Vertigo!

Posted by bobstokes11 @bobstokes11, Aug 13 6:51am

I have had it for a few months. Only when lying down. Never when upright.
I have tried the PT exercise ( lie down slowly on left side; then right; then on side)) many times but no success.
Any ideas?

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Physical therapy is very effective! I have found for me that vertigo comes and goes. There may be six years between extended episodes, but I get a prescription from my primary care doctor for vertigo PT and it works like a miracle! Don’t miss that opportunity.

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@ladystarcat

I agree w/Miriam as i’ve only had Vertigo once in my life & it lasted for 2/weeks - if u google it u’ll discover it is caused by some calcium crystals that get loose from where they’re supposed to be & once this happens u get vertigo which is the weirdest feeling in the world for those that have never experienced it - it feels like u’ve just became instantly drunk from having drank too much alcohol - the only thing that made my episode go away was the Eply maneuver done by my PT therapist or maybe a chiropractor could do it too, however, my PT therapist walked me thru the exact steps on how to do Eply and i was able to do it myself during the 2-weeks i had it and just an fyi ur skipping a step of the Eply maneuver bc there is a step of u having to do something else w/ur head more than what u said u’ve already tried - once ur calcium crystals have been put back in place where they belong then ur Vertigo will stop unless they come loose again in the future - my vertigo i experienced 3-yrs ago has never come back thank goodness - so best of luck to u.

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I have labyrinth disease which causes dizziness and vertigo. The vertigo was non stop for 2 years. Mine can't be cured by adjusting the crystals. I wish it could be.
I was put on a drug that mountain climbers use and that seemed to help and now I am on meclazine. I did go to a PT person who specializes in vertigo and dizzyness as I had really bad fall and concussion. It has helped. She stresses that you have to look at a blank wall- stare at it- when you feel it coming. That has really helped me. I hope this helps you

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@jmb73

I have labyrinth disease which causes dizziness and vertigo. The vertigo was non stop for 2 years. Mine can't be cured by adjusting the crystals. I wish it could be.
I was put on a drug that mountain climbers use and that seemed to help and now I am on meclazine. I did go to a PT person who specializes in vertigo and dizzyness as I had really bad fall and concussion. It has helped. She stresses that you have to look at a blank wall- stare at it- when you feel it coming. That has really helped me. I hope this helps you

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I’m so very sorry to hear about ur diagnosis - I actually have never heard of LabyrinthDisease and to have suffered for 2-yrs before any relief is unimaginable - i wish there was a cure for u - i’m sad😔

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I had vertigo in 2012 for the first time. I was home alone and had no idea what was happening. I was in bed and opened my eyes and the room was spinning. So I closed my eyes. I asked myself “what is happening, why is the room spinning?”. I had no control of the situation. My first thought was fear because I was alone with no help. But I did not panic, I came close. My eyes were closed and I tried a little peek and everything was normal. So I lifted my head and it all started again. I quickly closed my eyes and laid my head down. I thought about options but I didn’t have any, I reached my handy cellphone and called 911.
They asked me if I could make it to the door and I said yes. I grabbed whatever I could to cover my body while laying down. Found my slippers and slithered to the door on my stomach (thank God for my old military training). The ambulance came and took me to the hospital. As I was being rolled down the hallway a doctor came alongside me and told me I had vertigo. The doctor said it was no big thing his wife had it and he would have me out in a few minutes. And he did. When the doctor returned he told me vertigo was very common, his wife has had it for years and this is what to do. He gave me this simple exercise: close your eyes and put your chin on your chest. Very slowly, with chin still down, begin to rotate your head to look over your shoulder. Moving slowly, chin still down, continue rotating your head as you are looking over your shoulder and moving your head slowly upward, now your eyes are looking up and your chin is pointing upward (as though you’re trying look over the top of your head), your head is still rotating as you stretch your eyes to look over the opposite shoulder, and then beginning to tuck your chin into your shoulder and bringing it back to the starting position.
Now, all this was new and very challenging at first. It took me a while to learn and continue this exercise but now I start my day with it.
Sorry for the long narrative but that’s my “two cents worth “.
Blessings to you all .

