Question on vertigo

During a really bad vertigo attack, I couldn't even see the wall right in front of me. I mean, it was there, but it was moving so violently in my field of vision, I couldn't even stand. Projectile vomiting ensues shortly after that. I've also experienced the walking in a bouncy house, walking on a boat feelings. They are distinct and different. Each uniquely uncomfortable, though I'd have to say, the vertigo is by far the worse of the 2. When a bad attack was coming on, the anxiety of what was happening to me would hit fever pitch and I would seriously think about hurting myself just to escape the horror of it.

 

there are different types of vertigo or dizziness. i've had your type unsteady and slow spinning and had the whizzing round the room together with vomiting and diarrhoea and somersault vertigo plus drop attacks. All are horrible but the vertigo with vomiting is by far the worst because it drains you and puts you out of the game for days.

 

Technically, vertigo is when you perceive yourself or the environment to be moving. It is then qualified with adjectives to describe the speed.

 

In my recent attack I started with my head spinning, faint feeling, nausea and very sore back of neck. After being down in bed 24 hours I have moved on to the all over dizziness but the spinning and nausea have stopped. Still feeling like crap but the spinning vertigo is always the worst. After almost 90 days of feeling so much better and enjoying life again, this is like a kick in the head and pretty discouraging.

 

So sorry to hear you are still dizzy Sharon, might be an ear infection? I get them w/o pain most times. Are you having sinus issues at all?

 

For me, vertigo is when the room is spinning violently round and round...like a merry-go-round on speed (without the fun).
Dizzyness is what I call the off-balance feeling

When I have the vertigo - while I can "walk" it is not straight, the room is spinning; I bounce off the walls as I can't judge exactly where I am. If someone is walking next to me to help me, I tend to walk to the left (coincident my bad ear).

 

Valium or Ativan should not be taken as a preventative, but to be taken once an attack starts or if you are lucky enough to know right before an attacks starts to shorten its duration and from my experience make it milder.

I had to take klonopin to get through an epley maneuver when I had BPPV. But I never took it for MM vertigo, none of my doctors ever prescribed it for me for MM.

 

I have Ativan that I am prescribed to take by placing under the tongue at the start of a full vertigo attack. It does limit the time of my attacks significantly from 4-6+ hrs of violent spinning down to 1-2 hrs. Not 100% but I guarantee that living through 1-2 hrs is much easier than 4-6+. My dr will only prescribe the Ativan in 10 pill increments, no auto refill because it is so highly addictive. But reducing the length of the attack is a great value to me.

And for what it's worth, it is amazing what strength a person finds when they have to. For me, just knowing that "this too will pass" helps me through. The attack will go away, just a matter of getting through it. And yes it absolutely sucks when the room is spinning and I am trying to get to the toilet to puke - which movement makes it worse. For me, staying as still as possible; laying on my back looking at ceiling straight above "helps". Movement, sounds and OMG closing my eyes magnify the horrible symptoms.

That all said, absolutely during those attacks I can be brought to tears. I hate it to the core of my being. But trying to remember that some people have this thing worse than me, some people have much worse diseases to deal with - is just something that helps bring me back from my internal pity party to refocus - which gives me the strength to get thru it.

 

i used to take buccastem to stop the attacks. they were prescribed by my doctor in the uk. They are the equivalent of ativan dissolve under the top lip between lip and gum.They were a godsend because as you say they shorten an attack.

 

Do yourself a favor and try cannabis instead of the benzos. More effective at helping you cope with the vertigo and dizziness and MUCH fewer bad side affects. It's not physically addictive and offers more rapid relief than the benzos, unless you get them via IV in which case the benzos also work quickly. AND, cannabis is al a powerful vaso dilator, meaning your inner ear will get more blood while intoxicated. It's also a powerful anti-inflammatory as well as having strong anti-viral affects, contributing positively to the likely source of this damned disease.

Should be standard procedure for ENTs and OTOs, giving people with this disease cannabis. At least IMO. The only word of caution is to start slowly with the stuff until you know how it affects you, if you do decide to do it. Too much isn't fun, while just the right amount is lots of fun, and it can really help make you feel better.

 

Vicki, if you don't have pain with your ear infection what symptom do you have? I don't believe I've ever had one and rarely have sinus issues. I saw the NUCCA Dr this morning but so far no relief from that either. I keep thinking it's day four and it has to let up soon....I hope! I leave on a twelve hour drive (my hubby behind the wheel) tomorrow, not looking forward to that but want to see the grandkids badly enough to do it.

 

Sharon, have you tried meclizine? When I have gotten that stretch of off-balance, dizziness (not full vertigo) I finally remembered meclizine. It helped almost immediately for me.

 

I did take just a half the first day and it seemed to just make me really tired. Maybe I should try again. The violent spins are gone but I can't get my head back on straight! Constant light dizziness and just feeling off balance.

 

I could be wrong but if it was a MAV attack an you have been avoiding triggers foods for the last few days I would think it would have passed by now, but like I said I could be wrong. You could try taking a Tylenol if it is MAV and see if you get any relief.

I get day long dizziness, which meclizine helps me with that kind of dizziness. Sometimes sinus pain and pressure, sometimes my teeth and gums hurt.
My ear infections and sinus infections seem to go hand in hand. But since taking acyclovir I don't get vertigo when I get sick like that.

You could try meclizine as well, I am told it is sold over the counter, I get mine from a script my Dr writes to see if it helps your dizziness. In fact I would try that first. I take only 12.5 mg due to being medication sensitive. It doesn't really make me sleepy but many say it does.

 

I meant to say when I get ear infections I get day long dizziness, which meclizine helps me with that kind of dizziness................................etc

 

What if you are allegic to cannibis vicki got any other magic up your sleeve?