Scared of spinning sensation

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hi everyone,

I woke up this morning with the room spinning around me. I was terrified. It finally stopped when I sat up. I looked to see how I was sleeping and I'd fallen asleep while reading on my left side but my pillow was upright (not flat) and a blanket I'd had wrapped around my shoulders was all bunched up. When meant I slept weird with a blanket rolled like a rock into my neck. Could that set off the vertigo? I laid back down on the bed and when I turned to the right - I had minor vertigo but when I turned to the left I had a lot of vertigo.

Over 20 years ago I was diagnosed with vertigo. It followed the same pattern. I would have it once or twice a year and always when I laid on my back and turned to the right. But this is the first time I've woken up with vertigo and the first time when facing to the left. As soon as I sat up, it stopped.

Pretty scary. Can vertigo switch sides back and forth?

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Posted

    Morning Sue

    Ive had this three times so far, first time a year and half ago, totaly out of the blue, fine one minute and bent over to sweep the carpet before i went to bed and wham, when i stood up i felt sick and slightly dizzy, well i knew i had to get myself up stairs and into bed quickly, but even laying down with eyes closed i can feel the sensation in my head, opened my eyes and everything i looked at looked like it was moving. Got worse and i was very sick all over our just new laid bedroom carpet. Same thing happened last Saturday morning but not as bad, immediatley brought up my few sips of tea. Last Sunday evening though, was really bad, was watching tv, stood up to turn on light and felt strange, thought if i sit there still it would pass but no it got worse and again i was very very sick and the worst spinning sensation yet. Thing is this time i havnt felt right since, my head feels a slight permanent pressure like its gettting ready to do it all over again. Mornings is awfull, feel so groggy.

    Dr. given me prochlorperazine maleate tabs but im scared to take them cos of the long list of side affects.

    As for your vertigo its possible it was from pressure of the rolled up blanket pressing on your veins at the back of your neck for to long but as you seem to experience it worse when laying to your left gave you bad vertigo im wondering if its an ear problem known as meneres decease? But affects the head and feels like vertigo. Though you say your ok when you stand up so i dont know. Only thing you can do is look up on google more info under causes of vertigo when laying down.

    Mum is now on meds for this as with her they discovered it was hardening of the arteries in the back of her neck causing blood flow problems to her brain but she is in her 80s

    Hope you dont keep getting this, as you say pretty scary i know, thank goodness though with you it goes when you stand up rather than gets worse.

    Sue 

  • Posted

    Hi Sue,

    Thanks for responding. Love that we have the same name. LOL.

    It is pretty scary. I was asleep and it took me a few minutes to even understand what was going on. Weird. But the spinning is horrendous. I could feel my heart pounding and I wondered if it was ever going to stop. That was when I noticed that I had fallen asleep while reading and had a rolled up blanket pressed into my neck. Won't do that again.

    Your situation is scary too. It just seems to come out of the blue, doesn't it?

    It's completely gone now. I layed back down and turned my head back and forth and it's gone. With the other vertigo experiences, once I turned my head I was fine. It didn't affect my walking or driving. The only time I might notice it was when I bent down to leash my dog. Bending down made me a bit wobbly.

    I see an ear, nose and throat specialist next month about something else (allergies) and I'm going to ask her about it.

    Thanks for sharing. Hope you're feeling okay.

    Sue

    • Posted

      Hi Sue

      Thanks for reply, Still feeling so very groggy and nauseated and light headed, waiting for it to do it again, feel a bit shaky at the moment. Think it does ill be scared to go out  next. Our bodys are so comlex arnt they. 

      Yes we have the same name lol, let us know how you get on with the ear nose and throat specilalist

      Sue 

  • Posted

    Hi Sue,

    Yes, I'll let you know what the specialist says. It's not until March 30. Sorry to hear you're not feeling so great. What a shame. It is so darn scary. Like I'm afraid to go to sleep tonight in case I wake up with vertigo.

    Have you ever heard of Bowen therapy? That's where I went today and so far, that's what helps me through  my vertigo. It's triggering your body to heal itself. I live near a fabulous Bowen therapist and fortunately she had a cancellation today.

    Hope you're feeling better.

    Sue

    • Posted

      HI Sue

      Yes ive heard of the Bowen therapy, our son saw one who cured him of his ongoing back/lung problem which gave him fainting attacks on a few occasions, since he saw this man about four years ago his never had another attack. Heard his left our town now sadly. Im fine now, its in the morning i feel so unwell and will till mid afternoon and this is apart from the vertigo which so far hasnt re occured. But then i have M.E. to and the menapause, all good stuff lol !

      Sue 

  • Posted

    Hey, that's cool that you know about Bowen. A few years ago I hurt my knee and it locked for 7 days. I had to wait to see a specialist. One trip to Bowen and I could bend it that night.

    Yesterday when I arrived, I could summon up the vertigo by moving my head. Halfway through the session it disappeared and last night I was afraid to go to sleep but did, and woke up with no vertigo. Whew.

    Sorry to hear you feel rotten in the morning. I do undertand menapause, though.

    Hey Sue - what is M.E.?

    Hope today is a good one for you.

    Sue

    • Posted

      Hi Sue, M.E. is another term for chronic fatigue syndrome so have this to contend with as well. Woke up this morning again feeling groggy, i could go back to bed and easily sleep i think but i make myself get up, eat even though i dont feel like it and get ready for the day. Seeing the doctors on Tuesday, also wearing glasses that keep getting smeared up all the time doenst help as the last thing you need with the feel of another attack of the dizziness is poor vision with it. 

      Found out we do have a local Bowen near us so maybe ill book in.

      Hope everyone else has a nice weekend

      Sue 

  • Posted

    Hi Sue sounds like a classic BPPV and you need to see a doctor that needs to do the Hallpike on you to see which ear is affected then he / she needs to do the Epley to move the crystals back to where they belong - Google all main points I have written and it will make sence ! This sounds easy but in some cases it's not and some doctors can miss diagnose ! 
    • Posted

      Thanks, Donna. Thanks for the info about the Epley move and the Hallpike. Have you had that done before? My doctor is away for the week so I'll see her when she goes back. Also, I'm seeing a ENT in March and she's going to check my vertigo too. Thanks a lot.
  • Posted

    Make sure the ENT is a specialist with vertigo as all ENT specialise in a certain field and know jack about vertigo causes! Yes I had BPPV bad and couldn't leave the house for 5 months and had MRI ENT and finally was sent to a vertigo specialst who sent me straight to Sydney( as I'm in Australia and I had the Omniac Chair ( another one to google) my physio specialise  in vertigo (thank goodness) and she rang my GP to get this moving and see a vertigo Specialist - Google Balance Clinic in your area - I had to fly to mine but it was all worth it - another thing is vertigo can cause anxiety and bad if it persists - good luck as you might be the lucky one where it goes away 
    • Posted

      Wow! You couldn't leave the house for 5 months? How awful. Sorry to hear this.

      I can understand the anxiety. Last night I was afraid to go to sleep in case I woke up with the room spinning. It's a horrible situation. It is weird how when I move my head, it stops. Very odd.

      Bowen therapy helps me. I went there yesterday.

      Good advice about the ENT. I'll check into that.

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.