Vertigo, commonly known as “the spins” is a condition where a person loses their sense of balance, so the world seems to spin around them, and “gravity” seems to misbehave. Most people have experienced very temporary vertigo by playing the childhood game of spin-till-you’re-dizzy. Once you stop – that’s the most common feeling of vertigo. In the case of the kid game, it only lasts about a minute at most. When you have one of the many medical conditions that can cause vertigo, it can last for hours, days, weeks, and in some cases even months. In that case, it’s definitely not a game anymore. Living with vertigo can be challenging.
As it turns out, several conditions related to hearing loss can also induce “attacks” of vertigo. This makes some sense, as the main part of our balance system is located in the inner ear, and hence, things which affect our ears can also affect our balance.
I started having occasional attacks of severe vertigo about 2-1/2 years ago. At the time, I had no idea it was related to my hearing, as I’d been nearly deaf on my right side for most of my life (I’m 48). My first thought was that I’d had food poisoning, the details of why I need not explain beyond saying that protracted vertigo (more than a few minutes) can make a person quite nauseous indeed. After having several attacks over the course of a month, however, I realized that something much more “systemic” was going on, so I made an appointment with my family doctor. He immediately referred me to an ENT, knowing that vertigo is most commonly related to conditions of the ear.
The ENT didn’t waste any time diagnosing me with Meniere’s Syndrome, a condition of unknown origin in which sporadic/gradual hearing loss is accompanied by bouts of vertigo, tinnitus (“ringing”, which I’ve always had in my right) and a feeling of “pressure” in the ear(s).
I’ve characterized my vertigo symptoms as “a dagger held over my head.” Attacks come out of the blue, from nowhere. There’s usually very little warning (though I’m fortunate that I don’t suffer “drop” attacks, as some do – in which the attack is so sudden, the person literally falls over, or “drops”).
Nausea aside (quite debilitating in itself), sometimes when my “moderate” attacks last awhile, and I can “hold my cookies” as they say, my symptom takes the form of the “Drunken Sailor”. I can’t hope to walk a straight line un-aided, and walls become a very important navigation resource (using hands to hold me up). When people ask me about it (say, at work – and they know I have the condition; I’ve made very sure of it), I tell them it looks worse than it is (not lethal), and it feels worse than it looks.
Because I’m often enough in public places when I have an attack, I do wonder sometimes how people are perceiving me in my struggle to stay upright and functional (wish I could “choose” to have all my attacks at home!) Do they actually assume I’m drunk or drugged out (before I had this condition, that would have been my first assumption)? The issue with vertigo is the same one we have as HOH people. It’s the constant need to “explain” to people that we’re not drunk (or “stuck up” in the HOH case), we’re actually suffering from a health condition that we DO NOT WANT TO GIVE IN TO OR GIVE UP OUR MEANINGFUL LIFE FOR! In other words, we want to be normal, and have access to all the things that most people can expect.
Of course, there’s also the tired old saw… “Isn’t there a cure, a drug, an operation?” Yes Virginia, there are drugs (I take them) and operations (you join the ranks of the Deaf, in some cases), but there’s no cure, in the “let’s just fix it and go on with our happy lives” sense.
I consider myself very very fortunate that my vertigo has only occurred in sporadic attacks, and the last “remission” I had actually lasted more than a year (I’ve had a few attacks in recent weeks). I’m personally acquainted with someone who has been hospitalized for months with severe attacks. That person could certainly claim deep knowledge of this subject.
The good news, as shouted above, is that I haven’t, and will not, let my vertigo rule or ruin my life. Sure, I’ve had to make some “concessions” – I gave up driving, lock stock and barrel about a year ago. Know what? My life is better for it. Why? Dozens of reasons. Just yesterday I was presented with a beautiful engraved glass award for being the person who “logged the most public transit miles (3000+) last year” by the corporate sponsored Transportation Management Association in my area (they want to get people out of their cars). That’s just a symbol, but there are other good things too. When you need to rely on friends for rides, you tend to get more friends. Try it! Good friends reciprocate (in other ways), and indeed I do – that’s really all it takes.
So it turns out, Drunken Sailor Syndrome and all, I really AM living and working with vertigo. And living, and working are both very good things indeed.
Please feel free to share your own story in comments if you have one!
