six weeks "vertigo" experience to share

Ears, nose and throat
1

Hello all, I believe this is an amazing forum which makes me feel good when having the vertigo symtom, I'd like to share and help other patients with my experience too, which makes me feel even better.

Six week ago one day I laid down to do an AB exercise, it triggered my BPPV Vertigo. I tried twice, finally managed to stand up and go to work with a heavy head. Next day, I had 45 mins walk under the sun, and tried to fix my toilet at night. When I laid my head on my pillow to sleep, it triggered my Vertigo again. The next day, I couldn't get up because of dizziness.

During this six weeks, BPPV came and went a few times. Then it went away. Now I can tilt my head up, down, left and right. I don't know if it is because of the EPley exercise I have done.

HOWEVER, the sense of unbalance and lighthead kicks in, accompanied by exausted fatigue. On 15th of March, I called Ambulance due to a panic attack (suddenly increased heart rate, panic, short breath). The hospital told me that it is BPPV Vertigo and my panic attack could come from anxiety.

I have done Brian CT, neck CT, full blood count, chest Xray, ECG for my heart, all negative.

Now I get confused. Is it a Vertigo now or a BPPV vertigo? Or it is changed to a Chronic Fatigue Syndrom?

Am I the only one experiencing it? I wish someone can share something similar smile Thank you.

2

I can relate to what you are saying, Jimmy? I have been diagnosed with BPPV as well. I feel like I am getting better at the moment but still feel like there is dizziness and weakness present. I am older than you and retired so do not have the pressure of work. My husband is doing most of the household chores since this happened on 23 rd February. I started the same way you did and my journey is similar.

3

Hi. Jimmy, My neuro otologist told me at with Vestibular Neuritis you can also get BPPV. I haven't experienced this myself but it sounds to me as if you have the BPPV which is the spinning sensation you describe, and he lightheadness and fatigue is the Vestibular Neuritis. You need to get toa neuro otologist as soon as possible and have the range of tests done. Pretty amazing what those tests can tell you. Good luck.

4

Thanks for your advice I am going to see an ENS specialist soon.

5

Hope it is not a Vestibular Neuritis,  Hope it is just a bumpy recovery.

6

Hi Kathleen

Thank you for your response smile  it makes me feel less anxious. 23rd of Feburary, nearly the same time when I had my first Vertigo symptom.  I am 38. not an active young man, looks a bit old :P

I hope you can recover soon. Sometimes weakness will bring fear and anxiety, I am trying to accept it and don't compare my feeling between today and the past, between healthy people and myself. I guess the non-spinning dizziness is from a broken balance between ears, and the tiredness is from brain retraining. Do you agree? I will ask ENT specialist regarding this. 

7

Sorry, ENT specialist

8

I hope it isn't VN as well. I have to be honest and say that my experience with the ENT specialist was not good. It was only when I saw the neuro otologist I got a correct diagnosis.  Don't know which part of the world you are in and what is available for you, but if you can get to a neuro otologist you can get the really comprehensive testing done and a correct diagnosis,  ENT specialists don't do this testing, good luck. Keep is posted.

9

I see. Thank you for your advice. I really appreciate that. I didn't know what is a neuro otologist before you telling me. I am in Australia, I will mention that when talking to GP next time. My GP doesn't believe there is a need for me to see A specialist but psychologist! He believes my fatigue is purely caused by my anxiety and not related to my dizziness. Today I met another GP around my workplace she thinks I need a specialist.

10

Hi Jimmy, Well I'm in Sydney and at RPA hospital we have the guru on vestibular problems. She is brilliant, an entire balance clinic set up across one floor of the hospital, testing and specialises services.  Her name is Dr Miriam Welgampola and she is also attached the the University of Sydney, Medical School.  If you are in Sydney, get a referral to her at RPA.

i can't believe how ignorant most GPs are of vestibular problems. Not the first time I have heard this. They dismiss them as anxiety driven. I was fortunate in my GP and she did refer me to an ENT but he insisted it was BPPV.  I read up on it all online and I knew it wasn't.  He wasn't happy when I asked to go to Dr Welgampola but he did give me the referall in the end - 6 weeks it took, but I remained persistent,  it is your body and you know what you feel.  Good luck. 

11

Sorry I have to make a short reply at the moment because of the fainting dizziness comes again, I hesitated but finally took a Stemzine. I am in Brisbane. I am going to see doctor William Conam. Strangely I feel dizzy while I am not feeling fatigue; when I feel not dizzy, I feel fatigue. Talk to you later.

12

Oh wow Jimmy you are in Australia too. I am in Victoria near Melbourne. Small world. What you describe is similar to mine although I feel the vertigo is getting better. Hopefully, it keeps improving!

13

That should be a good place to go because it looks for answers for balance disorders. They investigate the causes and offer help for you. If they are unable to they should be able to refer you on.

14

I took a Stemzine, the dizziness tonight should be under control now. Do you use Stemzine and what is your opinion about it?

Now I start to reply to you smile Yes I totally agree with you. "Typical" vestibular problems are easy to identify but sometimes our symptoms are complex, the truth cause is not that easy to be identified by GP. I totally agree with your words that "it is your body and you know what you feel". Anxiety? yes, it exists and it will affect our bodies, but it is not the root cause in our cases.

15

biggrinI am glad to hear that your vertigo is getting better, I believe that I am getting better too, but VERY slowly and waves up and down.

16

agree

17

Hi Jimmy, No you are not the only one.  Mine started with BPPV, out of the blue, Sept 2013.  Whilst waiting for that to resolve had another BPPV, whilst waiting for that to resolve had severe balance problems, falling to the floor as though my left side had a stroke,  eventually, after 19 months balance issues are much milder now, but i think that once your inner ear gets messed, regardless of whether it's BPPV or labyrintitis or whatever  it can recover at different levels of speed for different people or remain a long term problem due to it becoming a weakness in that area.  We are very finely tuned and our balance is like another sixth sense that we take for granted until it becomes a problem.    I also had the epley manouver twice with limited effect and then bought a dizzy fix cap off the internet which supposedly can help you do the manouver independently,  made everything much worse and ENT consultant told me never to use it again.  The fatigue may be caused by trying to keep our balance and compensate.

18

Yes, it is better then it is not but never as bad as it was at the very beginning when I could not even get up without the assistance of my husband. I do not take anything now. I did but then told to stop because it obviously was not helping. 

19

I took one Stemzine yesterday night, to be frank, not feeling better but drowsy sad I won't use it anymore.

20

hi Jimmy I know exactly what you and the others are going through- after multiable tests and scans I'm travelling to Sydney from Country Queensland to seek help at the Balance Clinic at the RPA in Sydney ! I'm awaiting for my appointment and would fly across Australia to have my old life back!  BPPV is not fun and after my 3rd specialist he recommended Dr Mariam Welgampolla without a doubt he said you will be back on track - fingers crossed!