[gnatmarie]

I had my first vertigo attack about a year ago. I had my head down for about 10 minutes while I was painting my toe nails in the bathroom. I got up, got something in my room, walked back into the bathroom and all of a sudden my hearing faded in both ears and my vision started to cloud. I went out into the hall and I felt very thirsty but couldn't make it to my room to get water because of how dizzy I was. My mom came to my side and told me I was pale and clammy. I broke out in a sweat and asked for some water. As she got me some juice I felt this lightning bolt type of feeling go straight down my arms and into my hands. My mom brought me some juice and about a minute later my hearing came back and I was ok again. I had no idea what had happened to me and neither did my mom so we dismissed it as possible dehydration or a rush of blood to my head after having my head down for so long.

Fast forward about 3 or 4 months later. I was walking to a snack machine at about 10:30am. I had my head down while I was walking and when I looked back up I had another vertigo attack. My hearing faded, the world was spinning in my vision, I could barely stand up, I felt thirsty, I lost my color, I got clammy, I broke out in a sweat and I needed to throw up. It only lasted 4 minutes again so I managed to not throw up. After that vertigo attack I was never the same. I've been struggling with being off balance for months and months. I've also been struggling with headaches that I never had before these attacks.

I thought I was doing fairly ok finally and then while I was sleeping at 4am last Monday I noticed I was dizzy as I tossed in bed. I woke myself, sat up in bed and everything was spinning in my vision. I rushed to the bathroom as I felt like I needed to throw up. Everything happened the same the only difference is that this attack lasted 3 hours and I couldn't go to work that day. Here it is a week later and my head is bothering me again and I feel completely off balance to the point where I just want to lie in bed all day or at least be sitting.

Earlier in the year when I had insurance I had 2 CT scans done on my head and nothing showed up. The only abnormal thing was a polyp in my sphenoid sinus that the ENT said shouldn't be an issue. I had blood tests done and everything came back normal (well except for my bad cholesterol count, it was borderline high). I had a hearing test and everything came back normal. I plan on going to a Chiropractic Neurologist when I get insurance again in 3 months.

I'd just like to know if anyone else has experienced going pale, getting clammy and breaking out in a sweat within the first minute of their vertigo attacks? I never really hear people talk of experiencing those symptoms. Tell me it's normal....also does it sound like I could possibly have BPPV?

[Elbow Macaroni]

My heart races and pounds, but I don't get sweaty or clammy. It will be interesting to read other people's responses.

[Jerzygrl]

Yes I get hot flashes when my vertago acts up, and I Lose balance. I can't focus right These are just some of my symptoms and i feel sick. My sister has it also and she gets hot flashes when it acts up also. Not a fun thing to have. I have suffered with Vertage for 20 yrs now.

[flyinfish1]

I too was positively diagnosed with BPPV. I just woke up one morning with it. The episodes were quite intense. In between episodes, I had some continual symptoms that would never go away. I had it for over 6 months until I went to a vestibular rehab clinic. After one visit, almost all of the symptoms were gone. It certainly worked for me.

If you do get a positive diagnosis of BPPV, ask your doctor for a referral to a vestibular rehab doctor / clinic.

[angie777]

omg you are describing me, it just hit me one day about a couple of months ago, and it happens when i bend over, move my head to the right while lying down, bending over. i just have the severe dizziness with the bolt of lightning going from my head down my arms, chest to my gut and i have to clench my whole body to get any relief. it happens in seconds, but feels like forever. it also happens when speeding up or slowing down in acar. i am glad to find someone who has the same thing i do.