Can Anyone Else Not Sleep Because of Their Vertigo? Help!
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi there,
I wrote my first post not too long ago with the whole story of my vertigo but I have to know if other people have more difficult at night lying down in bed trying to sleep?
I have so many sleepless nights due to this and cannot function for the days after I do not get sleep.
Even though I have "vestibular neuritis" (supposedly), my symptoms intensify significantly when lying down in bed. My otoneurologist said this could be possible lack of compensation in this position, but I really don't know about this anymore.
BPPV tests have been negative.
When I asked for my records, it said "atypical positional dizziness" though the neurologist never used this term to me.
Does anyone have any insight?
Up until now I had been taking Zyrtec with really good results and was almost convinced the allergies were the cause but I have just had another sleepless night with horrible vertigo symptoms. I do not do complete spins often but feel like I'm on a boat with VERY rough waters instead of just that mild boat feeling if that makes any sense at all.
My symptoms intensify the longer I am lying on that particular side. I know that BPPV is usually a horrible episode but only lasts 30 seconds or less and is immediately when you roll to that side. Mine builds up over time.
Someone please give me any ideas. Do you think the allergy thing is worth looking into? Sinuses? Something cardiovascular related?
I have thought about going pale to try to reduce inflammation if not at the very least reduce my chances of getting further nerve damage.
I don't know what to do. I am starting to become very depressed about this.
Thank you in advance.
0 likes, 17 replies
allison64928
Posted
That was meant to be "paleo" as in the paleo diet.
Guest allison64928
Posted
Have you had the BPPV test done when you have these symptoms? It definitely sounds like that's what you have to me. And where did you hear that they vertigo only last 30 seconds? Mine lasts for days.
allison64928 Guest
Posted
Thank you for the reply. I have had the test done several times without them seeing nystagmus. One time, my physical therapist thought she saw nystagmus and actually made everything worse. My neuro never thought I showed any symptoms of BPPV and neither did several ENTs. You do make a very good point though, as my symptoms were not as severe when they did these tests. I find that when they do the tilt back and lie down test, they only wait so long and bring you back up again. My symptoms would start after several minutes of being in that position. I do not recall where I heard that often BPPV episodes occur in 30 second intervals. I think it may have been info the neuro told me or something I read online. I am sorry yours lasts for days. I think I may actually be confusing it with how long you are supposed to hold each position of the Epley maneuver as symptoms subside.
Maybe this is a combination of nerve damage and BPPV. It is very curious that I would get worse when the PT did that maneuver if it had nothing to do with crystals.
What do you suggest as I cannot get a diagnosis due to lack of nystagmus upon testing? I did have comprehensive balance testing as well as multiple ENT and neuro visits with the BPPV test negative.
But now I am really curious.
With your BPPV, does it have to be room spinning sensation or can it be the boat sensation vertigo I am talking about?
Do you ever experience pressure or tension with or after your vertigo symptoms?
Do you do exercises for your BPPV or have and the Epley done?
Thank you so much in advance.
allison64928
Posted
And when I say she "made me worse" that was doing an Epley for what she thought may be Right side BPPV. It got significantly worse after this.
The weird part about a BPPV diagnosis would be that I have it sitting still occasionally but not nearly as much as lying down and also when I do exercises for my nerve damage where I stand and close my eyes, it becomes significantly worse.
Maybe it is truly a combination of both?
The other weird thing is that I get the vertigo sensations on both the right and left sides. What are the odds of that for BPPV? Which side would you do the maneuver on?
Guest allison64928
Posted
Well first of all I have heard of pole having BPPV on both sides before so it does happen. Mine is the boat type of vertigo not room spinning. I had my first episode about 5 years ago and have had only 2 others since then. I usually have gone to the ENT for the Epley, and like you mentioned, it got so much worse for day or 2 before it goes away. After the maneuvers you needs to sleep and do everything else upright until the crystals settle back into place. I now do my maneuver at home using something called the half-somersault. You might need to so that 5 times or so 30 minutes apart. They won't let you share links on this site so you can google to get the video. make sure you time each part of it correctly.
allison64928 Guest
Posted
Guest allison64928
Posted
eman9999 allison64928
Posted
Hi allison, it's the same here ! It's impossible for me to sleep at night because of the dizziness and ear ringing! Also because of my sore scalp and headaches
allison64928 eman9999
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Guest eman9999
Posted
eman9999 allison64928
Posted
My dizziness is like there's an earthquake happening inside my head ! Even while sitting i feel like i'm going to fall and i can't keep my balance when walking i'm scared of going out specially crossing the road
about the ringing it used to happen frequently now it's non stopping 😣 also i feel pain in my throat when i swallow
eman9999 Guest
Posted
I don't know
the doctor said that it's because of migraines but i feel like there's a tumour inside my brain 
Guest eman9999
Posted
Wow...that's awful!
allison64928
Posted
So I had the worst night last night. It didn't realize how "good" I had it until last night. I took sudafed throughout the day just to experiment (only 4-6 hr dose), Zyrtec at night, and then I decided to add Dramamine to the mix (I haven't taken meclizine in a long time and just needed to be able to sleep). I also drank 3 cups of chamomile tea to make me sleepy enough. While I did sleep for a couple of hours, I woke up at 4 whirling and spinning (very different and more cruel than the boat feeling) and thought I was going to throw up. How in the world does taking a motion sickness drug like Dramamine/Meclizine make anything worse.
Has anyone experienced this? I know the neuro said not to take meclizine regularly, as it can screw up vestibular compensation, but it should provide relief not exacerbation of symptoms. My thought is that maybe it worked for a couple hours when I was sleeping and then when it wore off, I woke up miserable? Just strange that it is worse than it was before taking the Dramamine. Maybe I need the actual prescription meclizine over the Dramamine, but again, it's not something I want to regularly use as it can interfere with compensating for the nerve damage. I just wanted one night of sleep, which is why I took it. Now I'm home from work again which I can't really afford to do but am left with no choice because I can't drive and am just super down about all of this. I feel like I am losing hope. I set up another ENT appt and have to call my neuro to set up an appt with him. Thank god for support in this group.
Guest allison64928
Posted
Well first off all the medications that you took during the day it doesn't surprise me that you had terrible vertigo. A lot of that stuff I can't take either especially the Sudafed type stuff as that causes me to be dizzy even when I don't have the vertigo. I don't take any medication for mine when I'm having episodes. I just do the half somersault maneuver several times and then I sleep upright for a couple days and don't bend over and I'm usually fine. I know a lot of people with this disorder are pro medication but I am not one of them. I think that can further exasperate symptoms. I would try a day where you take nothing for 2 or 3 days straight and do the half somersault maneuver four or five times and then see how you feel in another couple days.
allison64928 Guest
Posted
Hi Jackie,
Thank you for the advice. It very may well have been the combination of those meds and I definitely don't want to change too many variables, so I will hold off on these.
I just made an appt with my neuro for Monday and am going to talk to him about doing the maneuver.
When you have your BPPV, what sleeping position do you find most effective? I would imagine propped up in an almost sitting position?
I find it hard to sleep this way, but know it would be better for me.
Guest allison64928
Posted
Yes i agree. Even Flonase makes my vertigo symptoms worse. When I'm having episodes then I do prop my self up and sleep almost siting up. It's very uncomfortable, but gives me the most relief.