Morning everyone. Non lung enquiry. On Wednesday I woke up to the room spinning. Massively worse than anything experienced when I used to have hangovers years ago (drink nothing now).
Then throughout the day I got sudden episodes where my head went crazy with a rushing visual thing which felt like falling and I had to grab something so as not to actually fall. These left my head very woozy.
After googling I dont seem to have any of the red flags for vertigo - if Im right it seems to be benign positional vertigo - BPPV - but it is anything but benign! I feel very disabled by it, frightened be upright and walking around. It was quite a lot better yesterday but today it has returned with a vengeance. Im going to contact my GP but wondered if anyone has experience of this and any tips for managing it.
Thanks and hope everyone has a good (enough) day
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O2Trees
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Best to sit or lie down straight away and try to position your head the opposite side to your dizzy side. Hope the gp can sort it. Do you have an ear infection ?
I had some slight ear thing, bit of pain in right ear and sore throat on RHS plus throbbing intermittantly, over by this Monday just gone, so maybe connected. x
Anti sickness medications like cyclizine really do help. Definitely contact your GP. It’s horrible, so you have my sympathies. I get it occasionally and it passes with rest. Keep well hydrated and get up very slowly.
Been to doc - she did some neurological tests and pronounced me ok from that p.o.v. Ive been prescribed some medication which Rita will pick up from the pharmacist. I read about hydration so you've reminded me to drink!
Thing is, I havent felt sick at all, let alone vomiting. But my GP has prescribed something called Prochlorperazine which as far as I can see from the leaflet is for sickness and vomiting. It sounds pretty strong and is an anti-psychotic, which I know from working in the NHS in mental health is likely to have side effects. So far Im just looking at the packet - havent taken it yet and if it doesnt help the vertigo Im not sure I can see the point. Glad yours helps you.
Diazepam, wow! Ive got some stuff but not that. Not taken it yet, she agreed to me seeing if it settled down over next 24 hours. Glad you dont get it now Sheila x
Just realised the Diazepam was when my back locked 😱 cant remember what I had for vertigo and it was years ago. Only took tablets for 5 days and sorted it. Apologies. Hope you get sorted xxSheila.
Diazepam, wow indeed. You can’t get them anymore, I’ve two hidden in my sock drawer for emergencies(!!). Just working it out, they must be more than twenty years old, maybe I should bin them.
Sorry O2Trees, can’t help with the vertigo but head spinning is horrible. A friend who gets labyrinthitis which also makes you dizzy lies on the bed with her head hanging over the end. She says it helps but I’m not recommending it, just passing it on.
Well it was years ago. Realised it was for my back which went into spasm only had 5 tablets and a muscle relaxant. Cant remember what I was given for vertigo as that also was years ago. Havent suffered from either since thank goodness was def over 15yrs ago at least. xxSheila.
Oh dear you have my sympathy. I also a few years ago woke up one morning with the world spinning round and balance gone. It is extremely frightening. Cut a long story short I was diagnosed with Benign Positional Vertigo. It didn’t settle with me so was referred to ear, nose and throat consultant. He performed the Epley Manoeuvre on me ( link attached ) m.youtube.com/watch?v=K4S4C...
It did help massively and I have used it many times since diagnosed . I have had a reoccurrence every now and again but not as severe as the first episode. I would say visit the Doctor for a definite diagnosis, meanwhile don’t turn your head too quickly and be aware of your movements. Good luck hope this helps
Thanks so much for the video Piper. I read about the Epley Maneuver but havent tried it yet so it will be good to have a demonstration. I saw the GP, not mine but very nice, and she said its often hard to tell difference between labarynthitis (sp?) and BPPV. But I have had mild condition in my right ear, so who knows. I had thought labarynthitis was milder - this feels so extreme but I suppose you get used to it. Glad this works for you.
Welcome to my world 02Trees! I have been getting this intermittantly since 1990 and it is my ears. The little carbon bits detach and jiggle the 3 tiny bones in the ear which causes the spinning. Meunieres also causes spinning but I was misdiagnosed as having that by a GP before a consultant diagnosed it as the result of a virus passing through and gave me coping tactics.
