Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[countrybumpkin]

Ever since I have had a neck problem ( see new spine post!) i have had times of suffering from vertigo or just constant unsteadiness so must be 20 years on and off.  I get good spells lasting many months then bad times.
I have been good for past year with no proper spinning vertigo although I have my usual unsteadiness every day.  When I get the vertigo it hits like a train and I just have to get on the floor as the room is spinning so much. Usually it is fairly short lived but leaves me feeling very iffy. Occasionally its less severe spinning but lasts for a few hours. 
Last night I got a few seconds of rocking vertigo so knew things weren't good but at 6am this morning I got out of bed and set off to walk and wham ended up on the bedroom floor clinging onto the rug. The worst was over in a few minutes but left me feeling very iffy and on the edge of it happening.
The worst thing is that vertigo triggers massive anxiety in me, obviously you get a huge adrenalin surge when it happens which  tmi here always goes straight to my bowels and leaves me a trembling wreck but I really struggle with not giving in to the fear and always end up scared to go to bed in case it happens again or leave the house again in case it hits again.
Anyone suffer with this ?  Any words of calm wisdom from MM for me?

[limpy]

Gosh CB it's never ending isn't it -

It mightn't feel like it but the vertigo happening may be a good thing.
Last year, a young (mid 30s) french friend of mine had very bad vertigo, she described it as feeling very very pissed. She went to a new GP who performed the Epley maneuver which helped pretty much straight away. She needed another maneuver the following week when the vertigo returned, albeit at a much reduced level.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epley_maneuver

I am not medically qualified but hopefully something can be done. I would suggest contacting your GP but this weekend isn't the easiest time to get hold of anybody. Perhaps give your out of hours GP or NHS direct a ring and see what they advise.

[Kate50]

Haven't had it full blown like you country bumpkin but I have it treated by my chiropractor they recently told me they were going on a weekend course about it as they get lots of meno ladies with it. I use to get nausea with mine.  I also take a homeopathic remedy for it called conium which works.  I just take it when I get it.  Must say been better since starting HRT

[Halfpint]

I read your spine post with interest Country bumpkin. I have arthritis in my neck (and now I think my shoulders). I quite often feel unsteady. I haven't had full blown vertigo though but had two friends who had vertigo. One went to A&E about it and was told to just lay in bed in a darkened room and the other found it best to just lay on the floor!
It may be worth you having it checked out as sometimes it's caused by an inner ear infection.
I'm not surprised how it leaves you feeling with the anxiety as it is a bit alarming and shocking. Hope you feel better soon.

[countrybumpkin]

I have had it investigated many times over the years, even had brain mri's to rule out benign tumour on the ear nerve.

The one thing that could literally kill me is anyone doing the epley manouvre, the neurosurgeon told me that when I saw him about my neck as they wrench your neck savagely to one side to do this manouvre and it would be dangerous for me.  This also only works for benigh positional vertigo. The neurosurgeon told me that your neck muscles send messages to your inner ear as part of balance and all of his neck patients had quite bad balance issues.  I never ever feel sick with it which if its coming from your inner ear as in labyrinthitis then you almost always get sickenss as well.  Its very unlikely to be meniers disease as I have no hearing loss either.  Told you I had been to ent!

Last few days I have been getting muscle spasms at base of my neck/top of shoulder on the bad side so it isn't surprising that the vertigo has hit me again.

[countrybumpkin]

In the past I have tried stemetil and serc drugs. Can't remember them helping but they are more designed for someone with labyrinthitis who is dizzy all the time so hard to tell if they helped or not.  I would certainly consider them if I kept getting attacks daily. 
No way could I ever have a back wash at the hairdressers in fact with me its often when I bend my head down forward that the vertigo strikes so I have dry cuts and wash hair in the shower.

[CLKD]

Vertigo needs investigation.  If it is full blown Menierres' disease medication will be required.  FortunatelY i haven't suffered from vertigo for several years but carry anti-nausea medication incase.  I had it one New Year's Eve after a very bad cold over C.mas but the GP wouldn't attend  DH had to drive a 10 mile round trip to get me medication.  I found out later that the GP was a drinker  .  I spent that night on the bathroom floor with a cat on my back in the warmth of the duvet DH had wrapped round me.  It took 5 hours before I dared move my head 

I know the moment I open my eyes in the morning as the room spins and I daren't move.  I take the anti-nausea med immediately.  It can feel AWFUL 

I also have a nerve in the back of my neck that makes me feel woozy if I move my head suddenly.  I also have legs that intermittently don't land on the ground where I try to put my feet, enough to make me quite wobbly (for over 25 years).

It is know that some hairdressing basins are dangerous as there is a nerve in th neck that can block the artery = death.  The salon I go to have up and down chairs for cutting etc. but not for hair-washing.  I have suggested that they ought to invest in at least one up and down over the basin.

