Labyrinthitis! Will it ever go? Anyone had it?

[Runnerbean]

I have been suffering for 4 weeks, have taken two lots of antibiotics and I am feeling worse! My doctor said she can do no more and won't refer me! Help any advice anyone?

yes I had it a few years ago & it can take a good 6 weeks til you feel completely normal again. Its horrible & I do sympathise.

Mine came on during a film - when I got up to leave the cinema I could hardly stand up! Its quite frightening as well isn't it cos you don't know what on earth is the matter. I went to casulaty - unable to stand, or walk in a straight line. On a saturday night I had the same symptoms as everyone else!

The bad news is that it can be recurring although I have never had it anywhere as bad as the first time. Its also more common than you'd think.

You just have to rest. If you go to work don't rush back too soon. try not to do too much bending over, get up slowly etc...

Hope it clears up soon.

I've had it - I was told it was viral, so the antibiotics wouldn't have any effect. I got diagnosed in A and E as I was so dizzy I couldn't stand up, and was told it would probably last a month - but has a high chance of recurring. In the end I was off work for 2 weeks, but still felt a dodgy for a while longer.
lots of sympathy to you - it's horrid.

Oh, the A and E docs gave me some tablets that are meant to stop the 'spinning' sensation - do a search on mumsnet, someone posted the name of the drug when I posted about it.

I was told I probably had this, and that was that. Doctor said to just 'ride it out' Glad you brought this up though, as I have now changed my doctor so should probably go and get a sceond opinion. Mine was terrible last summer, it took me a long time to figure out that I wasn't just feeling weak for no reason, something was definately wrong. I was given anti nausea tablets to try but they actually made me feel worse. I'd definately say to keep going back, pester them until they will do something! Mine is okayish now, but I still can't walk over suspension bridges, even tiny ones. It's such an odd sensation to describe, I literally am unable to walk with any balance, even when I cannot actually percieve any motion from the bridge myself, and have actually fallen over on many occasions .

Me too. The first time was very bad - I got out of bed and just fell over like a skittle and banged ny head.

I was told by the doc it was a virus, but I doubt that now as it recurs whenever I am tired or stressed. I have it at the moment but only mildly. I recognise it now when it is coming on and can live with it, though it has never been as bad as the first time when it took me by surprise.

Now I recognise the signs and causes I seem to be able to minimise it. I expect every case is different but I hope this helps.

Do you feel sick with it? I don't feel 100% but not sick. Which is just as well as I am an emetophobe - a new word in my vocab learnt from mn!!

Had it end of last year. Was also given tablets to stop the dizzyness which helped for a bit. Doc reffered me to the hospital who basicaly said there is nothing we can do and it may keep coming back for up to 6 months. I was also told it's best not to take the tablets for a long period and is better just to let your brain get used to it or something like that.

Think my brain might have got used to it, 1980cat, I just have to concentrate to stay upright or walk in a straight line.
I get it every 3 months or so I would guess, but never as bad as the first time. A little and often!! I don't think I ever had it as bad as people here have described though so maybe it is easier to cope with.

My mum suffers with this. It started about 3yrs ago and she has been unable to work ever since. When it first started she was very bad, being sick every time she moved because of the dizziness, not being able to walk without falling over etc. For almost a year she could not venture outside the house without having someone to hold onto. She tried all sorts of medication/therapies but none have worked.

The dizziness has started to ease, she only gets a bad attack now and again, but it still runs her life. She is unable to return to the job she loved and due to her age and of the limitations the illness has put on her there aren't many job options out there for her. My Dad is disabled and therefore cannot work and once my Mum became ill they had to sell the house they had lived in for over 25yrs because they could not afford it.

The only good thing to come out of this is that my parents are closer now than they have been for years. Although selling the house upset them they now have a lovely flat and for the first time ever have a bit of money to go abroad. They try to get on with life and not worry that mum will suddenly have an attack in the street. At the beginning my mum got very depressed but now she has accepted that this will never go away totally she is a lot better.

This is a horrible illness and i have every sympathy with anyone who suffers/ed with it. Hope it clears up for you soon, luckily not everyone seems to get it as bad as my mum and most of the time it is cureable.

\link{http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/Dizziness.html\Causes
of dizziness}
Wonder if I have Menieres disese as it is recurrent?

Thanks for your replies everybody!
Mine started with the ringing in the ears and later the dizziness started. It also was only one ear now it is both. I walked my daughter to school this morning and had to hold on to the wall, it was very scary. I've been told I can't drive but walking is even worse.
I don't know whether to go back to my doctor again especially as I seem to be feeling worse. She was very unsympathetic and just kept saying "It will go it's not permanent!"
I asked to be referred but she said no!

