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gcrank1
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2024 01:19am
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Oct 3 I got a case of fast onset vertigo while at cabin. Ive had the typical self imposed short term (like overnight from too much partying) but this was debilitating to the point of my wife taking me into the ER. None of the fancy tests like the CAT brain scan, etc red flagged any 'serious' cause. Best guess was an inner ear 'something' and (we hope) will pass in a couple weeks.
Back home I had 4 horrible days of constant spinning while laying still, then another 4ish of bad, then a transition to rough dizzy that has been mostly improving day by day. It's been going on now toward 5wks.....Im still wobbly; never had anything like this.
Sure does change a guy's plans  , especially when there are two properties to ready for winter.
Im on the mend though, pretty sure the worst is over, but leery of it coming back on again.
Btw, if I'd have been at cabin alone without my cell phone I couldn't have made my way out, couldn't walk and sure couldn't drive.
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ICC
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2024 01:28am - Edited by: ICC
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Yikes! Scary when you start to think about the "what if's". I hope they can pin down a cause and a solution.. I had an episode that was a reaction to a med several months ago. That bad enough but at least I knew it was a rare possibility. Take care and best of luck.
The drive out from the cabin involved some slip-n-slide and using the lockers. If I had waited much longer I think the chains would have been used. If we don't get some warm weather this may be the last trip till spring.
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darz5150
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2024 01:35am
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You might want to get it checked out more. I had sporadic episodes for years. And 99.9% of the "Dr. s " Had no clue.
Finally got the right test. Turned out, Menniers/Severe Vertigo . The test you need is videonystamography I believe. The physical therapy was a joke. It made me physically almost violently ill.
If you have questions. I will answer them.
Not a fun condition to live with for sure.
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paulz
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2024 02:04am
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Try taking one of your LFPs and run a jumper wire to each ear. Get down on all fours and bark like a dog for an hour. That’s what I do.
Sorry to hear buddy. Hope it gets better soon.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2024 03:07am
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Thanx for the heads up Darz. I have my annual on the 12th so I will be sure to mention that.
Paul, you've sparked a thought......
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2024 04:24am
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Yikes! Glad you're on the mend!
My Son in law has periodic bouts of vertigo that last anywhere from a few days to 6-8 months. I think he has had just about every test (I'll ask about the one Darz mentioned) but no one has figured it out. He has lost jobs over it even though they have tried to keep him on, it can be dangerous around equipment. He's been doing well for almost two years now with just a couple of minor flare ups but he never knows when it might set in for months. I can't imagine!
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2024 02:43pm
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Best of luck with that. My brother suffered from this and they told him it was some kind of crystals that formed in his ear/ears.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2024 03:09pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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Yeah, that seems to be the default when they don't see anything else to cause it.
Ive been able to read and be online (Everything else is a struggle) so Ive searched A Lot....seems every time something comes to mind as 'can this cause vertigo?' the answer is Yes.
5 weeks now and my doc visit is this aft. Im still dizzy and walk like a drunk, not very bad until I get tired but not good enough to just get up and walk across the house unconsciously like I used to.
And NO ladders or standing on chairs! that sure messes up changing light bulbs.....
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Malamute
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2024 06:17pm
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I had a bad case of vertigo happen a couple years ago. A friend was visiting at the time, she said she had it happen to her and she used whats called the Epley Maneuver. When she described it it sounded like horse stuff, but I tried it. I did it several times in a row the first time, then again over several days. My vertigo was instant, and made me violently ill, hard dry heaves. It worked. The crystals thing sounded like new age voodoo nonsense, but its for real, there are calcium carbonate particles in your inner ear that have to do with your sense of balance, and if any of them get dislodged or moved from their normal place can really mess up your balance.
This link describes the particles and the vertigo relationship to them, from Johns Hopkins Medicine site.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/benign-paroxysmal-posi tional-vertigo-bppv
How to do the Eply maneuver.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEkkhBP71aE
It took about a week to completely get over it, but the Epley thing worked for my vertigo and it hasnt been back since. Not at all.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2024 06:28pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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Been doing the Eply repeatedly, and tried both sides. Mine seems to be non-positional and not one ear or the other. That kinda leaves it central.....and more complex. Hope to get a more determinate diagnosis today and hopefully a course of action, or (likely) more tests. I will mention that video---graphy thing.
One thing I have discovered is vertigo is far more prevalent than I had known.
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darz5150
Member
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2024 01:45am
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Any news from the Dr.?
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2024 02:46am
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Yes, thanx for asking 
He did the positional tests, side to side and the eye check, no dizzy just as I had thought I found. That is to say he didn't think it is an inner ear thing either.
Lots of questions about the way it occurs, etc.
Looking over the meds he said cut one in half dose and did labs to get a new panel.
Then he had the nurse do a test I don't recall the name of, but it is lay back on the table, rest and take blood pressure and pulse, then sit and repeat, then stand ditto. Whoa! My BP dropped sitting and even more standing.
He will consult with my cardiologist, most likely they will change up my BP Rx's, maybe even need to see him. I have a followup in two weeks with today's doc, my primary.
They let me come home but said no changing ceiling lights and keep using the cane for stability.
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darz5150
Member
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2024 02:55am
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Hopefully they can figure it out for you. 