I keep stugeron at home and take 2 as soon as it happens Then one per day until I have confidence. I also do Epleys manoevre which my consultant taught me. It puts the bits of carbon back.
As this can be caused by an ear infection it would probably be a good idea to have the GP take a look.
Jeez, you've been dealing with this for ages, LP. Thought you had enough other stuff to be going on with. I read about the Epley Maneuvre online - seems it works. I havent tried it yet but will give it a go. The GP has checked my ears and says they look ok.
I hope you arent getting it at present - I had no idea what this was like til Wednesday, dont think anyone who hasnt had it would have a clue. x
It often comes on for no apparant reason. I used to get awful ear infections from a child but after I had my sinuses done in 1990 I haven't had one. Although I do get those spinnies. As the epleys and stugeron work for me (expect it to take a couple of days) it must be those peskie bits of carbon fliating about which cannot be seen from the ear canal. Anyway I hope that you get it sorted and that it is only a one off.
Thank you LP. I was bit better yesterday so I could pretty much do my normal things - no bad incidents. Then last night I did a physio exercise Ive been given for my back where you raise up your arms and tilt your head back and pow!! there it was again. I wont be repeating that. The GP seems to think I could have reactivated it when it was improving. So now Im resting which I hate but needs must.
The dizziness causes the nausea. Thankfully I'm not often that bad as it can last for hours. Surprising how you learn to live with these things although I do get fed up with one or other of my resident ailments rearing its ugly head !
Just reread and realised a similarity - after bad first day on wednesday, I had a better one all Thursday until in the evening I did a physio exercise for my back which involved running the sides of your hands parallel up a wall and bending your head/neck right back at the top. Boy, was that a bad one, I nearly toppled over.
Hi J, I can totally sympathise. I was diagnosed with Labyrinthitis years ago. Whether it was or not I don't know , had to take betahistine for it until it subsided & it came and went for . years. Since my move west it hit with a vengeance in 2016 a few days before setting off to drive to Marseille to see Will. Had a consultation with a locum gp who diagnosed menieres disease and prescribed the betahistine. Later that day my own gp rang to tell me he was the 'balance expert's for the practice. He called me in, did some weird 'follow my finger' 😳 tests and pronounced that had right sided vestibular disease and not to worry, it can be sorted with little exercises. He did some movements with my head and miracle, the dizziness stopped. Its come back mildly a few times and my massage therapist does the Epley Technique and I'm sorted. I've also used youtube videos to do it myself. Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 goes but it works. I've not had it for ages now. There are loads of videos to choose from I chose the one least annoying voice. It was such a relief to find i didn't have menieres I cant tell you.
I hope this helps and that your gp will do those 'follow my finger tests' - that Cornwall Doctor thingy with Martin Clunes did them a week or so ago - hope yours turns out to be easy to deal with. My sis gets vertigo, her doc did the head manipulation and she threw up so she refuses to do it again. She takes medication instead. Penel, xxxx
PS there's something called vestibular migraine as well which is interesting to read about. Good luck
Did you write about your experience here P? I seem to remember that happenng but assume you didnt drive til it was sorted! Everyone's replies are very helpful and make me feel optimistic. I'll get to that Epley thing later on. At present things have stilled a bit.
I love Doc Martin - will try to find that episode, which would be an interesting alternative demonstration. My GP made me follow her finger left and right hand sides top and bottom, like a rectangle. Plus her finger to my nose - all was well. I might try the Epley before trying the medication. Bit of a bad week - I woke two nights with crazy trigger finger - well, my thumb - and so painful so had to go to the minor injuries clinic and collected a helpful splint to wear at night.
