12 days post op stapedectomy - vertigo only when lying down - Dizziness / Vertigo Message Board

marie1215 · 12-06-2008, 08:36 AM

Hello All,
I posted in March 07 after my first stapedectomy on my left ear. For that one, I remember slight post op vertigo the day of the surgery and for about a week after, but no where near what I have with this one. I had my right ear operated on 11/24/08.
It's been about 11 days and I still get horrible vertigo when I lay down on my back. It's better when I move my head to the unoperated side, but as I move my head even slightly towards the operated side, complete, horrible vertigo and nausea. The good thing is, it usually passes if I slowly move my head back towards the unoperated side.
The worst was last night, when I attempted to have some romance. Suffice to say, I rolled from my stomach to back to quickly, the vertigo began and I threw up pretty badly. Not my best moment, but my spouse is the best and helped me clean up.
Other than laying on my back, or leaning backwards (like at a beauty shop washing bowl), I don't get too much vertigo and it always passes quickly.

Has anyone else experienced this type of vertigo post op? I don't remember this the first time.

I should note that for the first ear, I had the antibiotic drops, which helped to disintegrate the packing a lot faster - this time no drops, so the packing is still in there, and I still can't hear much in the operated ear. I'm hoping maybe the vertigo is being caused by the packing. (I would ask my doctor, but he's away for the next few days)

smittiesgirl · 12-08-2008, 05:10 PM

HI there. I will probably be NO help, since I am on Day 26 post op and STILL DIZZY! It is very frustrating. I am not nauseous, just dizzy. I was not given drops either. The ear still feels very muffled. I can hear but it is very thick, if that makes sense. I am hoping that the packing still hasn't dissolved and that makes a difference with the dizziness.

readi2run · 03-19-2009, 05:38 PM

I had the same thing happen with my first surgery, so dizzy and sick and it lasted for months, finally got better. I'm going for my second surgery the end of this month, maybe this time it wont be as bad. And I wonder to about the packing, if that is what caused it. But I'm not for sure on that one , and I didnt do drops either.

kitchener12 · 03-20-2009, 12:34 PM

Hi All..had my op back in Sep 08
I had vertigo when I leant back too....sucked because I would really want to lie down and rest and not have the spins...thankfully it did clear up after about 4 weeks....once the ear is fully healed I am sure it will be fine

remember to rest and NOT stress ..I didnt have drops... but they sucked the packing out with a vaccum..that was a real treat I can tell you...

aapal · 09-11-2009, 08:48 PM

I had the stapedectomy over four weeks ago (August 12, 2009) and I still have vertigo. I was told the stapedectomy would be an outpatient procedure and that I might have vertigo for a day or two. The surgery was a success, but when I woke up everything was spinning out of control. This continued for 2 more days, unable to sit up, not even able to open my eyes. I was sick as a dog. They kept me in the hospital for two more days and my mother has had to stay with me for the last four weeks.

Two weeks into recovery, I was able to walk unassisted, but not in public. People walking by me and cars passing me would throw me off balance.

Three weeks into recovery, I was able to walk SLOWLY unassisted as long as there was something or someone available to grab onto if I lost my balance.

Four weeks into surgery, I still lose my balance when I make quick turns with my head, but I can walk totally unassisted. I have started to drive again, slowly and cautiously.

I guess there's no way for a doctor to tell how long vertigo will last in a patient. My doctor says it will "take time." Vertigo has disrupted my life. If I would have known it would take this long, I would have not had it done.