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BPPV after gentamicin?

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by AnneT, Jun 25, 2019.

  1. AnneT

    AnneT Well-Known Member

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    What fresh hell... bedtime, nighttime, awaking... with positional vertigo, most intense and predictably induced with rolling to my left side. It’s different from my usual Menieres attacks.

    Also with looking up or down.
    Anyone else experienced this post-gentamicin?

    I’m trying to avoid benzodiazepines, as they slow down the vestibular compensation I need for the oscillopsia and off balance. But I was nearly puking from the vertigo this morning.

    I feel like, without this bppv-like thing, I could be rocking my vestibular rehab a whole lot harder.

    I’m aware of the Epley, but scared to try it, since this is presumably not your average bppv.

    I’ve faxed my questions to my physio and otologist staff (she’s out of town, with no other doc coverage). Feeling alone and scared that this hell is never ending.

    And I’m supposed to fly tomorrow... parents’ 60th anniversary.
     
  2. Clare

    Clare Active Member

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    I don't know anything about the bppv stuff, but the looking up and down vertigo is similar to what I experienced post-laby. You've overwhelmed your brain to the point where it can't make sense of the balance signals it's getting. That's why the vestibular exercises are important. The exercises should include looking up and down, and if you sense nausea or dizzy feelings coming on, you've had enough and stop until the next time. Slowly you build up your tolerance. It seems like you may have had too much stimulus. Maybe it's not bppv? Or bppv plus vestibular stimulus?

    Be good to yourself and try to reduce stimulus. Request a wheelchair and wear an eye mask in the airport to the gate. Wear an eye mask in the car, and as much as needed when moving. Wear comfortable, familiar shoes always. Don't go to the grocery store, the parade, or the movies. You are trying to reduce the vestibular signals to your brain (vision, propriocepters, and good-side vestibular) as it tries to figure out where to get balance cues from. Stay in a calm environment as much as possible and don't try to move too much. No dancing for the folks' 60th, but they'll understand.

    When I started to feel good post-laby, I overdid it too. The vertigo is a signal to go slower so your brain can keep up with the changes. Old dog (no offense intended), new tricks, etc.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  3. AnneT

    AnneT Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Clare. This may be helpful... things to consider. I wish my health care providers were more available and helpful. Grateful for your input.
     
  4. PleaseNoDizzy

    PleaseNoDizzy Active Member

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    I acquired BPPV out of nowhere immediately after shunt surgery. It's not typical to happen with that surgery but I'm told there are other ear surgeries where it more commonly is triggered due to crystals getting knocked loose due to drilling or whatnot. If what you have is BPPV (and I wouldn't think a gent shot would bring it on, but who knows)... I wouldn't be afraid of the Eply. It's not going to hurt you in anyway. My doc performed it a couple times, and then my husband did at home (he's an ENT too). Unfortunately it didn't fix my problem but at the time the BPPV was more an annoyance compared to the debilitating vertigo from Meniere's. It didn't resolve til I had my laby. If you don't have easy access to a doc to perform it, I'd recommend having a loved one watch some youtube vidoes and help you with it. It's possible but challenging to do it completely by yourself.
     
    • Informative Informative x 1
  5. AnneT

    AnneT Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Pleasenodizzy
    It’s just very confusing because the most pronounced vertigo is when I roll onto my left side. All the Epley and bppv info says that would mean the problem is in my left ear, but the procedure was on my right ear. So maybe this is, as Clare says, just all part of the post-gent vestibular compensation. But good to hear your experience with Epley is not too scary, if I need to try it at some point.

    Again, thanks guys!!
     
  6. Dnrpn

    Dnrpn Member

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    On you tube I came across a video called Carol Foster MD, vertigo treatment. She’s a doctor that experienced vertigo and created a maneuver, but it’s not Epley. I don’t have vertigo but maybe it would help some people.
     
  7. Nathan

    Nathan Well-Known Member

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    On a more general note, is it possible for the swelling, the pressure change induced by, or the discharge pressure of a gentamicin injection to dislodge, or disband otoconia?

    While feeling queasy, are you maintaining adequate hydration levels, Anne?

    Convenient! If I may ask, did you marry before or after your diagnosis?
     
  8. AnneT

    AnneT Well-Known Member

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    Nathan
    That’s what I thought, that the rocks in my head damaged by the procedure, but now I think what I’m experiencing is just par for the course post gentamicin. From what I understand, if it were rocks, the positional vertigo would be worst on my affected side, but it’s the opposite.

    Whether I’m right or wrong... this is the calmer thought for me, and I’ll just keep on with walking and home vestibular rehab until I see my doc and physio mid July.

    I think I’m seeing improvements, however small, each day.

    Yes hydrated, will keep an eye on that.
     
  9. PleaseNoDizzy

    PleaseNoDizzy Active Member

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    Hang in there Anne!

    As poetic as it would be to say we fell in love in the dr office, alas we were married 12 years before I had sudden onset of symptoms. He was finishing his residency at the time and he was in denial this is what it could be (was thinking labyrinthiris or similar). His Dept head diagnosed me.
     
  10. AnneT

    AnneT Well-Known Member

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    The Universe has a funny way of doing business. Just when I’d surrendered this, my physio phoned me long distance (I had sent him a copy of my update that I’d sent my doc before traveling).

    He thinks that at least some of what I’m feeling is bppv (left and right) perhaps from an autoimmune or other reaction to the gentamicin.

    He was keen for me to do the Epley. Hubby and I studied a video of it, compared it to my notes from the physio, and did just the left Epley last night. No I’ll effects besides the bit of expected mild vertigo from the positioning.

    I woke up with no vertigo!!
     
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  11. AnneT

    AnneT Well-Known Member

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    Still getting mild positional vertigo in the morning, worse turning towards my good ear. Epley usually helps.
     
  12. AnneT

    AnneT Well-Known Member

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    Sometimes as I work through the left sided Epley, then the right side seems more triggering. So then I do a right Epley, which, in my mind, seems like it could in-do the left Epley- but all I’ve read says it fine to do both directions.
     
  13. Nathan

    Nathan Well-Known Member

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    Has your radar detected the epley hat? If I remember correctly, said hat was coined the DizzyFix.

    Very laboratory looking. Worth one's while to wear publicly too, as when you're asked 'er, what are you wearing?', you could reply 'relax, I’m a scientist. I’m doing science. This room is clear. Next!'.
     
    • Funny Funny x 2
  14. AnneT

    AnneT Well-Known Member

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    I was at a gentle yoga class this morning, lots of lying down restorative poses. During a back bend (basically lying on the bolster) I made the mistake of looking left. It felt like a real, fast, Menieres style vertigo - oh shit! - but then stopped as soon as I looked straight.

    I repeated the movement - same start and quick stop. I kept my neck more flexed and looking straight for a few minutes. Then looking left was fine.

    Terrible to be reminded of vertigo. I’m really hoping it was just this bizarre positional vertigo.

    It’s good to read this thread again, and be reminded that I might be overdoing things for now.
     
  15. Marta

    Marta Active Member

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    Anne I keep my fingers crossed for you. I hope you feel better soon. You are a fighter!
     
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