my last PT appointment pretty confident. She gave me motive to move forward, and the skills to realize my feet are on the ground. I still need a walker in many situations, cannot drive, and walking my dogs is a daily struggle, but she taught me to feel my feet on the ground, and to focus on a point ahead. I guess the hope comes from focusing on that point ahead, and go for it.
Jodi, yes, focus is good! I *think* that if you had an infection, you should get better over time. I don’t know enough.
Our brains are wonderful at adapting. The more physical stuff you do, the more you can do. I continue to challenge myself physically, every day. I believe other people here do, also.
Good luck and keep walking :-)
I am currently recovering from the most horrific severe vertigo attack. I’m 36 from the uk. I can honestly say that I’ve never ever felt so ill in my life. I literally spent 5 hours each episode hanging of the side of my bed head down. Couldn’t even open an eyelid without being sick. Sick 7 times in an hour. Couldn’t speak. My poor mother sat beside me as I beg her to help. When the spinning occurred I had to physically hold on to my bed and headboard, crying and in physical pain. Doctor was called. I couldn’t even speak to him. It’s been 10 days in all with 2 days in full attack mode. I’ve not left the house and I’m very fearful that another attack with happen. I’m taking anti sickness pills every 8 hours. I’ve been attack free for 3 days now and hope I’m done. It’s such a scary illness.
Bethany, my goodness. I do hope you feel better. I recommend you see an ENT as soon as you can. Tomorrow would be good. You might have labyrinthitis, which is often viral and will disappear on its own. An ENT will be able to diagnose you and prescribe vestibular therapy. Do not wait to see an ENT.
Please monitor your hearing. If you realize you are losing hearing in one ear, an ENT will prescribe prednisone and you will probably not lose the hearing in that ear.
Best wishes for a full recovery.
Mine have been going on for 6 years now, woke up on a sunday morning with the world spinning out of control and went to the ER and stayed for 4 days. They found I had diabetes and high cholestrol, I already had high blood pressure. From that day on at least once a month I’ve had an episode of this torture. Yes I have seen my doctor and an ENT and they deceided on anti convulsive meds. The last episode lasted 2 weeks on the meds and within a week it’s back again with a venegence, so it’s of to the brain doctor since they don’t know what else to do for me. All I’m looking for is some relief, maybe a month in between loosing control of my life for days and weeks at a time, here to hope.
Good luck to you all
Mary, you’ve seen a neurologist, preferably an oto-neurologist, or at least, one who specializes in inner ear/vestibular issues? If not, try one. Anti-convulsants might help your symptoms. What you want to know is the cause.
I am on a spasm-reducing med. My theory is that my middle ear is spasming, which creates havoc in my inner ear.
Mary, If you are not in a large metro area, you might find better medical options in one.
A year ago I also woke up with my head spinning and no balance. Scary. My ENT could rule out certain causes quickly in an interview. I then had hearing tests, vestibular testing (in a chair that repositions you and such while recording your eye movements), MRI brain scan with contrast. I also had heart tests (echo and stress) as a new EKG differed from prior one. I was sent to a rehab facility for evaluation by a vestibular physical therapist and had PT 3 times a week for a few months. Today I am fine, just avoid bending over with my head low, upside down.
There are several different head maneuvers a PT or doctor can do to get rid of particles that roll into the wrong part of your inner ear. Epley with my head backwards helped me, another maneuver bending forward I tried at home made me much worse, and gave me the “crazy eyes” where the eyes shift rapidly. So the PT can be very helpful in diagnosing if this is your problem and which maneuver is best for you. I also had a cold virus and stayed in various areas of my head at times giving me soar ears as well for the duration of my PT so may have also been part of the cause, it kept returning to my ears. The vestibular testing showed that my left ear had a slight problem so that may be part of the problem I had. It’s complicated!
Thanks. Just had my first vertigo attack in 7 years. I thought I was done with them. 7 years ago I had a gentymycin injection that I thought had cured me for ever. If your thinking of getting a Gent. Injection into your ear drum know this, you will lose your hearing in that ear. In my case it was no big deal because my hearing in that ear was horrible already horrible. Buyer beware …30 days after your injection you will be holding onto walls and vomiting alot. Good luck
Jeff, Do you have Meniere’s?
I had steroid injections in my affected ear. I was much worse right after the injection, and steadily got better. It makes sense that the Gent injections made it worse for up to a month. In my reading, I think it takes about a month for the rest of your brain to compensate for the lack of balance in the affected ear.
Hi there, I just had my first experience with vertigo 4 days ago. It was awful. I felt like my eyes were spinning inside my head with instant nausea and vimitting crawling on the floor to find a garbage can because I couldn’t stand. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone!
My question is, how long after an attack do you start to feel better? It’s been 4 days and I still feel really off. Light headed, weak, small amounts of dizziness(usually while laying down), fullness in the head.. Kinda feels like I’m really hungover lol. How lob does this last normally?
Thanks for any help!
Hi Shannon, I wish I could tell you there was a “normal” duration time. I recommend you take a decongestant and get a referral for an ENT. Your primary care doc may be able to prescribe meclizine, also.
If your attack is still causing you problems after four days, it could be any number of difficult, but things that wear off over time: a very bad cold/allergy attack, BPPV, labyrinthitis, to name just three. I recommend you see an ENT to understand the cause.
Good luck to you.
Oh my goodness I am almost crying reading this post which I stumbled upon accidentally. I too have been living with attacks of vertigo on and off for years since I was like 18 or something. Iv various appointments with doctor but no Ent referral!! (I will be demanding one now!) Nobody, and I mean nobody I have spoke to can relate nor understand what it feels like. Sometimes the attacks are mild, I can carry on somewhat uncomfortably with day to day tasks, drinking plenty of water and taking a decongestant and sometimes it wears off. However more often than not it is just the start of what can take 6-24 hours to clear and even after I am able to function once more I remain in a hungover like state for a day or too. My attacks are irregular and therefore extremely unpredictable, they rule my life and cause much anxiety and (I feel pretty well hidden deppresion). During a full on attack all I can do is lay down completely still, as even moving my head half a millimetre can start the room spinning so violently I will vomit. My ears ringing make falling asleep a task but if I do managed a couple of hours sleep the symptoms often ease on waking up. Thistime however (an attack in which I’m still suffering from) the symptoms came on around 9pm last night, I was tired and my kids had already gone to bed so I just got straight into bed in the hope my the morning it would have cleared. How wrong was I!! I spent all night tossing and turning every time i moved the room spun horrifically. Now at 8am I lay here otherwise feeling ok in myself but unable to move my head or sit up without horendous consequences. When will it stop? Will it ever stop or do I have to live with it forever, like you these are the thoughts I am plagued with constantly. Anyway sorry for the long post it felt good to get it all out, thanks for reading, Amy.
Amy, well, we all know what you’re going through. You are right, “regular” docs have no idea what’s going on. One guy told me it was all in my head. I said, “Yes, you got it in one. My ears are in my head. Now, what can we do about it?” (He was a substitute for my regular doc. He is no longer with that practice.)
It sounds as if you have tinnitus, also. One of my docs gave me a script for clonazepam, to reduce the ringing. I have not tried it.
My suggestions: Yes, see an ENT asap. Understand what causes your vertigo and tinnitus. Remember to discuss both symptoms.
I know that when I am tired, everything is worse. Because I have no auditory nerve on my right side, loud rooms make my tinnitus worse (my feedback loop is broken).
I guess I’m quite lucky. I can sleep off my attacks. Maybe that’s because I’ve had a dozen or so since 2009.
Good luck.
my eyes blink, it seems my body is falling down, i become dizzy always and my stomach seems like im hungry but im not; as im dizzing i follow to starve in my stomach , if it becomes like that i need sleep, so what shall i do and what shall be procured such problem
HI Owusu (I hope that is your first name), you have noticed that our digestive systems get out of whack with vertigo. I too, feel hungry and nauseous all at the same time.
I sleep it off, if possible. If I am don’t have the whirlies, I can drink water. Good luck.
This site is perfect. I just got diagnosed with BPPV this past week at the ER. I was extremely dehydrated as well. They finally told me it was BPPV. I have trouble with my right ear and thought I had a ear infection but nope not one. I am currently on Meclazine for it if I need to take it. You are awesome for making this site. All of the information from you and others has helped me. This is my first attack of vertigo and I don’t plan on letting it define me. I am a single mom of 3 wonderful kids and don’t want this to make me feel weak. It already makes me feel crazy enough. I am Blessed to have a lady at my church who has the same thing and is there if I need her. Thanks again for this information and site.
HI Tammy, I’m so glad you found this site helpful. I can identify with the “crazy enough” part :-)
Best wishes to you. I hope you can manage your vertigo, rather than it managing you.
Tammy, the medicine did not work for me, side effects exaggerated some symptoms it was supposed to control. On a low dose, I became very groggy and had to sleep all day. The doctor said cut in half, that was no better, so I stopped. After maybe 4 days, the 1 and 1/2 pills finally felt out of my system. I really did not need it, I had no nausea. And special head maneuvers (Epley) quickly helped with the extreme spinning head (and a bout of “crazy eyes” shifting).
My vertigo may have been from crystals in the wrong place of the inner ear – BPPV, or a virus head cold with soreness that stayed with me 3 months and kept returning to the ears. During the 3 months I had PT by a vestibular specialist, which provided guidance for exercises to walk in different patterns to fully regain my sense of balance. Your brain has wonderful abilities to rewire itself. I am fine today, about a year and a half afterwards. Every once in a while I catch myself with a little “whoops” when I feel a tiny bit of tipping, but that may have been from before all this. You should be fine.
Johanna, I have met you and know of you through your many talks in the Boston area on QA and Agile – SQGNE and Agile New England – but it was your talk to Boston-SPIN about how you approach your vertigo with Agile methods and adapting to change, that first made me really aware of what was happening to you. It really affected me.
I suffer, not often, from BPPV, but fight it successfully with Epley. Epley at the very first sign of it usually shortens it incredibly for me.
However, many years ago I had an episode at work that scared the living daylights out of me and makes me more sympathetic than I can convey with what you’re going through these last several years. Suddenly I was so dizzy that even propped up sitting on the floor against the wall with both hands flat on the floor (and the trash can in my lap for throwing up), I felt like I was whirling, spinning end-over-end and sideways, I can’t describe it. It lasted for hours. No one seemed to believe that I wasn’t just being a hypochrondriac — but at 32 I was by far the oldest person in the group, we were not a particularly matured group of people yet. (Software industry hasn’t changed a lot has it.) I have no memory of how I got home that day.
