Vertigo/Dizziness

[wondering12]

If someone could help or give some advice I would appreciate it...I have been having dizzy spells for almost 2 weeks now and off/on headaches....the dizzy spells are so bad that I feell like I'm constantly moving or things in front of me are moving.  The dizzy spells are beginning to make me ill and I feel somewhat lathargic/dumb.  It seems as though I can't function normally or are doing so at a slow pace.  I went to the doctor on Monday and they arent' sure what is wrong but diagnosed me with Vertigo, I am waiting for my blood work to see if there is any cause, but in the mean time I am starting to worry.  People have suggested many things to me and google is the devil and tells me I could have anything from migranes/cancer so I've decided its not a reliable source....

Any suggestions while waiting for my doctor's results....

Thanks!

[lulumoon]

Well hello to you and to Cyndi-What a great thing to read what you two are saying.  I'M in the club! I had my first "vertigo attack" at YOGA class Oct 2006. I had to crawl out the door and called for my daughter to come pick me up. I could not move my head to the left without that terrible swirling nausea.  I did vomit several times. I went home and slept almost sitting up to keep from having that horrible feeling. I went right to ENT I had seen years ago and vomited there before and during the Eply, I guess it was. They wanted me to go right to the Neurologist but I was just too sick to go.I went the next morning and they did the leaning forward, casting me backwards. They said right away I did NOT have a brain tumor, they could tell by the way my eys rolled round and round. Anyway that helped and the sent me home. I did take Meclizine and things got better.  I have never had it that bad but it seems every other month or so I have a "dizzy spell"  I have tried doing the home lean over then lean back exercises.  I would do almost anything to prevent having this happen again.  I just can't shake it.  There is pressure behind my nose-eye area and I yawn and yawn. Chew gum.  Pardon me for going on and on but it brought me GREAT JOY and encouragement to read about how you two have investigated this thing so well.  I search for the MAGIC PILL or what ever.  I have my GP appointment on Valentine's Day and I'll see what he says.  Nasonex seemed to help a few weeks back, but then here it came again.  Anyway BLESS YOU BOTH and thanks for all the info.  I'll continue to search for a cure. Misery does love company you know.  LuLu is Tallahassee.

[Nancy T]

Hi Cindy--I'm glad meclizine works for you in controlling symptoms at least temporarily. I took it for a week or so long ago, but it didn't help me. However, I have been VERY lucky in not having severe dizziness--mine is actually fairly mild, the big problem for me being the fogginess associated with it. I did find the right medication for that (Strattera).

I am sorry you have BPPV so bad--I would HATE being so dizzy as to be nauseated. That's really only happened to me once. (If you don't count when I lost my breakfast working in a cannery on the conveyor belt while in college--just watching that motion for a couple of hours made me extremely sick!!)

Actually I meant to say that I DO have good medical care--have seen a highly respected neurotologist and otoneurologist both. I am lucky.

Best of luck--I hope your BPPV gets better. Sounds like you are one of the unlucky ones with so many recurrences. I hope you have a good vestibular therapist to work with you on that.

Take care,
Nancy T.

[CYNDI1]

Hello Nancy,
Yes I agree it is not the treatment of choice without seeking out a Doc who can diagnose the problem...however in my case it got me thru the period of the morning which was Friday since I was so nauseaus and felt like I was going to vomit...This is my second time having BPPV so it was like a band-aid solution till I was able to do the manuevers myself...I was unable to eat solid food on Friday therfore I had crackers most of the day...
Today I am so much better since I have done the Epley's several times over the past three days...and have been sleeping with 4 pillows as I do not want to disturb the lithiasis in the canal...(stones) or crystals
Too bad you do not have better medical care wherever you live...
Thanks for clarifying your stand on meds...
Hope we can chat again,,,,,
Take care,
Cyndi 1
BTW there are many sites available one in particular talks about meds one can take w/having this problem...Just look up Epley manuevers and there are several with instructions...
I also agree I am lucky living in Boston and having such Docs with the experience
Yes and I couldn't agree more re; meclizine/Antivert or any other drug in place of treatment...

[Nancy T]

Hi Cyndi! You are lucky to live where you have access to a good ear doctor. (I do too, but on the other side of the country.)

Meclizine is of course very helpful for dizziness for some people. What I was trying to say is that it's not the cure or standard treatment for BPPV--in other words, a BPPV patient shouldn't JUST be given meclizine without the maneuvers.

