I went to see my new doctor on Friday. She said basically that my symptoms are not typical of BPPV and she wasn't able to produce nystagmus while I was in the office. So there goes my diagnosis by my other two doctors. BUT the first time I went to the neurologist I didn't get dizzy when he did the hallpike and the second time I did. So maybe I was having a good day w/ my new doc or maybe I have compensated more? I don't know. It's true that the spinning is virtually gone and I'm left with the dizziness and fogginess and visual disturbances. I didn't ask her but could these just be the residual symptoms of my BPPV?
Who knows with this nonsense!!

She is going to do a brainstem evoked response test to check my balance nerve and she said if that's ok then I should start balance physical therpy. Is that the same thing as VRT? I'm not too informed on this stuff...will it help my visual disturbances and the rocking feeling? Thanks for any responses and I hope everyone is feeling good.

Don't lose heart! It is really tough when you keep getting different diagnoses but im afraid it is the nature of having an inner ear disorder. Most of us have had a few different diagnoses depending on the doctor - I know I have!

But just because she couldn't product nystagmus doesnt mean that you havent had BPPV previously and are know suffering the after effects of it. Have you read much on BPPV and do your symptoms seem to match?

I have right vestibular damage from a virus but have since developed BPPV as well which attacks about every 6 months. I know that when I have a BPPV attack the vertigo will go after about 2-3 days but the after-effects last up to 2 months for me.

Alot of people on these boards just have BPPV and it has taken them a long time to get back to normal and although they started with vertigo they can have a range of other dizzy symptoms.

Sounds like VRT is the best thing for you.....and I'm sure balance physical therapy would mean the same thing.

Good luck!

Kris,

I agree with star. I had my first BPV attack with spinning and nystagmus, but by the time I got in to see my GP 2-3 weeks later, she couldn't evoke that response. It settled on its own over the next few weeks, but I was left, as you say you are now, with the brain fog, anxiety, and all the other residual weirdness, so the answer is a resounding YES, those effects can certainly be a result of the BPV. I had another episode 6 mos. later (those little crystals moving around in there), and my ENT was able to get the spinning and nystagmus going while doing the Epley.

I think the VRT might help your balance, though I disagree with your doc that just because she couldn't get your spinning nystagmus going that you don't have BPV. Check with Subs for his thoughts on this and the therapy. He had right-side BPV (like me) and did (and somewhat still does) different types of therapy. If he doesn't see this thread and respond here, start a new thread addressed to him and ask him for the link to the BPV at home exercises (not the MEP, but the other ones for balance) he posted a while back (I don't see them in the archive sticky post); you might want to check those out and share them with your doctor.

T

Thanks so much guys!

I had a feeling that I would get responses saying that I am having the after effects of a BPPV attack. That's what I thought too. I don't know why she said it was so atypical. She said that usually people w/ BPPV only get dizzy from a certain position of the head and have no lightheadedness or dizzy symptoms otherwise. And I understand that moving the head into POSITIONS is the main cause and problem for people w/ BPPV, BUT why doesn't she know that (mostly) everyone with ANY inner ear disorder will have these residual effects? Come on now, doc! It's a shame these disorders are so confusing for everyone involved!!

Thanks again for the responses!

I heard Bppv was very treatable, So if you have it, you might be able to get it treated :angel:
leelee

Just to quote Tom Boismier (I hope he doesn't mind!!) - a vestibular scientist

Actually, a fair # of BPPV patients experience residual lightheadedness and unsteadiness AFTER they have been successfully treated for BPPV with particle repositioning maneuvers. The theory is that the brain partially compensated for the presence of BPPV, and now must re-compensate to the normal situation (analogous to getting your land legs back after being on board ship). A short course of VRT is often very helpful for these folks.


Of course that doesn't necessarily mean you BPPV, because it sometimes comes as a cotraveller with other coniditons.

Thanks so much for that quote!