Vertigo

[phebamom]

Has any one else had an attack of Vertigo? I had one 3 days ago and still reeling from it. I get my Actemra infusion next week and am hoping it will not interfere with getting treatment. My hubby did the Epley maneuver, and it enabled me to get out of bed. Still lightheaded with no appetite and hard to focus. How long does it takes to get over an attack of Vertigo?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Depends on the cause - with the Epley manoevre the relief is often quite quick unless the crystals settle in the wrong place again, The success rate with the first time is between about 50 and 80%, some are fine quickly, others the effects of the vertigo will last for a few weeks.

Not very helpful I know - sorry!

When was the last dose? Dizziness can be a side effect soon after the jab but it sounds as if you are on monthly infusions so it shouldn't be that.

[phebamom in reply to PMRpro]

I get a monthly infusion. The Epley maneuver did help. I could not move my head or get out of bed before he did it. He knew how to do it because he has been to the ENT several times for an attack. I just feel ill sorted, lightheaded with trouble focusing. Being housebound does not help. We are in the midst of a heat wave and I am housebound because of it.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to phebamom]

About to be toasty here - by our standards in June at least, Saturday is to be 35C/90F they say, hotter in the lower valleys. But I imagine you are hotter and more humid?

Have you checked in with your doctor? Just in case there is something else too?

[phebamom in reply to PMRpro]

Phone call in to doctor. Waiting for call back. Since I am up and about am hoping they tell me it will just take time to get back to normal, whatever normal is with PMR/GCA. Only those who have it understand it.

[phebamom in reply to PMRpro]

By the way, that Epley maneuver is just ghastly. My hubby said I had the classic eye ball rolling thing on my left side, and the maneuver made me want to throw up, but it worked.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to phebamom]

Just said to piglette - it often makes the subject vomit and that's why doctors often claim no knowledge!

[piglette]

I am very impressed your husband can do the Epley maneuver. A lot of doctors do not have an idea. My brother went for ages with giddiness. He mentioned it to me and I had just seen something in TV about it. So he got it done and has never looked back.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Often makes the subject vomit - that's why doctors claim not to know how ...

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

I did wonder if that was the case. Pretty poor excuse if you are a doctor though, as it does not take very long and the relief is great for people.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Yes - but they might have to clear up a mess and the smell hangs around ...

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

I did think that too, but then I thought they would not clear it up, they would get a minion in to do a deep clean. I assume they have people urinating in the surgery every so often and probably throwing up too. Perhaps it is OK if it is a surprise!

[phebamom in reply to PMRpro]

I have a surgery for reflux called a Nissen Fundoplication. A side-effect of the surgery is the inability to vomit. Actual hard vomiting can damage the Nissen, although mine is 20 years old so I kind of doubt that would happens. Still, I can't vomit.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to phebamom]

My SIL has had one too.

[phebamom in reply to piglette]

Hubby has had few bouts of it. he is a hard worker and goes all day long. The Vertigo put him straight to bed. He has been treated a few times over the years. It is amazing how something so small can so totally screw us up.

[Floridafan]

I have vertigo (BPPV - Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo). I’ve had it for over 20 years, long before I started with PMR. The first time was the worst, I was getting out of bed and I got stuck half way up, couldn’t lie down or sit up as any slight movement sent me spinning uncontrollably and a feeling of sickness the like of which I’d never felt before. I had to stay propped up until it subsided and it took a few months to slowly go altogether Since then it’s never been that bad again. Mine is caused by looking up for too long, so no more painting ceilings anymore! When it does happen the dizziness that follows comes when either I lie down or get up out of bed so I tend to get into and out of bed slowly. Also happens when I turn over in bed. It takes a few minutes to settle each time but can continue to do this for a few weeks or even months but not continuously. It’s certainly not as bad as the first time and I can go months without it happening. It usually lasts a few weeks or even months but it doesn’t disrupt my life. Hope you manage to sort yours out soon 🤞

[Knip]

I get this from time to time, and it's quite frightening initially when you feel yourself keeling over, however, it usually goes after a few days. The first attack a few years ago now, was the worst. I have sometimes wondered if it's a virus that causes it, because it seems to be quite common and not restricted to those who have other health problems. Ah well, I'm counting my blessings that it doesn't last long, as it does for some others. Take care, and I really hope that you fell much better soon. Kx

[discoballs]

I had vertigo for a while and my GP diagnosed BPV. I have some pills which really help they are called Buccastem. Be well d

[USAGCA]

Vertigo could be related to GCA. It can be chronic, as it was in my case. For me there were a few horrible episodes followed by low grade vertigo which completely went away when I went into remission.

[Bonstefi]

I’m in the midst of a vertigo episode. I was tapered off of prednisone a few months ago. I caught a virus at school and wound up in the hospital due to asthma and pumped full of prednisone to get my asthma under control. Went off of pred a week later and then soon after the vertigo started. My ENT did the maneuver twice 3 weeks apart and prescribed Mecclizine, which helped somewhat but still having bouts. Still feeling very weak and off balance.

