Vertigo relief recommendations.

Tell that to my ears!!

I experienced vertigo for a few years, with no clue of why it even came about, other than that at first it was connected to having felt "unwell" for a few days before happening. And it always became evident upon awakening...could not even turn over in bed without feeling as if I were in the Coney Island Fun House, with t's tilted doors and strange mirrors. Intense waves of overpowering nausea along with the bedroom spinning faster and faster, strange sensations all over my body (externally and internally). Impossible to even get out of bed, so I'd have to remain perfectly still, not moving at all, breathing shallowly. Except that my bladder told me otherwise, and upon crawling to the bathroom, the wave of nausea would overcome the need to micturate. I clearly recall kneeling in front of the bowl, forceful and painful stomach spasms ejecting whatever was within my stomach, until I was retching yellow bile and then nothing at all, my temples pounding with pain, totally exhausted...how scary was THAT!! It would take both my husband and our adult son to get me down the two flights of stairs to the garage and into the car for the short ride to my primary doctor's office. Each time, I'd lose up to 5 pounds and be badly dehydrated, requiring a hook-up to an IV. And did I mention the crushing headache that wrapped my entire cranium and made me think that my brain would implode? Not one doctor was able to determine the WHY f it all, and thankfully over time the vertigo ceased. But I sometimes would get sensations of having a room start moving, and the floor under my feet tilt, a feeling of disequilibrium overtake me and not being able to focus my eyes. There were there accompanying sensations, but that's what I put up with for over 16 years, with NO ONE being able to determine the etiology of what I experienced. The vertigo as I knew it has pretty much disappeared but I still get a sense of not quite "feeling right" within my "space." But thankfully NO FULL BLOWN vertigo as I used to experience.

What I can offer from my experiences: Learn to interpret what your body is trying to signal to you. Don't ignore the sensations, the change in taste or smell, and the internal and external sensations. I learned to STAY HOME where I'd be safer than taking a chance of having the vertigo come to a peak while at school (I was teaching those those years). And I confided in the school nurse, "just in case"....and a couple of times the disequilibrium did emerge, so I lay down in the "private room" in the her office while substitute teachers took over my classes. A colleague drove me home while another drove my car and then they both returned to the school in the colleague's vehicle. My point: plan for yourself what to do in the event of a vertigo episode. The vertigo will win, you can not "control it." I did not find a magic pill for eliminating it. Keep a diary, noting details that you can share with your doctor(s). I kept in the pantry at least one can of chicken broth and another of Mrs. Goodman's noodle soup because I needed soothing comfort, and the rawness from vomiting wouldn't tolerate anything else. Crackers and non-caffeinated tea were stocked in our pantry also, along with my favorite ginger ale. Self-care is not a luxury.

Not everyone experiences vertigo to the degree that I have in the past, and I truly hope that your episodes will tone down (and perhaps dissipate and disappear!).

Best of luck.🌺

I had severe vertigo for 3 years and it was awful. I have labyrinth disease not postural and my PC sent me to Dr. Atkins who is a neuro ear doc. I was told to lay on a table and wear these weird glasses so they could cause the vertigo. My tech called the doc in as my pupils were spinning!! It was the worst case he had ever seen. He tried all sorts of medicines but none worked. Then he said to take meclizine and then stare at a plain wall. I keep it with me and in every room of my house as I have to take it if I feel it coming on. It works for me. Meclizine is the same as Dramamine but doesn't have all the additives in it. You can get it on Amazon. I bought it last year and 3 (100) bottles were $12. Hope this helps.

There is physical therapy that helps I have this problem from time to time They should have an exercise to help It helps me

@jmb73 the test you describe (laying on a table with goggles) is for BPPV which is postural. The eye movements are nystagmus. This means the crystals in your ears got dislodged. There are exercises for this that a PT can teach you and then you can do at home. The Epley maneuver and others are online if you are curious but have a professional teach you first.

Not sure why your doc gave you meclizine or other medicines. Maybe you have more than one cause for vertigo. Labyrinthitis or vestibular neuritis but most people then don't have the nystagmus in that test.

@esther10 I just wanted to say welcome to Connect. I have also experienced vertigo, but not because of crystals in my inner ear. It was caused by spontaneous rotation of C1 & C2 from muscle spasms which stretched the vertebral arteries inside them, then I looked upward at birds and kinked the arteries causing instant vertigo. The resolution was working with my physical therapist to counteract the spasms and realign the vertebrae.

Jennifer

Mayo gave me a series of brain habituation exercises to do twice a day, which I have been doing faithfully since October. The vertigo seems to be a bit better. When I look up, it is bad! They said it would take 6 months to notice any change and to be patient and persistent.

@jenniferhunter I have had horrible symptoms whenever I look up, for years. Obviously the source is of the neck but I have never known if it relates to spinal cord being pressed, or blood vessels. How did your PT counteract the spasms and align the vertebrae?

I have a note from my neuro saying my head cannot go back (neck extension) which surgeons complied with during surgery. My neuro says that something like having my hair washed at a hairdresser's would have a "dire" result.

It is possible to have several kinds of vertigo- I do- and address them one by one separately!

ps Tai chi helped my neck for years but COVID interfered. Taking it up again.

I have labyrinthitis and the meclizine works . I have to take it as soon as I feel the vertigo coming on and I then stare at a plain solid wall until the meclizine starts to work. It stops the nausea as well as the vertigo. My neuro ear doc said the surgery would be too dangerous.

I am puzzled by your nystagmus when getting tested for BPPV. Do you have both?

When I have my most severe vertigo (not BPPV, which I sometimes also have) staring at a blank wall doesn't help and I have continuous vomiting.