That made me so sympathetic for an acquaintance of mine who recently developed vestibular vertigo that I came searching for anything you could might him. I am SO glad to find this page! Thank you thank you thank you for sharing your experiences with vertigo and what you do know about it.
Lyle, wow, I’m so sorry you have dealt with the whirlies, especially at work. IMNHO, you were courageous in exposing your vulnerability and managing it. I find that many healthy people have little empathy for a debilitating problem. Then, when they encounter one at some point later, they have an aha moment. Oh well. I’m happy the Epley maneuver works for you. Those crystals!!
I’m delighted you found this page helpful, and I hope it helps your friend.
I think you were standing near me last night as the meeting broke up, right? Sorry we didn’t have a chance to talk in person. Thank you for letting me know that my SPIN talk was helpful. See you around, at another Boston event. Maybe even a conference!
Hello All and thank you for sharing your experiences. I was diagnosed with Meniere’s Syndrome eight months ago. I’ve had six vertigo attacks in that time, with all but one involving vomiting for approximately 3 1/2 hours. My first attack landed me in the emergency room, since I had no idea what was happening to me. The doctor said, “I can give you something for the nausea”. But I wasn’t nauseous…it was as if someone had flipped a vomit switch in my brain and I had no control of it. I told the doctor to give me something for the severe spinning feeling, and the vomiting would stop. He said they had nothing for that symptom, and I just had to “ride it out”. I’ve found that a low sodium diet (called hydrops diet) has helped to stretch the time between attacks; my longest time has been 3 months between vertigo attacks. I try not to exceed 1,200 mg of sodium per day; read food labels, you would be surprised how much sodium is in processed foods – its used as a preservative. My last attack was just a couple hours ago (after a 3 month stretch with no problems), and I believe it was brought on by loud, sharp noise. I was hammering nails into the fence boards of my patio enclosure, and noticed afterward, that my “bad ear” felt clogged. I looked it up on the internet, and sure enough, there is something called Tullio’s Phenomena, that explains that loud, sharp sound can trigger a Meniere’s vertigo attack. It took three days of feeling fullness in the ear and having tinnitus, before I woke up in an attack. I’ve found that taking Meclizine, at the onset of feeling any dizziness, has helped to “dumb down” the severe spinning feeling, and even prevented vomiting all together in one episode. I carry the medication on me at all times. I do believe the low sodium diet has been extremely helpful in managing this condition, plus, I lost ten pounds in the process! I really empathize with all of you who suffer with vertigo, it is truly hell when you’re experiencing it. I’m told there is no cure for Meniere’s Syndrome, so I learning how to manage my symptoms, in an attempt to lead a “normal” life. I encourage you all to read as much information you can about this condition, consult your doctor and possibly see a specialist if necessary. Vertigo interrupts your life; that aspect really upsets me. But with lifestyle changes and hyperawareness of my symptoms, I’ve been managing thus far.
Namaste….
HI Avery, wow. I feel for you. I did not know about Tullio’s Phenomena. I think that has happened to me. I have a day or so with a loud roar in my deaf ear and then bam, a vertigo attack. Thanks for that info.
I have not lost 10 pounds. Although that is a horrible way to lose. I agree, added salt is a difficult problem. One thing I have found with my low carb/keto way of eating: I eat very few processed food. I make almost all my food, so I don’t have too much sodium.
I agree. We must all be our own scientists, learn about our conditions, and what helps each of us. Best wishes to you.
Thank you so so so much for posting this! The part about the involuntary eye movement was HUGELY enlightening to me! I witnessed a dizzy spell my friend had back in December after he had suffered a stroke the month before,the stroke was the result of diabetes, and have been looking for more insight ever since. I can tell you that the rapid involuntary eye movement looks UTTERLY TERRIFYING! When my friend had his dizzy spell he looked up at the celing with his mouth half open and then his eyes shifted back and forth super fast! It looked like a seizure or the beginning of one to me initially because I had no idea what seizures looked like at the time. He looked miserable! He got very pale like he was on the verge of passing out. I had never seen him look so ill and weak before. I immediately asked him if he was okay and he replied that he was dizzy. I offered to help. He politely refused my help,though he seemed grateful I had noticed his distress, and the next day he looked totally fine. When I asked him what happened he told me he had gotten dizzy from exhaustion. I was like “WHAT THE F*CK?! WHAT WAS THAT SH*T!” to myself silently. I had never been so scared in my entire life! I couldn’t get the image of him struggling out of my mind. It’s good to have an idea of what these attacks i.e episodes feel like. Can being tired like my friend described make these episodes worse???
HI MC, yes, if you have never seen saccades before, they look quite scary. They’re scary to see and for me, the first time, it was super-scary to live through. Because your eyes go back and forth so fast, you can’t focus on anything. I can see the world, but I can’t figure out where anything is.
I know that if I am tired, my dizziness is worse. I don’t know about other people. I find that I need to manage my sugar (I’m close to keto now, not just low carb), my salt, and my sleep. The more I am able to take care of myself, the less dizzy I am. I still have vertigo attacks, so I can’t eliminate them, but it’s been a couple of years now since I had one. I wrote more about what I do in Seven Things You Can Do to Help Manage Your Vertigo.
If he was able to not vomit or have diarrhea, that’s great. If he has another attack, I would recommend he see an ENT. (I would recommend that anyway, but that’s me. Having an attack like this is not normal body behavior.)
Thank you so much Johanna!! When my friend was dizzy and I saw his eyes move I don’t think he could see me clearly for a few seconds, but I was relieved when he started to talk because I could see he was still lucid, coherent and conscious and could hear normally. He spoke very clearly. It seemed like his nervous system had gone completely bonkers for a moment and he lost control over his own body. I’m actually surprised he did not vomit given how sick he looked. Then he seemed to realize what was happening. He closed his eyes and put his hand over his eyes,breathed deeply, and started to slowly regain control over his body. It was absolutely amazing to watch how calm he was during the spell!!! If it had happened to me I would have completely freaked out! I hate loosing control. I gained so much respect for him in that moment! I wish I was that level headed! The dizziness seemed to zap all of his strength and energy right out of him and he had to lie down after it happened. I’m pretty sure the dizzy spell was a nasty side effect of his stroke because he had a stroke to a part of the brain that has to do with vestibular function. The spell occurred only one month post stroke and he had warned me he still wasn’t totally feeling like himself yet. However since you bring up sugar, he is diabetic, could his diabetes have helped triggered his dizzy spell if his blood sugar was too high or too low?? He drinks coffee constantly, is that a trigger? What is an ENT exactly if you don’t mind my asking?? During the days following the attack I saw him titling his head to the side and making odd expressions,could this be a sign of more involuntary eye movement and dizziness?? He would always just say he felt tired. Maybe he just didn’t want me to worry??
I saw him last month and he seemed to be almost completely recovered from the stroke. No more head tilting etc. I have never witnessed another full blown attack like the first one thank god and I pray I NEVER,EVER see that again! That was NOT normal! Something was very,very wrong.
Hi MC, I wonder if he had what I had, an inner ear hemorrhage. That kind of a hemorrhage is not a stroke. It’s not a brain bleed. However, if the bleed is large enough, it blows out parts of your inner ear. My hemorrhage caused my auditory nerve, one of my cochlear nerves, and at least semi-circular canal to die. I am totally deaf in that ear and I have tinnitus. Irritating.
In my experience, yes, sugar highs and lows can trigger a vertigo attack. So does caffeine. In the other comment, I posted the link to the things that appear to affect me.
An ENT is an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor. You see an ENT when you have vestibular system trouble, speaking and hearing trouble. They are the first stop.
If he tilts his head to one side, it could be to help the affected ear. I do this when I am trying to hear better. It could be any number of things, and I recommend you ask him.
Thank you Johanna! He definitely had a stroke. He showed me a note from his doc with the exact diagnosis and it basically said part of his sensory center in his brain died when he had a huge clot in a vessel, NOT a bleed. It nearly killed him. The only way I could think of that might have caused him to have an ear hemorrhage would be the heavy duty blood thinners they had him on at the time to prevent more strokes. The stroke left him with some issues to one side of his body and brain damage induced nystagmus like the ones I have from my cerebral palsy. The dizzy spell nystagmus looked like the stroke nystagmus but on super overdrive! So scary! He can hear normally. His head apparently just tilted to the stroke effected side. There were just times when he looked uncomfortable physically(he made an odd facial expression) and the tilt would get worse so after reading this I was curious if the tilt was dizziness related too. I would have asked, as he is normally very open about sharing those things, but this was in a public area where it would have been slightly inappropriate to bring up his medical issues. The head tilt is now completely gone! He shows no more outwardly visible signs of the stroke. As to the blood sugar, that was something he and I were not sure about because he said it did not feel like when his blood sugar went out of whack previously. My friend could usually tell pretty easily if something was related to blood sugar before the stroke. So we were wondering if maybe his reaction to blood sugar lows had just changed after the stroke. The actor Kevin Sorbo had nearly constant vertigo for a few years after suffering 3 strokes at the same time. He wrote a book about his stroke recovery called “True Strength” which you can see more about here http://www.truestrengthbook.com/index.html I read the whole book just weeks before my friend had his stroke. Sorbo’s situation seemed similar to my friend’s situation in certain ways. You should read that book! Some parts of the book remind me of your posts! I’ll suggest an ENT to my friend if he ever has issues again.
MC, thanks, just bought the book. I’m so glad your friend is recovered.
You’re welcome Johanna! Thanks! I’m glad you were able to get “True Strength” I hope you enjoy the book and will find it as enlightening as I did. I just had one more question, if my friend were to have another vertigo attack, or if anybody else in my life ever had a vertigo attack for that matter, is there anything I can do to help(besides get medical help and do what I’m asked) to make them more comfortable during the attack if they ask me to assist them?? Like is there anything you wish other people around you would do to help you that you have trouble expressing during an attack???
HI MC, as for help and being comfortable, I did have one vertigo attack where I was unable to walk to the bathroom. The saccades had affected my vision already, so I couldn’t quite see where I was going. My younger daughter escorted me and then closed the door. For me, it’s always a toss-up if I have to sit first or vomit first. I wanted the privacy for sitting. Didn’t care so much for the vomiting part.
