BPPV (vertigo) is the worst. Any tips?

[Psm92]

I've been suffering with this on and off for about a year now. Usually they are short spells and over in a day or two max, but this current bout has now lasted for 3 days and isn't easing up! I've done the Epley manoeuvre but the spinning sensation isn't really occurring too much now, but I'm still very off balance in certain head positions ie looking down or up, and generally don't feel steady. Is this normal?

I also don;t know why I keep getting this. I'm only 30! My vit D levels are good. My doctor says it's one of those things you can't control, and there's no cure either, you just have to let it pass. But knowing this'll happen a few times a year for the rest of my life is very hard :( Has anyone ever had this and found a way to deal with it?

I suddenly developed periods of dizziness which quickly got worse. Turning over in bed was particularly difficult. GP prescribed Stugeron - sea sickness tablets, not at all helpful. DH, concerned by my low heart rate and blood pressure, rang 111 who sent an ambulance. I was fitted with a pacemaker the next day.
Lack of oxygen to the brain can result in dizziness, it is not always related to the ear.

Home eply manoeuvre.

That's how I worked out what I had..I'd been given a variety of tablets for dizziness. None worked.
Attempting one at home really helped so I went back to doctor and somehow that time they agreed to send me.

It's come back but doing the manoeuvre sorts it out.
The one the doctor did was amazing. I walked into the room with her and she had to almost carry me back across the waiting room.

Ask doctor for referral.

Just saw this on Twitter

I’ve had BPPV for years. It comes and goes. Sometimes no ‘attacks’ for 3 years although can have episodes when I
feel a bit ‘off’ and dizzy- usually triggered by turning over in bed. What helps?
Doing the eye/head exercises regularly but don’t start until you are COMPLETELY well.
cinnarizine/Stugeron help when its bad. Take 3 a day.
The Epley absolutely kills me and makes me feel SO sick so I can’t do that.
Mine has improved over the years so 🤞🏻

This worked for me pretty instantly after days of sickening vertigo
Carol Foster vertigo treatment on YouTube

Ive tried the epley one and the somersault no improvement. I think maybe its not BPPV in my case. Bit stumped!

I was a bit surprised after the first bout a few years ago when it came back. And then came back again, and then again. I have found that the seemingly affected side is often not the side that needs to be treated, so if the Epleys aren't causing improvement, I do them on the opposite side. Also, you need to do them multiple times, multiple times a day, and keep them up after the symptoms have settled.

Dita Von Teese has BPPV. This cheers me up.

I have MS and BPPV vertigo is one of my symptoms too
Mine flares up with relapses of MS but is always kind of there in the background

Apologies as I have not read the entire thread , however I suffer(ed) from Ménière’s disease which gives the same symptoms you describe - incredibly debilitating and could wipe me out for hours at a time if not the whole day . I found supplementing high dose vit K2 along with the vitamin d3 solves the issue and I have now not had an attack for 4 years. Something to do with the K2 distributing calcium correctly in the body so you don’t get build up of calcium ‘gravel’ in the inner tubes of the ear ( which can cause the attacks ). Maybe not the exact correct science but it certainly worked for me, either that or it’s a massive coincidence. More info can be found online or at least used to be.

BPPV is very common, especially in older people (50 or 60 up especially). MS is relatively rare - occurring in something like 0.03% of the population I read, though that figure may be incorrect. I am sorry some BPPV-affected people have found they have MS, but no need to freak the average BPPV sufferer out with the link.

Oh god I am just coming out of a 3 week spell of this myself. I really feel for you. I tried the Epley to no avail. What slowly helped me was sleeping on my back each night and not on any side. Also, slowly pulling down on my ear lobes and opening my mouth wide at the same time, repeating a few times a day, just to help dislodge any crystals if any. Good luck, there will be light at the end of the tunnel eventually :) don't forget whilst a doc might not be able to cure it completely, there's lots of things that can help the symptoms, so do visit them if it doesn't ease up.

@milkyaqua I don’t think I was trying freak anyone out, if you read my post correctly. But it’s important people are aware.

Actually, multiple people with MS have posted about this being one of their symptoms. Given the sort of tests needed to confirm MS, I would think unless there were other relevant MS symptoms it would be unwise to suggest MS was likely, simply because someone has BPPV.

I don’t think @milkyaqua has been scary - if anything she’s reassured me that luck withstanding I won’t always be staggering across the deck in stormy seas!

