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Do I have MD or BPPV? Really scared

Posted , 9 users are following.

sarah30526
sarah30526

Hi I’m a 20 year old female and I had my first episode of vertigo one year ago around spring after waking up in the morning. It lasted about 10 seconds and I had diarrehea and vomiting afterwards. I went to a walk in clinic the same day and they said I probably just had BPPV. I didn’t think much of it afterwards and felt back to normal within 2-3 days. Recently in early May I had another episode of vertigo after waking up and it lasted about 5 seconds. I didn’t vomit or have diarrhea afterwards but felt like my right ear was a bit full and I’ve been feeling unbalanced when I walk for almost 3 months now. I still have fullness in my right ear and find that I’m unable to equalize the pressure in it as easily as my left. For example, when I wake up and swallow my left ear will “pop” immediately but my right ear will not pop at all sometimes. It just feels like there is pressure or fullness in it. I went to the ENT doctor and an audiologist and my tests came back normal. There was no signs that I had a puckered in ear drum which would cause ear fullness because my tympanogram came back normal. The doctor also put a camera up my nose and said there was no fluid build up... Sometimes I feel like I’m sinking into the ground when I’m walking and I’m general just feeling off. Randomly if I move my head quickly sometimes I dont get vertigo but feel like dizzy or I’m being pulled really quickly (Can’t really explain it). I’m not sure what to do or think anymore as I’m scared I will have another episode of vertigo. 

If you have MD how long did your first few vertigo attacks last and is it possible to have MD if your attacks lasted less than a minute for your first few ones? Does your ear feel full for months after an attack? Any information to distinguish between these two disorders would be greatly appreciated. 

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

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  • glennmorr
    glennmorr sarah30526

    Posted

    Sarah,

    Have you had hearing loss?

    • sarah30526
      sarah30526 glennmorr

      Posted

      Hi, I had a hearing test done and I’ve had no hearing loss but he said my left ear is better than my right (which makes sense since I’m having problems with my right ear).
  • chris48595
    chris48595 sarah30526

    Posted

    Oh wow, your so young! There are tests for Ménière’s, you need to get a ent to diagnose it properly. My vertigo lasts between 4 and 8 hours and only goes away with drugs. Everyone is different. Too much caffeine raising your blood pressure can also cause vertigo. Go to a doctor who can help you and good luck to you!

    • sarah30526
      sarah30526 chris48595

      Posted

      Yeah which is why I’m worried ahaha. Thank you for your reply.
  • Ali_is_my_name
    Ali_is_my_name sarah30526

    Posted

    Do you have hearing loss or ringing in the ear? Did you audiologist say something about hearing test?
    • sarah30526
      sarah30526 Ali_is_my_name

      Posted

      My hearing test came out normal but my right ear is not as good as my left (but apparently it was still normal). I have tinnitus usually when it’s quiet and I feel like it’s more in my left ear. I usually only get it if I’m really tired for some reason or stressed out. Thanks for your reply.
  • Ali_is_my_name
    Ali_is_my_name sarah30526

    Posted

    If you have done your MRI and it cam normal and did not show any fluid buildup, you don't have MD.

    • sarah30526
      sarah30526 Ali_is_my_name

      Posted

      So an MRI can show fluid build up in your ear? And no I didn’t get referred to have one done. 
    • Ali_is_my_name
      Ali_is_my_name sarah30526

      Posted

      My MRI showed I had increased liquid and based on that my ENT said I have MD, MRI is important to rule out few things including brain tumor which has same symptoms.

       

  • JGaitan501
    JGaitan501 sarah30526

    Posted

    Hi Sarah.  I believe in order to be diagnosed with Ménière’s you must have ALL of the following symptoms: vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss.   I have all three and have been diagnosed with MD by two different ENTs.   Sounds like you have BPPV at this point in your life.  All of my vertigo episodes have been much much longer than 10 minutes.  Mine are hours or days long and always have been.  The fullness you’re feeling is from excess fluid.  I’d recommend picking up and over-the-counter diuretic pill and see if that helps you.

    • sarah30526
      sarah30526 JGaitan501

      Posted

      I get tinnitus sometimes but no hearing loss. I have a hearing appointment in 6 months again because of my ear fullness. Do you have trouble equalizing your affected ear? Like does your good ear usually pop before your bad ear when you swallow? I can also make this crunchy sound in my left ear (good ear) by moving this muscle or something not really sure but not in my right ear. Last question, do you know of any people with MD who first had vertigo episodes that only lasted a few seconds? 

      Thanks a lot!

    • ruth17826
      ruth17826 JGaitan501

      Posted

      Hearing loss is not essential, my hearing fluctuates like crazy when I have an attack but I have no permanent hearing loss - my ENT says he has several Menieres patients with little or no hearing loss and describes us as his vestibular Meniere's group

    • JGaitan501
      JGaitan501 ruth17826

      Posted

      Ruth, I thought people without hearing loss were the vestibular migraine group (not Ménière’s).  At my last appointment, they were trying to determine between Ménière’s or vestibular migraine and after my hearing test showed further loss of Low tones, they said ‘yes, you are classic Ménière’s’.    But maybe I am wrong and you can in fact have MD without hearing loss, Ive just never hear of that.

  • sharonl
    sharonl sarah30526

    Posted

    Hi...I started out with some dizziness and tests were done and it was determined that I had MD.

    My tinnitus started as years went by and it then got louder and more noticeable. 

    As for hearing loss, it was approximately 10-15 years before my hearing loss showed.  My hearing was great even though I had MD.  It is only now that I am having a hard time hearing certain sounds.  It is funny as sometimes I am the first to hear certain sounds and yet sometimes I find it hard to hear speaking on the TV.

    I wish you all the best..but I am finding that MD is different for each person.  I was lucky that I did not have any serious problems for years after I was diagnosed with MD.

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