Vertigo that lasts for a week--please help!
Posted , 5 users are following.
I am praying that someone out there can help me or will at least tell me they have had similar symptoms. I've had increasing vertigo episodes now for over 15 years. Had a concussion in '07 from falling and hitting the back of my head. The vertigo started before that fall though. Every time it's the same drill--wake up feeling dizzy with a slight pinch in my neck like I've slept wrong followed by dizziness and then full blown vertigo for at least 4-5 days. Day 2 is always the worst. I've seen a PCP, PT, Neurologist, ENT, Balance Specialist, Chiropractor and the only thing that has come close to relieving the symptoms is the chiropractor. He tells me that my right side (always the right side) of my neck is moved..the bone below my ear. He adjusts and it feels better until the next day. I've seen him every day this week, sometimes twice a day. It seems to have to run it's course. I've had an MRI, CT Scan, and numerous ear/hearing/eye tests performed. I've had the Epley Manuever done and one time it did help. So I would assume that episode was BPPV. My neurologist dxd me with Vestibular Migraines as I matched all 6 characteristics of that. I do know I have migraine issues but no headache. For example I have issues with my eyes if I look at bright lights...orbs, light spots in eyes, dizziness afterwards. The neurologist put me on magnesium for the migraines as some study showed that could be helpful. I need to know if anyone else out there has the same symptoms. I'm at the tail end of an episode right now that started on Sunday. This is now Friday. I slept in a hotel with a thick, fluffy pillow and woke up on Sunday with a cramp in my right side of my neck. Boom....on Monday I woke up with vertigo. I made the mistake of not taking my own pillow to the hotel. I'm afraid to travel now as it ruins a week of my life. Please help me!
0 likes, 29 replies
Waffalobill becky43723
Posted
so many things can give you these symptoms it's hard to say what it is. sounds like you need the usual vestibular testing. vng,caloric test etc. i have those symptoms but mine is menieres disease. the issues youve had may have given you this. its a fluid build up in the inner ear and endolymphatic sac.
becky43723 Waffalobill
Posted
I keep seeing "caloric test" on this forum and have never heard of it. What is it? I mean, besides a diagnostic tool. There is no cure for Menieres is there?
Waffalobill becky43723
Posted
caloric test is when they put warm and cold air or water in your ears and record your eye movements. you have goggles on with tiny cameras in them. no light can get in. total darkness. it induces vertigo if your vestibular nerve is intact and working. if its not you feel nothing. no, theres no cure for menieres. they do procedures to limit attacks but you still get them.
becky43723 Waffalobill
Posted
Yes that sounds perfectly awful. I had a broken eardrum a couple months ago from a bad sinus infection. After I had blood in my ear I decided I'd better go to the doctor but that was after a couple weeks from seeing the blood. I hate docs by the way. 😃 Anyway, when I went in they told me the eardrum had ruptured and that's where the blood came from. My third round of antibiotics and I was finally better. Then a few days later my ear hurt. I went to the ENT and she said I had dried blood on my eardrum. She removed it but said it was basically her picking a scab off my eardrum with a pair of long handled tweezers. She sprayed some sort of solution in my ear and softened the scabs. I've never had anything hurt like that! Anyway, when she sprayed the solution in my ear I got super dizzy so I can just imagine the caloric test. Ick! I was really worried that I woldn't be able to function since the ENT induced the vertigo but once she quit spraying the water, I was fine.
Waffalobill becky43723
Posted
i have had tons of tests over the course if 13 years. the fluid build up ruptures your ear drum and endolymphatic sac. i have had gentamicin injections threw my ear drum to kill the nerve which stops the false signals. i have had endolyphatic sac decompression surgery with shunt placement to help drain the fluid. basically they drill a hole in the side of your head and put in a shunt.
shannon86083 becky43723
Posted
HI there,
firstly i hope you are feeling better!! i am having an episode right now. i do feel off balanced quite iften but not enough to make me stop doing what i do! but once again today it feels like the spinning will start. the ent told me its most likely vestibular because i get ocular migraines as well. but nonetheless it diesnt make me feel better and i dont have anything that helps me! it feels like i just have ti wait it out and that reaks havic on ny anxiety!
i just want a normal life again where im not worries about this!
becky43723 shannon86083
Posted
I am getting better every day but I lose ground every time I have an episode and it takes me so long to get back to my normal. I feel for you having an episode. I have bouts with vertigo at least twice a year if not more often. I never know when it will strike. I have been bed bound before for a couple days. It's so awful. Someone today suggested it could be hormonal related. I'm like you in that I want to have a normal life.
