Does anyone know if there is something, besides hope the antivert kicks in, that will stop an attack when it first stops? Or at lease lessen the severity. I had to call in to work day. Again. I can't drive today. My hubby is at work today and won't be home until tomorrow morning. He works 48 hour shifts. Has anyone had one bad enough that they have ended up in the ER? I've had two of them bad enough that I ended up in the ER due to the severe, unrelenting vomiting. Am I just gonna have to wait it out? I really don't want to end up back in the ER. I better go. My vision is getting wonky.
I ended up at ER once, severely dehydrated after 10 h vomitting / vertigo. The medication I take to lessen attacks doesn't make any difference anymore. I can never predict severity of attacks. Once it starts that's it! I have missed out on many days of work and yesterday I found out that if I continue taking days off I will lose my job! I am taking antivarals and attacks are less frequent and less severe. They are still there unfortunately ! Hope you get better soon!
See if you can get lorazepam. You put it under your tongue at the onset of an attack, no danger of vomiting it up. I have .5 mg tablets, one usually stops the attack within 20 minutes. I can take a second tablet if necessary, but rarely need it. Don't take them regularly, just when you feel an attack starting. You will need a prescription. Good luck!
I went twice to the ER or casualty as it is in the uk. I realised that it was pretty much a waste of time for me as they could do no more for me than what I was able to do for myself. I was lucky though because the stemetil that they use by injection could be bought over the counter in tablet form (dissolves under the top lip). Its brand name is Buccastem and happily it reduced the attack in length of time and its severity. I know how you feel with your husband being at work. I was alone (apart from one episode) for the 3 years that I had numerous 3 to 10 hour vertigo and vomiting attacks. Most would have been avoided or lessened had I heard of the stemetil earlier. My first visit to the ER was my first attack and I honestly thought I was dying of a seizure or heart attack as I had never been so physically sick before then in my life. What annoyed me was the doctors and staff lost interest after they discovered it was ONLY MENIERES and not heart related. Nobody knows what a menieres attack is like until they experience one. My nephew once said to me are you sure all this vertigo thing isn't in your imagination. He got a sharp f**k off. Someone once said on the previous forum that menieres attacks are akin to the last week of a cancer patients life. Don't know about that but they are no joy ride. Hope you feel better soon.
Lorazapam - under the tongue. It is highly addictive so not something to take "just in case". But for me it will shorten the attack to 1-2 hrs versus my previous was 4-6+ hours.
I have a three level approach to stopping vertigo attacks, and if it won't stop it cold it will greatly reduce the length of the attack. Vertigo hits...I head to my bathroom. In a closet right next to the porcelain goddess I keep 2 of the three. First: I'll take a few hits off of a fresh joint. This will usually slow/stop the attack, but not in every case. Wait 10 min., and if it hasn't stopped, I go to step 2. Second: Klonopin under the tongue. It's a low dose, but it can help with the spins, and combined with the bud it's a strong vestibular suppressant. Take a few more hits off the joint. Wait 10 min. If attack still going, it's time for the big hitter (which I hate to use)...a Phenergan suppository. Now, the attack will stop within 15 minutes. I hate to use the Phenergan as it's going to put me to bed for a few hours. Many times I've weathered a 4-5 hour attack with just the Klonopin and bud...after smoking a whole joint plus a Klonopin ya don't really give a shit that you're puking.. Some attacks just can't be stopped. I call them "breakthrough attacks", and when they hit you're in it for the duration.
Hi Debra, I live in UK and it works differently here from what I know. I am in a process of contacting my Union . Anyway , thank you Debra.
hi Marta I hope you get some support from you union. I'm also from the UK. In addition to buccastem there is also an injection of stemetil you can get. I think it is much stronger than the tablets. You can get the phials from prescription from your doctor. If you are having a bad attack someone can ask for a GP to visit you or someone from an out of hours centre to come and give you the injection (its not possible for you to inject yourself or have an unqualified person inject you.). But if you can get a doctor then at least you have the phials with you. I had injections a couple of time and they worked very well for me. baloo
Good morning and thank you all for the responses. I couldn't avert yesterdays attack with the phenergan and antivert. My husband had to come home and take me back to the ER. At this point I will just ride the attacks out and not go back to the ER as they can't really do much but try to stop the vomiting. Yesterday they used reglan and benadryl. It worked so so. I can't afford to go to the ER every time but the attacks are so violent I don't know what else to do. Yesterdays I couldn't walk. I did manage to crawl to the other room but my husband had to carry me to the car. The attack lasted about 10 hours in total. I'm wiped out afterwards. I am much better today but still a bit unsteady on my feet. Is this normal? I'm calling the ENT tomorrow morning first thing to get in. He wanted me to have a hearing test again before coming back after the last attack but I'm just going to tell them I have to get in. I will take your recommendations with me and see what he can do. Something has to give. I can't keep going on like this. I'm freaking miserable and scared.
I have been in your shoes. The attacks can come in clusters. I understand too how frightening they are. I have no solutions, bit to try all of the suggestions on here. I.am.headed towards an antiviral if things do not change. The good news is there is a lot try yet and sometimes they stop on its own. I can emphasize with your suffering as most here can. Take care
Actually, you can keep going on...trust me, you'll amaze yourself with how strong you really are. Based on what you've written, if I were in your shoes (and I actually have been) I would be talking to the doc about a labyrinthectomy (Laby). It comes with a price, but it will absolutely end the vertigo. Had a Laby done on my right ear in Jan. of 2009, and it gave me my life back....well, it gave it back til I went bi-lateral a year later. If I were as miserable as you sound (no disrespect intended) I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Hi Marta (Sorry for hijscking you thread moody mom.). I sincerely hope you find something to stop your attacks very soon. Martaa from what I know there three kinds of stemetil. there are tablets that you can get for travel sickness (may yo can get these without a prescription). there is buccasatem which Jaypr mentioned which you put under your tongue and it dissolves and there is the injection. I think the injection has to be given by someone medically qualified otherwise it can be very dangerous. But if you can a doctor to come then at least you have the hails with you. Baloo