I like it when people ask, “How may I help you?” instead of assuming they know what to do. I bet your friend would appreciate that.
I have had vertigo attacks foe 22 years maunly lasting minutes to over night, however, my last atrack left me unable to mive from my bed for 4 days without assistance just to go to the toilet. 4 weeks on and having had the epley manoeuvre 2 weeks ago, I’m much better but not enough to drive, work etc..as still feeling dizzy and nauseous each time I look up or down and even worse when I try the excercises that are suppose to help my symptoms but are making me feel worse when I do them. I am unsure whether to continue with these exercises daily or hooe that my symptoms eventually go away by themselves. I am currently only dizzy looking down or sleeping on my right side but daily tasks can make me feel light headed and worn out.
HI Elaine, can you have someone bring you to an ENT or a neurologist who specializes in vestibular issues? You might look for an otologist or an otoneurologist. I had to see an ENT before any neuro would see me. I ask, because this one is a long duration and you are still dizzy.
My experience is that when I had the inner ear hemorrhage, I was dizzy for about a week, but I got better over time. I needed medical help, not personal hope. I have not found that hope, by itself, is a useful strategy. The fact that you can articulate what makes you dizzy: looking in certain directions, lying on your right side, etc is a clue that you have an acute problem. An ENT might be able to diagnose that problem or refer you to someone who can.
The reason daily tasks wear you out is simple: We use our vestibular systems for all motor activities. You walk, you use your vestibular system. You do dishes, drive, anything that asks you to move your head or eyes is a vestibular activity. Your vestibular system is compromised right now. I have found that when I have to concentrate on staying upright, I was exhausted. I bet the same is happening to you. Try an appt with an ENT.
Elaine, I went to an ENT doctor and had very specific testing done. First, he quickly ruled out certain problems by asking questions about how I felt and my symptoms. The tests were painless and easy. I was given an in-depth hearing test. I also had a vestibular test where the technician moved and shook my head and my body in different directions while sitting in a chair, and made a video recording of my eyes. The way the eyes behave can help point to specific problems in the vestibular area and where they are located – the eyes and ears work together for balance (and dizziness). I was then evaluated by a physical therapist who specialized in vestibular disorders. The Epley is only one type of head maneuver to roll crystals back into the place they are supposed to be in. There are several different maneuvers in different directions, depending what part of the vestibular system is affected. Moving crystals out of places where they are not supposed to be is like magic, like a light switch, to get rid of symptoms. My problem has not returned.
Perhaps it’s possible since the Epley made it worse and you’re still having some dizzy issues specifically looking this way or that.. that you do have BPPV but you went bilateral? So while you’re treating the crystals for one side maybe it’s the other side now affected?
Just throwing this out there, maybe something in this will click for you?
http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/bppv/lcanalbppv.htm
how can I do the epley maneuver if it brings on a spin out? How can I keep from rolling over on my right side while Im sleeping? ‘Are there regular physical therapy exercises which could help with vertigo? What if I have a spin out the night before Im supposed to get on an airplane? Could flying on a small plane bring on an episode?
Robbi, epley may not be the right maneuver for you. Which maneuver depends on where a crystal might be improperly located within your inner ear canals. You need to be evaluated by an ENT doctor to properly diagnose you, something else might be going on. The ENT can also send you to a physical therapist who specializes in vestibular evaluation and treatment.
To keep from rolling while sleeping, get a large pillow and hug it. A body pillow can lie along one side to prevent rollover.
Hi Robbi, remember I’m not a doc, so this is from my experience, not what is supposed to happen.
1. If you do the Epley and it makes you worse, I would either try the Brandt-Daroff exercises, or talk with a vestibular therapist. Each of us is unique. If you have BPPV, Epley is supposed to work. Someone on this page has explained that Brandt-Daroff worked. My vestibular therapist taught me the Epley, and it worked. I didn’t do anything else.
2. You could try a body pillow to prevent you from rolling, or to give you support. I would talk to a vestibular therapist.
3. Yes, so PTs specialize in vestibular therapy. They help you harness your vestibular-ocular reflex. I recommend you go.
4. I have not had an episode just before flying. Remember, ear popping when flying is about your middle ear. Vertigo occurs when something goes a little wacko in your inner ear.
5. I guess if a small plane does the whooping around in circles, if you tend to get dizzy, you might get the whirlies. For me, if I can close my eyes and create an horizon, it’s better. If I’m lying in bed, I use my focal point to quiet my inner ear. (Mine is head back a little, up and to the left. Everyone’s focal point is different.)
You don’t say if you’ve seen an ENT. Mine (and one of my neurologists) gave me a prescription for vestibular PT. Sounds like it’s time for you.
thank you for your replies. I’ve been having vertigo attacks for 6 mos. I do have an ENT, have been through lots of tests, his PT showed me how to do the Epley at home but Im not able to do it because once I start the maneuver I start I spin out and I cant continue. I get the vertigo at night usually. In the morning when I call for an appointment it takes a few days to get in. By the time I see her my symptoms are gone so they send me home. Then two weeks later I spin out, cant do the maneuver myself, makes me violently sick, call them, wait, get better, they see me and send me home. Some kind of cycle, huh? Do they just love my medicare?
Ive been on the paleo diet for a year and wonder if my vertigo is related to diet or could be controlled to some extent by diet. Is there a diet beneficial for us. I ride a bike and my vertigo makes me very nervous. Of course Im sitting here drinking a glass of wine and tomorrow morning I’ll have a cup of coffee. But I was doing these things before I got vertigo.
Sorry for this long post.
Robbi, get the medical people to work with you when you next have active symptoms, so can they see you without delay. When I left my PT, I asked what could I do, to avoid appointment delay, if my symptoms returned. She gave me her personal email to contact her and she would work me in.
Hi,, I was reading so many stories now,,,and just wondering,,,why not single doctor prescribed “ACT BETAHISTINE”24 mg,,,I had first attack on May 24/16 , and my doctor prescribed me this medications half a tablet twice a day,,, and I will meet ENT in 2 weeks .,,but feel very good now,,, ask your doctors…Good luck,,,I know few cases when people could take 30 tablets twice a year and feel so good,,,
Thank you.
Hi Vicka, I took an antihistamine after my first vertigo attack. For me, it appeared to do nothing. Yes, it dried out my nose, but I had so little post-nasal drip, it wasn’t worth it.
I think it depends on what causes your vertigo. Mine is unresponsive to antihistamines. But, I bet other people’s vertigo is quite responsive.
And nobody knows a reason for Vertigo…it is scary
Well, we sort-of know the reasons for several kinds of vertigo. BPPV is caused by the crystals being displaced. My oscillopsia is caused by my lack of a semi-circular canal, so my vestibular-ocular reflex is broken. We know many “first” causes. But we don’t know what caused the problem in the first place. I agree, it is scary.
Unfortunately some folks don’t respond to antihistamine. I take meclizine for what is likely late life variant migraine and I suspect something related to muscle issues in my neck.
If one is in the US like me. Betahistine or SERC, is not available unless you get a script and get it from a compounding pharmacy. I’d give anything just about to get my hands on serc. Given my response to meclizine I have doubt it would be fantastic for me
A key point in this long article says, “but it is now clear that betahistine is effective in Ménière’s disease – after 40 years of clinical use it would have been surprising if this were not the case – its freedom from sedative properties that interfere with vestibular adaptation is a major clinical advantage compared with many drugs employed in this field.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2655085/
For those who like to read, a new article is here:
http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/treatment/drug/serc.html
Thank you for the link. I feel a little silly that I didn’t look it up. I have to admit, I would love the weight loss side effects…
I apologize for the article being so long, no time to myself read it all and summarize. Has to be digested by someone who enjoys reading long articles. Ha !
I had my second attack last night. Wasn’t sure what these attacks were til reading this page today. I fell asleep on the couch watching TV and was rudely awakened a cpl hrs later. I woke up feeling very nauseous and when I tried to open my eyes, the room was spinning out of control. After I managed to sit up, I grabbed the trash can and vomited violently for on and off for a few hrs. I have been very dizzy all day. I’m sure that after reading your site it has to be Vertigo.
HI Tina, it sure does sound like you had a vertigo attack. Please see an ENT as soon as you can, so you can start learning what caused it. Good luck!
Last night that happened to me that’s the second one I ever had I still am weak I was scared and still scared what can you do they done test on me last time it happened nothing please need answers
Hi Joyce, sorry you had another vertigo attack. Have you seen an ENT? If so, and you have no answers, have you seen a neurologist who specializes in inner ear disturbances? (A vestibular neurologist, or an oto neurologist.) I would ask for vestibular therapy so you can manage your dizziness. (Some PTs specialize in vestibular therapy. The therapy helps your brain adjust to your dizziness.
There are many tips on this page. Watch your caffeine, drink enough water so you are hydrated. Some of us take a variety of meds. There is no one med that works for all people. If it’s BPPV, learn the Epley.
I have a great primary care doc. She supported me in my search for the right ENT and neurologists. Use your primary care doc/office to help you. Good luck.
Oh, one more thing. None of us can help you if you don’t have a diagnosis. That’s why seeing the right doc/docs is so important.
I had started to have vertigo yesterday morning, thinking it was just dizziness until it got worse. The doctor told me it was these calcium things in the inner ear going out of alignment. Later that day, after a dosage and a nap, i had to get up to bleed the lizard and Jesus, i was dizzy. I only had seconds after voiding my bladder to kneel down and vomit four times. After doing so, I decided not to risk walking back to my room, so I laid there, on a cramped bathroom floor, thankfully with three memory foam floor mats. When I noticed my vision not spinning so damn much, I worked up the bravery, with trashbag in hand in case I get sick again, back towards my room. Been stuck in bed since and still now as I type this, I am still recovering. I would not wish this fate unto my worst enemy. God help me.
Mike, BPPV is horrible. Did your doc tell you about the Epley maneuver? Some people (I am one of them) find those exercises helpful. Others like the Brandt-Daroff exercises. I don’t know enough about the differences to know which exercises you might try. Oh, and some people don’t find either helpful. I found meclizine helpful with my first vertigo attack. I agree, I would not wish this on my worst enemy, either. Hope you feel better soon.