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rpe
Member
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2024 02:19pm
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I had a very similar experience last December. The vertigo came on fast and hard. I'd never had anything similar, and didn't really know what was happening. After a bout of head spins and vomiting, I was left in the fetal position up against a wall. That was the only position that provided some relief. Any movement to sitting or higher caused violent spins and vomiting. I ended up being taken by ambulance to the hospital, where they did various tests, and diagnosed vertigo. Based on the head movement tests, the doctor indicated it wasn't the 'normal' positional vertigo type, so possibly caused by inner ear infection.
I was bedridden for several days, walked like Biden for several more, and was basically functional after two weeks. The various meds they gave me appeared to be for treating the symptoms only. To this day I still can induce dizziness if head movements are too quick, like aggressively drying my hair after a shower.
Fortunately, I have had no repeat episodes since that time, but I too wonder what would have happened if I'd been back on a bush hike, or solo at the cabin. It was a level of debilitation I'd never experienced before.
What took the longest to subside in my case was the pulsatile tinitus (hearing your heart beat in your ear), which took probably 2-3 months to fully clear.
In the end I have a new appreciation for every healthy day! I hope you recover fully and quickly, and have no repeats.
One good thing to come out of my event, was during my hospital visit testing they determined I had a leaky heart valve that needs monitoring. I'd never have known otherwise.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2024 02:44pm
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My oh my.....that is SO much like mine
Glad you are doing better!
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2024 02:55pm
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I had something very similar out of the blue about 30 years ago. Never repeated thankfully. There was never a cause diagnosed, but had to be an ear infection.
I travelled with motion sickness meds for years after just in case. Wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.
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rpe
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2024 03:40pm
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Quoting: gcrank1 My oh my.....that is SO much like mine Glad you are doing better!
When I read your post I had to reply, as it just sounded so similar to what I went through. Hopefully my recovery is an encouragement. I visited the emerg doctor, family doctor, ENT doctor, and physio over my recovery. It was frustrating to not have a definitive cause, or clear treatment strategy. I think some of the balance exercises from physio were helpful in coping with the symptoms. In the end, time seems to be what was needed in my case.
Hang in there, and hopefully you're fully recovered soon!
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 19 Nov 2024 06:18pm
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I hate to be a whiner but this forum is pretty much my 'social site'......
The dizzy as not been getting better, in fact yesterday I seemed to get more a vertigo relapse. Im so tired of feeling like a drunk whenever Im up from sitting.
Next doc is 11-26
Im hanging in, enduring, but its wearing on me.
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darz5150
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# Posted: 19 Nov 2024 06:26pm
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You can try meclizine or Dramamine. That helps me with the feeling of motion sickness. But what they prescribe me is diazapam. Generic Valium I believe. I only take it when it gets very bad.
Question: Does a drop in the barometer or sudden change in the weather affect your symptoms? It's does me. Sometimes very badly.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 19 Nov 2024 07:31pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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Hmm, bar-pressure, I'll have to consider that.
I don't remember what other meds Im on (too many ) or which condition I have but Dramamine is a NO.
Im not even supposed to take antihistamines.
I think it has to do with my Sudden Cardiac Arrest last Jan 3 (?) and my blood pressure.
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 22 Nov 2024 07:26pm
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Quoting: gcrank1 # Posted: 19 Nov 2024 06:18pm Reply Quote I hate to be a whiner but this forum is pretty much my 'social site'......
I don't see it this way. Your conversation here has a lot of wisdom in it. I think we all appreciate your contributions to the discussions. Best of luck with your condition.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 23 Nov 2024 07:33pm
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Thanx for the encouragement Tim
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kmartin187
Member
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# Posted: 25 Nov 2024 02:44pm
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I am a surgeon who developed vertigo several years ago. Workup was negative, every test was normal. My ENT doctor said too much salt was the problem. I increased my water consumption and went with a low sodium diet. No vertigo since these changes. I can tell if I eat something too salty as I get ringing and/or a distortion in my ears. Avoid high sodium items espcially salted butter/canned soup/frozen dinners. Try a low sodium diet and see if this helps. Of course not all vertigo is caused by this but should be easy to rule out. Also coffee seemed to make my symptoms worse, probably due to the diuretic effects. After a few months of a low sodium diet I could drink coffee again. Hope this helps, I found the vertigo to be very detrimental to living a normal life.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 25 Nov 2024 06:56pm
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I concur, Very detrimental to living a normal life!
Appreciate your comments.
Ive been on low salt diet for decades (heart disease, 1st stent in '92, more through time, quad cabg Dec 2019 and SCA Jan '24. So, LOTS of drugs.....
And I have been drinking more water since this onset, gotta pee about every 1-1.5hrs; go anywhere and find out right off where the b-room is!
No real diff in my now dizzy (about 6wks since), even a couple relapses back to mild vertigo that lasted 24+hrs.
I see the doc tomorrow as a followup to labs and where to go from here.
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Malamute
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# Posted: 25 Nov 2024 08:14pm
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Hope they get it sorted out.
I forgot to mention I took some sort of motion sickness pills a neighbor gave me, it helped somewhat when I had a spell, but didnt make it go away. I at least had some break when a spell came over me until the Epley thing apparently dealt with it. Its unfortunate that neither thing will work for you.
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