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Coping With Vertigo

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Vertigo - Ain’t life Grand?
by: Spining in Troy on Fri, Apr 24 2009
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Like all of you, I found myself experiencing a sudden acute attack of Vertigo It was shortly after Christmas, my husband was home on leave from Baghdad. It was Friday night. The day had been fabulous, in fact, for the first time in months I felt healthy, not even a sniffle, no allergies, no headaches, no nothing. I went to sleep just fine. Around midnight I awoke to a sensation that “something” was not right. I wasn’t spinning yet, but I knew something wasn’t right. I tried to go back to sleep but found that the feeling of doom wouldn’t go away. I rolled over to wake my husband and that’s when the holy terror that is vertigo let loose.

Suddenly I felt a violent spinning, the room was tilting and spinning like I was on that Tilt-a-Whirl ride at the fair and I couldn’t get off!! I was terrified. When I tried to sit up, I felt like someone was pressing my head back down while the room was still tilting and spinning out of control. My poor husband panic’d and started hollering at me to stand up …right…as most of you know that is impossible. Things went from bad to worse until my husband had to call an ambulance.

By the time they got there I was cold, clammy, sweating profusely, disoriented, my heart rate was up around 168, I was struggling to stay conscious, nauseous, you know all those fun symptoms! The paramedics had to carry me to the ambulance and immediately started an IV and and EKG They worked to get my heart rate under control and sped away to the ER. Once there I was immediately taken into the CT room for a brain scan.

The good news? No tumors. The bad news? No real diagnosis. I was given valium and meclazine (I’m sure you’re all familiar with that cocktail) and told to go home and follow up with my personal physician. A couple weeks later I follow up with my doctor, vertigo is still pretty bad, sitting upright for any sustained period had become difficult, my balance was just plain off and wasn’t recovering. He prescribed MORE meclazine (which I refused because it puts me out like a light), and told me things would resolve in ….get this….90 days! Really?! Ninety days?!!! So…I suck it up and wait out the 90 days. Guess what? I’m not feeling any better, in fact, I’d say things are worse now.

Driving has become a hazard as I am unable to focus my eyes enough to drive safely, Working is a challenge because I’m easily confused, I am EXHAUSTED, and still nobody can tell me what in the world is going on with me … The frustration is immeasurable. I am in tears regularly. I just want to know why I feel this way, somehow I have myself convinced if I just know what it is I can learn to live with it. My acupuncturist has been able to provide me minimal relief, but it is short-lived. He suggested getting tested for food allergies …has anyone else done that? At this point, anxiety has been blamed and ruled back out, labyrinthitis has been blamed and ruled out, aneurisym has been blamed and ruled out, tumor has been blamed and ruled out. I’ve tried the Epley maneuvers (they stink by the way - they aren’t kidding when they tell you it will bring on the vertigo, but if you can tough it out, you can get some relief.) I had some temporary relief, but everything is back again with a vengeance …. I just want off this ride!!!! I am so grateful to all of you for sharing your stories - at least I know I’m not alone, and I’m not going crazy!!
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Comments
  1. Mon, Apr 27 2009
    I thought I was the only one having this problem. I had the same symptoms you mentioned to your post. I'm 22 years old. Turning 23 years in November 2...Read
  2. Sat, Apr 25 2009
    Thanks for describing your episode. Now I won't have to tell you about mine as it was just exactly like yours. Only difference was, I had a "smal...Read
  3. Sat, Apr 25 2009
    Hi there, i totally understand your feeling, it's so depressing not have answers, so frustating not knowing, i'm thinking now maybe i'm a freak and ev...Read