Mike, the Epley maneuver worked for me , too. But I learned there are different maneuvers depending on where the crystals are. I strongly recommend you see an ENT doctor who can help focus the cause of your condition, ruling out many things, and also refer you to a physical therapist center that specializes in vestibular problems. The PT will evaluate you and perform maneuvers that can help your situation. The relief can be immediate.
Hi Mike and anyone else with ongoing Vertigo,
I have had BPPV for the past 5 months since i slipped on an old banana skin in a supermarket car park. Yes, i really do live in a cartoon !!!
I have had long periods off work but have now been back again for 7 weeks…
I am retraining my brain so my eyes and feet assist with balancing. I have loads of exercises to do from my balance therapist (I live in the uk by the way).
so working is my main aim – if i can do that i appear normal…..
However, at home it is different…. Since Friday night when i arrived home i have been laying down in bed for 26 of the 35 hours available and actually asleep for 20.5 of those hours.
Consequently, eating and drinking is for a short period of time and housework can only be done for a short time because of the constant turning…i frequently wobble to my right side.
After 5 months i understand it. I am not allowed to drive anymore so walk loads more than before – this is plain rediculous as i weave precariously along the pavement (sidewalk). However i can only harm myself and not others !!! I feel very alone…. I look fine so don’t always get a seat on buses but the world goes too fast for me.
My flat is a mess and last night i cried for my mum (Mom) i am 60 and she passed away 14 years ago.
My friends think i am OK and if i mention daily tasks i have to do – which for me will take hours they just say ‘tell me about it’ like we are the same. But i know we’re not. I’ve stopped trying to explain.
I get upset stomach and vomiting probably 2 days a week and dizziness for most of the time even at work but i need to keep going.
I am independent and i am determined to cope.
I am glad i have found this website take care Mike and anyone else who us reading this….
Jay, have you considered some sort of walking assistance when you are out of the house? I use a rollator all the time when I am out of the house. I do not have sufficient balance to walk unassisted.
I have cleaning help because cleaning the house is impossible for me. I cannot manage the head ups/downs and still stay standing. I found the vestibular therapy helpful when I have BPPV. It took several months to retrain my brain, so it’s good that you are sticking with it.
You have us, here. You are not alone. I wish you the best.
When I first had vertigo it was a little thing. The dr gave me antivert and that was that. Then later that year I came down with something that I couldn’t believe was vertigo. I was terrified, my vision at gone, i had no balance, I felt disorientated, I basically felt like I was always drunk. Turned out it was just a more severe vertigo. I now live with chronic vertigo. Heat does really seem to add to it, as well as being tired.
Until I find something more permanent (like physical therapy that focuses on vertigo) these easy at home exercises have been a life saver. Give it a try. Best of luck to those out there suffering.
https://youtu.be/iP-UYhAk6tA
Holly, yes, those exercises helped me a little, also. They are great for BPPV. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Hi Johanna,
Its me, Marge, and I have added my comments a couple of times. Sadly, I’m experiencing vertigo attacks again. (I’m surprised no one has commented since August…..hopefully the reason is because their vertigo attacks have let up.) My question is why do the attacks seem to come, and in my case, occur several times a week for a while…..then go away for a couple of months….then the cycle starts again. I follow your suggestions to control the vertigo……keep a diary and etc.
Anyway, just needed to vent…..its been a rough week.
HI Marge, I wish I knew what caused the attacks to come. Here are things that seem to trigger my attacks:
– exhaustion. If I get too fatigued, I am more likely to have an attack.
– the caffeine, sugar, and salt. Every so often, I realize that food in a restaurant has MSG. That’s a killer.
The problem with vertigo is that too many of us don’t have a cause. There’s nothing we can point to. I have some theories. No, I’m not a doctor! My working theory right now is that muscles spasms in (my) eyes or middle ear can cause a vertigo attack. I am on a low-dose muscle relaxant, which calms my eye muscles (as well as all the other muscles in my body).
If your attacks are back, maybe it’s time to see some form of a neurologist? Otoneurologist or a vestibular neurologist. Part of the problem is that neurologists are so specialized the one you choose might not know.
Vent anytime. Hope you feel better.
I have suffered from vertigo attacks going on 5 years now. Been to muliple doctor’s off various specialties. I have been diagnosed with autoimmune inner ear disease and cogan’s syndrome. I have tried meclizine, phenergan, valium , now on methotrexate and prednisone.
To be honest not sure if anything is working. I still have no warning, no rhyme or reason to when an attack happens. Starts as everthing tilting, then the spinning starts. If I don’t get flat on my back soon enough I have vomiting, sometime have that anyway. If it’s never happened to somebody you can’t explain it, even to the doctor. I am 44, mom of 4. I don’t go anywhere alone, for fear of an attack in public without somebody to explain. Life as I have previously lived is over, no more independent woman. ?
Kathy, I’m so sorry for you. I hadn’t heard of Cogan’s syndrome before. Yech. I hope that you are working on saving your hearing and vision. Other people have suggested alternatives to your meds. I am on baclofen now, a muscle relaxant. For *me*, it’s working. I wish I had something to suggest. In any case, you have my best wishes for a real diagnosis and some medicine alternatives that work.
Vertigo has been a curse on my life first episode was around 7 give or take a year or two I’m 22 now had it ever since very consistent and it’s the worst thing ever has to quite every sport i was did leave regular high school mid way through freshman year to go to independent study which really help btw
And for years it seemed i would get really dizzy at least once a month where i would vomit then the last couple years i would still get dizzy but not as frequently
It’s really is the worst thing to ever happen to my life
Went to at least a doctors most of which had no idea what i had
One even said that he’s never seen vertigo in someone my age of course this was a decade ago but no medication ever help one bit and it’s to constant i would literally never be able to hold down a job its that bad and as of right now i’ve been dizzy 24/7 the past 2-3 weeks except when i’m sleeping which is my favorite time now cause I don’t have to feel it
It’s like a yo-yo effect going from mild to the stage right before i’m full blown dizzy never getting an worse thats the part i hate the most then it stops somewhere in the middle.
I’m kind of the opposite of you as i dink water when i’m vomiting so it will be easier to get out of my system and i do rinse my mouth out or i’ll get sick even more
Now that rapid eye movement you mentioned doctors noticed it my father could see it yet I didn’t notice a thing
It’s screwing up my life.
Vertigo truly sucks.
P.S. It’s BPPV that i have
Daniel, I hope you have seen an otoneurologist or some other vestibular neurologist. (I’m sure you have.) For me, being a medical mystery was the most difficult part. My otoneurologist tracked my nystagmus with a special pair of goggles. The doc darkens the room and turns on the goggles. The inside of the goggles have lights so the doc can see your eye movements and see the rate at which your eyes move. I’m not a doc. However, I do think the saccades/nystagmus are a key part of why we vomit.
I don’t normally have BPPV. I have oscillopsia. My opinion/theory: when my eye muscles spasm, the spasms create/accelerate my nystagmus into saccades. That sets off a vertigo attack. I am on baclofen, a muscle relaxant. (I have spasms elsewhere, not just my eyes.) I wonder if you probe on the spasms, if your neurologist will think of other possibilities for meds. It just seems wrong for you to have this all your life and never have real relief. I suspect the Epley or other maneuvers don’t work well enough for you.
Re managing your attacks: good for you that you can drink/rinse your mouth out! That was the quite-yucky part for me. Good luck.
Gosh, I noticed the post at the top was dated in 2012 so I hope my post won’t get lost in a time machine! I have battled extreme vertigo for the last 9 years. I am now 47 years old. No one understands what it feels like and just how powerless I am when it happens in public like it did yesterday while eating lunch in Denny’s. My own boyfriend says it is convenient so I can miss work. Wow. I wish he understood it is the most inconvenient, uncomfortable, miserable experience ever. I will have it every single day for 3 months straight then nothing. Except the tinnitis in my right ear is always there, always. Now I have major hearing loss in my right ear, tinnitis, and now my left eye crosses toward my nose because I can’t focus it straight. The Dr. ordered a brain mri because after he performed numerous eye tests etc, he said my eye is moving abnormally and it is a neurological issue. All I know vertigo is the most uncomfortable, miserable experience and I am forced to lay down for at least 3 hours to sleep it off. The only medicine that actually works is meclizine taken with a valium at the same time. Sleeping is welcomed while I have the vertigo. My stomach turns as much as the world around and it debilitates my life. I wish my loved ones understood what it was like so they could understand.
Crysta, as my friends EdH and netmouse said, you won’t get lost here. I posted that entry in 2012. I’ve had other attacks since then, but really–who wants to know about all of my attacks??
I find it quite interesting that Ed had vision problems, and your left eye is crossing. I am starting to believe that *some* vertigo is caused by the (lack of) vestibular ocular reflex. In my case, it’s certainly a contributing factor. The problem is that most ENTs don’t do eyes and they are where you start with vertigo. That’s one of the reasons I recommend a vestibular neurologist or an otoneurologist.
As for your boyfriend, here’s my opinion, which you can certainly leave: Does he have an MD with a concentration in neurology? No? Don’t listen to him. I might kick him to the curb, but I jump to conclusions quickly. In the meantime, do look at what you were eating when you had your attack. My tinnitus and my vertigo gets much worse with more salt and more sugar. That’s me, that’s not everyone. Best wishes for learning the cause(s) of your vertigo.
Crysta,
You won’t get lost here. There are a lot of people reading this blog who are members of the “vertigo club” that fully understand how terribly debilitating it is, they do care for you and everyone else that has vertigo. I wish non-vertigo people understood it better and had compassion for us who live with vertigo, but I don’t think they will, they are like muggles in Harry Potter. Maybe have some of your muggle relatives or friends read part of this blog.
I had my worst vertigo attack 2 and 1/2 years ago, and it is still sooo fresh in my mind how scary, nauseating, forceful, traumatizing and sneaky it was, coming out of nowhere with no notice, terrorizing me. My life turned upside down in 6 seconds, everything on hold, I was in bed for weeks, crawled down the hall to the bathroom, could not make it to the kitchen to get food. I never want to experience a full fledged vertigo attack every again, always in fear of another attack. I hope you get over yours, I would not wish this on anyone. I am fortunate, because after 18 months mine gradually, slowly, improved, 97% gone. For those months, I was scared it would not go away. The Docs told me it would take 4 weeks, then 3 months, then 1 year. In my case the Doctor that knew the most about vertigo, and I felt most confident with, was the ENT specialist.
