View Full Version : Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Just got back from the doctors! He thinks its benign paroxysmal positional vertigo! And did a few other tests. He does not think I have any other symptoms to suggest anything else but he tried to take my blood pressure and pulse but due to the state I was in it was to high and he couldn't get accurate reading so going back Friday to have it taken again.
Anyone experienced this?
I have indeed. For me it was triggered if I turned into my right hand side in bed, or sometimes if I looked up above me.
I found that when I was triggered, if possible I would focus on a particular spot in the wall and this helped me learn to control the dizziness. It was rather like convincing my brain that although the particles in my ears were telling me I was spinning, actually I wasn't.
It can be very disorientating and make you feel very peculiar.
There is good news insomuch that it can be treated.
I have had I think 3 separate episodes of it over the last 15 years. On the third occasion, the Epley manoeuvre was performed on me and this sorted it for good. It has never come back.
Do you have any I formation on the condition. I do know quite alot about it and can assure you that you can do many things to help yourself. Also this "Epley manoeuvre" works for most people. I would imagine they'd only do it if the condition became particularly troublesome.
It can also disappear quickly and never come back.
I expect you might have identified anyway the positions that trigger it and you've maybe also Sussex it's best to avoid those positions if at all possible.
A,yeah, obviously I am not a doctor but if you have any questions I would be happy to help you if I can saintsee.
Please don't worry too much because although the symptoms can be a bit alarming (as nobody likes the sensation of dizziness) this is something that is most often manageable.
Thank you so much for your detailed reply. I have not really found how what movements causes it yet because everyone over the last three weeks that I happens I go into pure panic mode and then that starts all other symptoms off and the lightheaded ness just gets worse. In hoping now the doc thinks this is what is I can start to believe him and be calmer with it.
loopyloulou
22-04-13, 19:54
Hi Saintdee,
I haven't had BPPV but I did have pretty severe dizziness for about 6 weeks that came on when I was extremely anxious!! I then got myself into a blind panic about being dizzy and the vicious circle began!:weep:
I found that my 'dizziness' was worse walking, bending and turning my head, I was better sitting and lying. I saw my GP in a state of blind panic who told me it was anxiety (with no other explanation) but that almost made me worse because I couldn't accept that such a physical feeling was brought on by anxious feelings. I also saw a nuerologist privately who said the same.
When I calmed down the dizziness feelings eased up and are now pretty much gone (other symptoms come and go still). Whilst I understand that BPPV is a condition (NOT to worry about) being totally stressed out (easier said than done I KNOW) will not help! When we're anxious as I'm sure you know our muscles in our body tense including those in our neck and back. The upper trapizius muscle and the SCM muscle in neck can cause problems with dizziness and balance, as the SCM muscle in particular inserts at the back of the ear. Just something to consider to maybe prevent these feelings getting worse.:)
Best of luck and hope you feel better soon
Thank you so much for that advice. It's very much appreciated.
AlexandriaUK
01-05-13, 15:01
I hope you are feeling better now and that when you went back to Docs your BP was easier to take, anxiety can shoot blood pressure quite high but it goes back down again once you become calm or go to sleep, dizziness has been a pain for me during anxious times and can last for weeks, but every time it comes back I panic LOL
how are you getting on now, saintdee????
I'm still the same unfortunately, my doctor thinks I may of had the spell of BPPV for a very short time and the dizziness and feelings of pressure on my head are now the result of the anxiety and panic I had when I was first dizzy. I feel constant uneasy feelings all day everyday now, I wish it would all just leave me alone.
I feel for you saintdee, I've been having dizziness problems too recently and it's very difficult. It's natural to feel anxious with it, I mean who wouldn't when they're constantly off balance! I find the best way of approaching it is to recognise and accept that it's natural for your body to create some feelings of anxiety because of the dizziness, but you can control if it escalates or not. Just accept the feelings instead of freaking out, I know it's hard but it does get easier.
You can ask your doctor, or look it up yourself, if anyone in your area does vestibular rehabilitation therapy. This is a physio therapy for vertigo and balance problems. A VRT therapist should be able to assess your balance and give you some exercises to help with it.
Making an effort to destress will really help too, as stress can have a funny effect on our balance sometimes. So taking some steps towards a calmer state of mind may really help you. I'm working hard on this myself at the moment.
It may also be worth asking your doc for a referral to an ENT to have a thorough examination and proper diagnosis.
I've found this website really helpful for info on this kind of problem: http://vestibular.org/
Oh my goodness, HoneyLove... That organisation you mention, my partner has vestibular migraines and has done (& is still doing) the balance exercises. She was prescribed Serc16 as well. This combination seems to have stopped the vestibular episodes (which were getting very debilitating) in their tracks
Balance exercises really did help her alot so I would recommend them
---------- Post added at 21:07 ---------- Previous post was at 21:06 ----------
I'm still the same unfortunately, my doctor thinks I may of had the spell of BPPV for a very short time and the dizziness and feelings of pressure on my head are now the result of the anxiety and panic I had when I was first dizzy. I feel constant uneasy feelings all day everyday now, I wish it would all just leave me alone.
I'm sorry u r still having problems, it's really unpleasant to feel this way isn't it?
It does affect so much. Is your doctor giving you advice on how to improve the situation?
I think I have the same migraine problem Tessar, except mine is a chronic problem without the typical migraine headache! I have constant balance problems and a lot of other weird symptoms that are connected to migraine on a daily basis. The motion sensitivity part is just the worst, I'd be fine if I could just stay at home sitting down all day but that's no kind of life is it!