[countrybumpkin]

When I first had an mri for this intermittant vertigo what they were checking for was okay but they said I had what looked like ms lesions at the top of my brain and I might at some time in the future develop ms   I had to have repeat scans every few years. These "lesions" never altered or increased and eventually a neuro said that they meant nothing as lots of people have them on mri and they are not in the right place for ms. Trouble was scanning at that time was more advanced than their understanding. So I had 10 years of having this hanging over me.

I fee for you having such bad vertigo and sickness. Is yours menniers?? 

[CLKD]

Fortunately nope and I haven't had an attack for 10 years now (everything crossed!).

How are you this morning?

[countrybumpkin]

I was okay again by lunchtime yesterday. I find for a few hours after my vertigo that I feel as if it might come back so can get a bit iffy if I look up or down suddenly but then it passes.  The biggest hurdle for me is the anxiety about it happening again.  Usually I will have it a few times over a few weeks and then its gone for months.

I do have daily balance problems when walking, especially when I have to walk out in the open so no walls or anything close to me, shopping centres and hospitals with big wide areas throw me but this is a combination of my neck problem and my being parially sighted as my poor old brain is having to deal with bad imagery and dodgy messages from the neck!  I absoletely dread escalators they completely throw my balance plus getting ona nd off is not easy when you can't see the ground well.

[Katejo]

I have had it investigated many times over the years, even had brain mri's to rule out benign tumour on the ear nerve.

The one thing that could literally kill me is anyone doing the epley manouvre, the neurosurgeon told me that when I saw him about my neck as they wrench your neck savagely to one side to do this manouvre and it would be dangerous for me.  This also only works for benigh positional vertigo. The neurosurgeon told me that your neck muscles send messages to your inner ear as part of balance and all of his neck patients had quite bad balance issues.  I never ever feel sick with it which if its coming from your inner ear as in labyrinthitis then you almost always get sickenss as well.  Its very unlikely to be meniers disease as I have no hearing loss either.  Told you I had been to ent!

Last few days I have been getting muscle spasms at base of my neck/top of shoulder on the bad side so it isn't surprising that the vertigo has hit me again.

I have had something similar but much less severe than your's. Last year I had two episodes of dizziness which i still think were linked to UTI infections at the time. I was referred to an ENT doctor who eliminated labyrinthitis/inner ear probs. She referred me to a neurologist as a precaution but there was nothing wrong there. I also have a longstanding problem with tension in the neck and shoulder. She agreed that this could be the cause.  My left ear is sensitive to this and my balance is sometimes slightly affected but I had a couple of days in October when it was a bit worse.
I have also in the past had severe dizziness due to an ear infection but that only lasted about 24 to 48 hours. Have you ever tried taking paracetamol when you get these symptoms? Years ago I found that it couldn't take Stematil because of incompatibility but that paracetamol did reduce the dizziness.

[warwick01]

Hi Just come across your post.

Everything your experiencing is the same as me. All started 8 years ago with sudden Vertigo when I was sat in a meeting. I was having the most heavy period (start of peri menopause) it was also 10 weeks following whip lash injury.

So for 8 years I have suffered with almost constant balance problems. I also have possibly one/two episodes of vertigo each year. As you cam imagine my anxiety is high, to the point I am scared to go out especially in public places.

On a daily basis it's like I feel drunk, disembarking from a car makes me worse, but o.k when driving....so strange.

I was told it was Labrinthitis (although no sickness) then told it was vestibular neuritis. Seen Nuero, ENT etc. This week I have had a really bad episode that has caused me to feel anxious again so I have booked apt to see ENT next week.

I too am experiencing neck problems esp on left side. Also on 2 occasions leaving the hairdressers I have lost my balance to the extent I expected to hit the floor.

> could it be neck problem ?
> could it be menopause hormones ?
>could it be middle ear problem ?
> could it be silent migraine vertigo?

I do know this is ruining my quality of life

Wx

[coldethyl]

I have recently been diagnosed with labyrinthitis following ear infection ( technically it's vestibular neuritis as I'm not deaf) and I think all of your suggestions will play a part- I have a stiff neck on the side affected with a bunged ear and it is the side that I get most of my migraines on- likewise I was improving but today I've come on properly and the dizzy heavy head has been worse - it is a known stressor for labyrinthitis x

[countrybumpkin]

I have recently been diagnosed with labyrinthitis following ear infection ( technically it's vestibular neuritis as I'm not deaf) and I think all of your suggestions will play a part- I have a stiff neck on the side affected with a bunged ear and it is the side that I get most of my migraines on- likewise I was improving but today I've come on properly and the dizzy heavy head has been worse - it is a known stressor for labyrinthitis x

You have jogged my memory. when I was still having periods until I was in my mid 30's the first day or so of the period I would feel really dizzy and light headed. I remember having to leave school every month on the first day because I would be so faint. I was told by gyny it was purely hormonal.

[warwick01]

The vertigo is so debilitating. Sparkle - I am determined to investigate the neck problem - thanks for your comments.

Before I started HRT every month I would get lightheaded (feel faint) at the time of my period. It would start 2/3 days before and 2 days into my period. Also curtain HRT made the vertigo worse.

It just seems a coincidence all this started when menopause started.

My GP is not very helpful

Wx