Anyone else suffer with chronic balance/vertigo issue have you tried Epley Manoeuvre?

HI all

I wasnt quite sure where to put this.. But i have had chronic issues with vertigo/balance issues/motion sickness for years! Worse and more constant in recent years. I am seeing a consultant on the 12th of November who wants to carry out an Epley Manoeuvre, i have heard good and bad reports.. I am just worried it will exacerbate the problem and this fills me with fear as i couldnt bear it to get worse and cause more issues as it really has maimed my life :( Anyone tried this please kind people?

I had the epley manoeuvre a couple of years ago for bppv. Unfortunately it just didn't help. However I'm not aware that it can make things permanently worse. I think there might be a temporary worsening as I was asked to have someone bring me and take me home after. The consultant should explain everything to you though.

Hello,
I had it 2 years ago, also for bppv. Also didn't help, but didn't make things worse either. I did hear that in some cases it makes you feel even worse for a short period, like day or two. But I've never heard about permanent worsening.

Thanks guys for your responses. I have had this for so long... It is really depressing.. I am worried about the manoeuvre exacerbating the issue which is ruining my life at the moment. Did they do a test on your first of all to see if you did have BPPV? i really appreciate your responses and for you taking the time it means alot..

Yes, the neuro I've seen tested me for bppv. There is another maneuver to test for it (don't remember the name unfortunately). This maneuver elicited a nystagmus in me, which was characteristic exactly for bppv. It sorta proved that initial diagnosis was correct. Then he tried Epley, but it dudn't help. However, bppv went away by itself. I tend to get it from time to time though.
Have you had some more extensive testing to look into your vertigo? Are your ears and neck tested? Sometimes Epley has to be performed several times to help.

I also am a chronic sufferer of vertigo/dizziness/balance problems and have been for years and years. My most constant problem is motion sickness which can be triggered by most any kind of movement, either be me or by seeing something or someone else move. Overhead fans or watching people in a rocking chair - I have to leave the room, things like that make me feel very sick. I used to be okay if I was the driver in a car but lately even that bothers me.

The Epley maneuver is used for BPPV but from what you wrote it doesn't sound like that is what you have. Did your doctor tell you why he/she thought this would be good for you? I've been tested for BPPV and was negative. The test was rather uncomfortable but mostly because of my neck, she had to position it way backwards and hold it there for 60 seconds - I have neck issues to start with and that just made it worse. I ended up with a terrible migraine for several days. But the position did not give me vertigo or make me feel sick.

My symptoms have ranged from mild off balance feelings to severe vertigo attacks which have lasted hours and I've had to be carried out of my house by EMTs and taken to the emergency room because I couldn't move an inch. Diagnosis has ranged from Meniere's to Migraine to labyrinthitis to "you're just one of those people who have poor balance."

Have you had the VNG test yet? This is a standard for vertigo issues. It may not give definitive answers as to what you have but can help point in the right direction.

There are eye exercises you can do to help strengthen the vestibular system. I tried these but couldn't do them, it increased my motion sick feeling tremendously.

Thank you so much for your kind responses.. I feel that i have motion sickness too and i have problems with my neck, it is when i look up , put my head up, and when i lay down at night, i cant win, if i have two pillows it hurts my neck! If i have one i feel light headed/dizzy nausea feeling which has severely affected my sleep and i get nausea throughout the day too sometimes.. I can feel it after i have been for a long walk sometimes when i stop. I think i will get her to test me for BPPV first of al before the manoeuvre.

I can get it scrolling through my phone too. I do feel alot of tension in my shoulders and neck. I just want to feel better it is maiming my life :(
I too have had severe vertigo attacks in the past where i have been laid up on the sofa for a week and cant move my eyes. What is the VNG test please?

I also get occasional ocular migraines had one a couple of weeks ago. I do get headaches as well.

Really appreciate your responses so much, thank you again!

p.s can neck issues cause motion sickness/vertigo/dizziness ? thank you!

Oh, scrolling through my phone or computer, or worse, watching the screen while someone else scrolls makes me very, very motion sick. People do not understand, they say "how can you get motion sick when you aren't even in a moving vehicle?" They think I'm nuts. Well, it isn't hard for me, that's for sure.

The VNG test (Videonystagmography) is a 3 or 4 part test given to those with vertigo to try to help narrow down the cause but it doesn't usually give a definitive answer. It can show if the vertigo is from the inner ear, the brain, or neither or both. It's not the most comfortable test but it's not the worst either and takes about an hour. You are blindfolded and little things are put around your eye to measure eye movements. The first part or 2 (I had it 10 years ago and can't remember if the first part consists of one or two parts) consists of you following moving things on a screen. This was the most difficult part for me and made me kind of car sick. The next part they test you for BPPV. And the last is what everyone dreads so much. They spray hot and cold water in each of your ears - this will cause vertigo in someone who has normal inner ear function. If you inner ears are damaged you won't get vertigo. I was petrified of what this would do, was afraid it would cause vertigo that wouldn't stop. But in the end it wasn't as bad as I thought. I did get bad vertigo with each ear and temperature but it didn't last long and I had no lingering effects from it.

In the end the results showed no bppv, my inner ears were normal, my brain was not:shrug:, so they were able to rule out some things but couldn't come to a definitive diagnosis other than maybe vestibular migraine. MRI was normal except for a borderline chiari malformation which may or may not be part of my problem. I think it is but because it's only "borderline" the doctors think it's not.

Coincidentally, around the same time as my vertigo attacks were happening I found out I had celiac disease. This was about 12 years ago. So I gave up all gluten. I had two vertigo attacks in the next year but no more since that time, though I do continue with the motion sick feeling. So celiac may have played a part in all of this.

Yes, neck issues can definitely cause vertigo, it's called cervicogenic vertigo. And with your occular migraines all of this could be migraine related.

Before you are tested for BPPV let the doctor know that you have neck problems and ask if your neck can be supported for the testing and ask him/her to be gentle. I wish I had thought of this because the neck and head pain I had in the days following was excruciating.