sudden dizziness feeling drhnky

[WonderingWanda]

I have just pop your for a short dog walk and having been absolutely fine all morning I had a sudden severe dizzy spell.

I really could not walk straight. It was as if I was drunk. Tv tying to focus on something to keep meandering to a minimum as I must have looked like I was staggering. If I close my eyes the room is spinning. I have had mild floaty and dizzy feelings before and I know I have some vestibular involvement in my head injury but this is next level. I nearly fell over and struggled to walk back.

could it be a vestibular migraine!? I have been getting visual prodromes more frequently.

is this just a blip in the occulovestibular system ?

has anyone had anything similar? I am a bit worried as I have been doing so well.

[cat3]

What you describe is something which blighted my life for years until I was taught the 'Brandt Daroff' manoeuvre at an ENT clinic.

I remember being stranded on the M6, 40miles from home, when I was too dizzy to drive back from a work assignment. And I was caught out many times when out on foot.

Mine was BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) and the slightest head movement could trigger it. I was prescribed Prochlorperazine (Stemetil) which helped massively. You could ask your GP if it's suitable for you, and to refer you to ENT for assessment.

It's a scary and disorientating issue but can be overcome with the right diagnosis & treatment.

Good luck in getting help m'love... Cat. x

[Painting-girl]

Hello Wanda, it sounds like BPPV (vertigo) to me too. I had episodes of it before I had the TBI. The room spinning is a clue. Mine tends to come back when I have a cold. The original episode was longer, and I went to the GP who said that episodes can clear up on their own, if not, to consider drugs. Mine usually clear up on their own fairly quickly. Funnily enough I've got it at the moment, but I do have a mild cold. But do check it out with your GP.

[Hidden]

Hi WonderingWanda.

Certainly sounds like BPPV which many people suffer with even when they have not had a head injury. I suffer from it occasionally, and my partner who had a sever TBI also gets it occasionally after her original bout of it after her injury. Her BPPV was terrible.

Call your GP and they should prescribe you (usually) Prochlorperazine which helps with dizzyness and nausea or one of a couple of other meds which can help. This isn't a long term solution however as you are not supposed to take Prochlorperazine (or other meds) for long periods. It's also good to always have some meds available which you can take should you get a return bout in the future after you have been treated.

BPPV will usually resolve itself but it can take several weeks, sometimes a couple of months. If it is very debilitating or lasts longer you should get a referal to ENT who will run some tests to give you a proper diagnosis (likely send you for a specialist eye test for eye problems which can cause BPPV symptoms) and then usually you will receive the Epley Maneuvre from a specialist after diagnosis which should help greatly.

You can do the Epley Maneuvre yourself at home, but I would advise you have a specialist do it first. A very simple maneuver, but this in itself can be daunting because of the dizzyness, so better to be with someone who knows what they are doing the first time.

BPPV can be very scary, especially if you are out walking and it comes on suddenly. I would advise you to call your GP straight away, or if you have private insurance call them as it will be much faster to get help than the NHS.

Good luck.