DIZZINESS

Posted by STEVE L @stevel, Oct 25, 2012

I HAVE WHAT DOCTORS CALL VERTIGO, IVE HAD ALOT OF TEST RUN. ALL THE DOCTORS WANT TO DO IS SUBCRIBE MEDS, WELL IM GOING BROKE BUYING MEDS NONE IVE TRYED WORKS. THEY SAY IT SOULD STRIGHTEN IT SELF OUTBUT I NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK. IVE BEEN OUT OF WORK NOW FOR 8 WEEKS AND I CANT TRUST MY SELF TO DRIVE, THE DIZZINESS STARTS WHEN I GET UP IN THE MORNINGS AND LAST ALL DAY AND WHEN I LAY DOWN TILL I FALL TO SLEEP. I CANT FOCUS EVERY THING I DO SEEMS TO BE A STRUGLE. SORRY FOR MISS SPELT WORDS MY MIND IS JUST NOT WORKING RIGHT NOW. ANY SUGESTIONS.

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annaclara | @annaclara | May 15 4:35pm

Just trying t I find some help for bppv

Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | May 15 6:33pm

In reply to @annaclara "Just trying t I find some help for bppv" + (show)

@annaclara You might like to look at this recent discussion about Benign Positional Paroxysmal Vertigo:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/vertigo-287879/
It is pretty recent, and if you just "Reply" to a post that interests you, you can get some support.

stepharnettms | @stepharnettms | May 21 8:17am

Similar challenges. The ENT I was referred to finally explained it was NOT vertigo, but they're not sure what it is. Still in testing phase - week eight for me. I wish you the best!!

kaybast | @kaybast | May 22 10:17am

I had vertigo many years ago . The Dr ruled out a possible brain tumor with a scan…..after eliminating other things he said I think there is a possibility of build up of fluid in the inner ear so I’m going to put you on diuretics.
Lo and behold it worked . The diuretics drained the fluid from my inner ear and the vertigo stopped.
Good luck to you because I know that’s not a very pleasant thing to be going through!

loricat | @loricat | Jun 4 7:34pm

Over the past four years, I have had three "bouts" of Vertigo with all the symptoms you are experiencing.
The first bout alarmed me so I went to Urgent Care where they diagnosed me and treated me with Meclizine. That medication helped and the Vertigo only lasted 3-4 days.
It happened again a year later and I knew what it was so I treated it with my leftover Meclizine pills and it lasted about 10 days.
The third bout happened two years after that on the day before Thanksgiving. This time it was worse: I was severely nauseous along with the room spinning, constant dizziness, etc. I couldn't even walk without help. So, back to Urgent Care and more Meclizine, but it didn't help at all this time. Follow-up visits to my regular internist ended with higher doses of Meclizine, which only made me sleepier. At my request for a more-than-pills treatment, she sent me to an ENT doctor for more testing. I definitely had a bad case of Vertigo and was given Epley Maneuver treatments three different times; it worked for a month and then not at all.
That's when I was sent to a vestibular therapy specialist where I received numerous and different types of exercises, some of which I also had to do at home on the days I didn't have therapy. It took months of these in-therapy and at-home exercise sessions before I finally improved. And she told that while there is no known permanent cure for Vertigo, they have learned that there are a lot of different things that can even set the therapy back, or set off another full blown episode: small things like allergies (which I have), cold viruses; infections, falls, even stress, anxiety, depression, and traumatic or semi-traumatic events—relationship breakups, family illness, deaths...etc.
But I can now recognize a setback—like getting dizzy when I bend over to tie my shoelaces—or get out of bed in the morning, and I will immediately start doing a set of emergency exercises to try and stop it from getting worse. And so far, this has worked for me, but I confess, it's not always been easy; it takes time, patience and consistency in doing those vestibular exercises. But it definitely pays off—for me. At least I've been free of a full blown episode for more than a year.

sfkak | @sfkak | Jun 5 11:44am

I don't have episodes but dizziness ALL THE TIME, sometimes more severe and sometimes less. Probably due to a fall. Have tried Epley, Vestibular PT and Visual PT. No improvement. Reluctant to take Meclizine given contradictions with other meds + sleepiness. Been to opthomologists, neurologists, neuropthomologists, concussions specialists and taken multiple CTs, MRIs, inner ear tests, etc. No improvement . What to do next? No clue.

dragonflylady | @dragonflylady | Jun 6 8:19am

Dear Sfkak if you EVER find out anything that helps PLEASE share. I am like you I have been through all the test PT etc without improvement or improvement that lasted more than a month. It’s so disheartening and PT is totally exhausting for me by the end of an hour I feel like I’ve run a marathon.
My heart goes out to you and I hope you find peace

arbez | @arbez | Jun 6 8:51am

In reply to @sfkak "I don't have episodes but dizziness ALL THE TIME, sometimes more severe and sometimes less. Probably..." + (show)

@sfkak If you are a woman 38 or older you may want to look at hormone therapy. Perimenopause and menopause can cause inner ear changes due to lack of estrogen which may lead to dizziness. Also make sure someone has checked your ferritin level (should be over 40).