Vertigo

[Boz330]

At the beginning of Oct I suddenly developed vertigo or lack of balance. Went to my family doctor and he said that it was probably an inner ear problem and to give it a little time. I had to quit my flying job on the weekends which irks me to no end but going out in a fiery crash isn't high on my priority list. Anyway it started to get better on it's own but then came back and has been bugging me since. I couldn't pass a sobriety field test to save my butt stone cold sober. Went to an ear nose and throat guy and he gave me an exercise to do but I have to go back for testing next month.
This literally came on from one day to the next. I have talked to several people that have had this and they have offered different remedies that have worked for them but so far not for me. I have never had allergies which seems to be the most common cause. I can still function OK but it is a real adventure walking into my deer stand in the dark.
Anybody else out there ever had such a problem. The specialist suggested it could be because of my age but I would have thought that it would be gradual in that case.

Bob

[jmort]

My mom has BPPV. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo and she went for PT to realign the calcium particles.

[tomme boy]

Ever heard of have loose rocks in your head? Thats what it is.

[jmort]

You could also have an inner ear infection.

[sparky45]

My neighbor has Vertigo and his ENT Doc. prescribed Steroid therapy and it has helped.

[mold maker]

I have something akin to that. No more climbing ladders and walking on uneven ground is a challenge.
I take it to be a problem with the inner ear but have no professional diagnosis.
With my other health issues, it keeps me from doing foolish things. I have no business hanging ceiling fans or cleaning out gutters, but if I could, I would probably try. Some inconveniences are for our own good.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

It can indeed be the inner ear, particularly if it applies in the dark, but it can also be visual. I never, so far as I know, had binocular vision. I see double all the time. It isn't nearly as bad as seeing double only occasionally, especially seeing I am also very short-sighted, and have one eye corrected for long distance, the other for close-up work, and both for extreme close-up if I remove my glasses. I don't need bifocals, and expect to be the last needle-threader of my generation. I used to be a university fencer, and though I can't catch or hit a ball, I never wanted to.

But it means I don't have the sort of third leg binocular distance gives you, by knowing the distance to the ground in front of you. So I am completely incapable of getting vertigo when it is missing, on the edge of an abyss. Mind you, there are place where I have a wholesome fear of being smashed to bits, but that is different.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Have you been prescribed a new BP med recently?
I've been through many and at least one of them, made me dizzy and out of balance.
they can take a week or so, for side-effects to show itself.
Good Luck.

[leadman]

My blood pressure medications caused this also so the doctor cut the dose in half and had me take it twice a day. My allergies, and the allergy medication cause it at times also. Seems like it happens more when my allergies start to taper off but I am still taking the medicine.
Use of a Vicks inhaler seems to help in this case. Putting Vicks in a pan of water and heating it also helps. Been using this about all my life, and now there is a warning on the package to not do this. Some dummy must have stuck his head in the pan or something. LOL.
I do notice it is worse when my ears are ringing more from the tinnitus.
Hope you get it figured out.

[Alstep]

Had a similar experience many years ago when I was truck driving for a living. All of a sudden I was driving down the road and the whole world started to revolve up side down. Symptoms would last a few minutes to half an hour. Went the whole route with the doctors, neurologists, head scans. etc, but nobody had an answer. This went on intermittently for several years and diminished with time. This was 40+ years ago and have been OK since. Still a mystery.

[44man]

Yes, for sure. Picking up my little dog and found myself head first into the ground. Get up fast or roll onto my right side at night. Sometimes like a black out. It is scary. and I think it is ears.

[catmandu]

Had a bout of it years ago, now I know what it feels like and I adapt to prevent it.
Menieres-disease .CA - lots of good info Google
1) Salt intake affects it, I ate alot of pretzels and it can bring it on, I eat small portions now.
2) Wearing safety glasses, monogoggles, hard hat causes pressure that can bring it on.
3) Allergies can also, I never had them but learned there are times I feel bad and 1 Claritin makes it go away.

When the Tinunites starts getting loud I go into prevention mode. Head sinus cold, stopped up affect it.

I hope this helps.

Paul in WNY

[Rick Hodges]

I had a bout of severe vertigo...had to hang on to stop from being thrown from my chair. I thought I was having a stroke and almost lost consciousness...then I got an awful pain in my right ear...it was an ear infection with fluid buildup in the ear. I was prescribed antibiotics and steroid therapy for 10 days...I have not been bothered since. This happened in 2014.