Paul S (aka LifeWrecked)
I have 2 people in my group home that have vertigo. One is mild and the other is severe and requires the access service public transportation.
I suffer from Meniere’s Disease, too. Have had it for around 8 years now. It was a very scary time the first year as I did not know what it was and strangely, neither did my doctors. They thought it might be an allergy or something. I did some research and found I have Meniere’s Disease and that there is no cure other than the risky surgery and/or gamma knife in which your vertigo might worsen – the opposite result. I elected not to let it control my life either.
The acute attacks seems to occur seasonally for me – those attacks go the whole 9 yards – vomitting, drunken sailor syndrome, chilling, sweating, etc. My best defense is to take the diazepam and just lay in bed and watch tv…I couldn’t read the captions, obviously, but I become focused enough to try to make sense of what I am watching, and this task helps me fall asleep with the assistance of the diazepam. The aftereffects includes sheer exhaustation. I am usually back to self upon waking up.
Twice the milder attacks occured while I was driving in the 8 years I have had the disease and both times I managed to survive. The first time was fortunate that I got caught in a traffic jam in Los Angeles and I managed to take the diazepam and simply targeted the license plate of the car in front of me and I drove 60 miles following that car to my friend’s house. The second one I was fortunate I was close to home and I managed to hug the sidewalk to my driveway.
I always carry diazepam in my purse. Occasionally I get hit at work, right in middle of teaching, and I’ve mastered the skill not to panic and continue with what I am doing, figting to maintain my balance, spinning, etc. I seem to master the sense of balance by focusing on it.
I did consider permanently become unemployed out of fear of driving and having attacks at work but now I’ve come to accept it as part of my life and learn how to live with it.
However, if my acute attacks occur more frequently to the point it is unsafe to drive, I will have to give up driving, indeed. I am not at that point just yet.
Only people with our condition understand what it is like to have this disease which is no picnic. Not even my husband understands what it is like.
Cy and Paul,
I understand what both of you go through. My husband has severe vertigo attacks from Menieres. Oh-it’s so miserable!! The hearing loss is one thing– irritating sometimes, but managable! The violent vertigo and sickness is unbearable for me to watch sometimes. I feel so helpless cuz I can’t do anything for him.
Thanks Cy and Richard and Butterfly!
It’s always good to know how “not alone” I am, and I know I have it relatively easy so far compared to some of your situations. Has anyone heard of or tried “vestibular training” to manage their vertigo symptoms? I’m told that if the attack is fairly mild (I sometimes get those), with certain “exercises”, one can train oneself to be fully functional and balanced in spite of the attack.
Paul S
I’ve never been “vestibularily” trained but I’ve managed to self-teach how not to panic, how to maintain my balance and function during the attacks. This morning I got hit with a brief attack and I managed to drive through the morning communter traffic by not panicking, focusing on the road to stay on my lane. I always drive the same route for that reason – familiarity of the route helps with knowing what to expect ahead of you during the attack and plan on exiting and pull off if necessary. I was able to fully function as a driver.
But with the acute attack, I may not be able to maintain the car in my lane. I had the acute attack during my sons sport banquet. My husband was there. Strangely I did not have the other effects such as vomitting, chilling, sweating, etc, but I did have the drunken sailor symptom. That day, I couldn’t independently walk a straight line – I kept walking sideways – I had to hold on to my husband’s arm towards our car. My husband said he felt strong tug on his my arm as I walked sideways..he had to keep his arm closed so I couldn’t pull him sideways along with me. He had a brief glimpse of what it was like for me that day. I believe it was triggered by the long bus ride on a field trip which totaled 5 hours – bumpy school bus ride on winding roads up the mountains. The high atitude seems to contribute to the vertigo symptoms for me…every time I go up into the mountains, I get hit with vertigo sooner or later. That day I was up on the mountain only a few hours but the effects hit me later nonetheless. I expected it so I had my husband drive me to work and take me home and stopped at the banquet on way home where the attack occured.
It is just something I learned to live with. Better than sitting at home doing nothing.
I don’t have Menieres but I am dizzy ALL THE TIME. I have had occasional attacks of BPV (and I often wonder if it is linked to certain foods such as cheese and coffee) but my main problem is that I am ‘a drunken sailor” all the time. I never get any respite from it although it has got slightly better over the years (I have had it for 5 and a half years) but has since got much worse. I don’t get the sensational spinning round feeling, more a lurch to one side in which case I have to grab at something or stop and get my bearings. I have to take the drugs stemetil and diazepam constantly and this is causing some problems for me as the diazepam is not working as well as it used to. Is there anyone else out there with the same symptoms as me? How do you cope with it?
