Vertigo.....does anyone else suffer with this?

Yep, don't you wish that it was a club that you didn't belong to?

Yes ...I always wondered if it is an "inner ear thing" -- there is no warning, no obvious infection, or earache that signals it ...so you never know when it will just "hit" you. I have spent many hours lying on the floor near the toilet, unable to get up because the planet was spinning out of control and so nauseus I wanted to die, until the meds kicked in. Sometimes I would throw up right after taking the meclizine, and was too afraid to take it again in case I overdosed, ...thereby suffering longer. Horrible affliction, I agree. Hang in there fellow sufferers ...I guess we can really relate to the migraine people, right? Sandy

I am a migraine people. :-) So sorry to here that it hits so suddenly like that. That can be definitely life-style threatening as well as nauseating.

I have been suffering with this for over a month now. I've been taking the meclizine for a full week now and am beginning to see a difference. The amoxicillin is for the fluid on my eardrum, dr. gave me a refill on both. I am taking linisopril for blood pressure and it has brought my bp level back to normal. I have been using Lite Salt for many years, stay away from red meat, alcohol, don't smoke, eat fresh fruits and veggies, no sodas or caffeine, take 2 handfulls of vitmamins and still suffer.
Dr. also ran some tests on my thyroid and blood sugar. I get those results back soon I hope. As far as the vertigo, he diagnosed it as Meneire's and says if the vertigo continues, he will have to refer me to an ENT for more tests. He says he thinks my coclea is inflamed and that is the cause. I know I am tired of it. I miss being able to lie on the floor and do pilates without the world spinning. I feel so out of shape... I'm round and that is a shape LOL

Susan

I know that I have missed more Pilates sessions than I care to think. How great that you take such good care of yourself. Just think what bad shape you would be in if you didn't!

I'm really sorry that you are suffering so badly. Out of all that I've been through the nausea from the vertigo has to be one of the worst. You can't do anything at all when the world is spinning.

I know ...my friend who has meunieres says when it strikes her, she "feels like she is going to die and is afraid she won't!!" Thank God we can laugh or we'd all go insane!! My daughter is down for the count with a migraine today ...started yesterday and hasn't passed yet. She did not get her medication soon enough and it got a good hold. I feel so sorry for her when she has them. It's frustrating to not be able to help someone in that much pain. Sometimes I think she takes so much pain killers that she gets "rebound headaches" ---but can't talk to her. Also, she is not very good about avoiding some of her "trigger foods" --(wine, shellfish ...)

I'm so sorry to hear that your daughter has migraines. You are right. You can't talk to daughters. I'll never understand why we spend all of this time gaining this experience and knowledge and our children aren't interested.

My MD doesn't believe in 'rebound' headaches though I know a lot of MD's do. Unless it's really obvious, trigger foods have been found not to be a significant factor in many cases. I was on three (count them, three) elimination diets and while I though that some foods did cause headaches I've discovered since I've been on treatment drugs that I can eat all of them. Some people say that chocolate doesn't cause headaches but headaches cause chocolate cravings. LOL

My husband has this same problem. The doctors hasn't come out and told him this is what he has Vertigo, but our son was checking the web and he came across a article about it and send it to us.

The doctor does have him on the very same medicine Meclizine HCL 25mg tab. He takes one every morning and doesn't seem to have the problem. The doctor has done heart test, brain scan and wants to do another test. Like I said they haven't came out and said he has Vertigo but I bet he does.

Sorry that your husband is having this problem but I'm so glad that the MD has been able to treat him. That's great news.

I have been taking the Meclizine for a month straight and got my rx refilled today. I don't know how much more of this I can take! I'm ready for whatever tests the dr. recommends. There has to be some relief out there somewhere!!
I'm sorry that anyone has to suffer with this :(

Susan

http://www.neurologychannel.com/vertigo/

This is what my son found searching the web. The we read it I don't know if there is a cure. Sounds like people are just living with it.

I found this one last night.

http://www.emedicine.com/ent/topic232.htm

So far, my DH has had no relief from any meds, and the 2 Docs he's been seeing, both have said there's nothing left they can do for him.

He's been referred to the Michigan Ear Clinic [something like that] talked to a gal there, who pretty much said they would run the same tests as was already run..... but I think now they are checking with a DOC there to see if he'd do anything in addition.

so -- just dead ends with us.

They just can't figure out what's wrong.... and because of this "balance issue" he has not worked since early March.....
so,,,, it's getting really old. But since March, there has not been any vertigo episodes... just 'unbalanced'.

Ouch, that really hurts to be out of work for so long. How frustrating that must be.

I'm very sorry that anyone has to suffer with this as well Susan and I sincerely hope it lets up for you like "yesterday". I've been in good shape since the last attack in March/April but my guard is never down and the meclizine is always in my purse just in case.
Funny the mention of migraines; I now have these to deal with as well. My whole life I never had headaches like these and they seem to hover over my left eye & send "lightening" shocks down the side of my head. I can't stand to hear any noise when these headaches hit.....something else to get checked out, lol.