The VRT really seems to be helping, and the knowledge my therapist has about it all has really helped me. I wouldn't have ever known about the migraine thing if it wasn't for him. He has helped to alleviate a lot of my anxiety by explaining a lot of the weird stuff that is happening to me.
I'm glad your partner has been able to find a solution to her problem! I tried Serc16 for a couple of days and while it seemed to help with the dizziness it made me feel incredibly weird, shaky and really thirsty so I gave up on it!!
That was before I had heard about migraine though, so now I am putting te migraie lifestyle measures into place, along with the VRT and lots of destressing and I seem to very slowly be getting better :)
Have you come across VEDA before? It might have some useful info on there for your partner?
this is all so interesting, HoneyLove.yes, I just showed the website to my partner and she already knew about it. She did alot of research once the doctor made a diagnosis.
Initially after a few short episodes, her own gp said it was BPPV. the attacks were coming about once a month & I said to my partner it's not BPPV as the symptoms weren't right ( have had BPPV).
Her worst attack meant she was sick for over 2hours (i had to pick her up from work)and it was showing no signs of improvement. We ended up visiting A&E because it was pretty scary. Not helped that I am emetophobic either but I kept a lid on my fear since I wasn't the one who was ill.
The doctor at the hospital was useless. He did prescribe anti-emetics. I'm sure he thought it was noro. I wish I had told him to take it more seriously as I felt we waited ages just to be fobbed off.
But next day she saw a different go who had an interest in balance issues. Well he was the one who diagnosed the vestibular migraines. She saw a specialist, had an MRI. Balance tests indicated that balance exercises should help. Plus the serc16 which improves blood flow in the ear.
Now it has been 3months since a major attack. It is a huge relief as I know she was getting anxious, understandably so as you will know, it is very disconcerting,
Did u ever get a "rushing" sound in your ear precluding the attacks of dizziness?
Oh and yes there doesn't have to be a headache for it to be migraine related apparently.
We have put off going abroad this year as we were concerned that flying could be a trigger. We'd hoped to do. A big holiday for my 50th but I am just happy that things have e calmed down. Holidays can come whenever. Health has to come first.
Sometimes, it can be a stroke of luck when you get a diagnosis can't it?
I had this ..... scariest thing of my life. Took ages before I could wake up in the morning and not open one eye to see if the room was spinning. I have never really moved away from the fear of it and still sleep with the anti vertigo pills under my pillow although I haven't had it for a year.
this is all so interesting, HoneyLove.yes, I just showed the website to my partner and she already knew about it. She did alot of research once the doctor made a diagnosis.
Initially after a few short episodes, her own gp said it was BPPV. the attacks were coming about once a month & I said to my partner it's not BPPV as the symptoms weren't right ( have had BPPV).
Her worst attack meant she was sick for over 2hours (i had to pick her up from work)and it was showing no signs of improvement. We ended up visiting A&E because it was pretty scary. Not helped that I am emetophobic either but I kept a lid on my fear since I wasn't the one who was ill.
The doctor at the hospital was useless. He did prescribe anti-emetics. I'm sure he thought it was noro. I wish I had told him to take it more seriously as I felt we waited ages just to be fobbed off.
But next day she saw a different go who had an interest in balance issues. Well he was the one who diagnosed the vestibular migraines. She saw a specialist, had an MRI. Balance tests indicated that balance exercises should help. Plus the serc16 which improves blood flow in the ear.
Now it has been 3months since a major attack. It is a huge relief as I know she was getting anxious, understandably so as you will know, it is very disconcerting,
Did u ever get a "rushing" sound in your ear precluding the attacks of dizziness?
Oh and yes there doesn't have to be a headache for it to be migraine related apparently.
We have put off going abroad this year as we were concerned that flying could be a trigger. We'd hoped to do. A big holiday for my 50th but I am just happy that things have e calmed down. Holidays can come whenever. Health has to come first.
Sometimes, it can be a stroke of luck when you get a diagnosis can't it?
Wow it sounds like you've been through a lot with your partner, I'm glad to hear that she's not had an attack in a while now and even if one does have another she will handle it much better because she knows what it is now.
I have had rushing sounds in my ears once or twice, but they were never really anything that came just before a dizzy patch. It's more like I'm in a constant state of dizziness with some bad patches and some better patches. I do get a lot of tinnitus and weird sounds in my ears.
I'm sorry you've had to put off your plans for your 50th, that's not fun but I know the position you're in! If you guys are living in the UK perhaps you could take the train to Paris or something nice like that instead :) We did this for our honeymoon (ferry to Wales, train to London, Eurostar to Paris) and it was so much fun! I hope you find a good way to celebrate anyway, and that your partner is in better health very soon x
hello HoneyLove; I guess My partner & I did go through alot, it was beginning to look like it could have a serious impact on her life but it has been great that she's not had an attack in a while. As you say, if it happens again she will handle it much better because she knows what it is.
I get tinnitus at times. A few years back it was quite bad. Luckily it was never associated with dizziness.
Funny that you mentioned train to Paris, we had thought that ourselves. Not sure where we would go but it's an option. Your journey to get there sounds epic! I'd feel more like celebrating if I can shake off the feeling of getting old, I do want to be 50 but mp since I have no choice, I might as well try and embrace it..... Perhaps at 50 I am finally going to embrace the real me, that would be the best birthday present I could ever have.
working mom
24-09-13, 20:32
My friend's sister came across an easy way to treat her vertigo while she sleeps. She uses a SimBalance system to perform the head maneuver routines comfortably at night. She started using it more than a year ago, and almost immediately her positional vertigo went away and has not recurred even once since. I wonder if this could help others who suffer from positional vertigo.
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