Can people with vertigo expect to work successfully?
I have had vertigo for almost 6 years. I was able to keep my long-time job for 4 of those years, as bouts with the vertigo would come and go, lasting 2 days to 3 months, with as little as a few weeks and as much as a year in between. Then, I would use all my vacation, time, delegate lots of work to interns, try to wait it out. For the past 2 years I have been unable to work, due to frequent and unpredictable bouts of strong spinning, probably BPPV. I downplay it with friends, lay low and try not to draw attention to myself, hoping it will go away and that I’ll soon be back in the game. But lately the bouts always last about 2-3 months, with only a few weeks break in between. I can no longer do my previous job as a social worker. What do others do about keeping their jobs? What kind of work can a person with vertigo expect to do well? I know my dreams of becoming a tightrope walker are dashed, but what do you all do? Apply for disability? Thanks, all.
It’s good to see that i’m not alone. I am only 30 and have had vertigo for 2 years now. I had cholesteatoma in both ears (it’s been described to me as tumors that eat away the balance muscles). They have been taken out. My doctor was suprised to hear that my vertigo hasn’t gone away. Now I’m waiting to see a nuerologist. Does this seem like a good path? I also don’t know what to do about work. I am currently a student but my grades are suffering because I can’t afford books. Any advice for a fellow drunken sailor?
I’m 58 I have tinnitus that started a couple of years ago. After 8 months of head ringing and falling down everywhere in the house and yard and a torn rotator cuff my doctor sent me to get hearing aids with a tinnitus breaker. I’ve noticed I can’t walk very fast and turn my head to look behind me and my balance isn’t close to what it used to be. The tinnitus breaker has been a life saver except it has made me very excited. The breaker is set pretty high and I have bouts of never being able to rest. If I’m sitting down I need to get up. I go from one thing to the other not being able to get any rest. The nice thing is all the work outside the house has been completed. The bad thing is I work until I can barely stand up.
Last week my doctor gave me Buspar to help me be able to sit a little. It works great but within about an hour after I take it I am a little intoxicated but that wears off and I am pretty good. I am supposed to take it in the morning and at night but haven’t been able to take it and go to work yet. My guess Buspar is doing the same thing diazepam might do.
That’s my little story
Dennis
I am so fed up with Vertigo. I have been to my doctor, I have had CAT scans that show nothing. I have been to an ENT that says I have great hearing and doesn’t see any problems. Yet I have intense ringing in my ears. I can not stand to have the tv or radio on for I hear the ringing. I have at least 1 Vertigo attack daily and since there is nothing out there to really help I deal with them. But they are starting to run my life.
I have had these for maybe 5 years or better now. I find it hard to get up and go to work. I just want to stay home and not deal with it. When I have a bad attack, (dizziness, chills, can’t walk, etc.) I feel like I am wiped out and drained. It makes me feel like I have not slept in days. Am I the only one that seems to feel so drained by it.
My daughter, out of love, makes fun when we go out and I can’t walk a straight line. I do not care so much what other people think by starring. My biggest fear is that if I have one when I an out what will happen. Therefore making me not want to leave. I have two kids and I feel like I am making them loose out because I am constantly feeling miserable.
I am right there with the other’s what do you do. Stay home and live on disability? I can not keep calling into work or I won’t have a job to go to anyway.
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Jocelyn, I too have the dizziness all the time to varying degrees and it’s really getting me down. I had my first “episode” 3 years ago just before Christmas and lasted until the middle of January. Each year since then I have had it for between 3 and4 weeks at a time only around Christmas, and dread the approach of the season. This time, it began around the 12th December and hasn’t gone away. It has happened at a very bad time as I was in the process of starting a business which has had to be put on hold. I was eventually referred to the ENT department where I had a full vestibular investigation. The results were that I have ‘nothing to worry about, nothing life threatening’ and was given a few sheets of exercises to do. I was told to start with basic, cross them off when they stop making me feel dizzy, working my way up to advanced. The trouble is every movement of my head makes the dizziness worse, lowering my head, the worst of all (eating, typing etc) makes me extremely dizzy. I am 44 years old married with 2 children and a life I want to get back to. The one saving grace is that I do not suffer with nausea as I know others do, but have problems concentrating, occasionally focusing my eyes, reading and using the PC. I find the only respite from it is to sit with my head totally upright resting on a high back chair watching TV – although “bad camera work” and fast moving images really affect me. If anyone has any tips to cope with this I’d much appreciate it.