[ole 5 hole group]

Good Luck - there's probably a 1,000 things that could be wrong and a doctor with "vast" experience in such matters is just taking his best SWAG (scientific wild **** guess).

Many years ago I had a form of vertigo where I would be driving a vehicle and the road would flip 90*, 180* or 270* in a flash and stay there for several seconds. I even felt like I was sliding or falling out of the car seat. Just had to concentrate on the road and if it didn't subside in a few seconds, I'd slowly pull over, park and close my eyes for a period of time.

My doctor thought it might be a reaction to a food. I thought he was nuts, but we went through a list of what I consumed the most of - took me 4 months or so to cure myself, as this didn't happen every day or every week - sometimes every other week and sometimes 3 to 5 times a week. My problem was Texas Tea - The tea wasn't the problem, I put 4 packets of saccharin in a real tall glass of tea, that was my problem. I never use saccharin, drink "diet sodas" or use any sugar substitute and I've never experienced that "problem" again.

An acquaintance of mine had balance problems and thought it might be some type of ear infection. Probably was, as his cure was putting a couple drops of a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol in each ear - once in the morning and once at night. That remedy has a double edge, as it can cause itching due to dryness. I use that "home brew" for itchy ears but in my State I can purchase EverClear liquor, which is 190 proof - I substitute that in place of rubbing alcohol as EverClear has a lot less water makeup than rubbing alcohol (30% vs 5%). Twice a day for two days using a q-tip straighten those ears right up.;-)

[Boz330]

A common thing that struck me was the tinnitus thing. I have it in both ears, round engine airplanes and shooting hundreds of thousands of rounds I'm sure. The left ear seems noticeably louder lately and I mentioned this to the ENT Doc. He did clean a bunch of packed wax from that ear. That was fun let me tell you. Didn't make any difference though. I appreciate the input.

Bob

[shooter2]

Afib is also a possibility.

[square butte]

Proper hydration is very important with BPPV. Sometimes with me - just a 2 or 3 days of increased fluid intake will do the trick. Divide your weight in half - That's the number of ounces you are supposed to drink per day. Good luck with that. I have not been able to do it. Always about 16-20 ounces short.

[bandsmoyer]

I had the same problem,switched bp meds. Gone

[tomme boy]

Same here on the BP meds. I had a post here a while ago about I was passing out. Mine was the the BP meds, we think. We started to take them 2 times a day at a lesser dose instead of one massive one. And it actually lowered the BP better as a result. I had to be very careful around some of my goofball friends as I would laugh and it would make me get dizzy and pass out.

[Freightman]

Balance is shot in 93 they drilled a hole in my skull and destroyed the ear to get a tumor on my wee brain. Took retraining to walk without falling, and have something to hold on to in the dark can,t tell up from down in a dark room.

[wingspar]

From what I’ve learned from experience is that it is caused by an imbalance of fluids in your ears. Usually temporary, at least in my case. Several years ago I got up in the middle of the night to drain and get a drink of water. Something I do every night, but on this particular night as soon as I stood up the entire room started spinning. I tried grabbing at the door frame, but missed and grabbed the lamp on the night stand. Somehow I managed to keep from falling and hitting my head. I landed on the bed. It scared the crud out of me. I went to the Dr the next day, who also has been my Dr since around 1980 and is also an AME. Very convenient. He explained that it was an imbalance of fluid in my ears and most likely temporary, but he said No Flying for Two Weeks. Actually, he did not have to tell me that. I was uncomfortable driving the one mile to the Dr’s office. No way was I going to fly. I can’t remember if I had a follow up visit or not. I waited a good 3 weeks before I flew again. It’s happened a few times since, maybe once every other year or so and never as severe as that first time. That first time lasted for hours and nearly made me sick. The last time only lasted for a few minutes and was no where near as severe as the first time.

He did not send me to a specialist nor did he prescribe anything. I can’t remember the last time I experienced vertigo, but it was very mild lasting only a few minutes. This is just my experience.

[Morgan61]

I'm prone to vertigo when my allergies act up. I just stay off any ladders til it passes.

[DCP]

Have you been prescribed a new BP med recently?
I've been through many and at least one of them, made me dizzy and out of balance.
they can take a week or so, for side-effects to show itself.
Good Luck.