Actually, you can do the Epley on yourself at home if you have no neck problems. I did, and it worked! (I also partly remembered it from a previous visit to a vestibular therapist, although at that time I wasn't having BPPV.) However, certainly anyone with neck problems shouldn't try it without medical help.

Best wishes,
Nancy T.

[CYNDI1]

Antivert helps me so much and I am a medical person myself...so I feel anyone suffering till manuevers can be done will feel a bit better with it.
I have had Brandt-Daroff also and it does help as well as the Epley it all depends on the length of the problem before one considers going to an ENT who is specially trained in Ear problems.
We are lucky in Boston to have great Docs from "Mass Eye and Ear" my Doc is very well informed as he only specializes in Ear problems.
I have also worked there so I have a knowledge of BPPV from both sides...

Cyndi1

[rmcd]

I was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease years ago which has very similar symptoms to what you explained.  To clear up the fullness and stop the vertigo my ENT prescribed HCTZ, a diuretic, which worked after a few weeks.  A Meniere's specialist from Johns Hopkins Medical Center now prescribed TRIAM/HCTZ, a potassium-sparing diuretic, for any onset or fullness feeling.  It works.  The bad news is that after such a long time with the fullness I have a significant hearing loss in my right ear and now wear a hearing aid.  However, the vertigo is non-existent.  Hope this helps.

[Nancy T]

P.S. Note that sometimes BPPV is diagnosed when it's not really (or not exclusively) BPPV. If the repositioning manuever(s) don't help, other diagnoses should be considered.

[Nancy T]

BPPV is CURABLE with the Epley maneuver, aka canalith repositioning manuever. It's an instant cure in most cases.

Sometimes the otoliths are in a different semicircular canal and a differnt exercise needs to be done. A vestibular therapist (specially trained PT) will know how to do all of these maneuvers.

The Brandt-Daroff exercises that are sometimes given for BPPV (where you sit on the edge of the bed, lie down on one side with your head turned up, then sit straight up, then lie down on the other side, repeat, etc.) do help, but they are not the instant cure that the Epley usually is.

Read about BPPV and its treatment at www.dizziness-and-balance.com. Click on the patient info button and look for BPPV. Also check out www.vestibular.org.

Antivert (generic: meclizine) is NOT a treatment for BPPV. The Epley manuever is now the well-established standard treatment for BPPV.

The best kind of doctor to see for ongoing dizziness that your regular doctor can't figure out, or if you're having continuing symptoms, is a neuro-otologist. These are ENTs with years of extra training in the inner ear. See the list at the American Neurotology Society Web site, or the incomplete geographical lists at the Vestibular Disorders Association Web site.

[CYNDI1]

I have also been given Antivert for BPPV= "Benign Proxymal Postional Vertigo"
prior to that my Dr sent me for Physical Therapy...I was shocked! the Therapist did all of the head movements and after 8 visits I was feeling so wonderful it was a miracle!
My therapist did give me excercises to do in case it re-occured ...well after 3 yrs it just did yesterday and it was awful...my room was spinning when I awoke...I tried to sit on the side of the bed...still felt awful...I was literally bouncing from one wall over to theother trying to get to the BR...I started doing the excercises I had been shown and it really helped...however I had taken 1/2 of Antivert before and oh was I so lethargic it was awful...
If you go onto your computer and search BPPV...you will get a few different excercises...the thing is just because it makes you feel well afterward, you must keep doing it for at least 4 days and one last thing my therapist told me...( I did it last nite and it was hell) sleep with pillows behind you w/you sleep sitting up, yes it is awful but at least you are not dizzy......try it...the stones in your ears go back in place
MY Sympathy to all who suffer from Vertigo
Cyndi 1

[Nancy T]

Antivert is the exact same medicine as Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula. The generic name is meclizine.

I'm not sure whether regular Dramamine would help dizziness.

Good luck at the ENT!

[lognum]

Greetings,

Did you ever think it might be your eyes? Try typing "vertical heterophoria syndrome" into a google search ( its not the devil in this case). The site that helped me was the vision specialists of Birmingham. You should get the MRI, just to make sure, but check out the symptoms and the testimonials and see if that describes you. There are only three specialists in the USA that can diagnose it. Good Luck

[OtisATL]

My ENT has spoken about Labyrinthitus which can come after a sinus cold and always has vertigo/dizziness as a symptom.  A sinus cold can progress to an infection, which only prescription antibiotics will clear.  A cold virus can attack components of the ear as well causing several bad symptoms and conditions.  Eventually, the body will produce it's own antivirus to overcome such a virus. Since you have a vestibular problem, an ENT would be the correct choice for a proper diagnosis. Good luck.

