VERTIGO- ahhhhh any tips welcome??
 

Well, wow...

for years I have had vertigo bouts 2-4 times a year. I have seen an ENT, no luck, and did hte positional testing... and passed tests.

Have been given antivert no help..

What happens to me is, I start feeling really weird, right eye starts to blur some, then balance kicks off, and feel off, mind lost, then dizzy beyond dizzy... can not function well, just eyes want to close!!

have had to leave work ASAP few times now due to this... actually needing a ride home from hubby to make it home. Then I sleep 6-8 hours and then fine.

I am still undx as to what my spasticity, right side weakness, memory issues, balance issues, numb/tingling face and body parts, on neurontin for the tingling pain, now on baclofen for spasticity, but no true DX!

any tips on vertigo, share your story... how do you cope... what do you take or do for it... hugssss and thanks,sarah

I take prescription strength Meclizine, which I think is also known as Antivert.

Really, all I can do when I have vertigo is to go lay down. Usually in an inclined position. (I have a wedge pillow to prop up on)...and then I just sleep. Or try to at least.

I hate vertigo with a serious passion. It's got to the one of the worst parts of MS.

Hi Sarah,
I had my first attack of Vertigo in the past month or two. Wow it sure is nasty. I was getting dizzy standing and walking so I would lay down.

The bed felt like it was going to spin. If I didn't move my head in bed, I would fall a sleep only to wake with it again. It was the start of my latest relapse and a new symptom for me. I didn't take anything for it.

TG it didn't last too long. I hope you feel better and it goes away fast for you.:hug:

Vertigo was most likely my very first symptom. I started getting vertigo attacks back in 1996 or 1997. Not too long after I had mononucleosis. (had mono in the winter of late 95 and early 96.

When I had mono, my throat and ears had gotten so infected with secondary infections that I was actually partially deaf and totally mute for about a month or more.

Because of that, I thought I'd damaged my inner ear with all the infections and that's what was causing the vertigo. It was really irritating, I'd wake up every few months, at least 4 times a year, with vertigo. It seemed to be seasonal too. And the first time I had it, I went to the doctor, and they told me I had an ear infection. I probably really did at that time, and the fever or infection set off the vertigo.

So, everytime I'd get vertigo, I just thought I had a lot of ear infections.

It wasnt until after I got diagnosed that I realized that the vertigo had apparently been trying to tell me something for nearly 10yrs. (diagnosed Jan 2007)

In the past couple of months, I've started to get a weird vertigo when I'm walking in large stores that have bright fluorescent lights, or if I'm in a big crowd of people. It's such an uncomfortable feeling. I just push thru it, because it's been the mildest of all my vertigos, it's just irritating that just walking thru a store can make me a little woozy. I dont get the full rotation of vertigo from that. It's more of an off balance, shaky feeling.

Full blown vertigo always likes to hit me at the worst possible moment. Just before I go on a trip...or when I've got a hot date with the boyfriend...or while I'm sleeping. I hate being surprised by the vertigo when waking up. Sucks massively.

I go to sleep. the rest of the world must stop. it doesnt matter who is doing what, or who is expecting me where. I must sleep. when I wake, I usually feel tons better. The MD said it can be a "migraine like" syndrome. I dunno about that, but I do know sleep works like a charm.

This helped me a little. IF you must get up and function, long ago in ballet class I learned when spinning, focus on something to help the dizzy (when self toileting I focus on a thing on wall caused by a knob to steady my up-down moves,. I rely on physical memory. not visual (eyes) about walking and standing. Helps me a little.

Hi Sarah - I posted this on the insights but am posting it here as others may benefit from it.

DD18 gets vertigo. When I had her in the ER they gave her the Antivert as well as Valium. The ER dr was explaining that Valium works directly on the vestibular nerve and is one of the only meds that will do that. Her 2nd major attack we treated with just Valium and she did great after a couple of days.

Also, from the Merck site: http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch08...h084-ch084e-69

"If a vestibular disorder is present and thought to be secondary to active Meniere's disease or vestibular neuronitis or labyrinthitis, the most effective vestibular nerve suppressants are diazepam Some Trade Names VALIUM (2 to 5 mg po q 6 to 8 h, with higher doses given under supervision for severe vertigo) or oral antihistamine/anticholinergic drugs (eg, meclizine Some Trade Names ANTIVERT BONINE Click for Drug Monograph 25 to 50 mg po tid)."

Everyone is so differnt. A psychiatrist dad of one of my student's (I was then UNDXed) recommended I try Bonine. Me, it did not help.

Mine comes on really suddenly, and very strong. One time, I was just laying on the couch and fell off!

:p

It feels like being on a boat on serious waves. Only once (maybe twice) did I feel nauseous - but then, I don't get that even with really bad migraines, I'm lucky.

I was checked by ENT, too, also okay.

:confused:

Neuro does not know what's up with me, no meds, I did not want any.

Oddly, it seems okay when I drive. If it's bad sitting still, it's bad walking, but better - like gone - if driving? I heard about something called Disembarkment syndrome, where that happens. Would ask my doc, but right now I'm in that *hate all drs* mode. Rather drop dead than talk to one, lol.

How to cope? Careful on the stairs, don't carry anything fragile, and look across the room at something when walking - focus. Never look down, to look down is to throw the balance off more. And sippy cups.

;)

The last time I had vertigo (couple of months ago) I couldn't even stand to look at my pc monitor or be in bright lights. I was so afraid that I would still have it when I flew to NC. I remember putting my hand on top of my head trying to stop the spinning. It was awful. I couldn't even move my head w/o getting dizzy.

I told my Dr about it and she sent me to a Phy Therapist that does a type of ''tap'' therapy to help relieve it. There's another name for the tx, but I can't remember it. It seemed to help, but didn't alleviate it completely.

The Dr also said that there are alot of things that can cause vertigo from ear problems to sinus infections, etc. My niece gets it and she doesn't have MS. The Dr said mine was neurological~ DUH. (dang it)