I had bad double vision after my vertigo attack that would not improve. I have always been cross-eyed from birth (medical term = strabismus), it runs in my moms side of the family. My parents had my brothers eyes surgically straightened at age 4, but not any of my other siblings nor I. My brain figured out how to turn off my left eye and I saw mono-vision for my entire life, that is, until the day of my massive vertigo attack, it activated my left eye because of the incessant eye movement caused by vertigo called saccades. After 4 months of seeing double I couldn’t stand it and I got up enough courage to have my strabismus (cross eye) surgically corrected. For me it was a good news, a miracle how well I can see now compared to before. I can focus both eyes almost to the same point, and I now have depth perception for the first time in my life. So that is a silver lining to my vertigo. This didn’t help the vertigo go away, but it helped me see so much better. This is my story, and I’m not saying this is for you, I’m saying there are things you can maybe do and there are vertigo success stories too.
Yes, this is an excellent blog. It has been very helpful to me when no one else was. It brings people together who understand and provides comfort and guidance. It also shows the variety of cases and degrees of disability, and where people get help and the best possible medical care with the right experts.
Thank you for this blog…. I’ve-been reading and crying… my vertigo is so debilitating, Still waiting for my ENT APPT.
Christine, good luck. I hope you have an appt soon.
I’m 65 and was a fit and healthy lady who rode horses and showed dogs. I was in the kennels and had just finished the afternoon feeding when I suddenly became so dizzy I could not tell the floor from the ceiling. In order not to fall I had to get down on hands and knees and crawl out through the breezeway, down the steps, out through the exercise yard, the garden and into the house where I climbed onto my bed and started vomiting so violently I could barely take a breath. This went on all night, for 16 hours straight until a friend found me and called the ambulance. It’s now 14 months later and I have not had one single day without the vertigo. Vomiting has slightly eased but it still keeps me from keeping fluids and medications down. I cannot drive, I lost my job and basically my whole life. From the tests they have done apparently I might have a damaged cochlear but I’m offered nothing else but the diagnoses. I can’t clean my house or cook for myself. I was trying to cook one evening when I fell over and broke my leg. The only thing worse than vertigo is vertigo on crutches. I couldn’t do it so walked on the cast with my cane. I can’t read and typing is trial and error because of trying to focus. No drug or exercise has ever helped. I feel like I fell into a dark abyss and there is no hope or future for me. 14 months without a single day of relief is wearing very thin.
What type doctors have you seen? An ENT? Or a specialist in vestibular problems? They can narrow down what type of “dizziness” you have with very specialized testing.
Are you in some rural where there is poor medical hep?
Lily, Netmouse has excellent questions. Regular docs don’t know enough about vestibular problems. ER docs know nothing about vestibular problems. You might have a damaged cochlear. What caused it? I hope you have had an MRI. If I were you, I would either call the Vestibular Association to find a doc or see someone at a teaching hospital. You can’t manage anything without knowing the cause(s). Good luck.
Been having dizzy spells and full-blown attacks for 2 weeks now. I’m taking serc but with little to no effect. It’s affecting my everyday living to the point I’m afraid to step out of my room with the fear of suddenly falling down the staircase. Is this still normal?
Katherine, dizzy spells where you think you will fall over for 2 weeks is not normal to *me.* I recommend you see a dizzy doc in some way: an ENT who understands dizziness, a neurologist or otoneurologist. I found that meclizine helped me when I first had a vertigo attack. Others here have found other meds useful. Please do work with your PCP and see a specialist and try other meds. (Oh, and the suggestions I have on the tips page might help.) Good luck.
I had my first one Sunday morning(woke up at 4am with it). It is Wednesday night and finally feel back to normal. The Epley Maneuver seemed to really help. Meds only helped the stomach stuff.
This is similar to my case. Pretty scary to wake up like this, I was alone in the house.
When I woke up, my head had fallen off the pillow with my face down on the mattress. Kind of “upside down”. I was probably in this position for quite a while. So I assume this odd position let a crystal roll into the wrong place inside my inner ear. The Epley maneuver also helped me. A doctor nearby simply told me to come back in two weeks if I still had the symptoms ! So on the computer I found great YouTube video on this maneuver. I now know it is not the only or always the right maneuver. My primary care doc gave me the name of a good ENT doctor that really helped.
I also had a soreness (viral it seems) rotating to different places in my head (sinus, ear, throat, and round and round again). That lasted 3 months, also the length of my PT for vestibular disorders. I had a mild left ear problem per tests. So I am guessing that inflammation kept some mild symptoms going.
Hi there just read your vertigo experience how awful for you I’m so sorry. I’ve been feeling dizzy in and off and having ear ache. My GP said my ear drum was cloudy which indicates fluid in the ear. But three days ago I had a terrible vertigo attack with the rapid eye movement I was so scared and as I suffer with anxiety I panicked and I’m still so scared now. I’m hoping I won’t get another one. Xxxx
Sue, I hope you don’t get another either. Please do see an ENT to make sure you know what caused the vertigo attack. GPs don’t have enough specialized knowledge. Best wishes.
Thank you for posting this. I started experiencing vertigo 2 months ago. Just suffered my worst episode to date: rapid eye movement, dizziness, nausea, and hot flashes. It was so frightening that I crawled out of my office chair and sat on the floor. Asked my 9yo to get the phone. Went through the checklist to see if I was having a stroke (I’m 43). Did the side to side thing until it stopped. It’s so scary.
Vicki, so sorry you are a member of our group now. It sounds as if you have BPPV and the exercises put the crystals back into your inner ears. Have you seen an ENT or an otoneurologist? I hope you feel better soon.
Vicki, once I saw an ENT doctor and vestibular physical therapist, I was OK. It has been over 2 years and I have since had no problems.
I have been suffering from Vertigo since June. I do Epley a few times a day. It does make me dizzy but I do it anyway. My biggest concern is the chronic fatigue. I don’t experience major vertigo and I can drive. Mostly I feel light-headed and I do feel dizzy if I stand too long. I am going for a Cat scan at the end of the month.
Mary, good luck with your tests. My vertigo makes me tired because I spend a ton of brain energy trying to stay upright and focus. I was better with a cane or walking stick. That is no longer enough for me, so I use a rollator. If you are willing, consider some form of an assistive walking device.
Has anyone felt this my wierd dizziness happen when I was driving I felt pressured and tighten above my ears feeling it as it slowly moves to the top of my head not only that but also seeing everything spinning around , but other times feeling was the same at the beginning but but spinning was going side to side or other times same feelings but the spinning was going up and down then other times same feelings but the spinning was like looping around my eyes always felt tired and heavy although I noticed the heat was affecting me all I drink is ginger ale and lemonade but not to sweet and eat strawberries with vanilla yogurt and cold water some what it works but I still suffer from this till now , although I can say is before this problem while at Walmart a tire rim fell from a shelf next to me which the sound was very very very loud by me then my boyfriend acting like in the movie Major Paine when Major Paine is telling the story to Little boy then yells out loud so my boyfriend yelled super loud in my ear that horrible I end up with a big headahe so I don’t know if between the tire rim and the yelling could of been the reason of the ringing to my ears / vetigo and the spinning and the pressure tighting and no I haven’t seen no doctor at all .
Em, you’re describing saccades (spinning) and tinnitus (ringing in your ears). I recommend you explain what you think is happening to your primary care doc and ask for a referral to a vestibular ENT. I find that if I’m too hot, I need water. I do not recommend any more sugar, even if the drinks are relatively low in sugar. You are different and your body will react differently, so decide what to do yourself. I know that small changes in sugar can affect me on a very hot day. Good luck.
Hi, my vertigo isn’t spinning anymore.
It has two symptoms, the first is like: being on a tightrope with one foot on the rope and the other searching for something to stand on.
The second is like being on a plane in
turbulence, or onboard a ship in a storm!
My vertigo started like yours did, but now the medical profession seem to be at s loss as to what to do about it.
Rob, it totally stinks to be a Medical Mystery. I assume you’ve seen an ENT (maybe several). I recommend in this order: an otoneurologist/vestibular neurologist. Either of those neuros might be able to help you understand what’s going on. If they still think you are a Mystery, I recommend a neuromuscular neurologist. Some neurologist will be able to help you. The question is which one? Good luck.
I suffer with vertigo since I believe 1988 when I was working late overtime of course and my computer was moving, the next thing I started to feel real sick very nauseated, I threw up in the garbage bin, found my supervisor and told her I am sick. They called and ambulance and was rushed to the hospital where the emergency doctor diagnosed “miniere’s syndrome”. The attacks come when I am really stressed. Over the years I rarely had attacks and if I did it was plain vertigo and I was able to handle it with sleep. I didn’t have an attack serious attack but one year the ENT diagnosed just vertigo and prescribed SERC but that made my condition worse. I went back to see him and he was surprised that I was still having symptoms and the SERC made it worse. He diagnosed me again and he said I had BPPV and had to do the Epley movement. Since that episode I had minor attacks until this year 2017. In May 2017 I saw my Allergist as I have seasonal allergies and he gave me a prescription to take another type of antihistamine. Well! that did me in after 3-1/2 hrs of taking that pill I had a massive attack of BPPV in my sleep, when I thought I was getting better I got worse and landed up at the hospital. My second attack following 25 July 2017 again it was in my sleep, my heading was “spinning” then I started to see red blinking lights. I wanted to go to the toilet and the attack was so powerful it threw me from my bed to the dresser and bang my head so bad I tried to get up and I was really lost as the bedroom was dark and the red blinking lights continued, this was pretty scary. I tried to get up and again the vertigo threw back to the dress and hit my back. By the grace of God I was able to crawl to the toilet and once I put on the lights the red blinking lights stopped. I again went to the hospital where a physiotherapist worked on me. 10 August 2017 after dinner I was watching TV and my world started to spin, I knew another attack was coming on and threw up a lot. I didn’t want to be alone and called my sister’s house and my brother in law came to get me. I threw up in the car (I had a plastic bag) and when I got to my sister’s house I couldn’t stop throwing up. The next day I threw up all the liquids she gave me to hydrate me but nothing stayed down. The following day I asked my brother-in-law to bring me to the hospital. This was my third BPPV attack and they were all different but the second attack was the most violent attack I had to date. The physiotherapist at the hospital gave me exercises to do as she and the doctor found my neck and shoulders were stiff. I am presently seeing a physioterapist/osteopath who is helping me with the vertigo. I don’t have dizziness but I have head issues when I don’t sleep well, I have symptoms of heaviness in the head, not headaches, I am not sure how to describe it but my head don’t feel good. I saw an ENT at the hospital and she said go to emergency for red blinking lights I was seeing and see a physiotherapist for head exercises. Two weeks ago I saw another ENT that my orthopedic recommended because I have osteoarthritis in the spine as I was still not better from BPPV, I wasted my time as he said I don’t have vertigo and to see a physiotherapist. I watch my diet limited salt and sugar and drink a lot of water to help hydrate my body and try to get sleep but my body gets up after 4-5 hours of sleep which is not enough. For suffers of Vertigo or BPPV, my advise is to watch what you eat keep away from “CATSS” (cafeine, alcohol, tobacco, salt and sugar) that is what the technician at the hospital told me years ago. And remember stress is your enemy, try to relax and stay calm which I am trying to do but unfortunately I can’t stay still though now I am in my sixties. Good luck to all vertigo and BPPV suffers – I share your pain and grief – it is a horrible health issue to have and don’t wish it on my worse enemy. I just wanted to share what I experienced and it wasn’t good. There is hope – I am alive and God is in control of all our health issues – He is the Healer !!!