I see what you mean about the proportions of populations who suffer these two problems, but I think those of us who don’t classify themselves as “older” and are thinking “wtf? I’m mid-40s” it’s worth exploring or at least keeping in mind it could be something else.

bear in mind it’s taken me 8+ years to get my MS diagnosis and that’s 8 years of significant symptoms, not just “my pinky’s gone numb”. It can take decades for all the dogs to be drawn.

You may also draw dots if you prefer.

@milkyaqua I haven’t said it was “likely”, there are a whole myriad of other MS symptoms, I said in my post of course people can have BPPV without any serious cause, so I don’t know why you are taking exception & calling me out on it? I thought very carefully about posting and other posters don’t seem to be freaked out as you put it.

Surely if someone has frequent vertigo and then perhaps experiences, other symptoms such as weakness, numbness, tingling, double vision that they may not see a connection, as I didn’t with the lead up to my diagnosis. It would be wise to have a referral for assessment if their GP thought it was necessary.

So many people take years to get diagnosed, the wait for NHS referral to Neurology is horrendous at the moment, and if in the event they had MS they could be taking one of the many disease modifying therapies, to lessen relapse rate and make relapses milder.

If you genuinely feel my post was causing people to freak out then please feel free to report it. But I can assure you that was never my intention.

I’m so sorry, I tagged the wrong person and of course I meant @Roselilly36 - my excuse is that I um… am actually genuinely on a boat right now. 😂 (interestingly have staggered less than on pavement…)

I've had a balance disorder for 18 years now so I can really sympathise. I find that people don't really understand how awful vertigo and dizziness can be, it can be very debilitating and not something you can easily push through. I would always say to get a referral to a Balance Centre if you haven't already. There are a few conditions that can cause vertigo and it's important to make sure you have the right diagnosis. if BPPV you need to be sure what side and what canal if you are treating with manoeuvres at home. If epleys are helping then that is a good sign it is BPPV and it is normal to feel off for days after one. Some doctors recommend sleeping more upright after for a couple of nights too. You also have to report regular vertigo episodes to the DVLA if you drive otherwise you could have issues with your insurance. I honestly understand how shit it is and hope you feel better soon.

I was diagnosed with BPPV at about 31 but later found that it was vestibular migraine (no headache so I hadn’t thought of migraine). Each episode lasted 3–5 days. If the symptoms fit you could ask your doctor to try migraine medication (to stop the migraine, not a painkiller)

I had this and did the following everyday twice a day until it went, haven't had it back since.

Sit on the edge of your bed, look over your shoulder (left or right) and then lie down on the opposite side tipping your head as far back as you can, count to 30 repeat on the other side

If you genuinely feel my post was causing people to freak out then please feel free to report it. But I can assure you that was never my intention.

As I have said - multiple posters have spoken about MS. I wasn't actually referring to you - as I said.

Multiple posters with diagnosed MS are acting as if BPPV heralds a diagnosis.

But the clue is in the name: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. It is a benign condition, although unpleasant.

Thanks all. I did the Epley, and it did fix it a bit, but I still get dizzy when I move my head. But when i try to do the Epley now, i don't get the violent spinning, only a very faint trace of it. When will this go?!

You'll need to do it several times a day. It's suggested three times a day, and to keep it up for a day or two after you are relieved of your symptoms.

www.activator.com/wp-content/uploads/Home%20Epley%20Handouts.pdf

www.mountsinai.on.ca/care/fammed/patient-resources/neurology/epley-maneuver.pdf

For some people, they do an Epley at their doctors/physios, etc, and that is that. Most of us have to persist a bit.

Restrict salt - big time. You can eat salty things (like cheese), but try not to add salt to anything, or only a pinch if you must. Look at salt content in any processed or prepared food. Don't drink alcohol.

I was diagnosed with this about 7 years ago and it seemed to coincide with having my second child. I had a really bad ear infection labyrinthitis and I honestly thought I was dying. I was then diagnosed with BPPV and referred to ENT who I have been to every 6 months or so since. I have no tips other than it’s awful and I sympathise. It comes on randomly but it’s normally when I turn over in bed at night too fast. I know instantly that I’m going to get it the next day or two or week. I also think being dehydrated, tired and stressed doesn’t help. Anyway interested to hear other people experiences and any tips I can pinch to stave it off. Sympathies to all you fellow sufferers xx