Vertigo

[megsays]

I was on my way home from my friends house around 8 am on Saturday. I had to drive through an abundance of smoke from a burning forest fire. I don't know if that had anything to do with it, inhaling and choking on the smoke, but I went to work around 9. I sat down and was talking to my boss about schedules and all of the sudden I felt like I was about to simply tip over. My head became very light and I couldn't focus my eyes. I got up to walk out and I stumbled but picked up my pace pretty well. Later that day I went to my friends house and I got out of my car and began walking..when I got into the house..I was so dizzy I couldn't even walk in a straight line. I went back home and went to sleep, then woke up to use the bathroom and while walking to the bathroom, I stumbled very badly. I was unable to walk in a straight line. When i was using the restroom I thought I was going to fall over off of the toilet because it hit me again that I was very lightheaded. I then went back to bed and felt fine lying down. I got nauseated (spelling?). I then went to bed for the night and woke up and thought I was fine, but when I stepped out of bed..I immediately stumbled and once again felt like I couldn't control my movement. I don't understand this. I am thinking I should go to my doctor tomorrow. I've had past heart problems and insane allergies with ear infections, but I can't say this feels like an ear infection because I know one of those when I have it. I always have headaches and they've been pretty sever lately. It's just scaring me. Does anyone have any input? Advice? Anything??

[treep]

Did you get to the Dr.? What's the news? I've been dealing with vertigo for 3 weeks now - so I can understand how you're feeling. But I got a diagnosis after 3 days, so I don't have the worries you do. Put your mind at ease, if you haven't already, and see a doctor. Rule out the scary stuff and you'll feel better right away!

[karene]

I know how frightened you are....so am I. You may have what I have, only mine seems more severe.

All of the sudden, without warning, the rooms spins out of control and I can't keep myself from falling. I have been in the ER 3 times and required stitches. It seems to occur every 2-3 months.

I finally went to a specialist - he calls himself a "dizzy doctor"...and he diagnosed me with positional vertigo. They do a maneuver where they tilt you really fast from side to side and look thru goggles to see if your eyes are fluttering. If they are, they perform a treatment right there and send you on your way.

We have tiny calcium crystals in our ears that become dislodged, and when they do, our balance goes out of whack. We spin. I had high hopes I would be cured, but I guess I am a rare example of it not getting better.

It works for so many people, and it you haven't been to this type of neurological doctor ("octolarygologist"...SP??) try to find one. they do a lot more than an ENT does.

Good luck....I hope this helped a little.

[steel magnolias]

i have a really bad vertigo for 20 years. mine is stress related, yours sounds to me a inner ear problum
something maybe with your equel libreum. but go to the docter. my vertigo always startes in my sleep
i wake up the room is spinning i get sick to naseated right away, i throw up as long as i'm dizzy which
can last as long as 48 hours . some times the dizzyness is so bad i can't open my eyes. it started when i was 5 so i know alot about vertigo. but docters never found out what causes it. i almost died from a episod. i was 6 and had a really bad one my body temp was 94 i only remember the docters in the er saying she's dropping iwas passing in and out. so anyway try to write down what you were doing when
it happends so you can try to find out what trigers it and so your docter can make a good diagnosis.
i also have migrans and you can get vertigo from that also so see if the virtigo and headpain are related. tell your docter everything you can think of it my make a differance. try a car sick pill
to help with dizzyness and nasea. it works i use it to get mine under control. good luck it will be ok!

[karene]

You might ask a specialist (octolarynologist ??) about loose calcium crystals in your inner ear. They can do a treatment in their office....tipping you all over the place which resets the crystals. For me, that is good for a few months, but other people say they never have any more problems.

A lot of the dizziness (not spinning) can be helped with, of all things, neck therapy. My dizziness has really let up with that. But it doesn't help the spinning.

I know others who take an antivert every day to hlp the dizziness.

I am going to look into acupuncture next.

Stay well.....I hope I've somehow helped.