Judith, good for you for seeing another ENT. Meniere’s is different from BPPV (as you learned). Yes, stress in a variety of forms can certainly predispose you to vertigo attacks. If I were you, I would find an ENT or neurologist who can provide me a diagnosis. “Head issues” often mean there is another cause. Find the cause, treat it, and your vertigo might subside. Best of luck to you.
Self care tip: keep emesis bags handy. I have them tucked into my bedside table, glove compartment, purse, end tables in the TV room and in the bathroom.
I’ve been dealing with vertigo/meniures forty years now. Chronic disease with occasional violent attacks. It take months for my brain to readapt to movement. I sleep a lot because my noggin works so hard to keep me going. Joanna, seriously consider keeping emesis bags handy, especially in the bathroom so you don’t have to make a choice.
Theresa, I’m a little surprised you haven’t done the gentamycin or the surgery for your Meniere’s. I don’t have Meniere’s, so I chose not to do anything. I take baclofen, which calms my eye muscles, which reduces/eliminates my saccades, so I rarely have a problem. All of us: Theresa and I have similar symptoms. However, we have different root causes, so what works for her does not work for me. I do agree that most of us have to readapt as we proceed in whatever we have. I do like the idea of not having to make a choice to sit or vomit. (It’s a terrible choice!!)
I just found this website and thought that I would add my experience with Ménière’s and BPPV. I am a 20+ year survivor of Menieres and have had surgery and my left ear at the Shea clinic in Memphis Tennessee a year after being diagnosed. That stopped all the really bad vertigo fall down attacks that were happening almost daily. I still have occasional vertigo attacks but I mainly keep it under control with a low sodium diet, 1500 mg max per day, and I keep Valium handy. If you have Ménière’s you need to watch your diet and look for triggers. Ceiling fans, open sunroofs in cars, things were a lot of motion in your Peripheral vision can cause these vertigo attacks. Two months ago I was diagnosed with BPPV, in my right ear after having a couple of weeks of vertigo. My ENT said my symptoms did not represent Ménière’s disease at that time. Since I had just had a heart ablation two months earlier for afib, he suggested I go back to my cardiologist for an exam. After an EKG and wearing a heart monitor for a week the heart doctor said he could not find anything unusual except that my heart rate was elevated. So I went back to theENT and he did the Epley maneuver in his office on both of my ears. The Ménière’s ear did not show any vertigo. But I had a severe vertigo attack on my right ear. He then set me up straight had me sit in that position and advised me to get a soft neck collar at a local medical supply shop. He told me to keep my head straight up for 48 hours, even when sleeping at night. I have tried the Epley maneuver myself in years past and never found a whole lot of help with that. After having the doctor do it in his office three times in the last two months I find that I have been doing it wrong. I now tie a exercise belt at the bottom of my bed and pull myself straight up from a laying down position after sleeping at night. If I roll to my side to push up on my elbows I seem to immediately go into vertigo attack though it’s very short lived. I can take the collar off and move about slowly after 48 hours. This third Epley maneuver in his office I had a very short-lived vertigo attack very mild I did not hardly feel it but you have to keep your eyes open and stare at a point across the room the whole time you’re having it. The Dr. watches the vertigo attack effects in your eyes. You feel like you want to close your eyes but actually it makes it worse and makes it longer. I have found that I cannot tilt my head up in the air or bend over just with my head during these periods or throws me into vertigo. While at the medical supply shop I purchased an apparatus that I call a grabber so now when I need something off of the top shelf instead of looking up in reaching for it I stand back look to see where it is with my eyes not using my head going up in the air and I use my grabber to pull down what I need. I also do that instead of reaching down in lower cabinets for cans and food items that are stored there. I hope some of these tips will help you in your path with BPPV. And with Ménière’s if you have that also. Watch for your triggers. Avoid restaurants with fans or at least try to sit in a corner booth with your back is to the ceiling fans. I have found that I cannot ride in a regular sedan anymore. The little white lane lines on a road flash in my periphael vision and I have used either a van or a SUV for years now to keep me riding higher up off the road. Good luck to all who experience balance problems and my advice is to find a good ENT.
Robin, wow, you have had more than your fair share. Good for you for noticing what triggers you. I do have trouble with certain kinds of fans and lights, too. I echo your advice for a good ENT. That’s critical. Best wishes to you.
hi I have suffered with vertigo for 45 years since I was 5 it seems getting worse not better I also have balance trouble walking is diffulcult I use a wheel chair when going out my head dr said I have a weak vesibular in my ear and salt caffeine makes it worst I started therapy does any one have and thing that makes there vertigo go away or make there balance better I started head neck exercises I am desperate I am losing all hopes with this my dr said it is worst fall spring allergys
Mickey, I don’t know of anything that makes vertigo go away. Several people here have found help with various meds and exercises. Yes, when allergies are worse, your vertigo will be worse. I hope you’ve been to a neurologist or a vestibular ENT. If you don’t have a diagnosis, things feel worse. (They do for me.)
I had an extreme vertigo spell this morning while I was throwing up which I hadn’t done in weeks I had vertigo in the past weeks but it wasn’t this bad and I’m wondering if when I have a vogo go spell this bad if you feel tired later in the day because tonight I feel extremely extremely exhausted and it’s only 7 p.m. and I’m usely not tired at that time
Jennifer, I feel exhausted after a vertigo attack. If I vomit, yes, I often sleep off the effects.
Hello,
Thank you so much for this post! It was very enlightening to read this. It helped me understand a lot! I recently made an independent film about a professor who has a stroke and a type of post stroke vertigo/dizziness, the film is called “A Stroke Of Endurance”.
Link to watch the full film for free is here http://cripvideoproductions.com/astrokeofendurance.php
The “dizzy spell” scene is about 17 moments into the film and may be helpful to you and your readers. The scenes were based on a dizzy spell I witnessed that happen to a teacher (Worst moment of my life! I thought he was dying or having a 2nd stroke! Thank God he wasn’t!) and the experiences of other stroke survivors with the same condition who I interviewed as consultants on the film script. I have been told by stroke survivors who saw the finished product that the depiction is very accurate to their experience with dizziness. I hope you have not had any attacks recently.
Margot, thanks for the link to your film. You captured what a dizzy spell looks like to me.
You’re very welcome Johanna! Thank you so much!!!
I have had vertigo for a few years now , have had many treatments tablet form , some made me worse than wht i was, physio didnt work but cost alot of money. For while now when having an attack i start to shake after 30 or so minute i stop shaking, just recently when i have an attack i get a slight pain either at the back of my head or left side. I have had 4 major attacks in the past 2 weeks n 1 slight attack. I am going back to the doctors today to see whats going on as i can have a attack driving , just sitting in my chair or standing up. Its very scary.
Kerrie, I do hope you discover what’s wrong. I hope you are now seeing a vestibular neurologist or an oto-neurologist or some other neurologist. Something in your head is not working. (Yes, Captain Obvious here.) I hope you feel better soon.
Hi,
I’v posted here once before. I think I had vertigo last night…I felt “off” and like I had to puke. I threw up and had a weird bowel movement. My vision was a little weird and then I fainted apparently. Can vertigo cause someone to faint?? I have a condition that effects my sense of balance from brain damage.
Margot, you have posted on this site before. Yes, you had a vertigo attack. I don’t *know* that vertigo can cause someone to faint. It’s entirely possible that you had low blood pressure, which might have caused you to faint. I’m not sure what you mean by your vision was a little weird, but it’s entirely possible. I would let one of my docs know. Good luck.
Hi Johanna,
Thanks so much! I will see my doc tomorrow. Sorry it was really hard to describe and I’m still not sure what really happened. I felt like my vision was kind of distorted but not a “room is spinning” kind of bad. I just knew something bad was coming and next thing I remember is being on the floor wondering why I fell. It scared me because I don’t want to have a heart problem or a stroke. I’m Praying I didn’t just have a TIA. There were no other symptoms. I’m not diabetic, but I have seen my friends with diabetes react to insulin the same way if they have to much so I’m thinking it was my blood sugar since I felt better after I had a bit of juice. Low blood sugar can cause vertigo right??