That's too bad that you are getting migraines. They sound like bad ones too. Luckily there are pretty good meds to take if you get them early enough in the migraine process.

I just discovered this thread and haven't read all the way through it. Just wanted to add my experience.

About 10 years ago, I developed BPV (there was no peripheral in my diagnosis). There was no treatment. My choice of over the counter medication for headache relief and meclizine (antihistamine for motion sickness) to dampen the swings. As I recall, the meclizine only helped when I was having a BAD episode and then it just made me sleepy.

My first episode was for a week and hit me out of the blue. I hadn't had a cold or sinus issue prior to that, so I have no idea what triggered it. They decreased in frequency and in length, but I continued to have them over the next couple of years. Finally, they did go away.

The doctor said they were do to an unequal balance of fluid in the inner ear. Someone once recommended to me to avoid "vascular constrictors" such as nicotine and caffeine and to make sure that I drank lots of water. I have heard of others whose vertigo seemed to be triggered by sinus issues. I did have a test in which they ran water (a very small amount - it wasn't bad) into one ear, but not the other in order to induce a very mild vertigo and then monitored electrodes around my eyes to see how quickly I regained balance. That ruled out something - I think it was to determine whether the dizziness was truly causing unbalance. And for me, it wasn't. It just gave me a headache and made me motion sick. :-p

Though I learned to cope after time. It was an awful period. To this day, I sometimes think about the vertigo when tilting my head back in the shower to rinse my hair, since that's the type of movement that would bring it on.

I sympathize and I hope that there are better treatments out there now. Also, I haven't had ANY problems with it in the last 10 years, so there is hope that this will just go away for you. Ginger (yes, as in Ginger Snaps) does help with motion sickness, too.

Good luck!!

Kathy
Woodinville, WA

WOW!! People who know what I am going through!! I have had this for about the last 7 yrs, every day!!! Some days are worse than others, but it is always there.

We have just changed DR and I go in a couple of weeks, so I am hoping for some help. I saw an ENT at the begining and he said it shouldn't bother me that much. He just didn't get it!! He did suggest 'spotting' though and it does help and on the 'normal' days, but not on the real bad days. I just have to go to bad and lie down those days.

7 yrs. That's awful. You poor thing. I'll keep you in my prayers that this goes away for you.

Kathy

Just thought I'd ask..how does it start..for the past month or so ago mostly early morning, I'm very dizzy, even in bed, if I move a little quicker than I should room spins...did all of yours start in this fashion??? might be something I need to look into...

Mine started very gradual. I would notice an 'off balance' sensation with quick movements. So really didn't pay much attention at first.

Sounds familiar...

Kinda sounds like how my husbands started out. We went to Texas last year and he had 2 days of dizzyness. Finally it went away and he never thought anymore about it until it came back, and then he started getting sick at his stomach.

He went in for the third test last Thurs. they did a x-ray or scan whatever on his veins in his neck. Haven't heard back yet on it.

But as long as he takes 1 Meclizine HCL 25mg tab at day it hasn't bothered him in a while.

2pugdogs, please let us know what the results are from your hubby's tests. I had to have neck surgery when I was 5. Something about the muscles being too tight on one side of my neck. Maybe this has something to do with it. I have been taking 4 meclizine a day and I still have it, not as bad, but it's still there. I go back to the dr. next week to get a referral to the next dr. who will try to figure out what's going.

Only thing that has been happening here and there is severe pain for abut 20 minutes in my left ear...hurts to beat h....as you touch bottom lobe of ear it's unbearable..then it goes away and that's that...get it about once every couple of weeks..maybe I've just got a earache and that does it..

Wow, Bettypauze, that sounds like an ear infection. That could very easily be causing the vertigo. Sinus and ear problems are a big culprit. Check with the doctor.

Mine started in a number of different ways. Sometimes I'd wake up spinning because I'd rolled over in bed. Sometimes I would have any spinning unless I tilted my head back in the shower. The first time I had it, it came on slowly and then stayed for a week. Subsequent episodes were less intense.

Good luck.

Kathy

As soon as we get the results I will post.

Raggedyann you keep us posted as will.

The first time we told the dr. about his dizzyness he checked his ears and said he had some wax in one of them, they cleaned it out, then no dizzyness for a while, then they came back and thats when they started the tests, and the medicine.

Katie, you've explained it to a 't'..this morning I rolled over for a sec and wow, room started to spin...yuk...thanks for the information..will keep monitoring ..

Really, do go see the doctor - antibiotics may be your solution. And drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated.

Just talking about this really brings back some memories. I do sympathize with you. Not a fun feeling.

I really hope this resolves for you soon.

Kathy

Yes, you need to be checked for infections first, before doing anything else!!

I am trying the meclizine & does seem to help a little. I have the problem of fluid in the ear and it does not seem to drain right. I had lots of ear infections as a kid also.

