Chronic vertigo turned to tinnitus???

[Bl4nking]

So november last year I had a bad bout of vertigo, I assumed it would go away within a couple of days as per Google but went to the doctors after a week. Got given a weeks worth of anti sickness pills and it went away.

A couple of weeks later the same thing happened. Went to the doctors and they prescribed anti-sickness pills and advised to do the epley manor out for bppv. The manoeuvre didn’t work but the vertigo again subsided after about 10 days.

Then it came back a little bit a couple of weeks later but this time with the mother of all headaches along the same side. I had intense pressure in my right eye and the back of my head so much so that I couldn’t even lean my head because it was painful. Went straight back to GP and they gave me anti-biotics for an ear infection even though they couldn’t see a sign of one. I had a 5 day course and by day 4 vertigo and headache cleared up.

This was a couple of weeks ago and for the past 5 days I haven’t had vertigo but horrendous tinnitus, feels like hearing loss and my ear feels utterly blocked. I’ve been told i need a hearing test before they’ll refer me to ENT which I’ve got booked this week but has anyone experienced anything along the lines?

Has anyone mentioned Menieres to you? Until you can get seen, try and reduce the amount of sodium in your diet.

There's lots of useful info about all vestibular disorders here: https://www.menieres.org.uk/information-and-support you may find it useful to read up before your tests.

No, I haven’t heard about meniere’s, I’ll definitely bring it up. I assume it’s a blood pressure thing? My blood pressure is always fine

I’ve had something similar OP, which also started in November.
Mine was the other way around as it started with muffled hearing, then on day 3 I woke with terrible vertigo. Thankfully it eased off after a couple of hours.
I didn’t go to the GP as it resolved itself & I just put it down to a virus.
Then it all started again a few weeks ago and has continued on and off. No infection or wax build up.
GP prescribed a steroid nasal spray but I’m not sure it’s doing much. I haven’t had the vertigo as bad but just generally feeling off balance.

I wondered about menieres but GP seemed dismissive.

@CrispyK that does sound similar, how’s your hearing now?

Same pattern that I have experienced. Three years I have been on the waiting list. No sign of an appointment. My hearing has deteriorated in that time.
I am in N.Ireland and hearing tests and aids, are only available on NHS via a hospital.
High Street tests and hearing aids are too expensive for me.

I had a sudden reoccurrence of BPPV last month ( first time was a year before ) and found this time it took a few times to get the manoeuvre to work. There are also variations demonstrated on YouTube

Did you have a hearing test? Luckily I work for a company that has a branch which is an audiology department. One of my colleagues is going to do a test for me this week

I have Meniers. Started as a couple of bouts of vertigo and poor hearing, went away for months, came back with several attacks over a few weeks, went away, returned a year later.

GP kept giving me stematil which helped. Asked for ENT referral and GP practice dismissive. Luckily I was able to have private appointment and tests which showed likely Meniers. At which point my actual GP referred me to NHS balance clinic. It took a while to see them, but now I am in the system they are fantastic.
Vestibular physio helped, also reduced alcohol/caffeine/sodium and consultant emphasises self care/rest/stress management.
If you keep having attacks you might want to check DVLA reporting requirements. I had to stop driving for a while until things stabilised.

So I had my hearing test that I’m going to send to the GP and came back with 40DB which is on the cusp of mild/moderate but in both ears. Maybe one is compensating for the other. I’m in my mid 20’s so it’s not age related

UPDATE
Tthree weeks ago, I had a consultation with the Audiologist.
My hearing loss ranges from mild to serious,, I will be called back.August/September, to have the hearing aids fitted. I was told that the wait is around thirteen weeks. The reason? Short staffed.

I can offer some advice. About twenty years ago I suffered a severe attack of vertigo/inner ear disorder. I was sick, lost my balance, could not walk, and was hospitalised in the space of 12 hours. My wife thought I was about to die. The hospital performed masses of tests and said: almost certainly vertigo/inner ear issue. I went home after 48 hours, and it took me three months to fully recover balance etc. I could not drive and was walking with a stick.
I made a full recovery, then around 2018 I had a minor resumption: slight dizziness, light headed, feeling a little sick, ringing ears. I went to the GP, was fobbed off, then referred for balance, but that was not really my problem and I got nowhere with the NHS, so referred myself to a consultant, paid around £250, and I am so glad I did.
His advice: this is a minor re-visit of vertigo, caused we think by scarring from the first attack. There is no cure, you can see the NHS about balance etc, but it is almost certainly a case of learning to live with it. I very much appreciated his honesty.

I have been living with it since, it comes and goes. I have tried all sorts of things: reduced sodium, no booze etc, all to zero effect.

Knowing what it is, and learning to live with it, has been been my path since.
The NHS was of little to no help, whilst the consultant was, and so that was in my view £250 very well spent..
As to why people get it, they think it is a virus.
As to dealing with it, it varies by person, I live with it: modest alcohol consumption, as little stress as possible, as I find that brings it on, and no jabs or medication unless essential.
As someone I know who suffers likewise tried nicotine, which helped, I may try that. It sounds crazy, but at my age, anything that helps, within reason, I will try.