[JocelynH]

I have suffered from vertigo for the last year almost to the day. I am 34 years old and feel like my life will never be the same. I feel that there is so little support and understanding within the medical community. When I was diagnosed the doctor said "Oh you have vertigo" as if it wasn't a big deal, but as I am sure each of you know it effects your entire life. My GP says that I have fluid in my ear, but no ear infections. My vertigo has different triggers it seems, at times I am sensative to light, noise and movement (driving my car). I have noticed that always wearing my shades while driving helps lesson the symptoms. Also while working I now use lamps instead direct ceiling light, this seems to help when I am working at my computer. I was prescribed meclizen for my symptoms, but because of the side effect i don't take it. I would suggest taking pepto bismal tabs they help to settle the stomach without the side effect. I know that I am rambling but I have so many thoughts that I could talk about this all day. I hope that you don't feel alone in your fight agains the terrible unknown VERTIGO!. I would love for anyone to respond to my post if your experience with vertigo is similar to mine at all. Thanks

[steel magnolias]

hi wondering have you ever had a migraine? you can get vertigo from a migraine. it will start before
and after it happens.it can cause sensitivity to light,sound, visual ( vertigo) and even smell. i have
migraines, and vertigo but i don't have the vertigo with the migraine. but i think it may be related
because stress triggers both. how often do you have the vertigo? how bad is it? mine is crippleing.
i have had mine for 20 years. started when i was 5 i'm now 25. docters do not now how bad it makes
your life. i get mine while i sleep, and wake up with it and it can be non stop for days. also maybe
try a motion sickness pill. that helps me.docters have never helped me , i been on my own for 20
years. i feel your pain. please write back about my Q's and maybe i can help more with how to deal
with the vertigo i know every trick in the book 20 years of it will do that. to: jocelynH

[JocelynH]

Yes I do have migraines...I had migraines long before the vertigo, but I surely see a connection. My very first experience with vertigo was May 07 it was horriable. I was unable to work for many days and or drive. I have not been able to identify a pattern to my vertigo it comes and goes at will. I am planning to attend a seminar next week which will be lead by a physical therapist that specializes in exercises to decrease ones vertigo symptoms. I am hopeful to find some techniques that will help me and I will be happy to share with this forum.

[steel magnolias]

hope every thing works out .. good luck!

[RavenS]

I don't know if my advice will help, but here is my experience in a nutshell -
I'm 46, have had vertigo off and on for about 20 years. Fortunately, an episode only lasts a week, and I haven't had it at all for a few years...until this week. During a weeklong episode, I feel constant dizziness any time I move my head, which doesn't make for a productive or nice day. I am somewhat high-funtioning though when I have it because I have no vomitting etc., probably because I don't get motion sickness from car rides, amusment rides etc. I've seen family practice doctors, ENT's, audiologists, gynocologists etc. etc. to no avail. By the way, gynocologists do not want to hear about anything related to your head, and ENT's do not want to hear about female problems, so in my case there was a disconnect. Here is what I have discovered on my own about my experience with vertigo: the first time I got it, I was pregnant with my first child in the spring, then I got it after he was born in the fall. I periodically got it after that in the fall or spring so I attributed it intially only to allergies because ONE time I took Tavist-D and the vertigo went away...the next time, and multiple times after that, allergy medicines did not work. Doctors also prescribed diazide and meclyzine, which did not work. After really montoring it, I figured out that every time I have gotten vertigo, I was either pregnant, had recently given birth, or it was about 3 or 4 days before I got my period. So I have attributed mine to EDEMA (water retention). Self-diagnosis: At times I have excess fluid in my inner ear(and everywhere else). Usually there is something else going on along with PMS, such as allergies in the spring or fall. This last episode occurred like this - 1) I flew in an airplane 2) I went to a place where I had mild allergies 3) got vertigo the day after I came home 4) got my period 4 days later. After trying NUMEROUS over-the-counter medications this week, I finally took 2 doses of good old Midol on the third day. It isn't completely gone, but it is much better because Midol helps with the water retention. The vertigo will be completely gone in a day or so. What I KNOW NOW that I MUST do is the following: get more, regular exercise to combat water retention, drink a lot of water to flush the system and combat water retention(especially when flying), have a good diet and take vitamin supplements especially when I am going to get my period. Pretty simple, and no doctor bill.