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I too have vertigo from crystals moving out of their channel.
In the beginning could not walk anything with curve or where curve actually marked on a track. Increasingly disabled and finally could not walk across a brightly lit room.
The PT working with me re me to another PT with knowledge of vestibular. That very day, she worked with my head, neck moving and manipulating until crystals went back into their channel. Many follow up visits occurred then I was good again until recently when 1 earl affected.

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So sorry it is horrible to have vertigo why not see your ENT maybe you do not have an inner ear issue and that way rule it out.

Re the exercises: they can help if you have BPPV. perhaps you can see an audiologist and try a different exercise, or maybe the one you did did not help or your performing it incorrectly. Check youtube there are many of them that show technique.

good luck!

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@captboat

I had vertigo in 2012 for the first time. I was home alone and had no idea what was happening. I was in bed and opened my eyes and the room was spinning. So I closed my eyes. I asked myself “what is happening, why is the room spinning?”. I had no control of the situation. My first thought was fear because I was alone with no help. But I did not panic, I came close. My eyes were closed and I tried a little peek and everything was normal. So I lifted my head and it all started again. I quickly closed my eyes and laid my head down. I thought about options but I didn’t have any, I reached my handy cellphone and called 911.
They asked me if I could make it to the door and I said yes. I grabbed whatever I could to cover my body while laying down. Found my slippers and slithered to the door on my stomach (thank God for my old military training). The ambulance came and took me to the hospital. As I was being rolled down the hallway a doctor came alongside me and told me I had vertigo. The doctor said it was no big thing his wife had it and he would have me out in a few minutes. And he did. When the doctor returned he told me vertigo was very common, his wife has had it for years and this is what to do. He gave me this simple exercise: close your eyes and put your chin on your chest. Very slowly, with chin still down, begin to rotate your head to look over your shoulder. Moving slowly, chin still down, continue rotating your head as you are looking over your shoulder and moving your head slowly upward, now your eyes are looking up and your chin is pointing upward (as though you’re trying look over the top of your head), your head is still rotating as you stretch your eyes to look over the opposite shoulder, and then beginning to tuck your chin into your shoulder and bringing it back to the starting position.
Now, all this was new and very challenging at first. It took me a while to learn and continue this exercise but now I start my day with it.
Sorry for the long narrative but that’s my “two cents worth “.
Blessings to you all .

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Thank you for sharing. That sounded very similar to what happened to me. I figured I had slept too well and needed to wake up more and when i tried to stand, kept falling down several times luckily in the grass in my yard, and nothing broken. i too ended up in urgent care and was saw my ENT later who said what your care providers told me the same it was treatable with exercises which also worked for me after a few days similiar to what you did.
It is very scary I still have some dizziness but i also think i have a allergy and sinus infection that hopefully will go away soon as soon as weather changes again and things settle down. thanks again for sharing your story.

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@gpappa

Thank you for sharing. That sounded very similar to what happened to me. I figured I had slept too well and needed to wake up more and when i tried to stand, kept falling down several times luckily in the grass in my yard, and nothing broken. i too ended up in urgent care and was saw my ENT later who said what your care providers told me the same it was treatable with exercises which also worked for me after a few days similiar to what you did.
It is very scary I still have some dizziness but i also think i have a allergy and sinus infection that hopefully will go away soon as soon as weather changes again and things settle down. thanks again for sharing your story.

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God bless you @gpappa. I am grandfather to four girls and one boy.

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Thank you, @pht1123. I have Meniere's and did not know about OTC meds for sudden vertigo attacks. I will purchase dramamine. I also did not know drinking water is helpful. I will add this to my routine to try to prevent attacks. My ENT prescribed a diuretic (very helpful) and suggested reduced sodium consumption (no more than 1,000 mg - 1,500 mg per day), reduced caffeine consumption(if one drinks caffeine-which I do) reduced alcohol consumption (if one drinks alcohol- which I don't) and activities to reduce stress. I have found the diuretic and his suggestions helpful in preventing attacks. I can often trace attacks to times when I am extremely stressed. At these times I tend to eat salty foods and increase caffeine consumption. I have stopped drinking coffee, but still drink caffeinated teas.

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PT for vertigo is a lifesaver. It works.

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