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My Vertigo? Experience. Seeking advice

Posted , 4 users are following.

bilbo543
bilbo543

Hello!

There is so much to read here that I thought it might be best to post my experience and get some feedback. I am a 38 year old male, fit and living a fairly healthy lifestyle. One day This past August I felt 'out of it' so just relaxed on the couch all day. The next morning I woke up and everything was spinning violently and I could not walk due to the dizziness. I also vomited several times. At the ER they did some basic tests and said it was vertigo. Long story short, I went and saw several doctors and was treated for bppv. While the symptoms improved greatly, I still had many days that I felt "off" like my head was in a fog, and like my head was spinning on the inside even though my vision was normal. Fast forward 7 months later and I've had another 'major' episode, where I woke up with everything spinning. I have an MRI scheduled to rule out anything major, but do not expect (hopefully) anything to show up. My questions are: has anyone experienced a similar situation? Is there anything I can do to reduce my symptoms? Does this sound like something other than bppv? Is there anything I can do to lower the chance of this continuing to happen? Any and all feedback is appreciated. Thank you

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • glenn06752
    glenn06752 bilbo543

    Posted

    Welcome to the miserable world of vertigo.. I can relate.. 

    I had a similar attack to yours. Woke up out of a sound sleep with the room spinning. I couldn't even make it out of bed. I vomited several times and thank God my wife helped me through it. I did not go to the hospital however. I followed up with several doctors.  My problem is related to my ears and Meniere's Disease. Yours sounds pretty typical to bppv..... My symptoms are similar to yours. I get foggy and feel out of it. Forgetful and spacey. 

    Not sure if you have any neutorologists in your area, but you may want to visit one. They are also called dizzy doctors. Althought they cannot cure your vertigo, they can certainly get it under control with some vestibular therapy.. Basically, the crystals in your ear(s) the shape of a horse shoe, come out of whack and they throw your entire sense of balance off. As long as it's nothing else, you should be able to control that and even go so far as to learn how to give yourself a treatment when the crystals do gout of alignment. You may also want to look into a hearing test and be examined by a good ENT doctor.

    Check online with the Epley Maneuvre and see what you think... I hope you find relief soon and they get your vertigo under control. I know with my wife, following a bad car accident, the Epley Maneuvre saved her from her dizzines.. There are also some meds that can help with the nausea if you're experiences it. 

    Continue with your tests and x-rays and I wish you the best of luck. My guess is you'lll be fine and once they zero in on your problem, they'll have more answers and treatments for you.

    Glenn

    • bilbo543
      bilbo543 glenn06752

      Posted

      Thanks for your response! I'm sorry you are suffering as well. Very frustrating. I've missed several days of work with this latest attack already. How are you able to function when you get an attack? How long are you normally "out of commission" when you get an attack?

  • eleftherio33095
    eleftherio33095 bilbo543

    Posted

    It does not sound like BPPV as your episodes are rare and not position dependent. When you say you could not walk, do you mean that you could not control where your legs went (ataxia).

    Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, PhD, FEAN

    Clinical Neurophysiologist

    Fellow of the European Academy of Neurology

    • glenn06752
      glenn06752 eleftherio33095

      Posted

      Can you please explain what you mean by "position dependent"? My attack was exactly like bibo's and I could not walk. In other words, I could not walk without falling flat on my face due to the spinning... All I could do was sit on the edge of the bed. After vomiting for 15-20 mins, I fell asleep sitting up and woke up 3 hours later, able to get out of bed. 

      Thanks for your time -

    • bilbo543
      bilbo543 eleftherio33095

      Posted

      No, sorry, I meant I couldn't walk only because I was so dizzy. Physically I could move my legs how I wanted to

  • Waffalobill
    Waffalobill bilbo543

    Posted

    Been there. Have been treated for bppv for 11 years. Finally got into see a neurotologist. Found out it's menieres.

    • bilbo543
      bilbo543 Waffalobill

      Posted

      I've been treated for bppv by a PT and I've seen some positive results but never a complete fix. What's the difference between bppv and menieures? Could I have both?

    • Waffalobill
      Waffalobill bilbo543

      Posted

      My vertigo is not caused by any position. I can get vertigo or dizzy sitting, standing. Doing absolutely nothing.
  • simone_bev65236
    simone_bev65236 bilbo543

    Posted

    Hi I don't know if we have the same problem.for 2 years I have felt off balance I feel im swaying back an forth.

    I feel giddy.for example I can be making the bed and all of a sudden I get very giddy and then it passes I get frightend.

    I have had an ct scan and a mri on the brain,blood tests all fine.

    Seen a vertigo specialist but apparently I don't have vertigo.had an ecg and a echo gram which

    was fine..

    My ears make a hissing sound,but on and off all day.lastnight I had a think was a panic attack I was very giddy and started to panic

    My heart was beating very fast,from my chest up I was sweating.

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