[phebamom in reply to Bonstefi]

I am feeling much better, still have a numb feeling on left side of face, so I think the relation to GCA is possible. Your symptoms sounds like my husband when he gets it. Hang in there. It does get better. He also takes the same medicine you are on.

[Artnmusiclover]

I've saved your post Phebamom as I too suffer from intermittent attacks of vertigo...it can last for 2 or 3 days and return when it decides. Someone told me it could be crystals in my ears and there are specific exercises you can do to help. I'm seeing rheumy on Monday so I'll see what she has to say. Hope you get it sorted...it's horrible!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Artnmusiclover]

That's the Epley manouevre mentioned earlier in the thread

[phebamom in reply to Artnmusiclover]

If you can envision a teeny weeny tuba inside of your head, one on each side, deep in your ear. Now imagine in the middle of the tubes of the tuba is a teeny tiny ball. that ball is nestled in the tube in the center and completely controls balance. We can not walk or function without it in the proper place. Every so often, for reasons only the dark gods of illness know, that ball decides to go on "walkabout". The Epley maneuver consists of placing your head in different positions to try to roll that tiny ball back where it belongs, kind of like the old child's toy that tries to get the ball in the tiny place. When the head is tilted in a certain position your eyes will go totally haywire and bounce all over. that is a defining symptom of true vertigo. Our grandkids next door just had a baby. During pregnancy the mom suffered some vertigo. Her doctors told her that the tiny bead in the tuba is composed of calcium. So, that is also a possibility. I wish science would learn more about it. The condition is dreadful.

[Artnmusiclover]

Thanks for the brilliant analogy...I haven't heard of the Epley manoeuvre but I'm now going to see if it gets a mention on Monday at my appointment...I sometimes feel like my eyes roll if I turn in bed or look up ...horrible!

[orangemax]

Hi, phebamom. I've been dealing with bouts of vertigo for probably around 7 or 8 years. It would come around for a day, a week, a month and then go away for a while. Sometime it would go away for quite awhile. I was told to take Bonine (meclazine) - it's motion sickness pills. They do help quite a bit. The epley maneuver doesn't seem to help me much. Oddly, I was diagnosed with PMR in Sept 2021, and the day I got the diagnosis, I started a bout of vertigo. And it hasn't gone away since. But I don't experience it all the time. Just at odd times, if I look up, or lie down quickly, or something like that. It has never lasted as long as it is currently is, so I'm attributing that to the PMR. But I really don't understand the connection.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to orangemax]

I'd be inclined to wonder if your PMR is actually associated with some inflammation in the large vessels, the arteries in the chest and neck. That can affect the blood flow to the ear but it if it is only mildly compromised you may not get severe symptoms.

[orangemax in reply to PMRpro]

Your reply came as a surprise. I'm not sure I want to thank you for it, tho!😥 Is this something I need to pursue?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to orangemax]

Are you under a rheumy? They may be aware of the involvement of ears in GCA/LVV. Thatis the connection - your ears are heavily involved in balance and can contribute to vertigo.

[orangemax in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, I have a brand new rheumy. Have only seen her once. Won't see her again until Aug 15. Do I wait until then or ask for an earlier appointment? (Good luck!) Funny I was reading something on the site last night (from Snazzy?) and it caught my attention in re LVV. So it was kind of a shock to see your post today.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to orangemax]

We do tend to sing from the same hymnsheet

I somehow doubt you will get an earlier appointment - much more likely they might want to delay it!!! You could try - or maybe speak to the GP and ask them to ask the rheumy for advice.

[orangemax in reply to PMRpro]

I'm in the US, but our situation isn't a whole lot better than yours sometimes. I'll see what happens when I contact the rheumy, and if it doesn't go well, I'll talk to my gp. I really do want to thank you for your input. I'll let you know what I find out.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to orangemax]

Have a try then. And this is a link to a post about the work done in the UK about the involvement of the ears in GCA:

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk....

It was published shortly before Covid - probably not widely known yet

[orangemax in reply to PMRpro]

Wow! Very interesting! I've printed off a couple of copies and will try to get the docs to read it. Wish me luck!

[phebamom]

I am much better now. The one thing in my life that I did different was to try to switch from my daily prevacid for my stomach to carafate. The carafate was a disaster and it was after taking carafate I had the vertigo attack. I looked it up on the internet and vertigo is a common side-effect of carafate. What a nasty drug. They say the word vertigo like it is just a small word, but wow, an attack of vertigo is serious business.

[orangemax in reply to phebamom]

I'm glad you're doing better, phebamom. And that you've figured out your problem. You're right. Vertigo is no picnic in the park!! It can be awful!! Good luck on your journey.