DH had it. The severe symptoms lasted about a month, but he still had minor attacks for about a year afterward. He had an MRI to rule out anything odd.

I had that when I was pregant with ds1 and it was so horrible. I couldn't stand up without falling over and turning over in bed made me sick.

I think it can be either bacterial or viral.

For me, it was bad for about a fortnight but it took more than a month before I could look over my shoulder whilst walking.

Hope you feel better soon. It's so horrible

runnerbean-this is my pet fave subject!
you have either had vestibular neuronitis which is inflammation of the vestibular nerve or viral labs.
the diff between the two is that with vn, there is usually little damage to hearing but it can be re-current.
viral labs attacks the inner ear and can cause mild hearing loss too, othet symptoms can include, clicking, popping ears, feeling of fullness in the ears and tinnitus, thats why they can be confused with menieres esease.
it can take up to 8 weeks to recover and somertimes longer, its important to only take vestibular suppressents in the first week or so of the illness.
after that its important that in order for your brain to compensate for the damage, you do not take vestibular suppresnts as these hinder compensation, also move about as muich as possuble, no matter how horrendous you feel,as this will help with compensation.
if there is little or no improvement after 8 weeks, then you may have uncompensated labs and you will need a referral to a neurotologist, where you will be given balance function tests and then a tailored programme of vestibular rehabilation exercises.
chances are though you will be fine in a few weeks.
i had vl in november 2004 and failed to compensate because my gp kept giving me vestibular suppresents.
\link{http://www.labyrinthitis.org.uk/\you might find this site useful}

hausfrau-if your dad gets posistional vertigo, has he had the epley manouvre performed on him?
bpv-happens when crystals from the inner ear are deposisted in the wrong part of thear and move when the sufferer moves their head, causing intense spinning and a feeling of imbalance for a while aferwardfs.
the epley re posistios the crystals and has been very effective.

Thankyou spacecadet I wish my doctor had been as helpful as you! She told me nothing and made me feel quite stupid! The A@E doctor was better, I have been assured it will go so I have to believe it will!!

runnerbean-most gp's dont really understand balance probs and its very easy to just hand out tablets.
do be assured though that if you keep mobile, you should recover, its a very frightening illness and sometimes its easier to just sit still, but thats the worst thing you can do!!
do visit the website i linked to, i have found it an excellent source of support.

Is the epley manouvre when somebody physically throws you backward?
My nurse friend told me about it and it's supposed to be very effective.
I read the website youlinked me too spacecadet but I've just freaked myself out thinking I could have permanent damage!
None of the doctors ever mentioned anything like that!!
I keep trying to work out if my tiinitus is improving or whether I've just got used to the noise!

I will take your advice and walk my daughter to nursery tomorrow (holding on to the buggy for support).

\link{http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/cache/-1489698801.htm\Epley manoevre}
Sounds quite gentle. The aim seems to be to move the gubbins to a place where it doesn't cause havoc with the balance.

runnerbean-dont panic, what happens is that the labs does permanently damage the vestibular system but the central nervous system compensates for the damage. you will get better
hausfrau, doesnt sound like bpv to be honest, with bpv, the spinning last only a few seconds, on changing posistion.
he needs to ask to be see a neurotologist.
the procedure youve heard of is called the dix-hallpike and involves lying the patient down quyickly then monitoring the eye movements, this is the way to diagnose bpv, dont worry you dont get thrown back really quickly.
the epley is very gentle but can be frightening as while it re posistions the crystals, it will cause momentory spininng.

runner bean-check out the guestbook on that site and see the success stories

I get it on and off for last 2 years and after the hospital told me what it is , the gps are crap give me anti-emetics when I tell them I am not being sick, and the mdeicine they give me make me dopey and unable to move even though I tell the dr that I am doing a degree and need to be in my right mind another doctor thinks i am imagining it and that is is stress when I was not stressed and they say I am making my eyes flicker with it when I am not it happens involuntarily, i think its a crap illness and I hate it it keeps popping up an ruining my life. get no hearing loss, no vomiting. just spinning and positional vertigo , falling over and my hands feel numb and I get nystagmus too (when eyes flicker)Stress my ass. hope you get better, I have not had it since a 2 week burst in august last year, gp would not give me a sick line so had to quit my spanish module at uni cos of absence.

glad its not only me as no one has ever heard of it usually