Hope you're ok at the moment dear P. Such weird times. Stay safe my dear xxx
I probably told you via private msg Jean. The result was amazing and I set off to Will's , caught my booked Tunnel & stayed 6 weeks in the glorious sunshine 🌞. Was planning to drive down earlier this year, of course that couldn't happen . Life has turned inwards, and shite at times . Hoping the Epley manoeuvre will work for you dear Jean how youd fine out if it was left or right I don't know, unless you've had a dodgy ear recently. You two keep safe too 🙏
Think Ive worked out its mostly on the right Pen - I often put my head down on my arms on my desk for a short nap. When I did this on ?Friday with the left ear downwards, I got woken up after a while with strong vertigo. But then yesterday I tried having my right ear downwards which I never normal would do and WHOOCH!! Instantly that happened. But also bending my neck upwards brings it on. Ive read there is peripheral and central vertigo - Im still juggling possiblities. Hope you're having a nice Sunday and finding ways to make up for your lost hour xx
I've got my bubble here for half term week. Daughter Nellie, Raffy 4, Marigold just 1 and daddy went home this evening to return next weekend to fetch them. I'm torn, on the one hand I'm absolutely overjoyed to see them and the other I'm shattered already only 30 hours in 🥺🤯🥱😴. I've explained about CFS but they don't get it so I've doubled my Ubiquinol! Luckily both they and I are in a low covid areaXXXX
Insist on your right to go for a lie-down P - younger people just dont realise what it is to be fatigued (unless they actually have a condition). You need to be able to continue enjoying them so you needs those naps!
Im better than I was, havent had a whoosh incident today, first day without one. Still not taking the medication since Ive never been or felt sick. Maybe Im being an idiot but time will tell. Generally my head is a bit woozy but no feeling of falling so guess the direction of travel is good.
Enjoy your week but just absent yourself when you need to. Lots love, jean xx
Not all migraines include headache. I get gastric migraines where my digestion shuts down, and prodrome migraines where I have all the dizzy warning signs but manage to avert the headache. All part of the same mechanism. Fortunately greatly reduced over the past 5 years.
Like you l can only remember this happening years ago when had too much to drink. About a month ago the same happened to me but l was sitting in my normal position watching tv. I was really scared as the room turned so quickly l couldn’t even pick up my phone. Went on for about 40 seconds, put my head between my knees and after few more seconds slowed down and then stopped. Like you, was unable to walk without needing to hold onto something. This lasted the rest of the day and the following morning. Kept trying to walk normally for rest of day but still felt woozy.
After a couple of days was able to walk better but waited another 3 days before able to drive a short distance. Even in my younger days and episodes of dizziness the spinning was nowhere near as intense. Thankfully it hasn’t happened since as there was no warning at all. Very scary and worrying. Hope you get sorted soon and would be interested to know how you get on.
Poor you Liberty - that sounds extreme. For me putting my head between my knees would make it worse. It seems if I raise or lower my head that's when it comes on badly. So glad it hasnt happened since then and hope you dont get any reoccurrences.
Thank you. Really wouldn’t like it again as the speed of the spinning was the most frightening. I admit l have tried to move my head in different directions to see if it would happen again but so far all ok. Good Luck with the doctor.
The symptoms you describe sound like labyrinthitis. My husband has had this more than once and was prescribed Stemetil. It's something to do with an imbalance in the inner ear which knocks you off kilter and affects your balance. Can sometimes be caused by an infection in the ear.
Thanks for your reply Biofreak. Not sure if it's BPPV or labyrinthitis but my GP says the treatment is the same. Maybe some people are more prone to getting this.
My late mum had vertigo for most of her adult life after an ear abcesses following a bad bout of flu in the 60's. She took cinnarazine for years which kept it relatively well controlled. I later years that med was changed to something tge name of which I have now forgotten. I've seen her have some awful falls when the room suddenly started spinning and she couldn't stop herself going.
I hope you get successful treatment for yours and that it soon settles down. The body sure plays nasty tricks on us sometimes. Best wishes x
Hah! Ive been wondering if I would have fallen if I hadnt had something to cling on to. I havent been able to work out if the spinning actually makes you fall or whether you just have a kind of psychological sensation of falling. Maybe its both. You're right - it is like a nasty trick! x
I have Vertigo on and off, mine is completely related to bony issues in my cervical spine (the neck). I have one position in which I can sleep, if I spend time with my neck in a poor position, I wake with horrid vertigo, can take a day to get rid of it. It was a Chiropractic who actually found the cause for mine, and she taught me some exercises I could do to stabilise my neck.
That's interesting - a friend who is a yoga teacher suggested it might come from my neck vertabrae. I do have wear and tear in my neck and did have serious trapped nerve episodes where I had to lay in one position for around 6 weeks. Then it would magically go and Id be back to normal. Thanks for this
Hi 02Trees, yes it's not a pleasant feeling at all. Get to doctors. I was prescribed prochlorperazine (Stemetil) which helps. I found that even lying down didn't help.
