Alright, so I'm new here and sure happy to have found this site. November of 09 my Doctor told me I had an "outer ear infection" she gave me drops, but I didn't take them (yes, stupid move) Well, January 23rd of this year I was rushed to ER with extreme Vertigo. The ER doctor gave me Antiverts (horrible Vestibular suppressant in my opinion) a Z Pack and ear drops. I went home with hope, but it was short lived...
3 weeks later I went back to the ER with extreme Vertigo (which was constant from the onset, no relief) The ER doctor gave me a CT and MRI all came back fine.
So, 6 weeks later, the Vertigo went away, only to occur when I moved (Hey, a small relief in my mind) but the left ear that had been plugged, now moved to my right ear. It was like it moved to the other ear.
2 weeks later the dizziness was gone, but I was left with this "bouncy vision, when I would walk) I went to an ENT. He gave me Prednisone.
So, basically here I am with this damn "Bouncy Vision" it has gotten better but it is starting to really **** me off. I feel a slight bit unbalance, so my ENT gave me a water pill, because I feels I still have fluid in my ear.
I guess, after giving all that back-story, I have to ask you all if this "Bouncy Vision" will go away. It's gotten better, but not to the point where I'm jumping with joy.
Bouncy vision is called oscillopsia. This word may help you read up on it a bit more. I suggest that you make an appointment with a specialist called a neurotologist. There is a test called an ENG or VNG that will test your inner ear function. The neurotologist will also be able to give you exercises (or VRT- vestibular rehabilitation therapy) to help you.
I know what you mean................I am SO IRRITATED with my bouncy vision...mine was caused by Gentamiacin antibiotic.....and on top of that I've got a whole other bunch of physical probs...gonna start Vest Therapy and see how it goes, also my doc put me on Meclizine..we will see....
The best way to make it go away is to keep moving- stay active.
It is tempting to stay in bed when you feel bad but this will not help.
Specific exercises can be prescribed (VRT) and I recommend this.
I also recommend getting tested to see if inner ear damage is causing it.
But wouldn't it be obvious that inner ear damage is what's causing it? I'd hate to go through spending more money just to tell me what I already know. I mean, the inner ear is what causes balance, so if I'm not balanced, and have had MRI's etc, and they all come up clear, what else could it be?
Have you seen a doctor that treats patients with inner ear disorders? a neurotologist?
Are you doing VRT (vestibular rehabilitation therapy)?
I understand that you are dizzy and frustrated, but I am trying to help...
No, inner ear damage is not necessarily the cause.
There are inner ear disorders that don't mean "damage."
It could be:
1) vestibular neuronitis/ labyrinthitis, which usually does not permanent damage and usually resolves itself with time.
2) vestibular migraine, which won't show up on any test (as far as I know)
3) BPPV, which can be resolved through exercises and "repositioning manuevers."
If it is inner ear damage,
you should still do VRT.
And also pursue other options through recent technologies.
I hear what you are saying about avoiding spending too much money and everyone has to make their own decisions about their budgets.
For me, seeing a neurotologist
and getting a correct diagnosis was one of the best decisions
I have ever made because it was the path to leading the most "normal" life possible.
My neurotologist set me up with the OT
who prescribed the VRT that has allowed me continue with my life in spite
of damage to both of my inner ears.
Giovanelli, not to be negative, but I have been dealing with oscillopscia for the past 18 months with zero let up. It has improved somewhat, but it has never left. I haven't been able to drive at night in all this time and likely may never be able to.
I agree that it is important to get diagnosed and to do that, you should see the neurotologist.
While I understand your apprehension to spend more money on yet another doctor, this specialist might be able to stop the progression of a vestibular loss, if in fact that is what you have. I ignored symptoms for too long to the point that I have no function in either ear. Living life is extremely difficult and I always wonder if I had done something sooner if I could have avoided some of the pain and anguish.
Either way, I wish you the best of luck. It is NO fun and it's not something that is easy to explain to people who do not have personal experience with what its like.
What kind of stuff could be going on in the inner ear that could lead to more damage? I"m curious. I was given a perscription for a Betahistine and Hydrochlrizode.
It seems like the most common problem with the inner ear, are all resolved through time.
Could you pease, tell me what the nero-otologist said you have. My osclopsia was left behind after 6 weeks of extereme verigo. It has gotten better, so, just really curious. Shouldn't you compensate no matter what?
It sounds like you have run of the mill labrynthitis to me, I had it severly several years ago, just woke up with it, with the room spinning so bad, i would vomit. I called my dr. who knew immediately what it was and gave me meclizine. It makes it go away so I can stop vomiting, but makes you sleepy. Laying down is not good for you if you have labrynthitis, try to get up and move to shake it off faster. There does not have to be anything wrong with your ears to get it. Once you get it, you may, like me, have reoccurences of it every once in awhile. I hate when I wake up with it, which is always what happens. But since I started getting up anyway, not taking the medicine, and keep moving, somehow it is supposed to recalibrate your vision,ear, brain and feet. Somehow these 4 things are what make you balance. The vestibular exercises are nothing more than walking and moving your head side to side alot, and laying down and moving your head up and back to get you used to the movement. But I still always have trouble when I am walking, say in a parking lot, and see cars move out of my peripheral vision, it makes me feel like I am going to fall. Its not an every day thing, but will just hit me, out of the blue, like a 5 second blast all of a sudden. It just scares me if I am driving and it does it. Well it scares me whenever i have it, because its just is so weird. Hope this helps you.