Hi all. I am not one to write my life to the world. but when i came to this site and read through all of your wonderful and horrible letters i thought i might. I am 44 and have had vertigo for about 2 months. this is a frightning thing that is happening. i went to my general DR and she just said here is a drug that will help with the spinning and sent me on my way. praise the lord for the internet. during the first month of this i gained about 8 pounds and just felt puffy and horrible. i found alot of people and sites that have been helpful and went to a balance therapy place. i took all sorts of tests for about 2 hours and they said that i need to drasticly drop my sodium intake. i did that for a while and i think it helped and dropped some water weight which is what they said was the problem. too much water in my inner ear. but now it is back and reading your stories have made me feel that i am not alone and it just might not go away. I have learned not to panic and try to deal with it when it hits. I do feel like i am all alone in this. My husband is sooo supportive but you are right you can’t explain how we are feeling. thank you for this web site and want to hear from more people like us. your personal stories have made me feel a bit better. I will deffinitely have my husband read all of this and maybe he can get a bigger picture of vertigo. Sincere thanks. Angie from Austin. I am an agent for a wonderful sticker company if you would like to see.
I refuse to look up any Vertigo information and where is coming from, since it overwhelms me .It makes me feel hopeless, but curiosity killed the cat and so I am here in this site reading all of your stories and I want to give thanks to the creator of this site
I have being suffering episodes of vertigo for about 4 months now but until six weeks they have gotten very strong. My symptoms are more like I am on a boat and I can’t keep my balance when I am up on my feet and specially when I am on like that 3rd floor of a building (scary) since is something very new for me .I am still in process of accepting the condition. I am a 27 year old married with two children (tears) and I feel like it has taken A LOT of my life (tears) . It really has affected me emotionally because until this day they still can’t find where this is coming from. About six weeks ago I started with fevers and for about 3 weeks I had about seven fevers, so I was given antibiotics for bacteria that the dr’s thought I had in body, so far the fever are no longer around (THANK GOD!) And for the vertigo they gave me Meclizine which makes me drowsy and since I have a 6 yr old daughter and a 8month old baby full of energy, I want to be very awake to be around them. so I stop taking Meclizine. So at this time of my life I am PRAYING and hoping this is only a nightmare and I wish it can go away soon. At least 3 times in the past month I had to leave from events like birthday parties and family gatherings, because I start feeling that vertigo and I get like very panic when I get the episodes and I think that just makes me more unbalance. The way I explain people how I feel is like being drunk but without the alcohol (and not that I am a big drinker, but I know the feeling) all I can say is that I hope god gives me the serenity to accept this condition and learn how to live with it incase it plans to be around for long, I really am hoping, praying and wishing it GOES AWAY SOON !!. My ears also tend to get like clogged as if I was driving on a mountain and sometimes feel very drained when I get the vertigo. All my blood test came back normal and so my only concern are my ears. Two dr’s that saw me say that they do not see an infection in my ear the only thing they see is that my ear is a little congested so now I am taking flonase for my allergies, because they tell me that the reason I am getting Vertigo is because of my sinus. So at this point I am just going for what the dr’s say.
And for all those others that are in here I will also pray for you too,Because I know exactly how you guys feel when vertigo strikes especially if you are a wife and a mom.
I have the constant feeling also of always being off balance..have had it for 15 years now since a motorcycle accident..It is getting worse as I get older..I have tried the exercises and bvvp manipulating but has not helped..I am now nauseated all the time too..sometimes just feel like giving up..I have a cleaning service and clean houses every day with constant bending turning etc. and is getting harder to work..I feel hopeless a lot and just want to lay down and not get up but even in that there is no relief..anyone relate to me???
