Regular Vertigo

[PetaPip]

Hoping others might have similar experiences to help me understand what is going on... My 11 year old DS has, over the past 2.5 years, had about 4 episodes of very sudden-onset vertigo with nausea and vomiting. It usually takes him a few days to fully recover and he has missed quite a bit of school because of it. The first time it happened I assumed it was a sickness bug, the second time I took him to the doctor who said vestibular neuritis but I don't think that usually happens repeatedly? And he's had it a couple more times since then. Last time I asked for a referral so he is now on an extremely long waiting list for ENT but won't be seen before August at the earliest. And I'm concerned it May not actually be an ENT issue and we will have to wait to see a different specialist! Anyway, it happened again this morning. Completely fine then suddenly extreme vertigo and vomiting. He's now sleeping. Anyone had any experience of this and might know what it could be?

I had similar 2yrs ago OP. I'd had a new crown fitted but slightly wonky in my mouth. I kept thinking it would settle but it just didn't feel right. I think I started grinding my teeth when asleep. One morning, I woke to the same, dreadful vertigo. I had to hold the walls to walk, was vomiting and slept during the day- something I never do. 2 weeks later, it returned. I was prescribed prochlorperazine which did help a little. Each time- it took several days to fully recover. I had the crown re-fitted and have never had it re-occur!

I've heard of similar from having a wisdom tooth growing high into the jaw, pressing on a nerve. Did your DS have any dental treatment before this started? Wisdom teeth coming through? Problems with his ears?

Sorry I can't help but might be some other things to look into.

Thank you for your reply, glad yours cleared up! He hasn't complained of any tooth problems and has had a recent check so I don't think it can be that. I do think he might grind his teeth in his sleep though so maybe I need to consider that...

You can get a basic mouthguards from a pharmacy but your dentist can make a fitted/moulded one.

Is he stressed about anything? According to DH, I used to grind my teeth at night years ago. I had a very stressful job so had a mouthguard made. Never had the vertigo back then though. When I left the stressful, I stopped grinding.

He seems fairly happy, I don't think he's particularly stressed but I definitely have occasionally heard him grinding his teeth at night when I've popped in before going to bed. I'll talk to the dentist and see if we might be able to get a mouth guard. Probably won't know if it works for a good while though as the episodes seem to come every few months. And there are so many possible causes I think. It's so horrible for him 😢

Hey I started getting vertigo in 2010 (although thankfully didn't have the nausea and vomiting). I was first diagnosed with labrythitis and then uncompensated vestibular neuritis and finally years later with vestibular migraine. My dizziness episodes can last for days and I feel unsteady on my feet in between these. Dizziness is a symptom and not a diagnosis so it's really important to see a specialist (ENT, neurology or a nuero otologist) and to try and get a diagnosis. I don't get pain with my migraines which made it really hard to diagnose. There are a few vestibular groups on Facebook which it might be worth joining (people who suffer often know more than GPs). Sorry that you are both going through this. It's scary and a horrible thing to experience (and annoyingly there can be lots of causes).

Thank you for your reply. I think the different possible causes is definitely making it even more stressful. I had considered vestibular migraine as a possibility after some googling! Did you ever find any triggers for yours or anything that helps avoid or reduce the symptoms? I think we're just going to have to patiently wait for this ENT referral to come through 😪. DS is not happy because I spoke to the doctor again today who was not very sympathetic or helpful but did suggest a blood test. So he has to get one done tomorrow for the first time. I've got some numbing cream but he's a bit nervous. I suppose it's good to get checked though.

Yes hopefully they will check iron, sugar, thyroid and cortisol levels etc via the blood test
I never found a cause to my vestibular migraines but I manage them with medication (nortriptyline) and there is also a lot of evidence in following a migraine diet

I had an episode in August - woke up feeling very dizzy and vomiting. Stayed in a darkened bedroom all day. I was really hot and dehydrated and couldn't keep anything down. Next day I felt the same. I ended up falling and was rushed to hospital, with atrial fibrillation, and having lots of tests - MRI, CT, CTAC scans. I was there for a whole week, and too dizzy to get out of bed, and still unable to keep food down.

Months later, I am certain that it wasn't a minor stroke (as hospital diagnosed), as the scans didn't show anything, and I passed all the tests from the Stroke team, but a vestibular condition. I'm able to get on with my life, but get dizzy when I turn over in bed, or sometimes when I bend down to pick things up.

I have just this week gone private and seen an amazing specialist neurologist (on the south coast) who did the Epley manoeuvre on me (I was very sick!) She has great reviews and sometimes her patients are referred by hospital consultants! Makes me glad that I didn't wait for an NHS appointment! Let me know if you would like her details.