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How did your symptoms start? Dizziness?

Posted , 6 users are following.

Marialovessun
Marialovessun

I am just curious how and when did your symptoms start. Also how long have you been dealing with it. It is just so strange to have such a life changing thing happen all of a sudden.

0 likes, 29 replies

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  • Laurie34
    Laurie34 Marialovessun

    Posted

    September 2015. I had a sudden vertigo attack with no warning. I wasn't sick. I have had many sinus infections over the years. I've been symptomatic ever since. Dizziness. Spaciness. Only had the one vertigo episode. 
    • Marialovessun
      Marialovessun Laurie34

      Posted

      How long have you been this way? I am just so curious on how long this is going to last. Over three months for me. I am praying it is my neck and it can be fixed. I have learned a lot from this site.
    • Laurie34
      Laurie34 Marialovessun

      Posted

      Since September 2015 when I had an overwhelming vertigo attack. I'm starting to make progress with the vestibular therapy. Fingers crossed. 
    • Marialovessun
      Marialovessun Laurie34

      Posted

      I hope it works! Keep us posted. I am looking into that right now too.
  • Kikili
    Kikili Marialovessun

    Posted

    I woke up one morning seven months ago with vertigo and dizziness. The doctors kept telling me it would go away in a week or two. They kept giving me dramamine and mecliine to suppress it, but those drugs were actually the worst thing to keep me on for so many months.  They  suppressed my balance system, so now I am retraining it with vestibular therapy.  If I hadn't had learned so much info from other posters on this message board, I would never have known the correct specialist to go to for help.  I am slowly getting my life back, and occasionally have times where I feel almost "normal".
    • Marialovessun
      Marialovessun Kikili

      Posted

      Normal days are such gifts. I have never had a completely normal day yet but I have had days that are a little better. I am so happy I found this site because I am learning new things to have checked. I used to hike all day long with my husband and kids. Now I am thankful I can at least feed our kids and our house is somewhat clean. But I struggle very hard to get this done.
  • melody08508
    melody08508 Marialovessun

    Posted

    7 weeks ago and I woke up in the middle of the night with vertigo. I'm now just unsteady and feel weird!
    • Marialovessun
      Marialovessun melody08508

      Posted

      I feel bad but I am happy I am not the only one. This site has been blessing. I would never wish dizziness one anyone!
  • johnnynotdizzy
    johnnynotdizzy Marialovessun

    Posted

    So

    I went to sleep as normal on23rd December 2007 and woke up the next day feeling dizzy. I thought I had the flu or something. The dizziness eventually turned in to feeling like I had just stepped of a ship - and it NEVER went away. Somethings made it more obvious than others - fast movies on the TV, supermarkets, hotel corridors, the treadmill (that really upset things).........

    The treatment was so easy and quick - but I was angry that it took 7 years to diagnose.

    Google BPPV - and check out the YouTube videos on the topic.

    I honestly thought it would never get cured. Imagine my sheer delight when they fixed it in 20 minutes with head exercises!

    Do you remember those puzzles we had as kids - there was a small ballbearing in a maze, and you had to keep tilting the maze to get the ball to the end - that's pretty much how they fix it. They move the head in crazy ways and the crystals 'float ' back to where they should be. And they taught me how to do it myself so I can manage it when the crystals float out again.

    It's apparently very common for the crystals to float out, and with 99% of the population they go back on their own accord. For us 1% - they have to be put back - and until they do, we're left feeling dizzy and woozy. It's that simple.

    Happy to talk you though it, or Skype etc. (Promise I'm not a weirdo - I'm an HR Director in a publicly listed company, married, 2 kids, live in Castle Dinington in Derbyshire).

    • melody08508
      melody08508 johnnynotdizzy

      Posted

      I have read about the crystals in the ear (BBPV) but they said I have Vestibular neuritis which is different and not such an easy fix :-(
    • Laurie34
      Laurie34 melody08508

      Posted

      VN is definitely worse and harder to "cure".  Start with the vestibular rehab therapy ASAP.  I wanted too long and wish I had started sooner.  I thought it would resolve on its own based on what the doctors said.  I'm 8 months in and it's just starting to turn for me after I started the rehab.  I'm also taking ginkgo balboa, low dose aspirin, vitamin D, vertisil, and omega 3.  I'm trying everything.  I also am trying acupuncture.  It's an exhausting condition. 
    • melody08508
      melody08508 Laurie34

      Posted

      I'm on week 7 and I'm a lot better but still a long way to go. Not dizzy but my balance is off and my head feels funny. I'm in New Zealand and it takes MONTHS to see a specialist and it's too expensive for me to go private :-( do u think YouTube will have some videos I could try?
    • Laurie34
      Laurie34 melody08508