Hi
I had intermittent spells of vertigo for the last couple of years and when i went on a long haul flight in the summer of 2010 it hit me very hard. I was extremely bad for about 2months but my consultant performed the epley on me and unfortunately was only able to complete half of it as i completely panicked much to my regret. I have not got the courage to have it done since and would really like to get it completed. It is supposed to be really good and effective.
i am on constant medication called bivertin which i find very good the Serc tablets were of no benefit to me whatsoever and my doctor took me off them a few months ago. I have constant bouts of vertigo since the summer of 2010 and it is really frustrating. I dont know if your familiar with Ireland but it costs a fortune to see a doctor and even though i have health insurance i still have to pay to see a constultant privately. I am so fed up i nearly had a nervous breakdown because of my vertigo but i am getting there. I try to keep calm and relaxed as possible and i find if i get overly tired i the attacks get worse.
I am constantly looking for help the epley manouvre seems to be the only remedy. A final thought i have BPPV and it is compeltely hereditory youll probably find that others in your family have suffered with it. I will not let vertigo destroy my life I drive and it has only improved becasue i am consentrating when i drive and it actually helps.
We all have to keep going and hope that some day someone is going to cure this horrible problem. No one understands the severity of vertigo unless you have suffered with it yourself. Exercise, fresh air, and compassion are essential to survive vertigo and BPPV and rest but most of all educating people about vertigo as sometimes i feel people pass it off as being superficial. I hope they never suffer with it.
Keep the head up,
Best regards
Loraine.
hi Loraine.
I am currently undertaking a psychology dissertation on living with vertigo
Your post really appeals to me as that is exactly how i feel with regards to no one really understanding the severity etc
Would you be willing to take part in my dissertation?
it is an interview which can be conducted over the phone.
If you are interested or any one else please contact me on maj_b@msn.com
many thanks, majida.
I read this and said wow, this could have been written by me. Forgive me for stealing a couple of your phrases, but the way you described it is epic. You can check out my take here: http://meursaultcassiel.wordpress.com/2011/03/21/its-time-for-the-talk/
I’m out of lgueae here. Too much brain power on display!
Wow, This absolutly it.
Ditto.. except my kids are older and are able to help me, I have only had this for 3 weeks (constant spinning) I am told that its BVVP or whatever it is,I am a single mother, and I work long hour days etc – I have to re adjust my life style I think, I am still learning about all this, II did not have a fall or injury, Just one day I woke up with feelings that I was drunk, and even at work they gave me a breatho to make sure I wasnt drinking – that was very weird. My right side my face is numby as well, the drs thought I was having a stroke, but all the tests came back clear and good. So Im a healthy drunken sailor, I ddint even know this was a disease, and the way I explained to everyone was that exactly, feels like Im drunk, does this ever go away? people are compassionate – but they just dont know 🙁 not any fault of their own)
I have stemitil and diapanze. I only take the stemitil for vomiting and nausea, it gets really bad.
Had no idea how bad this really was until it hit me a little over a week ago.I have several people in my family that has it but never really understood what they went thru until now.What is even worse is that I was thinking that once my ear infection(which is what I assume kicked in the vertigo)got better and I got past this spell this would be it.Now Im thinking this is something that is always gonna be there in a sense and that just petrifies me.I thought I was getting some better and worked yesterday for the first time since all this had started and by bedtime last night it started getting worse again-today everything is really spinning again.I feel so helpless.Just between my loss of work last week,my husbands loss of work(taking me to the doctor and caring for me),the doctors bill(which I do not have health insurance so its bad),all the different presciptions(again no insurance)-this has already put us in a really bad situation financially when we were already struggling.I have 2 kids 11 & 13 who are each going thru stuff in thier live right now and need me to be healthy for them.I just really feel like giving up-
Hi everyone,
Came across this site after lots of research as I too have vertigo. I’m 39, and have had the symptoms (dizziness, nausea, sweats, room spinning etc) since last week and although I made it into work, went home after only being able to work half days. My doctor has told me under no circumstances should I drive for a few days, and have complete bed rest. Well, today I walked over to the bus stop to go to work (5 min walk from home), and on the way felt dizzy, sick and my legs felt so weak that I went back home. Eventually when I got myself together I took a cab to work. When I got there, I was shaking uncontrollably that colleagues held me and walked with me to the office. I tried to work but was shaking whilst replying to emails and can’t eve write anything on paper. I was sent home and was told not to go to work for the rest of the week.
I hope employers are sympathetic and supportive to colleagues who have vertigo, as you all well know, only if you have unfortunately suffered the symptoms do you know what people are going through.