Thanks Jan. I find lying down definitely makes it worse. Prochlorperazine seems to be the medication most with vertigo are given. It sounds a bit strong to me, Im still deciding whether to take it but I may be driven to! x
I was prescribed 5mg 3 times a day. 90% of the time they help and when they didn't I was prescribed betahistamine. I never suffered with any side effects from either. I do hope you feel better soon. It's a really horrible feeling when that floor is coming at you.
And when your body is rushing to reach the floor!! Thanks for your reply Jan. Im still dithering about taking the med. Did you feel sick? As far as I can see prochlorperazine only says, on its leaflet, to help with nausea and vomiting which I just havent had. It's helpful anyway to know you didnt have any side effects. x
No I didn't have any nausea or vomiting. So stop dithering and take. If we read all the leaflets with medicines we would never take any, cause reading about the side effects would put us off x 😂 😂😂😂
I have only had vertigo once and it was the most frightening experience, the whole room was turning upside down, so I do sympathize. Hope you get it sorted. Carole x
I suffer with vertigo on the rare occasion and what you are experiencing sounds nothing like the same. Usually when I get mine I wake up in the morning and the room is going round and round. I find if I lie on one side it’s ok and the other side it all spins. I have been sick with it. I would definitely check it out with your Dr.
I see now after reading your posts that you have now been. It’s a horrible thing when you head goes round. I hope you don’t get it again. X
I so feel for you O2, I had labrynthitis for 4 years so can sympathise. I have to carry a packet of Serc in my bag at all times, if I feel it coming on and take them and go to bed I can fend it off, but if it takes a hold it means my head down the toilet for hours and unable to get up. I also have Stemetil that helps but knocks me out. Plenty of rest and water will help x
Poor you Izb1 - Im beginning to feel lucky compared to people here who have so much nausea and vomiting. I havent had that at all, fortunately as I need to keep my food down to keep my weight up! Stemetil seems the same thing as Prochlorperazine, quite strong I think as its an anti-psychotic. That's what the doctor gave me. Id prefer to try something less strong first. Four years, that's such a long time to have such a nasty condition, so that's me feeling for you now I know from experience what's involved. x
Thankfully I dont suffer much now, it was a problem at first because my eyes wouldnt stop bouncing. You may be better of with travel tablets as they contain cinazzerine which helps to settle you and are not strong like the other tabs, hope you feel better soon x
That was my thinking too, that the Cinnazerine might be better for me. Im learning so much about it, hopefully if in future someone else has problems I'll be able to answer like all your lovely people have answered me x
The hospital said mine was down to tiny crystals that dont drain from your inner ear, they did put me through exercises that helped but didnt get rid of it. I do hope yours is easing off and you are feeling a little better today x
Im better than when I first posted Izb1 but Saturday til today seem much the same. Im trying to take the long view and not get too fed up about it. Im kind of getting used to it now. I may have to go in and have the Epley Maneuver done by a professional, says my GP. Hmmm - at least its good to know they are taking it seriously even during the pandemic. The bouncing eyes you mentioned sound very scary. x
Yes its was the epley maneuver that they did on me and gave me an exercise sheet on how to do this at home. It took 5 weeks before my eyes stopped moving around and couldnt see down the road for years. I am sure that you will get right and get the proper care that you need. Mine happended when visiting my daughter in Tenerife and I flew home the week after which I really shouldnt have done as that messed up my ears, but wanted to be at home to recover, although I didnt realise it would take so long. Just take one day at a time and sleep as much as you can. I wish you a speedy recovery x Irene
How is it today? I’ve had this occasionally and it’s horrible, it feels like the room is tipping up and you’re going to fall. Hopefully it will pass or at least you can get to the bottom of it. 🐑
Cheers HH. Today is getting better, yesterday dreadful. Seem to have alternate days of extremity. I gather the brain thinks your upside down - or not the right way up anyway - and tries to spin you around to correct that. Not very medical I know! x
I'm so sorry you are experiencing this. 😞 How unpleasant. I don't have any experience with this but I hope your GP can sort it out for you very soon. In the mean time Please be careful and take it easy.