With working in the city (100 miles from home each way/each day) it makes it difficult to get to a doctor..must be a major issue..but, will keep monitoring the situation and if it continues, will do exactly that..just can't understand why after I'm up for about an hour or so it tends to stop...

Just found this thread, thanks to Kooger here on DG who sent the link to me because I have been experiencing vertigo for 5 days now. I had all the typical spinning and some upchucking but as it was a holiday weekend I couldn't find a neighbor to drive me to the ER (I'm fairly new in town) and didn't want to call 911 so I stayed in bed or on the couch for the weekend.

I spent several hours in the ER today and the diagnosis is Labynithitis, an inflammation of the inner ear. They gave me Antivert® (generic meclizine) and a shot of steriods at the ER and scripts for both, plus one for phenergan for nausea.

I had this once before, on Christmas day about 10 years ago. Naturally I had a house full of family from out of town and dinner was delayed by my trip to the ER although my sister finishhed the cooking. I was better in 3 days or so and this is the first major incidence since then. I get occasional episodes that last several minutes and they go away soon if I remain very still.

I was born with an anomaly that runs partially along the ear canal on one side. I have always been car sick, air sick, and sea sick... and I've had ringing in my ears for more than 40 years.

Thanks for all the information posted above. I'm glad to know meclizine is available OTC and will try to carry some in my vehicle as well as some in the medicine cabinet.

Darius -

Good luck. Hope your current bout goes away soon.

I, too, have always been motion sick. For that I've found that prescribed scopalamine patches work well.

I do think that, for me, the vertigo was really about the motion sickness and headaches, as opposed to balance issues. Sounds like that's the case with you, too. It's hard to explain to people who don't get motion sick how debilitating that can be. It always takes me 2 or 3 days after the motion sickness to feel like myself again.

Kathy

DH saw a new doc (he's referred to as the "dizzy doctor" ) yesterday at Northwestern University Med Center in Chicago

he's got a script for 3 different meds.... so hopefully at least one of them will give him so relief and get him back to work. But the FAA doc said that he has to be symptom free for 6 months before returning to work.... so we are in for the long haul.

Would love to hear what the meds are that your DH gets - interested to know what else might help.

Is your husband an air traffic controller? My dad was in the FAA for 30 years before retiring in 1978.

Kathy

Kathy -- no, he's a pilot.

as of this moment, i don't know the meds
but i will certainly post if he benefits from any.

he did take that meclazine that most in here got relief from, but he didn't.

It would be nice if we just knew what was causing this, instead of DOCs just saying... "well, can't help ya"
and "we have no idea what you've got" kinda answers.

OH earlier on i mentioned Michigan Ear Institute... the DOC's there referred him to NW Uni, so he didnt have to travel to MI. but so far, he seems pleased with this new set of DOCs.

Wow. A pilot. Yeah, I guess that would affect him quite a bit.

I think the meclizine helped me a little, but didn't really stop the spinning or the motion sickness. I think that's the biggest frustration with vertigo . . . that "they" typically don't know the cause. My doctor said that nobody ever dies from it, so that they don't really have the opportunity to do any pathology after the fact to get more answers. Great. But I understand the frustration.

Good luck with the new docs.

Kathy

I went back to the dr. Wed. for my test results. Blood sugar and thyroid are normal, blood pressure was up a little. So that rules out any of those things causing the vertigo. Now my left ear is full of fluid and doc says "looks like allergies". Weeks ago it was the right ear. I don't feel like I'm suffering from allergies. I've had a dry cough for awhile. He also told me that the side affect from the bp meds causes a cough. Got another round of penicillin for the ear, plus a refill on the meclizine.
I've had vertigo for almost 3 months now. It is a lot better, I only notice it when I roll over in bed and when I flip my hair upside down. I have been wondering if cortizone would help this.
I'm sorry for anyone suffering with this. It does take the enjoyment out of some things :(
You are all in my prayers!

Susan

I developed vertigo: dizziness, nausea, falling down unexpectedly a few years ago during a period of extreme stress. I went to a specialist (two of them) who decided that I had a stroke. A third specialist said it was not a stroke--it was more likely a side effect of some medication.
I decided to check to see if it was an antidepressant (zoloft) than I had been given to help me deal with the stress at work. that was apparently the cause, but it was also complicated by a sinus-inner ear infection.

Today I am well. I treat the first sign of a sinus infection and if I get tinnatus I go to the specialist to make sure I don't have an ear infection.
I was forced out of my job, so finally there is much less stress.

Another member of my family does have permanent maniere's disease, so I do know how difficult it is to face this as a permanent condition. But, maybe it isn't. Check your medications. And don't let stress rule your life.

After my shot of predisone at the ER and the meclizine tabs I felt better on Wednesday. I'm taking meclizine 3x a day, plus a 6 day course of prednisone, but now I'm having mini-episodes of vertigo again, not bad though.