Vertigo - vent (possibly TMI) - Update

I know I have mentioned before that I am prone to Vertigo - its also called Vestibular Neuronitis. I started with it in Sept 2007 right before DH and I went to Aruba (where he proposed). I actually went to the ER the first time. I spent countless visits at the ENT who couldn't find a single thing wrong with me. Finally, I went to a Neurologist who heard my symptoms and immediated diagnosed me w/ the Vestibular Neuronitis. She told me that it typically occurs between Sept - Dec and the best thing I can take for it is Xanax (which I have). She said Meclizine (Antivert) is good, but the Xanax is better. ANYWAY... fast forward to Sept 2008 and it happened again, only this time not as severe. Seeing as how it's now January, I thought I was in the clear for awhile... WRONG...

Early Saturday morning (like 4am), DH wakes me up to have a playtime session. It was great! Lovely! Amazing! Lasted nearly 90 minutes Here's the problem... DH went to flip me on to my back, and all H3LL broke loose. The room instantly began to spin and I had to sit up and tell him to stop. That was the 2nd time that it acted up while DH and I were having some fun. I don't even know what to do... I spent the last 2 nights sleeping sitting up b/c I can't lay down at all or else the room spins. There's no point in going to the doctor b/c I was already told there's nothing they can do for this to prevent it or cure it.

I am the type of person who is now going to be so worried/paranoid when DH and I start to play... this has become an absolute nightmare and I just needed to vent. Thanks for listening/reading.

honestly if you haven't been back to the doctor in over a year i would go back. you NEVER know. worst case scenario - they tell u it's the same thing & there's not much u can do & send u on ur way..but what if there really is something else? i would go & get it checked... this was actually happening to my sil last year and after MONTHS of countless doctor visits it ended up being a cyst sitting on a nerve in her brain..completely harmless - but THAT'S what was causing it all that time. I am so sorry u're going through this I really do hope u get a better resolution and that there's something else they can do for u!

honestly, get a second opinion....

While there may be nothing THAT doctor can do you for you - you never know - there could be some other things another doctor can tell you could be helpful...maybe try and seek out a neurologist that SPECIALIZES in what you have...(do some internet searches, go to your REGULAR doc and get some referrals there)...

it cannot hurt!!!!!!!!!!

i'm really sorry this is happening to you...

Aw, sorry to hear that you are going thru this.
Any particular reason why Sept-Dec makes one more prone ?
My dad had it, and hasn't had an episode for years. Hopefully you will 'grow out of it'.

Don't get anxious during your playtime.
Just move carefully so as not to disturb your equillibrium. Try keeping the room cool and use a humidifier to keep the air moist.

I should've mentioned... I did go back to the Neurologist in 2008 since it happened again. She told me I am 'prone' to getting this and there is nothing to be done, etc. I LOVE this doctor but maybe I should see someone else, I don't know...

The problem is that I am now seeing totally different doctors than I was when all this was going on. I know they should have my records but who knows. Maybe I'll call my primary care and make an appt for this week.

Thanks, girls!!!

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Posted by emomma17

Oh that is an awful feeling, my father suffered from vertigo and I use to see him as a child get so ill. I also had a few episodes out of nowhere. I went to a neurologist and they did some tests but only said he could see a disc shift in my eyes that may cause it at night when i am trying to focus butttt he did give me a script for medication incase I got dizzy and it worked every time I took it. Is there anything you can take? Ok I just read your post again and that is the medication i was prescribed the Meclizine...it really worked for me..you might want to consider it. Xanax will calm you down but not take away the dizziness, this I know as well because I take/took Xanax for anxiety attackes when they got out of control. FM if you have any questions...and I hope you feel better!

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The Meclizine does work for me, but not as quickly as Xanax does, and it also puts me to sleep so taking it during the day is out!

definitely get a second opinion....

sounds a lot like benign positional vertigo aka BPV
which usually can be treated with the Epley Maneuver

feel better!!!!!!

not sure how recent this article is -

http://www.integratedmedicine.tv/doctor_story.php?storyid=206&id=1334

There is new hope for patients who suffer from vertigo, the condition characterized by severe dizziness that causes rooms to seem like they?re spinning. A commonly used steroid medication has been shown to be helpful for the treatment of vertigo patients who have the problem because of a condition that suddenly causes nerve inflammation in the inner ear.

?I remember lying in bed and feeling like the whole bed was spinning. It was really unpleasant,? says Diane Umansky, a magazine editor. Diane is one of the millions of patients who, each year, suffer the incredibly uncomfortable sensation known as vertigo. It?s the form of dizziness which gives one the sense that the environment is spinning around the individual.
?Some people just have a sensation of swaying back and forth or side to side. Sometimes they feel as if the world is turning upside down,? says Dr. Richard Libman, a neurologist at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York.
There are several causes of vertigo. This study looked at the second most common type, vestibular neuronitis. When vertigo comes on suddenly, there is a good chance it is vestibular neuronitis.
Vestibular neuronitis is an inflammation of the vestibular or balance nerve, which is located in your inner ear. This nerve carries balance signals from the inner ear to the brain. When the nerve is inflamed, it causes vertigo.
Now new research found the steroid methylprednisolone, which decreases inflammation, can provide marked improvement, so that much fewer vertigo symptoms are seen a year later. Patients who were given placebos did not report a similar improvement. The steroid must be used within the first three days after the onset of the vestibular neuronitis.
Vestibular neuronitis usually develops in only one ear at a time. The inflamed nerve is thought to be caused by a respiratory virus infection or by the herpes simplex virus.
However, this study also showed anti-herpes virus medications do not work.
Diane got no treatment, which may prove to be beneficial in the long run. ?Often the vertigo will resolve on its own whether it originates from the brain or whether it originates from the inner ear,? says Dr. Libman. Many patients will recover fully within a few weeks. But it is not uncommon for as many as half of them, like Diane, to have recurrent episodes of vertigo, especially after rapid head movements. These can linger literally years after onset.
?I had it for a sporadic and fairly brief period of time so I was certainly not disabled by it but there were certainly things I couldn?t do like carry my kids down the stairs, carry groceries, things like that. I couldn?t trust that I wouldn?t fall down,? states Diane.
But because some symptoms come back occasionally, Diane says she would certainly have taken the steroid if she were offered it at the time. ?Certainly if I was really dizzy I would be pretty willing to take something to make it go away.?