      Posted

      Yes.  And there is a book on Amazon for the kindle by Bobby Gibbs-The vertigo treatment.  It's free and very helpful.  Has all the exercises in it with pictures.  Just don't go too fast or it sets you back.  I made that mistake.  Bobby's book gives you a day by day gameplay.  
    • melody08508
      melody08508 Laurie34

      Posted

      Aw don't have a kindle :-( are u meant to do it until u feel dizzy or is that not the point? I found a home vestibular exercises YouTube video so will try that
    • Laurie34
      Laurie34 melody08508

      Posted

      Not to the point of getting dizzy.  You have to do it gradually.  1 minute three times a day and work your way up.  If that brings on too many symptoms cut it back.  you want to work your system but not overwhelm it.  Rest in between so that you don't overwhelm you system.  
    • melody08508
      melody08508 Laurie34

      Posted

      Thank u. Someone I met on here has given me the exercises she does so I am starting off with those and will see how I go. Just did my first set. I found certain things easy but anything to do with balancing and closing my eyes was tricky!
    • johnnynotdizzy
      johnnynotdizzy melody08508

      Posted

      Hi Melody

      I was taught how to do the exercises myself to put the crystals back in place. It takes a little bit of practice but it's definitely possible to do it yourself. Watch the clips on YouTube and get a friend to help you.

    • johnnynotdizzy
      johnnynotdizzy melody08508

      Posted

      Hey Guys

      There exercises that are 'prescribed' to help with rehabilitation. I was told that after having the condition for so long, my brain had gotten use to interpreting the signals from my vestibular balance system in a way which compensated for the mixed up signals. So, once the crystals are put back to where they should be, the brain was still trying to compensate for the error (because it had gotten so used to it) and that caused me to feel a little disorientated (kind of sucks to feel a bit worse straight after putting the crystals back) - the exercises includes sitting on a chair - outing a dot on the wall and then moving my head from side to side and keeping my eyes fixed on the dot. Then moving the head up and down, again keeping your eye on the dot. These have to be done slowly, and gradually you speed up over a few days.

      It was 5 reps of ten movements in the morning and the same in the evening for 2 weeks.

      I'm no Doctor or specialist - and would definitely get some professional help with it.

      It's very simple, no pills, no surgery, and it works.

    • johnnynotdizzy
      johnnynotdizzy melody08508

      Posted

      Hi Melody

      I see. And it sounds like the vestibular rehab exercises are similar in kind. Good luck with getting better - I really hope you get some improvements and I know how upsetting and frustrating it can be.

      Let us know how you get on.

    • melody08508
      melody08508 johnnynotdizzy

      Posted

      The exercises u stated below are similar to what I do :-) I wrote a letter on a bit of paper and stuck it to my wall and I move my head left to right and back and forward plus do some balance exercises too. I'm a lot better than I was but still feel abit unsteady but the anxiety it's caused is awful :-(
    • Laurie34
      Laurie34 melody08508

      Posted

      Check out the VEDA website (vestibular disorder association).  Lots of information. We need to retrain our brains to accept that information it's getting from our damaged vestibular system is correct. For me it appears to be my left ear sending erroneous information.  It's conflicting with what my right ear is telling my brain causing dizziness.  We have to work to get our brains to understand how to interpret the conflicting messages.  I hope that makes sense. 
    • johnnynotdizzy
      johnnynotdizzy Laurie34

      Posted

      Hi Laurie

      I had to re-train my brain once I was treated, as I'd had the condition for so long that once it was corrected my brain was still trying to compensate for the error, and as you say, I had to retrain my brain to get it to recognise 'normality'.

      Thanks for the link - I'll check it out.

    • Kikili
      Kikili johnnynotdizzy

      Posted

      I so agree with you about being angry.  When I went to the  ER with my vertigo, they knew what it was, but gave me meds to cover up the symptoms.  The nurse  told me they treat a lot of  BPPV in  the ER.  Why aren't ER doctors trained in the Epley maneuver?  Many of us could have been spared months or even years of dizziness if we had the proper treatment. 
    • melody08508
      melody08508 Laurie34

      Posted

      Is that what the vestibular therapy helps with? Iv found walking great too
    • Laurie34
      Laurie34 melody08508

      Posted

      Yes and it's helping me.  I've been like this for 8 months.  
    • johnnynotdizzy
      johnnynotdizzy Kikili

      Posted

      Hi Kikili

      inthought about for a while after getting diagnosed - and Incame to two conclusions. Firstly, because the condition wasn't considered to be life threatening, many health experts seemed quite quick to dismiss it as something that will go away on its own, and if it doesn't, well it's not that serious - clearly these people have never experienced just how upsetting and life changing the condition can be. Secondly, the Consultant I saw said that the treatment for BPPV was only recently discovered in 2009 - so it's not widely understood or used.

      i COMPLETELY agree with you that more public awareness and treatment availability would avoid emotional distress and worry for people who are unlucky enough to have it happen to them.

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