Vertigo and exercise?

EL704

Hi everyone!

I have been suffering from vertigo due to labyrinthitis which left me with inner ear / vestibular damage, which has basically caused a balance disorder.

Prior to this, I was fairly fit and healthy, I ran daily for about an hour, had a very active job in retail - lots of lifting boxes and rushing round on feet for a solid 8 hrs a day.

Since being ill - it came out of nowhere in October - I have become virtually motionless due to the extreme dizziness and nausea and I have just started vestibular rehab / balance retraining therapy.

I have my own cross trainer, but since being ill I can manage 5 - 10 mins on moderate setting before I feel like I've run 10k (not even actually reaching more than 2k) and am literally exhausted all the time from the brain drain of trying not to fall down.

The audiologist has said try to go for a walk round the block - which takes me about 10- 15 mins and that kills me too.

Since being ill though, aside from being unable to run which is stressing me out entirely, I have gained about 2 1/2 stone. I'm a lady in her late twenties and I feel like a chunky old lady at the moment! Even more irritating is that I have been told to up my lacto-free dairy intake (looong story!) so I think that hasn't helped the weight gain (I eat cereal + almond milk for breakfast + alpro soy yog, a glass of coconut milk, another soy yog as a snack and a portion of Kale daily to boost up my levels every day)

Now with the fact that I currently do a 35min yogamuscle routine on wiifit - I'm struggling with bending, turning my head, any sort of up down left right movements - think of being incredibly seasick 24/7 on land, and like the room is swaying 24/7 and you'll be close to how I'm feeling.... I'm quite limited on what I can do. I also am ok on the wiifitplus step basic and advanced, and free step, kungfu, and I also have to force myself to do some of the dizzy making balance games - tightrope, zazen (evil moth!), football headers.

Anyone have any advice for me? I'm meant to be starting university in September but I need to get back to a healthy weight, find an exercise regime I can keep up and foods I can eat ( I am essentially a vegan but if I have to will eat eggs and meat if my family cooks - strictly no dairy)

I know as soon as am able to run again, I will start to lose the weight I gained, but until then as I am mainly sitting - in between my rehab exercises which I do 3 times a day - due to sheer exhaustion. Should I just try to maintain weight for now and work my butt off when I start to improve? or is there a way - avoiding starving myself - that I can lose some of the weight?

I eat healthily, and very rarely eat anything with sugar as I have such appalling teeth (apparently calcium deficiency / lack of vit D really didn't help and how no one noticed before is beyond me... think the dentist thought I was lying when I said I don't drink fizzy drinks!)

I also drink 2-3 litres of water and a lot of oolong and green tea - just love the taste!

My current diet is porridge oats / crunchy nut (peanuts have vit D go figure and I hate them, but this isn't too bad) with almond milk, a soy yoghurt, and an apple for breakfast.

2 eggs scrambled on spinach with a wholemeal pitta or halloumi, kale, spinach, hummous wholemeal pitta and a soy yoghurt for lunch

dinner is whatever my parents decide but i usually have turkey or chicken or tofu with brown rice or brown pasta with a large mixed salad or stirfry (literally 8-10 diff veggies, I literally adore veggies, I'm a bit weird!)


With all of that, I am 5ft 5, really curvy build (even when I am toned up and slimmer I still have boobs and bum) and currently am 12 1/2 stone gone up from a size 10 to a 14/16 in 8 months of pure inactivity ( I was bedbound for 2-3 months)

All advice welcome - I cannot do much more than walking and very slow yoga and I can't look to cross the road (left right left yuck!!!) without vertigo hitting and I have to wait a good 2-3 minutes for the world to stop spinning to move on. - but I would like to try SOMETHING....

I am highly impatient and mega competitive, so using the wiifit makes me feel like I'm 'winning' each time I play, which helps...

healthygreek

Did you try the Brandt/Daroff exercise?
It really helps me when I get vertigo.

RodaRose

I wonder if Tai Chi would help you more than yoga is right now?
Keep up the careful walking. It is helping.

Have you put your daily food into the diary? Tracking calories and eating at a deficit -- no matter the amount of exercise will help you lose weight.

MadDogManor

I have dealt with vestibular neuronitis since last summer, and it's damaged about 48% of my left ear's balance organs. Brain retrain helps a lot, and I can do some exercises myself, when I get symptoms.

Maybe just concentrate on the rehab, and maybe do some walking, until you feel stronger. Good luck!!

SatiaRenee

Yoga is great and I've used the Wii to help with my vertigo (7 years and counting).

I recommend Qi Gong over Tai Chi because some of the movements in Tai Chi require balancing on one foot while moving the raised leg in a way that's especially challenging if you have a balance disorder. Qi Gong moves more slowly. Yes, even more slowly than Tai Chi.

But going back to yoga--the Wii is a fine place to start but it's probably not providing a fully rounded practice. Here are some DVDs I would recommend:

AM/PM Yoga
Most of the practice is on the floor and, for this reason, very do-able even when you are having a bad day.
http://amzn.to/1qIpsZZ

AM Yoga for Your Week
Five different workouts and one does have standing poses. On my worst days, I avoid the ones that has stands and twists but I adore the hip opener on any day of the week!
http://amzn.to/1n2PwfC

Qi Gong for Self-Healing
http://amzn.to/1zfKYYv
This is a good introduction to Qi Gong. It is only an intro, however. If you really want to benefit from Qi Gong, you will have to commit to it as a long haul practice.

The Essential Qi Gong Training Course
http://amzn.to/1mUhPbA
This is more intensive (100 days) so I am not sure you will have the time for this now that you're starting college but if you find yourself drawn to Qi Gong, this is definitely the way to go.

You probably know the usual dietary advice--avoid salt and such because dehydration can exacerbate the feeling of dizziness. Ginger tea and peppermint are both good for easing nausea. I keep ginger candies and candy canes on hand as well.

Other than that, think functional fitness, which it sounds like you are already doing. Also be sure to do lateral movements to keep the muscles on the sides of your legs strong (good for balance), work the core (can't do better than plank variations), and even walking backwards (down a long narrow hall is best).

Good luck with everything. It isn't easy but I've read so many people just give up because they feel dizzy when, really, there's so much you can do if you just open up to the possibilities.

EL704

thanks everybody! I am gonna keep going and try out some of the dvds, and things suggested - hopefully will be able to make a difference!

I just miss running so much... guess I'll just have to wait on that front!