Vertigo - Never knew it was this horrible!

[ChaChaSlide101]

I've been to the GP this morning (actually the paramedic at the surgery) as for a couple of evening, when in bed, the room has wobbled around me when I've moved.

Last night, I put my head upside down to dry my hair and swiftly toppled to the ground, and couldn't get up for a minute until things stopped swimming.

I've had 'wobbly' and unstill eyes all day today, with a definite feeling of instability.

Paramedic called the duty doctor, and they both agreed it's vertigo, likely a result of a viral infection. Just got to deal with it until it goes away, if it's not gone in a couple of weeks, go back. Thankfully I don't have extreme nausea, just a slight feeling of upset tummy, akin to motion sickness (which I guess it kind of is). No hearing loss, no tinnitus.

Is there anything I can do, other than lay still in a dark room, to help? I've come back in to work, not totally sure I should drive now though so might get a taxi home.

Any advice/experiences? I've been told if it gets any worse than this I should go back.

I had no idea this is what vertigo feels like, and I have so much sympathy for people who live with it long-term!

I had vestibular neuritis, BPPV and labyrinthitis after Covid infection. There are medications that can help such as cinnarizine or prochlorperazine but they can delay recovery sometimes because they the brain's natural compensatory mechanism for peripheral vertigo. They did help me function as I was very bad at first and couldn't look after my kids, but I switched to doing vestibular rehabilitation exercises given to me by the balance clinic, I didn't see them until I had vertigo for two months. It took months for me to recover fully as bending forward or going around roundabouts would set it off.

I usually find it's best to fix my gaze in a point and practice slow deep breathing. Doesn't stop it, but might help.

Thank you both so much!

I will definitely try the fixed gaze and breathing techniques, and I'm going to do some research into vestibular rehabilitation!

Had it

you have to do the exercises to kind of tell your brain that nothing is wrong
I was told by dizzy clinic that the worst thing you can do is lie in bed.

Oh you poor soul. Yes, it is awful isn't it. I had it that severely a couple of times, with vomiting too and I swear to god I would rather have very significant pain than go through that again.

I can only echo the advice to stay lying down in a darkened room, eyes closed, moving as little as possilbe until it passes. And it will pass.
Listen to plays, comedies, etc, on BBC sounds perhaps, or an Audible book?

EDIT: Apologies, I can see from other posts that lying still is not always a constructive thing to do. I only had the very severe form and then a sudden total recovery. I can see that if you have a phase where it hangs around with declining severity, some kind of active rehab is the way to go

Had the vestibular neuritis

Vestibular rehab is very effective but takes a while of doing exercises.You might want to look up the Epley manoeuvre too, you can do it yourself in case there is some BPPV going on.

Thanks for this - I think because it's new and I've not had it before, I've not been given any exercises. I assume if it persists I might be given something to do..

I'm so glad I don't have the vomiting, no idea how I would handle that as it's having my head forwards that makes it super bad!

Yep, going to download a couple of audiobooks and get home and shut the curtains!

Thank you - looking that up now!

You can look online for exercises. It was a horrible thing. Took some months to mostly recover
things like walking in a straight line with eyes fixed on the horizon

Thank you - and sorry that you've suffered, too!

Sympathy! I remember twenty years ago bending over to pick up the post and falling to the floor because I suddenly couldn’t tell which way was up. I had to crawl up to bed very slowly on hands & knees.

Diagnosed as labyrinthitis. My GP did a test involving movement of my eyes, which allowed her to know which ear was affected. I had nausea with it, but anti-sickness drugs helped. I don’t want to depress you but it has recurred several times, though never as badly. Also, my hearing in that ear has gradually gone downhill.

Sorry but I really don’t think you should drive until you’re completely better. It wouldn't be safe.

Sense of balance is one of those things we take totally for granted until it stops working properly.

It is so debilitating, especially if it comes out of the blue. But - it will go! You have to believe that this isn’t forever (there’s actual research that shows those who recover quickest are those who believe it will improve). I found sitting propped up in bed to sleep helped, rather than lying down flat. If I needed to move, I turned my whole body and slowly moved my eyes, focusing on the horizon as I did so. I didn’t move my head to either side or up and down (and particularly not quickly). Sending sympathy, it can really knock you for six but will pass.

But for me I was told not to lie in bed. To crack on with the exercises

I did have some ant nausea pills at first.

it takes ages to get referred to the dizzy clinic is what it’s called in Scotland 🤣🤦‍♀️

You have my sincere sympathy OP. Plantago drops in water have changed my life in this regard, cleared out all my sinuses and I am much improved. Amazon sell them.

@Anonycat I had lots of tests in that respect, but nothing definitive as to which side it was. My eyes did not want to stay closed, but my pointing/nose touching was all fine. I'm a bit wobbly standing still but managed to stay upright! Sorry you had a fall with it, too - you are right, a sense totally taken for granted!

Thank you, @Rocksaltrita. I find it unsettling at night as I often wake up due to back pain and have to move, then have found myself gripping on to the mattress for dear life! I'm trying to be more considered with my movements, and yes, Positive Thinking all the way!

@littlbrowndog Brilliant! Well, might as well call it what it is! Perhaps I'll move to Scotland!

@SeatonCarew Looking that up now, and very interested to try it!

I went to physio who retrained my brain was two years before I could go down an escalator.

However, it was vestibular neuritis, antibiotics fixed it. Post cold infection. I'd push for antibiotics. I was given them by the dentist btw

The exercises are like these @ChaChaSlide101

a family member had this and found the Epley manoeuvre helpful

Thanks, all!

@justasking111 oh my word that's a long time! I think I'll go back next week and ask for antibiotics.

Thank you, @Choconuttolata! Much easier to see the exercises being doen than trying to read about how to do them!

@tinymeteor that's good to hear, and is what I'm going to try tonight when I'm home with my partner.

I woke a few times last night and ending up gripping on to the mattress for fear of falling into the abyss! I mean, it's funny to look back at, but at the time it's quite scary. You know you're not going to fall, you're laid down in bed, but the sensation is so, so real, and everything is spinning around you. I've realised I can bend forwards, but I have to keep my face up, then it's not so bad. The cat did nearly get squashed when trying to feed him, though!

So glad to see this post, I've woken up with this today, got out of bed as normal and couldn't walk in a straight line, like I had come off a roundabout, have nausea too.

I'm doing the laying still in bed thing with deep breaths for now and feel better for seeing this post.

Wishing you a speedy recovery OP.

Oh crikey! Yes, I woke up one morning and tried to get out of bed and fell back onto it. Literally had no idea what was going on! That must have been about 4 years ago.

I had a day or so of it being really bad but remember it got better quite quickly BUT didn't feel completely better for many months. I couldn't turn my head to the right without the world spinning and couldn't sleep on my right side for ages.

It was summer time so I had some time ( I'm a teacher) but once back at work it was still like I was walking on pillows and I was a bit spaced out!

I still get the odd moment. I do not want it back!

@ChaChaSlide101 just read your gripping onto the mattress bit! You've taken me right back! God it's awful, isn't it?!

Also I didn't do many of the exercises because they made me feel sick.