April 2009

  • vertigo - by PETE - (Thu, Apr 30 2009)
    I had vertigo for 2 years and it was unreal er every week or so I was afraid to go far from home due to this [more..]
  • My Vertigo Story and I don’t like it! - by L Rodriguez - (Thu, Apr 30 2009)
    My dizziness started this year in January. I was on a train going to work when it happened. I was so confused and dizzy that I didn’t know what was wrong with me. [more..]
  • Sever Vertigo - by CB - (Thu, Apr 30 2009)
    I have been having severe vertigo for the past 2 weeks; this is accompanied by the ringing in the right ear, feeling fullness and just general sick to my stomach. [more..]
  • vertigo - by cbj - (Thu, Apr 30 2009)
    My story is a little different then anybody, I am having a hard time finding medical help on this, the doctor I had is now retired. In my case I get vertigo once every 5 five years almost to the day. [more..]
  • Joining the Unwanted Ranks of Vertigo - by dennymas - (Wed, Apr 29 2009)
    My first attack hit 2 years ago in April. I had been painting my kitchen; walls, ceilings, etc. Then I started to feel just a little dizzy and thought it was the paint fumes. Disregarded that after talking with paint company. It got so bad that I couldn’t walk without hanging on to the walls. [more..]
  • what is this??? - by MR - (Mon, Apr 27 2009)
    I went on a short (3hour) plane ride back in October 2008 and a few days later was sitting down to eat and watched the whole room start spinning. [more..]
  • Vertigo - Ain’t life Grand? - by Spining in Troy - (Fri, Apr 24 2009)
    Like all of you, I found myself experiencing a sudden acute attack of Vertigo. [more..]
  • Sudden Deafness Syndrome - by Sharon - (Thu, Apr 23 2009)
    I woke one morning with absolutely no hearing in my right ear. I could not hear my own voice. I had severe vertigo and extreme nausea that abated somewhat when I lay down but did not stop. [more..]
  • Why now? Why me? - by Susan - (Tue, Apr 21 2009)
    I started my day much like I do every day. I knew I was in for a very busy weekend, so I wanted my house clean. Just doing normal chores of dusting,moping and laundry. Then I started getting dizzy and I knew this was vertigo again! [more..]
  • vertigo is a nightmare!!!!!!!! - by laura - (Mon, Apr 20 2009)
    Hi, i’m thrilled with this site, i didn’t know soooo many people is suffering with this vertigo thing. [more..]
  • this is pure hell !!! - by andrea - (Fri, Apr 17 2009)
    On March 23,2009 I woke up just like any other day and headed off to work. about two hours after i started my shift. i turn my head to reach for something and everything around me seemed to flip sideways for a few seconds. [more..]
  • New in Town and New to Vertigo - by Surgut - (Wed, Apr 15 2009)
    March 7, 2009, I got my first vertigo spell, it lasted for more than 7 hrs, during which I was rushed to hospital emergency. Two weeks after first episode, I got the second one, went for walk came home and boom it started. [more..]
  • Vertigo Spells - by NancyQ - (Fri, Apr 10 2009)
    I’m experiencing vertigo spell. I haven’t had this in 3 years. [more..]
  • Room spins when I roll over in bed or bend over - by Jennifer - (Fri, Apr 10 2009)
    I am going to my doc next friday, if I can make it that long. I woke up this morning, bent over and fell into the wall. [more..]
  • My family thinks I am crazy - by Dizzy in Dallas - (Mon, Apr 06 2009)
    I have had vertigo for almost 2 years. [more..]
  • Is this vertigo? - by Danielle - (Fri, Apr 03 2009)
    I was waking up today and couldn’t focus my eyes…the room just kept sort of repeating; not the whole room spinning around me but just part of it, sort of like when you spin around a lot and stop. It would stop after about 5 min. I turned around in bed facing the other way and it started again. [more..]
  • my story - by cc - (Fri, Apr 03 2009)
    march 23,2009 i wroke up with a sharp pain from the back of my head to my neck…i felt lightheaded and weird right after…i went to the er on march 27th where i was still lightheaded,sleepy,discomfort in the chest a little [more..]
  • Looking for ENG experiences - by KC - (Thu, Apr 02 2009)
    Hello I have been suffering from periods of dizzyness for 4 years. Fullness or heavyness in the head. [more..]

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