Thanks, Johanna, for keeping this post alive and current for six years. I appreciate your insights as a fellow sufferer and the thoughtful responses of your readers. I have been a chronic sufferer of low-grade BPPV for about 10 years. I’ve tried meds, positioning exercises, and would try acu-puncture/pressure if a reliable practitioner were convenient. I have acute attacks of vertigo that are debilitating: dizziness, shaking, weakness, blinding saccades, and “gut-wrenching” (like constant first dip on a rollercoaster) sensations. But I never vomit, that’s just not in my physiology. I sometimes wish I would vomit to release the pressure. These acute episodes happen one to four times a year. I have found consistent amelioration of symptoms, whether acute or chronic, in staying hydrated (with water). Psychologically, what allows me to deal best with it is understanding the first word in the name: “Benign.” This is not going to kill me … directly. However, it could cause me to fall off a ladder and die, so I don’t do heights during acute episodes. In my case, I’ve learned that if I just “gut” through normal daily activity around the house, after a couple of hours things slip back near my normal. After acute attacks it takes several days to get back to my low-grade chronic BVVP (which is more tolerable than the side effects of the meds and where I would be with positional therapy). I have also learned to avoid triggers. Again, in my case: rocking while reading or doing lap-top computer work (I’d do best to stay out of my rocking chair altogether, but alas, I’m an addict), Caffeine (caffeinated beverages are like anti-water … I must drink extra water to counter their diuretic effect), any sudden/constant motion activity (I can’t enjoy the amusement park or small boat rides anymore … or even long bumpy rides in my Jeep). Being able to recognize and avoid triggers, understanding its benign, and getting up and moving around even when I don’t “feel” like it; these things have helped me to deal with my first decade of BPPV. JSYK: I have visited several ENTs in the U.S. and France with no more satisfaction than my “home remedies.” Thanks again for sticking with this thread. Kind Regards — NdE
As a point of clarification in my post above: The trigger behavior I mentioned do not immediately bring on a vertigo episode; they cause me to wake up with vertigo on the following day. — NdE
Norman, you are quite welcome. I find it fascinating that we all suffer from various forms of vertigo and what works for some of us does not work for all of us. My opinion: this is why the docs have no idea what to do with us. You don’t do well with vestibular therapy and others do. (The therapy didn’t work for me, but it gave me some coping mechanisms.)
You and I are sensitive to caffeine. I am also sensitive to MSG and since you also drink a ton of water, you might be, too. Learning to avoid triggers is key for each of us. I have less of a lag time than you do. If I screw up, I either have a vertigo attack then or can sleep it off. You wake up with it the next day. We are each unique.
Good that you have seen ENTs and can make an educated decision about what to do for now and longer term. Best wishes to you.
I had my first episode last week, awoke to eyes darting back & forth very quickly. Sat up only to fall over, needed to go to bathroom but had to crawl leaning against the wall. Dry heaves started just as I got there, after 15 min crawled back to bed. I got a chiropractor appt for an upper neck adjustment, eye movement & dry heaves stopped right away. Lots
of sleep but could walk crooked that evening. Improved more next day yet remained discombobulated until another adjustment in next day. Very humbling experience! Hope it doesn’t happen again!
Valerie, if you had an instance of BPPV, the chiropractor probably got your crystals back in place. There are several exercises you can do yourself if you do have an attack. Look for the Epley maneuver, Brand-Daroff and others. I just discovered this link: https://www.webmd.com/brain/home-remedies-vertigo. With any luck, one of these exercises will work. As you noticed, you might need to repeat the exercises several times before your crystals stay where they belong. Good luck.
Good explanation, but I’d be very cautious in randomly trying these maneuvers. The epley maneuver did help me, when there was a delay in seeing a doctor. Thank goodness for the internet. However, I also tried the maneuver where you bend forward and do a half somersault, etc., and ended up much worse. The original problem was a spinning head and no balance, and the epley maneuver helped this a good deal. Later I tried the forward maneuver which caused me to stumble around like a drunk sailor and caused the rapid eye movement back-and-forth, which blinds you. I then did the epley maneuver again to see if it would make me better, and that help with the stumbling, but the eye thing last almost a week and really when I lay down at night, slowly getting better each day. I watch TV when first in bed and the shifting eyes was bad. Closing my eyes was the only way to calm my eyes.
Valerie, similar story. ENT Doctor ruled out other problems, and vistibular physical therapist reviewed me and gave me walking and balance exercises to help make sure my vision and brain worked together well. My problem has not returned. I believe rolling the crystal out of the wrong place, and having the correct maneuvers for that by an expert, was a solution. I just do not lower my head now and invite trouble.
I have been diagnois with Meniere’s disease (5/2018). I initially in 2013 sought out an ENT and they kept telling me that they did not see vertigo, by looking into my eyes. I kept going to them, ER and finally an ER doctor suggested Physical Therapy. Physical therapy was a life saver, but only ones that have the goggles that allows them to see your eyes on a computer screen. I’m very sensitive to the slightest change in the crystals in my ear canal, that an ENT would not be able to see it. Therefore, I went a long time without care. Now the Epley Maneuvers are not working as they did and with the Meniere’s diagnosis and the inability to function 100% on the job 2-3 weeks out of a month and the expense of going to Physical Therapy and Chiropractors, I get very depressed and at times think about suicide.
Hi Desperate. Okay, a couple of things: you are correct. No one can see the nystagmus unless they use the goggles. That’s why ER docs are not very helpful for understanding vertigo. A vestibular ENT or a neuro has the goggles and can see your nystagmus.
If you are losing your hearing, yes, you probably have Meniere’s. If you are not suffering hearing loss, you might not have Meniere’s. As far as I know and I’m not a doc. If you have Meniere’s, are you eligible for disability?
I don’t know anything about chiropractors. I do know that PT and vestibular therapy helped me. I urge you to see a neurologist or a vestibular neurologist to make sure you have the right diagnosis. Please do look into disability.
And, know that all of us are here for you. Please do not commit suicide. You are part of our little band of sufferers. We would miss you if you were gone.
Desperate, I agree with Johanna’s comments. To get rid of that “hopeless” feeling, you need the right doctor who has the skill and experience to diagnosis and treat you. Fortunately, I found an ENT with the right “tools”, the chair / camera that recorded my eyes and reaction to different positions and conditions (position of head, spinning), a full hearing analysis (eyes and ears tie together), etc. Through the interview he could tell me I did not have Meniere’s. He prescribed time with a vestibular PT at a rehab center who was experienced. Working with her for 3 months, she could monitor my condition and progress advising exercises and such as needed. She knew which of the positions to use to treat me. Epley’s is not the only maneuver, there are several depending on where your crystals rolled to, or whatever she feels the problem is. I tried a maneuver I saw on the internet that made things worse, so you do need the experienced PT to diagnosis you.
If you are not near a major city, you may need to travel a bit to find the right medical help. It is worth the trip, certainly to get a sound medical diagnosis.
This should set you on your way to get the understanding and proper treatment you need, and you will finally feel you are in the right hands for care. You will feel so much better, and be rid of that “hopeless” feeling.
Omg. This is ths scariest experience of my life. I really thought i was losing my mind. I was sleeping fine and woke sweating and i felt like i was on a rollercoaster. I will take your advice and go to my doctor. I really hope this is the first and last time this happens.
Sharliah, good luck. Make sure you see an ENT. Your primary care doc does not know enough.
I had a similar very scary experience. Woke at 5 a.m. and sat up – only to find my head spinning and no balance. Seeing a good ENT specialist doctor and perhaps an order to work with a physical therapist specializing in vestibular disorders, if your case is like mine you will be fine. My vertigo never returned. Pretty common. I’ve written about my experience above.
Just my 2 cents, but stay away from anything with aspartame a.k.a. Equal. Studies show it’s a contributing factor for vertigo spells for whatever the cause is. No diet sodas, etc. Made a huge difference for me.
C. Hayes, it is true that some people are sensitive to aspartame. I’m not. I am sensitive to MSG. For me, this is in the category of “it depends.”
Johanna, I had the same experience as you did, only I passed out on a trip back to the bedroom. Fortunately, my sister was helping me back and forth and was able to catch me and prevent me from hitting my head. After 5 hours at the ER, and numerous tests, the diagnosis was Vertigo. I am already taking meclizine which my pcp prescribed based on my symptoms. However, I had NEVER experienced anything like this. The inability to focus my eyes, the swirling, the lack of control was frightening. I have an appointment with ENT/balance center in 3 days. Hope it will be easily resolved.
Gia, good luck for discovering the cause(s) of your vertigo. I do hope it resolves and fast. Good that you’re going to an ENT/balance center.
I took ginger pills, I don’t know if coincidence but a month after, much of the vestibular neurosis let up,
Gia, IME, ginger is good for nausea. It might also be good for general stomach issues. I’ve never heard of it being good for vestibular issues, but why not?
My husband started having some episodes where he got falling down dizzy.He could not stand,much less walk,without help and then it was hard to keep him upright.His BP spikes at severe levels (199/100) and a pulse rate of 46-52.He has to have a BM then the vomiting starts.His pupils get huge.After the vomiting he goes to sleep for about 4-5 hours.He has had 2 heart monitors,one for 30 days.Showed nothing.Ultra sounds,CTs,and finally an MRI.Doctors say all looks normal.BTW he is a heart patient.The only thing they can say is it is his sinuses..I am afraid for him to drive or be away from me because these attacks can happen at any time-no trigger,no warning.Can anyone give me some input on what to do now?
Kathy, the upset GI system is typical of a vertigo attack. All vertigo that is not medication-induced is a symptom of some kind of vestibular problem. I strongly recommend he see a vestibular ENT. Regular docs don’t know anything (well, maybe if I’m generous, nearly enough) about vestibular problems. Regular ENTs don’t either. In my experience, you have choices of: a vestibular ENT, a neurologist of some variety, or, better, a vestibular neurologist or an oto-neurologist. He needs to see someone who knows a lot about the vestibular system. Other people here have suggested various meds to manage the symptoms. I had good luck with meclizine. Good luck to both of you.
Oh, you might look here: https://vestibular.org/
I first experienced vertigo 6 months ago. It was the morning after I went on a children’s rollercoaster.
I woke up at 3am with an awful spinning sensation followed by the feeling I’m on a boat expecially when opening my eyes first thing in the morning. It lasted 5 weeks on and off but the actual spinning lasted a couple of minutes. 6 months on and I’m still dizzy but a little better. I only seem to get one episode but it causes severe dizziness afterwards so I don’t see the point of doing the epley. The ENT doctor said the ride might of dislodged a crystal in my ear and diagnosed me with BPPV and persistent postural-perceptual dizziness but I’m not so sure as I also experience tinnitus. It don’t bother me at all and only hear it when in bed. I’ve experienced vertigo once a month and it caused so much anxiety that I’m not sure if I had any hearing loss or tinnitus during the episode.
I did 2 online hearing tests and it was normal. I know it’s not the same as an actual test but have an appointment next week.
I’ve only had it 6 months so not sure if meniers or other conditions relating to ears affects the hearing quickly or gradually so it might be too early to know.