Best of luck to you all out there, you have my sympathies and wishes for speedy recoveries!
im 16, and have had vertigo for 3 months non stop. the feeling of spinning is constant, for the first month it was slightly easy to deal with, but it was only the biggining. it would get worse with each passing day. the dizzieness would get so bad that i had to go to an ER, because i had nowhere else to go. my personal doc wouldnt help he would just say, ” its vertigo, itll go away in a several weeks, maybe months, i dont know, just go thru the motions, breath in breath out.” just in one appointment, and i could only get one appointment once a week. anyways, back to the ER. everytime i went ( 3 times ) the docs would say that nuthing is wrong. eventually i gave up, and decided to kill myself to end the dizzieness. because it ruined my life, my girlfriend dumped me because i ” wasnt any fun anymore ” i couldnt sleep for a whole week, started to hallucinate, ( because of sleeploss )grades started slipping, couldnt get up to eat, lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks. just went thru hell, my mother caught onto my depression and sent me to a mental ward, to prevent me from killing myself, that all happened in one month during october. during all that the vertigo was still there, getting worse everytime i wake up, came home 2 weeks later. got some perscriptions, meckazine, benodril, and diazepam,and decided to never go down that path again and just stay at home and just wait untill it goes away. now its december, still the same, constant spinning, keeping me up, im suprized i havent died yet from sleep deprivation, but im still kicking! sorry if this makes u depressed, im just jotting sonething down hoping someone has gone thru something just like me. this vertigo is hell. or wat ever the hell it is miniers disease, cancer, tumor watever. but luckily i got a MRI and found none of the ” worst case scynario ” problems. someone plz reply to this, some words of wisdom or sonething good ive ben thru alot inthe past few months. 🙁
Jocelyn,
I have the SAME problem. I do not have Menieres but I AM DIZZY ALL THE TIME. I am female, 42 years old my first episode was in 9th grade. In my mid 20’s it became permanent. Yes, foods effect it! Caffeine and too much sugar are the only two I have noticed. Also, small places and too much reading. Why is it worse if i drive for a while? Because my eyes are working too hard for too long and anything that takes a lot of eye focus brings on the symptoms. Yes, I sometimes feel I have to grab onto something. I have been to many, many doctors mostly neurologists. I am under the care of a general physician now. She gives me a very small dose of Clonazepam generic for Klonopin .05 mg I take a half twice per day or as needed. I’ve never heard of the Diazepam and wonder how alike these two drugs are. HOMOMONES effect it! Certain times of the month are horrible other times it is barely even noticeble! I can go a whole day with no drugs. Driving can be difficult and NO ONE understands unless they have it. I work in a cubicle which also sets it off. On days I don’t work I may not get dizzy at all… Good News is I am entering menopause early and about a year ago they lessenned a lot!
I was never able to watch NYPD Blue because of their erractic camera movements. Sometimes staring at the color black helps.
Many years ago I went to the ER also. I had a LOT of tests done by many types of Doctors, I even went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota. They can’t find anything wrong with me. Life was hell!! It comes and goes but the best thing to help me was the small dose of Klonopin every day. Eventually I figured out what triggered it and I avoid those things. Like too much reading, driving or anything that strains my eyes, certain head movements, like looking upward. Yes, it can be bad in the morning from lying down and moving your head around at night. I avoid caffeine and too much sugar. But for the most part I have been able to live a normal life with the exception of long drives. Rides are ok. I work full-time and do many other normal things. Few people in my life even know there is a problem. Maybe you may want to see a physician for Clonezepam.
Lack of sleep makes me dizzy. Being tired makes me dizzy. I refuse to let it keep me awake at night. When I get so dizzy that my brain feels like it is water swirling down the drain of a tub I used to jump up scared. Now I know it means I am about to fall asleep. So I just let it happen because I know the next thing I will hear is the morning alarm clock!
I do accept as true with all the ideas you’ve introduced to your post. They are very convincing and will definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are too short for novices. Could you please prolong them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.
