Vertigo

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Kr1sMar1e
Kr1sMar1e Posts: 57 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This is a little off topic for the boards, but my issue is negatively impacting my exercise and weight loss, so...

The problem:
Vertigo. It's been happening on and off for years now, though it seems to be getting worse with age (I'm 32). Sometimes it's random, but it almost always happens when I go to a lower elevation. I live above 5,000 feet, and when I drive or fly to sea level or near it, I invariably get vertigo. Even after I get home, I'll have it for two or three weeks. (As of today, it's especially bad after a recent trip out of state.) I also get it if I do anything that involves a lot of spinning. I rock climb and have spun upon being lowered off a climb; that's the instance that comes to mind.

Symptoms:
- Dizziness
- Sense that the room is spinning, especially when turning over in bed
- Sense of falling or tilting to one side when walking or sitting up
- Feeling like I'm standing on a floor that is moving from side to side and slightly up and down
- Sometimes I have a headache as well

What I've tried:
- Epley maneuver (at home, both sides). No luck.
- Brandt-Daroff exercises (at home). No change.
- Somersault (Foster) maneuver. Again, no improvement. This one especially seemed to worsen my symptoms.
- A visit to the doctor. He gave me the Brandt-Daroff exercises and basically told me to deal with it. He had no idea why it would occur at lower altitude, stating that most people have problems with high altitude.
- Dramamine. Does not have any effect on symptoms.

I'm just wondering if anyone has any other suggestions to improve this, or if you've had the experience of getting vertigo at low elevations. Usually these symptoms will dissipate after two or three weeks, but it certainly is debilitating in the meantime.

Thanks for your help!

Replies

  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    Check the pollen and pollution levels on days you have vertigo and at the elevations you have it. Me and several members of my family suffer spells of mild vertigo due to allergies.
  • harribeau2012
    harribeau2012 Posts: 644 Member
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    Sorry to hear you have this, I had a ruptured eardrum which meant awful vertigo for a week and that was bad enough so what you have appalls me - I wish you well in finding a solution :flowerforyou:
  • KseRz
    KseRz Posts: 980 Member
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    Check the pollen and pollution levels on days you have vertigo and at the elevations you have it. Me and several members of my family suffer spells of mild vertigo due to allergies.

    Is it an ears/nose/throat thing?

    Maybe something causing issues with the inner ear / balance?
  • leahraskie
    leahraskie Posts: 260 Member
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    A couple months ago I got severe vertigo from driving my car and riding on escalators, how the heck does that even happen, and went to the doctor for it. They couldn't find anything wrong with me, but they told me to take a de-decongestant like Clariton because my ears might have had some drainage or excess fluid. It worked, if something like that doesn't work it means the cilia in your ear have a difficult time assessing where you are and that can't be fixed. :/

    I still get vertigo every so often, I usually just lay down and it goes away though. Sucks if you aren't at home though.
  • conniedj
    conniedj Posts: 470 Member
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    I very occasionally get vertigo.....I found a homeopathic by HEEL called vertigoheel. Works for me within 24-36 hours everytime! It's harder to find now that HEEL has moved back to Germany. But you can still buy on amazon!
  • gretchenk77
    gretchenk77 Posts: 13
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    My sympathies. I have vertigo occasionally - I think mine, like Meerata's, is allergy-related as it seems to happen most often in the spring. And even then it doesn't happen nearly as often or for as long as yours seems to, although I have had occasions where the spinning causes actual nausea.

    Wish I could offer some advice, but it sounds as if you've tried almost everything I could suggest. :(
  • Kr1sMar1e
    Kr1sMar1e Posts: 57 Member
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    Thanks for the info everyone! I'll look into a few of those suggestions. :flowerforyou:

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