Same thing happen to me. It was a pill that made me pee less. Smaller than a baby aspirin.
Doc said they also lower your blood pressure

[GhostHawk]

My doc told me 7 years ago that as you age the fluid in your inner ear can get stiff.

The worst ones for me were always when I went from standing to laying in bed too quickly.

I'd lay down then WHAM, who swung the world?

I learned over time to sit first, take my time and ease into it and it backed off.
I also learned to trust my eyes and not my balance.

I lost my taste for heights and ladders almost instantly. They used to call me a squirrel, I would climb near any tree. Climbed water towers, a radio tower, etc.

No more. Now I don't even like those glass elevators that go up the outsides of buildings.

Get some help, I think this is one thing that can have many causes.
Take care!

[fivefang]

Scotty, being in the dark is normal, as a SCUBA diver,on a night dive, f you cannot see your bubbles rising, you have nu idea if you are upside down or downside up, for me, if I weld and stop the arc, had best be holding on to something, my 2 cents, Fievefang

[MaryB]

I get it once in awhile from my allergies flaring. Sit up to fast in bed and fall over, or stand to fast first thing in the morning and the fluid sloshes and I better be hanging onto the wall... Good thing it is 3 feet from the edge of my bed! Helps those morning my back is flaring up and I have to climb the wall to get vertical(those with back issues will know what I mean!)

[fivefang]

Five hole,we as divers (scuba) in tropical waters had to watch for EAR infections, we used 1/3 distilled white vinegar,1/3 isopropyl alcohol,1/3 distilled water, for corral cuts we used household Ammonia ,yea, it burned but never got a infection, Fivefang

[Boz330]

This is more common than I thought. I don't take BP medicine so that's not the cause. In fact I don't take anything but a multi vitamin, Saw Palmetto, and low dose aspirin. Doc said I was really lucky that way. Most of my medical issues have been from abusing my body when I was young and thought that I would never make it this far. Right shoulder surgery from too many dislocations and Arthroscopy on my knees in the 90s and both knees replaced 3 years ago.

Bob

Bob

[Yodogsandman]

I went for a foot operation 10 years ago and had a blood test first. I was getting vertigo spells every night in my sleep and sometimes during the day. Never told the doc. After the operation, I got word from the doc that the blood test showed a urinary tract infection and I told the doc of the vertigo. Was prescribed an antibiotic and all was well again.

[Blackwater]

I've been experiencing enough vertigo since my little kidney failure incident, that I am intimidated by putting new light bulbs in sockets when one burns out. It's MUCH more than just a bother! I'm also concerned about falling and breaking my already needing surgery hips!

There's a LOT they don't tell you about getting older, isn't there? But I'm just thankful to still BE here! I'll deal with all the other stuff GLADLY! Helps me keep my perspective straight.

[Hardcast416taylor]

About the middle of Oct. I had a bad session of vertigo attack so severe that I had to be in constant hand contact with something to maintain balance. My Dr. determined I had both fluid and an ear infection of the left ear. A scrip for amoxocilin and Antivert pills should take care of it he said. It took 10 days of those meds to get me walking more human and less simian. Doc also put forward a probable cause of the attack could be connected to my heart problems.Robert

[quilbilly]

My closest friend developed vertigo five months ago. It came about when he didn't follow directions on one of those home earwax removal kits and used cool water instead of warm. Effect was almost immediate and he was not able to walk more than a few steps without help for two months. It started going away by itself (normal according to the doctor) then suddenly came back while he was in the kitchen. He doesn't remember falling but woke up with a broken shoulder which kept him in the hospital a few days and then again bed ridden for two more months. He was very depressed so we flew down a few weeks back to visit and get him the heck out of bed. After a few days of taking him on drives in the desert and shooting so get some great photos, he is now really on the mend. His wife was thrilled with the effect of our visit.
The bottom line - have someone nearby when you first start getting back to normal so you won't be injured in a sudden attack. Be patient and keep a smile. Have someone take you out to do something fun at least once a week as you mend to keep from getting depressed.