Hi I’m only about 3 weeks into it but is not fun and with a 4 year old son. ….wellyou know. Well my story is similar to yours with the ear being congested and sinus I was also given Flonase so my question. Is. Has anything changed.? Did the Flonase help ? Please say its gone ;(
I just got diagnosed today after every worsening symptoms of feeling like a drunk with the spins. I am in outside sales and driving scares me right now. I do that every day ALL day. I have to work, 2008 killed my savings. Are there things to avoid and things I should do that might help? Will I have this forever?
yes sis.. sometimes i exicrpenee vertigo.. its not a very pleasant exicrpenee :-/sometimes its scary especially if you are in a public place..visiting u here.. i hope u can drop by my blog too.. see you!
Virtigo first hit me about a year ago waking me from a sound sleep. I was vomiting, sweating…the whole works. I was really hoping I’d eventually just pass out but wasn’t that lucky. I went to the ER and the doc gave me two injections of atropine. This stopped the spinning and I didn’t have another attack until just this last week. Now that its back the spins are short lived and I seem to be able to fight it off by holding still and focusing on a single spot in space. However, ill be going back for the atropine if it doesnt let up soon. Unfortunately atropine is pretty rough on the heart so I may be trading one problem for another with that solution. I’m a 46 yo male.
I too have Meniere’s Disease. For many years I believe. It became constant and debilitating about 2 years ago and I was sent to a neurologist and finally to an ENT in Nashville, TN at St. Thomas Hospital, who inserted a shunt in my endolymphatic sac. Miracle of all miracles – I now only have random attacks. One of which I’m coming out of now. While on the way to vist a church in Rugby, TN, which is on a partially curvy road, I experienced an attack. I’ve been taking antivert and meds for nausea and being completely still. About all you can do. I truly believe the shunt has saved my life because I could not have lived like I was before it being inserted.
Thanks for the info im also living with vertigo and its hard to also work but some times you just have to thuff it out reading your experiances helped me just knowing im not the only one its a realif 🙂
Thanxs
I have vertigo to and i understand i have felt the same way as u but u have to controll the vertigo dont let it control u i also suffer from anxiety and i get them both some times u could imagine how bad it gets try some drops call divrtigo there over the counter you could get them at cvs for about
20 bucks they have helped me alot
Hi, I am 22 and I have constant vertigo episodes. Sometimes it is very severe, out of the blue attacks where I will hit the floor, drenched in sweat and vomiting and can’t move for hours. Other times it hits more subtly but lasts for days. It is SO good to read that I am not alone. I tell you it is a depressing horrible thing to live with, esp when you’re young and have your whole life ahead of you! I love adventure and am an outgoing fun person, but over the past few years since these have started happening I am becoming a hermit, I stick to sitting at home as muchas possible. My family tries to understand but I know they just don’t, we are all tired of me unable to work and not knowing what causes this. I will probly go see a ear specialist, because if something is not done I will go nuts! I refuse to believe there is not some kind of cure. It makes me angry that I should have to live with this the rest of my life, I would rather deal with actual pain than this uncontrollable terrifying vertigo. It’s like a monster ruling my life! I am no fun anymore and basically just want to die.
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My vertigo & tinnitus started last Oct, I also have low blood sugar & a mitral valve prolapse which doesn’t help at all with the vertigo. I started feeling good around march, I mean I felt great! I even trained for and ran a 5K in July. BUT now all the dizziness is back with constant ringing in ears and nausea and vomiting 🙁 I feel worse now then when all this first started! I cry myselc to sleep now. Ugh, its beyond miserable and my friends family and hubby think its all in my head
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Glad to have read this. I have debilitating episodes of vertigo. It started about 3 years ago. I did not know what was happening and became terrified. Then it seemed to subside over the last couple of years, where I would occasionally feel off balance. Since about a month ago, I have had 3 episodes – first time almost went to ER, second time did to go ER – they thought I was having a stroke because my both my arms got tingly – ended up I did not have a stroke – numbness probably the effect of hyperventilating because I became terrified. Then I had another episode this morning. I laid down, shut me eyes, grabbed a blanket with my right hand, and prayed to God during which my eyes were moving back and forth (I could feel them doing so as I covered my eyes with my hand). Nothing has yet been diagnosed and I am frustrated. I just want this to all go away. It’s good to know that I’m not the only one and that these will pass and that I won’t be dead. When I had no clue as to what was happening, I actually thought I was dying. I now, while under “investigation” as to cause, just want to make it through episodes without hyperventilating, panicking, and ending up in ER. This morning was ‘success’ number one. Oh, and I continually have a very loud buzz sound in both ears, heartbeat pulsing in one ear, and occasional noises in my ear.
