Vertigo!

@lautwell and @samcal9977zz - Thank you for your advice! I just went to the hospital in an ambulance at 2 am this past Monday morning (11/25/24), and it indeed was like riding in a tin can, with too much light inside, along with trying to bend my knees to minimize the strain of the stretcher position on my lower back.

Diagnosed with BPPV years ago, and had an excellent PCP (unfortunately he has retired just a few years ago now) who also later performed the Epley maneuver to great, immediate success.

I will see if I can figure out the Epley directions to do at home - maybe via YouTube (tho I'm not keen on social media so much, but I know there are some good things there if you can identify them).

Thanks to everyone for posting here on this. It is scary, and I did have a migraine later that same Day 1. Problem further last evening (evening of Day 2) with bathroom evacuation; things came out, though it became more strained, but I broke out into the coldest, most drenching, full-body sweat of my life trying to get through it, even had to keep yelling to keep myself going & conscious, (it seemed), just to live through it. If anyone knows what that part is about, do let me know. Fortunately my fiance was there and cold towels to my head and back of my neck helped a bit in the middle of it!! (as did his calm presence)...THAT experience, the 2nd time I can recall that in my life) is extremely daunting in and of itself!!!

Could have been I ate more than I should have on Day 2 since I didn't eat at all on Day 1 (Monday). Interesting too about the salt intake factor, and maybe even caffeine...though I thought the migraine might be due to not having my usual morning iced coffees Monday morning (Day 1).

Well, the ER prescribed meclizine 3x/day, and I'm doing that. About to take a bath for hopeful calm and some relaxation. Do need to increasingly be aware of not falling, even though I feel otherwise to be a young almost 68 year-old!

Best wishes to everyone, esp. with the holidays nearly upon us.

@brandysparks, I too have had 1 episode of middle-of-the-night vertigo, sudden, severe, barely-staying-conscious, heavy cold sweating…and the ‘bathroom evacuation’. So extreme, but since I felt the vertigo I followed my plan (Zofran then Valium, pillow, blanket on closet floor) and I was fine the next morning. My sweet husband knows the drill now and his calm presence is indeed comforting. Definitely be careful with salt!…and stay close to the floor during an episode. Take care, friend.

@lautwell - Oh my goodness, thank you!

I just got a referral to a neurologist through my current PCP (with whom I'm not so confident of her knowledge, but one thing at a time, you know :-)) ... but the soonest I could get in is Dec. 18 - so hope this is the last of this worst episode.

That drenching cold sweating is (nearly!) a killer it feels like at the time. Thank you so very much for the guidance and sharing. I'm not sure, and I'll look into it, but I guess you need a script for Zofran (for the nausea?), and - like a migraine can be - weird how much light and noise and sudden movement of others or talking can be a strain when this is what you're struggling through.

Be well. And we are thankful for support from our partners! A calm and comforting holiday weekend ahead to you!

If you have decided not to see a physical therapist trained in the Epley Maneuver for vertigo, you might want to see the exercise on YouTube. I would highly recommend visiting a PT. A few visits and to your vertigo will be gone.

Also, be sure and keep track of blood pressure as it can also mess with having vertigo- like symptoms. Hang in there!

Hello 🌠

Vertigo is really difficult so my best wishes for help 🙏+ healing 😇are sent to you🪷

I developed post concussive vertigo about 8 years ago following a severe head injury with bilateral fractures of the eye orbit bones, a broken nose + an open head wound requiring stitches...a fractured lower weight bearing leg also resulted from this trauma.

I had benefitted from a Regenerative Medicine approach previously so I felt this new exciting field could truly help me heal...

Because of the number of broken bones I had experienced = I intuitively felt more calcium was key for me on my healing journey.

Calcium rich chocolate ice cream + hot cocoa soothed the intense pain as I felt a non opiate pain management approach worked best for me!

I also slept with my head elevated at a 45° angle + propped body pillows on my side so I didnt trigger vertigo symptoms as I slept..

I modified my customized "The Burdenko Method" aquatic program to address the vertigo = I focused on increasing my movement in the water that did not bring any feelings of nausea, dizzyness or an "icky" feeling...

Blessedly this worked!

Later I discovered fascinating research about iconoclasts in delicate middle ear that are dislodged with vertigo + role of calcium in helping with vertigo. Perhaps BOTH are what helped me + now I am vertigo free!

True story 🌠

Hello 🌠
Just imagine Mayo pioneering
aquatic 🏊‍♀️🏊 therapy
for HEAD TRAUMA + VERTIGO 🌄 with a NEW heated salt water medical center at their Jacksonville FL beautiful campus
🌴🌴🌴

Hello 🌠

I feel a BETTER treatment approach for vertigo is needed...
Somehow as a patient who experienced post concussive vertigo = I had serious reservations about anyone SHAKING my head following head trauma. When I considered the Epley maneuver = it felt to me like a primitive type of outdated medical treatment. This is just my personal opinion based on my choice to go with an adaptation of The Burdenko Method aquatic program modifified I modified for vertigo...and IT WORKED 🌠

I have bouts of vertigo from time to time. The last one was pretty bad. The Foster maneuver, which my son who is an acupuncturist and physical therapist taught me, usually works but didn't completely eliminate the vertigo and associated nausea. Searching online I found some that eye movements can be helpful when the Epley and Foster maneuvers fail, and these did the trick. Now when I feel even a little sense of vertigo coming on, I do the eye movements first, and this has worked!

Here are some links:

Foster Maneuver:

I would suggest finding a vertigo specialist. I went to an occupational therapist who specializes in the treatment of vertigo. He put goggles over my eyes that were connected to his computer. While having me do specific movements, he watched and recorded my eye movements. From that he could tell which maneuvers he needed to do on me to restore the inner ear imbalances. It was a very scientific approach that targeted my specific issue. I watched my recorded eye movements and it was fascinating. The specific maneuvers he did on me worked amazing wonders!! Find a good specialist !! (I tried the Epley maneuver on my own and it did not work. The specialist did some similar movements but they were very specific to my condition )