Hey Cas, good to hear from you. I am SO glad you dont have vertigo when you have so much else to deal with. Sending a big but gentle hug backatcha! Im loving the four leaf clover btw! :)xxx
Hi 02Trees I have had it a few times once really bad I couldn’t get out of bed. Once I started taking the tablets they gave me it made it so much better. I think the drug was called stemetil. I hope you get better soon. Xx
Im glad that worked Patsy - can you tell me, were you nauseous or vomiting? That's what the patient leaflet says it helps with but I have not felt sick at all. It sounds like you were worse than I was, at least Im up and dressed. That must have been awful. xx
Stemetil can help ease both nausea and vomiting and dizziness. You don't need to have all three of those problems for them to have an effect on the individual problems. I have had stemetil just for dizziness. Hope that helps explain and that they help you if that's what you have been prescribed xx
It is what Ive been prescribed - it was just weird that in the patient leaflet there was no mention of treating the dizziness itself, just the nausea. Too much reading of the information may not help! Anyway your experience is very helpful, thank you x
If memory serves me right it was a primary treatment for nausea years ago. I know through working as a nurse that it is a treatment for the other 2 as well but, as you say we might expect it to be listed in the patient information leaflet given that they usually cover a vast array of stuff now.
Dizziness and vertigo are two very different things. If it doesn't help do let your GP know. x
Its definitely vertigo. I feel weirdly lightheaded most of the time and avoid the vertiginous whooshes by keeping my head upright. Im in touch with my GP who is being excellent and if it doesnt clear up Im to phone to go in for the Epley Maneuver to be done by someone at the surgery. xx
It was I literally could t get out of bed without passing out. I felt nauseous all of the time and was on a high dose and slept a lot. The next time I got it wasn’t so bad. Hope you feel better soon xx
Meclizine 25 MG, is the medication my husband and son take. It usually works after one or two doses.. My nephew told us that he has an exercise that he does that gets rid of his vertigo. He lays across his bed on his back and he lets his head hand over the edge of the side and he moves this head from side to side. He says this helps him. Our son has it extemely bad when it hits, nausea, cannot hold anything down, and extreme dizziness. He goes sometimes 3 years or more without an episode. He says that he doesn't even like to think about it, scared just thinking about it will bring it on. Hope that by now you have relief. J
Good grief, shocking - Im so sorry, especially about your son. Awful to live with that fear. From my limited experience I do get how feeling that just thinking about it could bring it on. Please send my best wishes to those boys in your family!
I am a little better but I can feel it there waiting to pounce if I dont remember to control my head movements. I think the Meclizine is a drug that hasnt been mentioned here yet so Im adding it to my collection. Waiting for a call from my doctor as mine says taking it with Azithromycin, which I take, could be problematic, some other aspects too including breathlessness. But then we all know that drug companies need to cover themselves against litigation if something goes wrong so hard to know what might be a realistic risk. Im probably being a bit over-anxious. Hope you all have a good, vertigo free day x
So sorry to read that members of your family are so badly affected. It is a horrible thing to live/cope with and I can quite understand how your son feels.
I wonder if it is a familial thing with the men in your life being affected but have no idea if that can be the case.
Hi all, Im so grateful for your replies and hope none of you are currently troubled with this horrid condition.
An update - Ive just spoken to my doctor, the one im registered with rather than the one I saw on Friday - and she has said not to take the medication for the time being as Im not sick. Just to get on with my life in the hope that the brain will adjust.
So since I can walk around ok, albeit somewhat light headed, this is what I'll do and she said if this carries on to get in touch and they will do the Epley Maneuver on me.
So I'll give it a go on my own and see what happens. I saw an interesting article in the Guardian online about vertigo. It described perfectly my symptoms which some of you have mentioned, namely rolling over in bed and tipping your head back.
I asked her if having motion sickness as a child could predispose you to vertigo (I still get motion sickness, just not as bad) and she said she thought so - her daughter has bad motion sickness - but it's anecdotal, no studies have been done.
I'll give another update later on and in the meanwhile thank you all so much, my forum friends. xxx
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