[leeggen]

Anyone with vertigo sdshould also have the Dr. do an EKG on you as AFIB will have very simular symtoms. Afib is where your heart will beat regular then all of a sudden flutter/quiver instead of beat as normal. You most of the time will not feel the flutter but will get light headed,dizzy and sometimes blackout and wake up with broken hips or shoulder or even ribs, depending on what you hit on the way down. My mother is going through the afib now, she had it hit last yr. and broke her hip when she hit the floor. Not something to ignour it is serious.
CD

[454 shooter]

When it hit me last year I was laying flat on my back under the truck holding on for dear life because the world was spinning. I had to have two people help me walk to the house. I went to the Dr and was told an inner ear problem and given miclozene. I took that for a few days while sitting in a recliner with a five gallon bucket in my lap so I could vomit and not miss the container.
It was three days before I could see straight enough to drive and a few more before I could climb a stepladder. I work construction and install siding and soffit mainly, so ladders are very important to me.
After a few months it totally cleared up. When you are on a ladder and a mild case hits you, just close your eyes, hold on and know that you cannot fall. My first spell I couldn't fall because I was flat on my back, holding the truck but I wasn't so sure. I hope I never have that again.

[Boz330]

Mine isn't that bad. I can still function and have been deer hunting the last few weekends. I have to really concentrate to walk in the dark and climb into the deer stand but it is uncomfortable. The exercises the ENT seem to be helping but very slowly. The effect to me seems like I have had to much to drink. I weave when I walk and have to catch myself occasionally. When I turn my head or body and stop it is like I'm still moving for a second.

Bob

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Several years ago I was greasing my truck when I turned my head slightly to look at a universal joint and the world started to spin. I lay there for some time before I was able to crawl out from under the truck. The drivers side door was open and I managed to crawl to it . I was sitting there with my head on the floor board when my wife came out to tell me I had a phone call otherwise I would probably still be there. I have no idea what caused it other than possibly a pinched nerve in my neck. It comes back to visit me infrequently. I was driving home one day when the road suddenly began to turn upside down. I managed to pull over and splash water on my face and then drive home. I keep a bottle of water in the car at all times. I also keep a light jacket with me. I would advise everyone to do the same. Out here you never know when you may get caught in a traffic jam that can last for hours.

[shooter2]

A couple other thoughts. Anxiety; sometimes a failure to breathe deeply, holding your breath, or simply tension (muscle tension). Dehydration. Hope you find the cause.

[Duckiller]

I take lots of BP medicine,6 heart attacks. My vertigo doesn't seem medicine related. My family practice Dr. said it was because the little gains of whatever that are supposed to go into assigned holes associated with all those weird bones in your don't go into the right holes. Said I could take seasick medicine or shake my head and give the little grains a chance to get in the right holes or live with it and it would gradually go away. I took sea sick pills and lived with it. It has gone away and only briefly comes back. One other thing, get out of bed slowly. First attack was the worse. frustrating and concern until you grt overit. Good luck with your recovery.

[waksupi]

I'd been having vertigo problems, and the doc changed my BP meds this past week. Problem seems to have gone away. On the other hand, he told me my ankle is broken in three places, and I'm going to need plates, screws, pins, whatever. I just hope I can continue to work during the recovery.

[Fergie]

They give you any meclizine for it?

If you are having hearing loss and or tinnitus with it, you need a specialist that know Meniere's Disease well.

[Spector]

I had vertigo years ago, but did not realize it until one day during deer season when I started to climb a fire tower with my wife. I think I made it to the 4th stair landing, became very uncomfortable and involuntarily got a death grip on the hand rail. My wife was very understanding and tried to talk me thru it. I explained I used to work on commercial building roofs as an electrician helper and it did not bother me. I could not understand what was wrong. It was embarrassing to me.

Someone had crawled out onto the steel tower frame and scratched my initials, plus another persons initials into the paint, separated by a ''+''. I remember grinning and telling my wife ''well one good thing you've learned today is that you know that it wasn't me who did that''.

After I got home I read up on vertigo and learned it can be caused by ear infections. And I used to get a lot of those especially aboard the destroyers I served on.

So eventually i went back and decided to go to the 4th landing and just push myself to go one lever higher every time I came back. So I went one level higher. My vision did not distort this time so I went up another level and then another until I reached the bottom of the locked fire tower shack at 76 feet. I wrote my initials on the bottom of the entry hatch door. I went back another time, climbed to the top and took some beautiful pictures of the forestry after a freezing rain.

Apparently my vertigo was related to an ear infection as I have not experienced it since that time.

Mike