I started my first two sets today as I was struck with a new bout yesterday, the details as follow:

Went last month to take my second VNG in two years and got a BPPV diagnose(even with two not 100% conclusive Dix-Hallpike test), as my right ear deficit was better compensated(don't know how they measured that) than two years ago, even as I practically feel the same, if maybe a little bit better overall, but I'm not sure if it's because I got used to my dizziness.

Was supposed to start Brandt Darhoff sets, because of the uncertainty about which side was the "bad one", that's why they didn't perform or suggested the Epley maneuver, which I believe is the best treatment for this.

Thing is that the day after my appointment I got a cold which turned to a bronchitis, and lasted almost a month, so I couldn't start my sets...

Finally got rid of the cold, at least to a tolerable state, and got three great days, almost dizzy free, that ended yesterday as a new bout started. Basically back to two years ago in terms of intensity, like if my dizzies were on the 6(on a scale of 10), and suddenly rose up to a 7-8, mostly with positional spinning hiccups, unsteadiness, visual movement, and fog.

Yesterday temperature went down again, and I woke up with a mild right ear pain, and clogging(in both ears), as cold(or better said allergies) rose up again.

I was planning to let it go resting again but as I got two or three strong hiccups during the day I decided to start the Darhoff sets right away and this is what happened:

No dizzies while laying down to both sides, but some mild discomfort when sitting up, specially from the right side. Left with some wooziness and unsteadiness after the set, specially when I stood up, and also with a mild head ache, and a little stiff neck.

Felt with ups and downs during the day and I started set number two after another strong positional hiccup(bending my head down to the front), with same results than before. I decided to check my bp which was a little bit high 90/133, maybe not too much but higher than usual for me.

Now I feel mildly aching in general, like(again) a cold, sore itchy throat with some coughing, and obviously I got quite stressed by this new events, as I feel it in my neck which is pretty tight, maybe in response to all this, as I also feel quite sensitive to motion, with lots of the usual vestibular hiccups(tinnitus, spins, visual, unsteadiness, etc).

I must say that since the holidays(xmas), I've been gaining some weight and stayed less active, because of work and colds, maybe it's all related but it all came back to me at the same time, at least it feels like that, and it's the whole combination the real problem, and I still suspect on MAV, specially after reading Charlottes response to a MAV post.

Finally after this long post the advice needed: I was instructed to stop any VRT(I use to start some sets as a relief from this kind of episodes) do the sets for 15 days at least, or until I don't feel dizzy at all, but I am a little worried about the neck and head pain, and also about the wooziness I feel after the sets... Which maybe is related to the cold or the rise in my bp but I'm not sure..

So BPPV experts:

Is it normal to feel this after the sets, or should I've been doing something wrong? Should I keep doing them no matter what? Should I do some VRT for relief even as I was instructed to stop it by my doctors? Any other advice?

I was almost tempted to try a Home Epley but as it was warned on the sticky that you might move the crystals to the wrong canal if you're not sure of your bad side, and because of this new headache too... so I'm in the blue right now...

Sorry to hear you're going through what I am. Seems I've been reading and writing on this site quite alot lately.

From what I've experienced, it's not uncommon for you to feel dizzier after each time to you do these different manuevers. Nor is it odd to get neck pain, numbing, headaches, pain in your jaw and throat. I've had a very difficult time with vertigo for the last 7 months and have just had relief for the first time about a two weeks ago.

I found that all my secondary symptoms went away when the dizziness went away. No neck, jaw or other pain. But literally as soon as I moved to my left side, I had a spin that lasted about 15 seconds and subsided, then all my dizziness, unbalanced feeling, nystagmus, and all the pain has started coming back.

Anxiety, depression, these are other things that go along with it. When my vertigo subsided, all this other stuff did too, no anxiety, no pain.

The manuevers I think helped in that it moved the particles in the inner ear to settle so they weren't moving throughout the canal, causing spinning sensations. But the manuevers didn't get rid of it. It took alot of time and staying away from PT to have any relief. It seemed the more I stirred it up, the more I'd feel the effects of it, but then it would settle down and be fine as long as I didn't move to the side that's the bad side.

