to take to my bed with a case of vertigo

[MellowMarshmallow]

Nothing else wrong with me, no headache or earache or cold, just spinning room and feel a bit sick.

Is it a bit lame of me to jack in work for the day (self-employed so no-one else suffers, won't get paid, just have to catch up later)?

And how can I make it stop quickly. Need to pick dc up in less than 3 hours. Keep swaying from side to side.

[ilovechips]

You could have an inner ear infection, definitely not unreasonable to take the rest of the day off!

[FanFuckingTastic]

Hell yeah, vertigo is awful. I can end up in bed for days until it settles. I see the doctor and get onto anti-sickness medications and eventually they settle the vertigo, so make an appointment with the doctor and take it easy.

One day I ended up on the kitchen floor not able to move for retching, my daughter called for help from my mobile phone aged four because I couldn't even manage to do that. I was trying to cook for her and feed her, and thankfully my best friends MIL (who also suffers it) came round and put me to bed with a bucket and fed my DD and stayed with me until her bedtime so I could doze and then go straight to bed.

[MellowMarshmallow]

I'm not puking yet but can't eat. Gingerly sipping a cup of tea. Seems off I MN'ing I know, but if I stare at the laptop screen and nothing else it seems to go still and I feel better. If I move at all it's like being really really drunk. I feel a little pressure on the left ear but no pain.

Is this something that gets worse then or might it just blow over? I could probably get in to see Nurse Practitioner today but couldn't drive myself and hate to bother family. But then the idea of all weekend being like this isn't fun either.

[Kundry]

Vertigo is horrendous, you need to see your GP. It oculd be an ear infection, it could be something called labyrinthitis, there's a very rare chance it could be a stroke.

Get yourself an emergency appt!

[MellowMarshmallow]

'odd' not 'off'.

[WilsonFrickett]

I would get to the docs if at all possible. If it's labyrinthitis the medication works best if you take it immediately, if you leave it a few days it doesn't do anything iirc. And obviously we can't tell over the internet if its labyrinithitis (sp?) or just a dizzy spell. Get to the docs!

[BoreOfWhabylon]

Kundry is right - vertigo is a symptom that can have a variety of causes, some of them serious. Please call GP today.

Also, you are not safe to drive.

Hope you feel better soon.

[FanFuckingTastic]

Don't leave it and wait for it to go, in my experience it just gets worse with time in most cases. Get a taxi to the doctors and get seen, the quicker you can find a cause, or at least start medication to help, the quicker you'll feel better.

[PedlarsSpanner]

please get to see your GP asap

take a taxi?

[cls77]

Ask for a home visit?

[lolaisafuckertoo]

Oh get seen to. as pedlars said get a cab. I am having intermittent bouts of it and was given Mezceli something or other and it kicks in in mintues. 2 weeks ago I was doing the spewing and staggering around. Course I thought it was meningitis. No drama here. I had bouts of this literally decades ago and was surprised when the doc said it was vertigo.
Interestigly, my psychiatrist said it might be linked to anxiety stress with the muscles down the side of the face spasming or locking and disturbing some part of the inner ear. Or it is the tail end of a virus. Somemone mentioned Menuires disease (I have spelled that wrong but hey). I got an quick appointment with an ENT person so hopefully will get a good look done. hope you feel better soon. it is a misery.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Get to docs. Had labyrinthitis last year and it's awful and sounds very similar

[MinesAPintOfTea]

Get a taxi. And if all you can get an appointment with is the nurse practitioner then take it. They will be able to get hold of a GP if they feel you need to see one.

[gleegeek]

Get to the dr. I had years of this - nobody cottoned on it was labrynthitis - I'm left permanently suffering I would get it looked into asap.

[FanFuckingTastic]

Hope you are feeling well again soon OP. Lots of advice here, hopefully yo find the answers you need.

[AimeeDubucqdeRivery]

I had a home visit from GP when I had vertigo, I'd ask for one rather than suffering in a taxi.

gleegeek if you have problems with chronic dizziness/vertigo/balance have you seen a balance disorder specialist? I was misdiagnosed with labyrinthitis and suffered for nearly 5 years before getting a proper diagnosis and life changing treatment. Dr Surenthiran is IMO the man to see if you have ongoing problems of this nature

[RandyRudolf]

If it's your first experience of vertigo symptoms then definitely go and see a health professional so they can rule out anything sinister.

I suffer from vertigo and general balance problems. When a real room spinning attack comes on I find that sleep tends to clear it. Also, they tell you to avoid alcohol but I find getting pissed seems to clear it

I've had every test done under the sun and they can't find the cause of mine. I personally think it's due to a neck injury in a car crash some years ago.

[pointythings]

Go and get seen, OP. A friend of mine let is go and it took her 6 months to get better. if it's labyrinthitis then it needs treating sooner rather than later.

[Poogate]

Vertigo is absolutely horrific, I had labyrinthitis three years ago for six weeks and it damaged 12% of my balance. Six months later I went on to develop MAV (migrainal associated vertigo) due to the damage the labyrinthitis had done to my vestibular system.

I had vertigo 24/7 for 18 months!

A constant sensation of just having come off a particularly fast fairground ride. So I absolutely say YANBU !

I've never been the same since the second attack of vertigo, I'm sensitive to certain foods since, have dizzy spells and get some banging headaches, although the vertigo seems to have gone, touch wood.

Get yourself to the doctors straight away.

[MellowMarshmallow]

Blimey didn't expect that much of a response.

Thanks all for your concern and advice. I had a lie down, and woke up with some mild pain in left ear but no more spinning. If it starts up again I'll get seen to, but hoping it's just the ear.

I've only ever had it once before as a side effect to Omeprazole (sp?), and of course when drunk. This was exactly like being drunk, where if I look at an object it spins across to my right, then back on the left, spins again. Very weird.

My sympathies to all of you who have experienced prolonged attacks. Really hope it doesn't come back.

[vastknapsack]

I have Ménière's disease with attacks of vertigo several times a year. Rather than staying still sometimes I find I get over an attack faster by keeping moving if I can rather than staying still- think it helps my brain readjust- and I'm another who says alcohol can help! Proclorperazine (sp) helps too. It sounds as though you have an ear infection/labrynthitis. I'd see the gp as soon you can manage. Hope you feel better soon

[hellsbellsmelons]

I had viral labyrinthitis earlier this year.
Had no idea what it was.
It was like feeling sea sick.
The doc called me and she knew straight away what it was.
Gave me some sea-sickness type tablets.
Look it up on google.
I was off work for a day with it as I just felt so queezy and unable to drive!
I felt like I was p*ssed all the time.
Usually lasts 1-2 weeks in bouts.
And the doc told me that once you've had it you are more likely to get it again.
It is horrid and I hope you feel better soon.

[wobblyweebles]

Stemetil helped me get through the attacks of vertigo. Your doctor can prescribe it.

It used to hit me every few days...

[ClaudiusGalen]

I have had vertigo for 5 years. It is almost controlled now, after vestibular rehabilitation, but not completely. When I have a bad turn I end up hospitalised, so YADNU to stay in bed with it.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I have also had vestibular rehabilitation.
It is remarkably simple and was effective after the first visit for me.

It has really made a difference after months and months of problems -even hanging out washing was so difficult.