[wondering12]

Thanks for all your help, I was given Antivert from the doctor, told to take 1 pill every 8 hours, I tried taking one when I got home from work however they knock me out like a zombie....I think they are too strong for me, I only weight about 115, so maybe the pill is too much of a dose for my size....anyway, I think I will try dramamine to see if that helps.  I have scheduled an appointment at the ENT for next Wednesday so that gives me 5 more days to see if this gets better or goes away....otherwise hopefully the ENT can give me some help/advice.....I did have 2 sinus infections within a few months so maybe this is left over from when I was sick....I have not been sick in about 2 months and feel great minus the constant dizziness/vertigo.  Lastnight was the first time it was happening while I was in bed, usually it just lasts while I'm up/awake....its driving me nuts, my computer seems like its moving everytime I stare at it....ugh! :)

[Ethandanielsmama]

I started having the symptoms you were describing--exactly--about a month ago.  I googled too and thought something was seriously wrong with me.  I went to WebMD and did the self-diagnosis.  For me, the most dizzy time was when I turned over in bed, or getting up and lying down--textbook Vertigo.  Anyway, there is really no "cure"  Basically you are supposed to lie back and then let your head fall below your body, then bring it back up, next lie on your side and do the same thing, several times a day.  Something about particles in your ear getting resituated.  Anyway, it took a LONG time, 4 weeks + but I am back to normal.  I also was fatigue and just felt generally sluggish.  A doctor friend said that it was probably brought on by a sinus infection (viral) because I was having headaches with it, plus a heaviness between the eyes.  No ear pain though.  HTH!

[Nancy T]

I don't think it's true that there' s no medication you can try.

You could try meclizine, which in prescription form is Antivert, but you can get it over the counter in the same strength: it's Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula, or Bonamine (something like that). Meclizine is usually the first-prescribed medication for dizziness.

Some people with chronic dizziness get some relief with low doses of anti-anxiety drugs such as Valium or Xanax, but it doesn't sound like you're at a chronic state.

Viral infection of the inner ear usually causes severe, constant dizziness with spinning, nausea, etc. for 1-3 days, followed by gradual improvement. Not "spells" like you seem to be describing.

I think the doctor is right to give it a few days and see what happens, but he should have at least had you try some meclizine! But you don't need a prescription, you can buy it yourself. It does tend to be sedating.

As for seeing an ENT, I would think that would be the next step. MRI or CT would be ordered by the ENT (no hurry for scans).

Good luck!

Nancy T.

[JTDs Mom]

I could have written the original post!  About a month ago I noticed that my left ear felt clogged--no pain, just a stuffy feeling.  I also started having vertigo-like dizziness.

My OB/GYN (that's who I was in to see, so I thought I'd ask her to take a look) said that she could see that there was fluid behind my tympanic membrane and that I needed to take sudafed to loosen everything up.

Well, that was a month ago.  I took the sudafed for more than a week continuously and it got a little better.  But over the past 3 days or so it has gotten so much worse!  Even at night when I'm asleep, if I roll over or change position, I get severe vertigo and it wakes me up!  

I dont know what to do!  Short of going to a specialist, I'll just have to try sudafed again!  I'm also trying to get pregnant so I dont want to take any medications that might interfere with that!

[wondering12]

I got my blood work back and everything was normal, the doctor said it must be viral and to wait it out until Monday if its not gone to call the doctor back....I dont know what to do, I feel there is more that needs to be done (MRI, CT Scan) possible see a ENT to check for inner ear infection.....they said there is no medication that will help me, to just deal with it....I'm so frustrated and still dizzy!! :-(

[Nancy T]

Could be migraine-associated vertigo, with your headaches. Google "Migraine-associated vertigo" and see what you think. It's very treatable and actually more common than most people know.

Vertigo is not a diagnosis. It is a symptom. Rarely does it signify something dangerous.

If you don't improve and your regular doctor can't figure out eventually what's wrong, ask to be referred to a neuro-otologist (special ENT for the ear) or a neurologist specializing in dizziness.

Good luck,

Nancy T.