BPPV advice

[Coast40]

I have Graves disease (under control) but don't think BPPV is hopefully linked, I am looking from advice from the community on after effects of BPPV. I only had one episode, after turning to my right suddenly in bed one morning but it took a few hours to settle (staying on my left side) before I turn my head again without the room spinning! The Doc suggested Brandt-Daroff exercise but I decided as I didn't have another attack of vertigo to see how I went, 10 days later I still feel very strange, balance is fine and no dizziness but I really have to try and focus as I feel spaced out - I have read it can take 2 weeks for your crystals to settle... I can't find anything about how you feel after BPPV - just want to feel normal again! I did also get my ears checked out as the right one felt weird full but all ok! I tend to feel worse in the morning and gets slightly better through the day! I recently took up Zumba and read their is a link between vertigo and high impact aerobics! Any advice for fellow sufferers would be most helpful! Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Suggest you test B12, folate, ferritin and vitamin D if not been tested for some time

Last post suggested your carbimazole was too high and perhaps hypothyroid

Low vitamins are common with Hashimoto's or Graves

[Coast40 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon, I am due a blood test tomorrow so will ask for those too. Most recent Blood test in Sept showed T4 - 18 and TSH was around 3

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Coast40]

Most important result is FT3.....rarely tested on NHS

Low vitamin levels are common if TSH is too high and FT3 too low. Poor conversion of FT4 to FT3 when vitamins are low

Optimal vitamin levels are

Vitamin D at least around 80nmol and around 100nmol may be better

B12 and folate near top of range

Ferritin at least half way in range

Testing cholesterol can be informative too. High cholesterol is linked to being hypothyroid

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

I had a few episodes of BPPV a couple of years ago. Doctor told me about the Epley manoeuvre but didn't offer to do it. I looked it up on YouTube, did it myself once a day for 3 days running. On the third day it must have dislodged the crystals, the room spun madly for a few seconds but after that it was fine. I have had no after effects or long lasting effects and not had another episode. I don't believe it's connected to thyroid disease, certainly not in my case (underactive).

[Coast40 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks SeasideSusie Really good to know!

[pennyannie]

Hello Coast

I too have Graves Disease and having just read your back posts would just simply like to suggest that if you haven't heard of the Elaine Moore Graves Disease Foundation in the States, it is certainly worth dipping into.

This lady has the disease and went through radioactive iodine treatment in the late 1990's.

She found no help with her health issues so wrote a book to help others who might be in a similar situation to herself, and now runs a very active, well researched website covering all aspects of this auto immune condition.

There are sections covering diet and life style, holistic and alternative treatment options, work/ life balance and stress management techniques.

There is also an open forum, much like this amazing site where you can ask the community and find answers from fellow sufferers and sometimes from Elaine herself.

You are much better placed than I was back in 2003/5 and fully recommend you learn all you can, take some control of your own treatment options and become your own best advocate in what has been described as a poorly understood and badly managed auto immune disease.

[Coast40 in reply to pennyannie]

Thanks Pennyannie, I will take a look x