HI,
It was nice to read this post. I first presented to the doctors with hearing loss, but the food none on a test, next came the ear infections and ear aches, that I only started suffering with 7 months ago. My first case of vertigo happened in October, was just really dizzy, but this case, I write as i lay in bed has been bad, I “dropped” outside my house but luckily my neighbour and partner helped me get in. The worst thing about it all is trying to get the children home from school. One has to stay home as school are disinterested in helping as my partner works shifts… I hope this bought doesn’t last long…
I’ve read all of these posts with interest. I was diagnosed with Meniere’s Disease in October of 2002. The symptoms of this disease are 1. sensation of the room spinning (vertigo). 2. ringing in the affected ear, 3. loss of hearing in the affected ear, 4. sensation of fullness in the affected ear. My case got so bad so quickly that my doctor recommended surgery within 3 months of the diagnosis. Fortunately my dad is a doctor and he did some research and said that the Europeans were far ahead of Americans in treating this disease. They had determined that, for people who develop the disease later in life, allergies can be the trigger. Based on that, they had started to study using allergy shots to boost the immune system to fight the allergies, assuming that controlling the allergies would lessen the Meniere’s symptoms. So I asked my doctor to postpone my surgery and test me for allergies. I scored 9s and 10s on everything I was tested for. It took the doctor 7 months to work my body all the way up to the necessary levels of anti-allergy drugs in my injections. By then, my Meniere’s symptoms had decreased to the point that one 5 mg. Diazepam daily allowed me to live a very normal life. I did have drop attacks about once a year but other than that, the vertigo was under control. After 10 years of this therapy, my Meniere’s actually went into a 2 year remission. I was able to stop the shots and the Diazepam. It was a great thing. But great things do not last. One year ago, I felt the vertigo returning. By January of this year, it was 24/7 and nothing controls it now…no amount of Diazepam would even slow it down. So I underwent 5 chemical labyrinthectomies in an attempt to kill the rogue balance nerve. All 5 procedures failed. I am now on disability…but like many of you, I still do not want to give in to this wicked disease. And so I continue to research what the Europeans are doing. I’m now taking a supplement that triggers production of glutathione by my body. Glutathione is supposed to energize one’s immune system and I have to think my immune system, which had me in remission just a year ago, is my best bet right now. Two weeks after beginning this therapy, I began to notice that, while my vertigo continues, my energy, strength, and endurance were beginning to improve. Many of you know that vertigo causes the brain to work harder all day so those of us who are affected feel tired much earlier in the day than normal people. So I will stay on this path for awhile to see what happens.
I have studied the surgery possibilities and the doctors tell me that a vestibular section is my only option. It is risky and serious surgery and I’m not ready for that yet.
#vertigonolongercontrolsme
Love the article and replies, but the snow background is very painful for a person with Meniere’s disease. I had to stop reading and come back multiple times.
I’ve just started a couple of years ago started having vertigo. At first it started with a few attacks in a year or two but lately it happens more and more. The doctors think I get migraines with vertigo. I don’t think so, but what would I know I’m just the patient. This time I’ve got what is called Drunken Sailor syndrome in this article. I’ve had vertigo for 4 weeks and I’m on no medication or treatment. I’m going crazy for a doctor to listen and help. I read this article because I wanted to know how to live with vertigo. I can’t even take a shower.
Thank you so much for the information. I hope for you and all of us who could benefit from your disease and subsequent surgeries that all goes well.
Hi, I’ve recently started experiencing vertigo episodes. It’s been steady for the past two and a half months. I am undergoing testing but I have so much trouble functioning with it. Reading and using a computer seem impossible and I’m nervous moving unsteadily too much. Do other people try to rest till it passes or do you push through it? I’m just not sure how to best handle these ongoing bouts.
Thanks!
I’ve had Ménière’s disease for about 24 years. Doctor told me only 5percent get it in both ears. That’s me! For the last year or so I’ve had titinitus in both ears. Heart beat in left ear and humming to loud rough noise in right ear. My right ear has profound hearing and left ear has sovereignty hearing lose. I get vertigo all the time. Right now my biggest problem is understanding people.i can hear them with the help of a hearing aid in left ear but with the distortion I can’t understand them. My right ear is beyond help of any kind.i focus on all the good things in my life – that’s how to get through the day.