Forgive me, because I don't know anything about your background and what led you to have the oscillopscia. If it has improved for you over time, that is fantastic. It is a horrible thing to live with.
In my situation, I have MS so the lesions have essentially "eaten away" at my vestibular nerve and caused me to have a total loss of vestibular functions on both of my ears. I have been able to compensate somewhat, but I am no where near what I was.
When I move my head quickly, it takes my vision a few seconds to catch up with the physical position of my head. I have a difficult time reading things while I"m walking - like my grocery list as I walk through the store. I have to stop and read, then go on. I went through the VRT but didn't find much improvement. I challenge myself through doing many of the exercises from VRT as well as the Wii Fit so that my brain doesn't get lazy.
If the cause of your oscillopscia is some "normal inner ear" issue (of which I am unsure) the perhaps you don't need any further medical treatment. In my situation, its possible that if it was known to be caused by lesions, I could have perhaps had IV steroids to stop the progression of the lesions reducing the impact of the loss.
If you were to see the neurotologist and were sent to VRT before your situation progresses further, you may have less long term effects. Think of it like having to re-learn the alphabet from A-Z or just from T-Z. Something along those lines. If you are able to retrain your brain to not need the full use of your vestibular system before it gets accustomed to being without it, you may find the oscillopscia is minimized.
Again, if you have already found some relief and improvement then kudos to you and I hope you stay on that path!
Honestly, my neurotologist told me (before I knew it was MS) that they would figure out the cause of my BVL when my autopsy was done. No lie.
They have told me that I will compensate, but that I will never be what I was 2 years ago. The function is gone, completely gone, and there is no indication that it will come back. I've learned to adapt, but I won't lie, it sucks. I think the worst part is the lack of independence due to the inability to drive myself. I'm just not the kind of person that can easily ask for help so it has been a struggle.
For your sake, I hope you don't have this extent of a condition. It sounds like you have made good progress so that is fantastic for you and a sign of good things!
If you don't mind me asking, how were you diagnosed with MS? It really pisses me off that with all the medical technology out there, they can't do anything for you.
I don't mind at all...... But be careful what you ask for
I guess 2+ years ago I was having severe lower back pain and my dr had me on pain meds. I remember telling my husband that I felt more wierd the days I didn't take the pain meds then the days that I did. I just didn't feel "right" but couldn't put my figure on it. I equated it to the pain meds and basically ignored it. Looking back I now know exactly what was causing me to feel off.
Around Christmas of 2008 I got a severe vertigo attack. I had an MRI done which did show one spot but I was told it was nothing to be worried about. I saw my ENT who did the Epley on me which took away the spins, but I was still not feeling right. I saw 2 neuros and an ENT all of whom told me that I was just feeling residuals of the BPPV. I insisted that my symptoms were not that of BPPV, the oscillopscia being the prime example of that. So after many months of urging my doctors to please figure out what was going on, I was sent to the Yale Balance center and they diagnosed me with the BVL.
There were questions of whether i had MS but it was ruled out by blood work and lack of any other symptoms (hello - can you say lesions on my brain??).
Fast forward to this past Thanksgiving where my left hand began feeling tingly and numb. I was sent to the chiro for treatment thinking that because of my balance, my gait had changed and perhaps pinched a nerve. So I went through that for another 6 weeks iwth no improvement. Then to an ortho who said it was disc related. I was sent for a nerve conduction test. The neruo told me that it was just carpal tunnel and not to worry, but lets just do an MRI of your neck to make sure the discs are okay (my xrays showed them as being fine). I go in for the MRI being told it was carpal tunnel and came out to the neuro saying, sorry I was wrong you have an inflammed spinal cord and we need to do a spinal tap and MRI of your brain the next day.
So I had the brain MRI, got the results of the spinal tap which showed the markers for MS and the rest is history. That was late January of this year.
I'm now on meds to prevent the lesions from taking over more and get monthly IV steroids to keep inflammation down.
Its been a long road, but I have to say the diagnosis was a relief for me. At least I knew the ghosts I was fighting so I could take steps to keep from getting worse.
After 3 months of treatment, I don't really feel any different. But I just had an MRI done last week (after falling because of my balance and whacking my head on my car) which showed no change in the lesions on my brain so that was good.
The doctors tell me they can't guarantee that I will regain the function I have lost, but are hopeful they can prevent it from getting worse. I'm trying to take comfort with that outlook but I wish it were not the case.