Dont have any suggestions but wanted to give you some hugs


Hope you find relief. Maybe do like the other say, go for a second opinion. Cant hurt.

Feel better!!

here is a website with a LOT of good info....also has a search function to find doctors who SPECIALIZE in your disorder!!!

http://www.vestibular.org/index.php?wb_session_id=f4ccc17fab4ac2ed1d2b0eb039842d6b

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Posted by davenjess

not sure how recent this article is -

http://www.integratedmedicine.tv/doctor_story.php?storyid=206&id=1334

There is new hope for patients who suffer from vertigo, the condition characterized by severe dizziness that causes rooms to seem like they?re spinning. A commonly used steroid medication has been shown to be helpful for the treatment of vertigo patients who have the problem because of a condition that suddenly causes nerve inflammation in the inner ear.

?I remember lying in bed and feeling like the whole bed was spinning. It was really unpleasant,? says Diane Umansky, a magazine editor. Diane is one of the millions of patients who, each year, suffer the incredibly uncomfortable sensation known as vertigo. It?s the form of dizziness which gives one the sense that the environment is spinning around the individual.
?Some people just have a sensation of swaying back and forth or side to side. Sometimes they feel as if the world is turning upside down,? says Dr. Richard Libman, a neurologist at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York.
There are several causes of vertigo. This study looked at the second most common type, vestibular neuronitis. When vertigo comes on suddenly, there is a good chance it is vestibular neuronitis.
Vestibular neuronitis is an inflammation of the vestibular or balance nerve, which is located in your inner ear. This nerve carries balance signals from the inner ear to the brain. When the nerve is inflamed, it causes vertigo.
Now new research found the steroid methylprednisolone, which decreases inflammation, can provide marked improvement, so that much fewer vertigo symptoms are seen a year later. Patients who were given placebos did not report a similar improvement. The steroid must be used within the first three days after the onset of the vestibular neuronitis.
Vestibular neuronitis usually develops in only one ear at a time. The inflamed nerve is thought to be caused by a respiratory virus infection or by the herpes simplex virus.
However, this study also showed anti-herpes virus medications do not work.
Diane got no treatment, which may prove to be beneficial in the long run. ?Often the vertigo will resolve on its own whether it originates from the brain or whether it originates from the inner ear,? says Dr. Libman. Many patients will recover fully within a few weeks. But it is not uncommon for as many as half of them, like Diane, to have recurrent episodes of vertigo, especially after rapid head movements. These can linger literally years after onset.
?I had it for a sporadic and fairly brief period of time so I was certainly not disabled by it but there were certainly things I couldn?t do like carry my kids down the stairs, carry groceries, things like that. I couldn?t trust that I wouldn?t fall down,? states Diane.
But because some symptoms come back occasionally, Diane says she would certainly have taken the steroid if she were offered it at the time. ?Certainly if I was really dizzy I would be pretty willing to take something to make it go away.?

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WOW Jess!!! Thank you for finding that! I am going to ask my doctor about this!!!

So I went to my doctor today. I told her that I have Meclizine (Antivert) but that I am only taking it at night b/c it makes me drowsy. She told me she wants me taking it 3-4 times a day for the next 2 days - she wrote me a doctor's note - no work til Friday at the earliest!!! I definitely didn't expect that! She said if I am only taking the meds at night, they don't get a chance to work. She said since I have this chronic condition, I need to take the meds hardcore. OY!!! I HATE missing work! I am not happy about this but I can only it works! She told me that if I don't feel nearly 100% better by Friday, to come back to see her b/c I will prob need to see a Neuro at that point.

Anyway, I just wanted to give you girls the update. If I am not too drugged, I will be online with you the next 2 days!!!

Im sorry hun.

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Posted by Soon2beAlberti

I don't know about vertigo ...but lately I have been having dizzy spells at least once a day...but usually 2-3 times a day. It feels basically like altitude is dropping...like ur in a plane that suddenly drops in altitude. it even happens when I'm laying down. I'm thinking since I've been holed up at home my eating patterns have changed and thus so has my health?

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I hate to say it, but that sounds like what I go thru - and I get it when I am laying down, too! Have you seen a doctor yet? Does the feeling just pass on its own? FM me if you want to talk, or ask questions... sadly, I am a pro at this

Awe Marisa I'm so sorry you're going through this-it sounds so stressful. I agree with Jess on getting a second opinion. There are a lot of doctors out there-maybe you need to go to a specialist for this type of thing. Feel better.

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Posted by agraydc

definitely get a second opinion....

sounds a lot like benign positional vertigo aka BPV
which usually can be treated with the Epley Maneuver

feel better!!!!!!

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i was just going to say this. i had it and one of the big symptoms is getting dizzy while sitting/laying down/turning over in bed. get a second opinion.