Keep in mind this is stress on your body; your neck, your back, all those muscles that keep you upright are tense and working overtime to keep your balance. So they're going to be painful as long as you have dizziness.

Valium helps with the pain, and for loss of sleep.

I'd suggest maybe trying not to do any Epley or other things and just let things settle down for a week. Allow your body to calm down and try it again later. Once your body starts to react in pain, it's only going to get more painful. I felt like a car accident victim for months.

This takes a long while to find the right treatment and what works. I've had a very difficult time with this, having it for so long, not being able to work, etc. I found it very helpful to try one thing at a time and not get overwhelmed with trying to self diagnose all your symptoms. Give yourself time and patience. Try one thing, go on to the next. See and ENT, see a vestibular PT if you can.

Hope that helps and I hope you can get some relief from it.

Thanks Snh

I'll do give it a rest since the tretment window is 15 days and my next appoinment is on May, so I have time to recover from this whatever thing that struck me, and to give the sets a shot later on April.

I've been under a lot of extra-dizziness stress to, so I have to blame that for some of my aches, including my new stiff neck and back, and that mild bp increment, which receded this morning after a good night sleep, even as I feel like I was hit by a car.

The only thing I'll resume as soon as possible is walking, which I believe can help me for pressure, stress, circulation, balance, and fitness all at once.

Thanks for the input.

Thanks Snh

I'll do give it a rest since the tretment window is 15 days and my next appoinment is on May, so I have time to recover from this whatever thing that struck me, and to give the sets a shot later on April.

I've been under a lot of extra-dizziness stress to, so I have to blame that for some of my aches, including my new stiff neck and back, and that mild bp increment, which receded this morning after a good night sleep, even as I feel like I was hit by a car.

The only thing I'll resume as soon as possible is walking, which I believe can help me for pressure, stress, circulation, balance, and fitness all at once.

Thanks for the input.

Hi Stargrave

Yep give it a rest---but try to get the exercise in before next appointment---walking is excellent---did 21-25 miles per week during my go with this junk....

Good Luck.

:cool:

Hi subs, thanks for the input.

Followed your advice and I'm better, back to my dizzy "normality".

Surely I'll get to do my sets at least the 15 days before my appointment, both to see what happens, and because if I don't docs will blame me for my lack of progress with good reason.

Today was a roller coaster from "hell, here we go again", to "I'm pretty cool and feeling fine", and again I felt a some positional upsets so that BPPV theory is not so wild, that's why I will give a shot sooner or later.

I even was real close to give it a shot to the Home Epley, because from what I've read is the most direct and effective maneuver of them all, as the Brandt Darhoff takes more time to give results, but(this I wanted to ask you subs) as it is still quite unclear which is my bad side(BPPV speaking), even as my actual bad side is the right one which is the one with detected dysfunction, which is supposed to be more compensated that two years ago as told me by my neuro, even as I feel almost the same.

The thing is, and here is the question, as no dix-hallpike showed clearly the wrong side, and the BDarhoff sets don't get me dizzy on any side, but jut a little when I sit up, I still can figure out which ear is the bad one, and just when I was decided to do the Epley for a quick BPPV cut I read thie on the sticky:

There are several problems with the "do it yourself" method. If the diagnosis of BPPV has not been confirmed, one may be attempting to treat another condition (such as a brain tumor or stroke) with positional exercises -- this is unlikely to be successful and may delay proper treatment. A second problem is that the home-Epley requires knowledge of the "bad" side. Sometimes this can be tricky to establish. Complications such as conversion to another canal (see below) can occur during the Epley maneuver, which are better handled in a doctor's office than at home. Finally, occasionally during the Epley maneuver neurological symptoms are provoked due to compression of the vertebral arteries. In our opinion, it is safer to have the first Epley performed in a doctors office where appropriate action can be taken in this eventuality.

I know that you and firechick have done this with ease and success, and I'm pretty sure that I don't have a stroke or something like it, nevertheless, I'm not completely sure of it, even as I really want to try it, because if it's really BPPV this could be the answer I was looking for, thoughts?