vertigo (BPPV) advice wanted.

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

Hi all

I've been suffering with intermittent dizziness on and off for about 6 months. Over the last 1-2 months it had worsened to the point where it was starting to affect my driving etc, so I made an appointment with the GP who said it was likely BPPV. Initially she gave me betahistine, which was ineffective. I've since had the epley manoeuvre on my left side, but still doesn't seem to have improved.

I'm still working, but signed off driving for a month and am so fed up. I have starting doing the Brandt-Daroff exercises, but I don't feel like they're giving me much relief.

I'm seeing my GP hopefully at the end of the week when she's back at the surgery, but before then, can anyone suggest any coping mechanisms, or things to avoid? I'm also now noticing intermittent tinnitus and visual disturbance. I'm assuming it's all connected? It's frustrating because some days I'm absolutely fine, and on others I'm terribly dizzy. Thanks for reading.

[trixymalixy]

I had a similar thing a couple of years ago. In the end it was diagnosed as vestibular migraine brought on by grinding my teeth.

A dental splint has sorted it for me.

[Tanfastic]

I suffer with this.

Have you noticed any triggers op? I think with bppv this holds the key to
Coping with it.

I cope basically by avoiding the head movements that I know could set it off. For example sleeping on my left, not looking down when I first get out of bed. If I turn onto my back whilst in bed I do so slowly and carefully. I can't lie completely flat (ie in the dentist chair, so he looks at my teeth with the chair slightly raised).

Sounds a bind but it's been my way of coping as I found nothing else works. If I feel slightly dizzy I will take a couple of anti sickness tablets and two ibuprofen and this seems to do the trick for me.

I still drive and I've not had an attack for nearly two years now.

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

Thanks both. I've not had much luck in noting any triggers, but mine generally seems ok initially when I get up, but gets worse as the day progresses.

[coff33andChoc]

My sister had Bppv following an head injury. We did the Epley Manoeuvre at home (GP gave us a leaflet and we YouTube it). has this ever been mentioned? they thought the trigger in her case were lose crystals on the hearing canal (knocked loose when the accident happened).

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

Thanks coff. I've had the Epley already on one side, now wondering if I need to have it on the other as well. Husband is now fretting about it and wondering if we should use my healthcare through work to get it looked at. Don't know if that will make any difference?!

[coff33andChoc]

have you ever been seen by ENT? Dsis had at some point some certain assesments/tests (like putting water into the ear to induce dizziness, cannot remember what its called anymore) but I would certainly want to be seem by an ENT consultant.

[Mortgagedilemma]

Mine was wrongly diagnosed as bppv before seeing an ent. If you have health insurance then it's well worth using it to get a proper diagnosis.

[Love51]

I had this, misdiagnosed a couple of times by gp, I kept going back. They referred me to ENT balance clinic where the consultant treated me and I'm better. I was surprised, it had been going on so long I was just expecting another referral. I'm really vague on how the treatment went, she barely seemed to do anything except hold my neck and tell me to stare at walls, but clearly she knew what she was doing! See if you can get seen by a specialist. I've got hearing loss caused by mine going on for so long - I might not have had this if I had been referred earlier.