I find vertigo puzzling because what is considered a vertigo episode or attack? Is it just the spinning inside the head feeling known as true vertigo or the feeling your on a boat/swaying aswell? If it’s both then my episodes last from days to weeks on and off which wouldn’t suggest BPPV. And isn’t ppd another form of vertigo? .
It don’t seem to matter how much I search I don’t find the answer.
I was wondering how you cope with permanent spinning. Tbh I didn’t know too much about vertigo before I thought it was to do with heights!
But ive noticed the more active I am the less the symptoms and I’m fine when driving too.
I’ll definitely try magnesium and I’ve also heard that vitamin d is good. I also take propranolol for anxiety but not taken them yet as it can cause vertigo but I definitely need something as I’ve ended up in hospital twice.
At night for the past 2 months i sleep on a wedge pillow with 5 other pillows so I’m sleeping sitting up but I haven’t had an episode which is the longest it’s been :-)
My anxiety is the worst. It’s a full blown anxiety attack and I think omg am I going to have to live with this. I don’t really have a trigger laying down is the worst and I’ve now developed insomnia. The only time I sleep is when I’m so exhausted. Glad I found this site :-)
Hi Smith (I bet that’s not your first name. Oh well). In my NON-MEDICAL opinion, the spinning and GI symptoms are a vertigo attack. I don’t have permanent spinning. I am always a little dizzy. The world does not stay still the way it used to. That’s my permanent vertigo. And, every so often, if I’m dehydrated or overtired, the world starts to spin a little. I either drink water (during the day) or go to sleep (at night). Sometimes, a little of both.
I recommend you get vestibular testing. You and your ENT need more data. The funny chair, the lying on your side, the balance tests—all of them will help isolate what’s going on so you can get a diagnosis. I hate the not-knowing. Good luck.
No I hate putting my details on the web ha ha. Well I’m starting with my hearing test. I spoke to an audiologist today and he was saying how many people being diagnosed with meniers and they have something else. He said my bouts of vertigo seem to be meniers but the fact that I only get the spinning sensation when laying down would suggest bppv. I’m going to speak to my doctor tomorrow but unfortunately he’ll only refer me to a regular ent doctor. My balance is quite good and I’ve done the epley I’ll have to look into the funny chair. That’s some relief because I don’t how someone would cope with constant spinning. My friend has meniers disease. She said the world is on its side but the worst for her is the tinnitus. She gets the spinning for hours but had it most of her life.
Have you checked for bppv because that the most common form of vertigo. It can be done at the doctor’s office. Easily treated.
Thank you so much for your reply.I had no idea there were such doctors.I will definitely speak to his doctor about this.
Thank you for your response.I am still baffled at this.My husband had not done anything to cause it.The first time he had one,he was in his shop moving wrenches and sockets to their proper place-no great task,not strenuous.Ha had to grab hold of the toolbox to not fall.The doctor said it was his sinus which makes no sense at all.
If his sinuses are blocked, that affects the Eustachian tubes and the pressure inside the ear. That’s why the docs we need to start with are ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat). It’s all connected with small tubes. Okay, that’s probably a gross oversimplification. Few of us did anything to cause our vertigo attacks. Most of us have idiopathic (unknown) causes.
Before my first doctor visit, I took meclizine and antihistamines to dry up my nose. Even now, when I get dizzier, I take allergy meds. I can’t tell what works and what doesn’t work, because I throw the kitchen sink at it. I really hate vertigo attacks.
I deal with Meniere’s disease frequently but I have other symptoms that happen that I have not heard of others dealing with and wonder if you have. My attacks cause me to have such violent vomiting that I loose control over my body functions, as well as feeling as though my body is on fire and profuse sweating. The episodes are so physically draining that it takes a couple of days to recoup, and leave a feeling of dread of the next attack. There is no rhyme or reason as to when or how often they will occur, and the onset can be anywhere at anytime. It can sometimes make me not want to leave the house because I am worried that it will hit while I am driving as it has on occasion. As far as lying down when I am having an episode, even that is controlled by the attack since lying down brings on the violent vomiting, so have you heard of anything that can reduce the degree of the attack?
Donna, aside from managing sugar, salt, and caffeine, no, I don’t know of anything that can reduce the degree of the attack. Have you gone through the various vestibular testing (the rotary chair, the water in your ear, the strange platform where they put you in a harness, etc)? If not, ask your ENT for that. That testing might help your doc understand what causes your vertigo attacks. My ENT could not order those tests back in 2009. I had to see an otoneurologist. I think a vestibular neurologist can order them, too.
My vertigo attacks were caused by saccades. I had constant eye spasms. I could still see to read and drive, but when the saccades got bad enough, I would have a vertigo attack. I’m on a muscle relaxant so I don’t get the saccades anymore.
Maybe someone else here has suggestions for you. Good luck.
I am a Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (thyroid autoimmune) patient. Because thyroid hormone infuses every cell of our bodies, we can have a mind boggling array of symptoms, many of which we would never in a million years think to associate with thyroid dysfunction!
This was certainly the case with the vestibular symptoms of Hashi’s. My ENT, while conscientious and well meaning, was basically clueless as to how to diagnose what was going on with me, even after doing an MRI on my sexagenarian brain.
I had come into his office after several weeks of being bedridden with vertigo and nausea, a combination I’d never in my six decades of living ever experienced. They were both extreme, and for the time they lasted, debilitating.
The onset was abrupt, startling me. I woke up one day, and on getting out of bed, immediately had the sensation of being slammed into walls on the way to the bathroom if I didn’t steady myself by grabbing onto stable objects around me.
The nausea was so extreme I could barely even sip water for several days without throwing up or being wracked by dry heaves. As for food, I could not even keep down my usual, reliable gotos for when the flu strikes: Caffeine Free Coke and York Peppermint Patties. So I dropped a ton of weight within a month and became extremely dehydrated within just days.
Mysteriously the vertigo/nausea gradually subsided, having disaapeared completely, never to return, by month’s end (Feb 2017). The only related aftereffect (related because also originating in the inner ear) is that every once in a while, while walking on any type of surface (smooth or textured / wet or dry), my right foot slips, throwing me momentarily off balance. The sensation is exactly like slipping on a banana peel! Again, other than knowing it has to be sort of inner ear disorder that occasionally flares up, I have no idea what this stems from.
The only reason I know these vestibular symptoms are likely caused by Hashimoto’s is because earlier this year I located an online support group, Hashimoto’s 411 on Facebook. There, among over 100,000 fellow Hashi patients, I have learned about some pretty surprising ways a slowly dying thyroid presents, vertigo/nausea being one of them. (But it’s not as weird as phantosmia, aka olfactory hallucinations! I am happy to report, by the way, that with the help of a functional medicine trained MD, I am on the way, after many decades, to finally putting my Hashi’s into remission.)
Sarah, I’m glad you discovered the root cause of your vertigo. Thanks for this information.
I found this website inadvertently while searching for methods of eye care. Regarding vertigo, sometimes I just close my eyes and sit or lay. Makes almost all my symptoms go away. If I tilt my head in different directions, it can lessen the feeling. A hot blow drying (or a strong massager) to heat up my ears usually clears up any problem. When I have to be functional with it, I keep reminding myself it is only visual or ear-related, and I take long blinks or close my eyes when it is safe, and tilt my head in ways that help. I hope these ideas help some people.
Mary, we can change many (not all) vestibular symptoms by changing our head positions. It depends on the cause of those symptoms. For example, I have not VOR on my right side. When I lie on my left side, I can sometimes quiet the crossed signals in my brain. That’s not a full fix for me. Yes, changing your head position can help.
Thank you so much for writing this!!! Had my first ever super intense episode on Sunday and received a BPPV diagnosis yesterday afternoon (when I finally had enough fluid in my body again to walk to a CityMD; they prescribed me Meclizine). This was really helpful to read through as I sit here in 2021… panicking about everything.
Bronwyn, so glad you found this useful. Hope your symptoms subside soon.
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Well, I’m back. My prior BPPV vertigo (crystals rolled out of the proper ear canal and into a place / canal they are not supposed to be in) was in 2015. With help from professionals this was resolved – much documented above. No problem since, until about 3 months ago I experienced dizziness when lying down flat on my back. I’ve learned it is most often with senior females due to change in protective hormones for bone health, possibly low vitamin D, etc.
This time is very different. The wave of dizziness through my brain does not last more than 15 seconds, but is consistent when I move to that position. I have crazy eyes (rapid eye movement) with it. But no other symptoms. Otherwise, I am fine moving through the day. It just occurs again if I roll over in bed and am onto my back. Or if I am standing and look up which is also tilting my head back.
My new ENT (new state) sent me to his favorite PT specialist. Their technology seems better now. The PT put goggles on me and did various tests. It was a lot like in 2015 when my prior ENT had their specialist put me in a spinning chair. Both takes pictures / video of your eyes. This time, the PT sat with me right after the tests and showed me the pictures and explained things he saw.
He then guided me through the EPLEY maneuver used to roll the misplaced crystals into the correct ear canal that they are supposed to be in. That seemed OK. He first did it on the left that was very affected. Then on the right which was not a problem. After this he again did the left and I was even more dizzy. He said that meant the crystals rolled into the wrong canal. He was trying to get misplaced crystals into the large outer canal which seemed to work the first time the left was done. But the crystals went into the mid-level horizontal canal where they did not belong perhaps when he did the right side. He now did a different maneuver and twisted my head in a different pattern. While the dizziness sitting up was less, I was left with nausea, clamminess and fogginess and a bit feeling I walked on pillows. At this point he said to sleep sitting up tonight and keep my head steady. These symptoms that were new could last hours. My autonomic nervous system was triggered, something new to me. It is now the weekend tomorrow and his office is still closed due to COVID, so I hope no issues over the weekend and don’t get worse. I see him Monday. This is squeezing me in between patients and I hope I get the attention I need. A bit scary.
Hi Netmouse, sorry you’re back. Sigh. Those saccades are killers. I’m on a muscle relaxant, baclofen, which damps down my saccades. I still have some breakthrough saccades, but much much less.
Good luck with the sleeping and I hope you have an early appt on Monday and you get some relief. (I never sleep on my back because I find it uncomfortable for my head. Now I know why—I’m probably irritating my vertigo. Sigh.) Good luck.