hmoosey becky43723
Posted
becky
you should have caloric testing. look up a "dizzy clinic" in your area. usually in the major city near you. i have VM- while i take magnesium, that is not the only thing you should be taking. if you have VM- you should be taking an anti depressant to calm your brain. i am on norotryptiline. i see a doctor called an otolayrngologist. you should look this doctor up. a regular neuro a regular ENT- isnt going to be much help. neuro-ontology. i also saw all these drs you have before i was properly diagnosed. including a chiropractor. until you get to the proper doctor, get the proper testing, and right meds, you will continue to suffer with the vertigo and dizziness ect. also, vestibular PT- can be helpful too. the caloric testing is brutal, but it eliminates certain diagnosis, like meneirs, VN, labs. it helps the doctor know there is no damage to your ears. your brain is over stimulated. you have triggers you need to avoid. for now, try taking mecclizine until you travel home. its over the counter name brand bonine.
shannon86083 hmoosey
Posted
does meclizine work??
becky43723 shannon86083
Posted
I have not had much luck with meclizine. I had a neurologist years ago prescribe that drug for me and it didn't seem to do much. Guess I should try it again. I tried an anti-depressant once and had awful side effects. I felt "high" and it was almost as bad as the vertigo. hmoosey, are your episodes controlled now?
Waffalobill shannon86083
Posted
meclizine is useless for bad episodes. diazepam helps alot. low dose,2mg.
Waffalobill becky43723
Posted
can buy meclizine over the counter now. or off amazon. no script needed
becky43723 Waffalobill
Posted
Is Diazepam an anti-depressant or anti-convulsion drug?
becky43723 hmoosey
Posted
I looked up otolayrngologists near me. Guess what? The ENT doc that I saw that did the testing (spinning chair, eye tests with blinders/goggles on) is one. He never once suggested the caloric testing. I would hate the thought of doing it but if it brought me closer to a true dx I would suffer through it. Can't be as bad as a week of this suffering. I am considering vestibular PT. My daughter in law's sis is a PT that does that sort of PT. I've talked to her about it. I would just like to know if what is causing my vertigo is vestibular or cervical. Maybe it's both.
Waffalobill becky43723
Posted
its a anti anxiety med. it has a calming effect in the vestibular system. works like a motion sickness med but stops vertigo. very low dose tho. only 2mg.
Waffalobill becky43723
Posted
otolyngologist is just a fancy name for ent. you need a neurotologist. he deals with ear, inner ear and nerve connections to the brain.
becky43723 Waffalobill
Posted
Side effects of the drug?
becky43723 Waffalobill
Posted
Different than a neurologist?
Waffalobill becky43723
Posted
all drugs have side effects. diazepam is generic valium. it can be adictive . its a very low dose tho. i have had no issues with it. i don't take it everyday.
Waffalobill becky43723
Posted
neurologist is a brain doctor. neurotologist specializes in vestibular system and its connections to the brain along with ent stuff.
hmoosey becky43723
Posted
do you have a dizzy clinic near you? the otolayngologist was the specialist that helped me, i am living my life. the ENT- sent me to this doctor. said we were going outside her expertise. the nuerologist i saw did nothing. no tests, spent 10 minutes with me and said i would be disabled. well im not. had i given up, i would be. ask your friend to help you. i did vestibular PT- but- you should have the testing done. it can rule in or rule out certain things. like whether there is damage in your ear ect.
becky43723 Waffalobill
Posted
I looked that up and the closest one is about 3 hours away from me. I'll have to look into it though. I'm confused that one person says to see a neurotologist and another says to see an otolayrngologist. I don't know which to seek out. Now this morning I had to do some heavy lifting. When I first got up out of bed I felt pretty good. Now after the lifting my dizziness came back quite a bit. That tells me it's cervical in nature.
becky43723 hmoosey
Posted
My neurologist was basically worthless. She told me I'd dxd myself by telling her that I thought it was likely vestibular migraines. She did no testing and barely looked at me (examined). I went to a balance/hearing clinic that specializes in balance disorders last fall where they did some hearing and eye tests on me but did not even mention the caloric test. The doc I saw was an audiologist.
hmoosey becky43723
Posted
becky i think you should make an appt with the ENT who can do the caloric testing. this really needs to be done to help diagnose you properly.