I've been feeling moderate to severe dizziness for just over 2 weeks, it all started when I woke up in the middle of the night with the room spinning, I tried to lie on my other side but still felt the same, the only bit of relief I get is when I'm either sleeping on my back but slightly raised or when I'm just sat up during the day and looking straight ahead, if I try to lean my head to the left or right then the room starts moving, it's a very scary experience as I'm sure your aware.
I decided to visit my GP who basically told me that my inner ear was inflamed because of the flu I'd had a few weeks earlier, he sent me home with some tablets for motion sickness (cinnarizine) which did not work, a week later I went to see a different GP who told me that I needed my ears syringing as they were totally full of wax and gave me some different tablets called betahistine dihydrochloride which have also not worked, anyway, today I got my ears syringed to exclude the possibility of wax causing the dizziness, needless to say I'm still the same, but earlier today my dizziness had changed to like a floating feeling whenever I walked, it's as though my brain was floating with each step I took, with this I felt either drunk or drugged or both, not nice, I really felt like I was walking on the moon or should I say bouncing.
After reading many stories on here I think I may have either Meniere's or BPPV but have not been diagnosed with either - yet.
Given the positional nature of your symtoms, BPPV is very likely. The condition is caused by tiny calcium crystals that float around in the balance canal of the inner ear. Posterior canal BPPV is the most common, and the treatment is called the Epley maneuver. The efficacy of the maneuver is very high (85-95%).
I would go back to your doctor and ask for a referral to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor or Physical Therapist who specializes in vestibular rehabilitation.
Given the positional nature of your symtoms, BPPV is very likely. The condition is caused by tiny calcium crystals that float around in the balance canal of the inner ear. Posterior canal BPPV is the most common, and the treatment is called the Epley maneuver. The efficacy of the maneuver is very high (85-95%).
I would go back to your doctor and ask for a referral to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor or Physical Therapist who specializes in vestibular rehabilitation.
Thanks for the reply darren, I've been reading a lot about vestibular rehabilitation, from what I can make of it you basically carry on regardless as though nothing is wrong and the brain will work with the body and compensate for the deficit, I know how hard this will be because I try to avoid movements that provoke the symptoms such as walking because of the bouncing sensation, nevertheless I would persevere as long as this thing gets better, at the moment I feel as though I'm having all the fun of the fairground without the rides.
I've been to the docs again and have now been diagnosed with Labyrinthitis, the doc told me that it could take weeks and weeks before I feel better and that I'd have to ride through the symptoms, I knew that this is the way to make the brain compensate but would take time, if things don't improve over the next month then I'll be referred to an ENT for evaluation and the possibility of Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy, fortunately my local hospital carries out such therapy, I'm remaining hopeful that compensation takes place.
Labyrinthitis seems to be the default diagnosis for dizziness for most GP's. It sounds like your dizziness is not constant because it can be relieved by certain head positions. This pretty much cancels out the possibility of Labyrinthitis if you ask me.... But as your doctor said, time will tell whether this is an accurate diagnosis.
If your diagnosis of Labyrinthitis is correct, then your brain will compensate naturally if you carry on with your life.
However if you have BPPV, the canalith crystals must be moved out of the canal for compensation to take place.
Update... The severe dizziness I was having has now subsided somewhat, although I cannot look up or down without slight dizziness or lie flat on my back and I still have a bouncy feeling when I walk, I'm not sure if this thing is actually getting better or just that I'm becoming accustomed to it, maybe the brain is slowly compensating...
The positional nature still sounds like BPPV. Try to understand which side of your head provokes the dizziness and perform an Epley maneuver on that ear.
I would recommend going back to your GP and mentioning BPPV. Mine started while I was sleeping as well and he should be able to do a test moving your head around to see if you have "jumping eyes" which means it is likely positional vertigo. You may have turned your head in one direction when you were waking up. You can also try turning your head while lying down and with your head over the edge of the bed to the right and to the left and see if one direction makes you dizzy or have actual vertigo. If so, it is very likely you have BPPV and the Epley maneuver should be what your practitioner should try as it can cure 80% of people if they have BPPV. If your doctor is of no help, try a physiotherapist that specializes in dizzy symptoms and vertigo. Good luck, try not to get too anxed but press your doctor for more tests if this is not what it is including a CT scan to rule out other more remote possibilities.
Best wishes and I hope you get better soon, I was dizzy for 2 solid weeks after my episode and still have some days where I don't feel 100%. For me, fresh air and being outside really helps and sleeping a little propped up at night, which is a pain as I used to be a fetal position sleeper.
Plane Jane
Last edited by moderator2; 05-14-2011 at 06:13 PM.
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The Following User Says Thank You to Plane Jane For This Useful Post: bindar (05-14-2011)
I've had this for over 2 months now, yeah the dizziness is nowhere near as bad but I still can't look up without feeling really weird and as though I'll fall over, when taking a shower I have to sit down because of the fear off going to fall, I also feel like there's a lead weight in the front of my head combined with confusion/detachment from reality, the bouncing feeling when walking has subsided although is present when trying to run, the whole thing has been a worry and I thought I'd be back to normal by now, my GP said it can take weeks and weeks before I notice an improvement, he wasn't kidding!
The following user gives a hug of support to Dizzynscared: Plane Jane (06-05-2011)
Things are still the same, I'm beginning to think (after reading) that I may have MAV, my symptoms are similar to others on here and I also have a history of migraines, when I was a kid I was on medication for migraines because I had them so bad, eventually they disappeared but I still get occasional visual disturbance associated with them, is it possible that my migraines have somehow caused these balance and dizziness problems? I am booking another appointment with my GP and will hopefully get a referral to see and ENT specialist.
