Vertigo :( - How do I make myself feel better

KatieLeigh79 wrote: Well the Dr. has determined the dizzy spells etc is reoccuring vertigo - last week I spent the days crawling after JR because I was afraid to pick him up and to dizzy to stand up - My Dr. has had little to no advice and nothing seems to be helping, I've tried the motion sickness pills and they do nothing besides make me even tired... I can't go anywhere because I don't want to drive in this condition and I'm just fed up and restless being trapped, yesterday the symptoms weren't as bad but today again the world is spinning to the point of feeling sick... Anyone else have this nasty little problem and if so what do you do to take care of it so that you can go on about a normal life???

amynicole21 replied: Oh no! That sounds awful I have never had vertigo, and I really don't have any advice for you. I just wanted to offer you some sympathy... I hope this goes away soon.

Guest_julesmom replied: There are medications to help with vertigo. One of them is by prescription called Antivert. Another is over the counter. Bonine.

Have you tried these? When I had vertigo, I used Bonine and it really helped.

coasterqueen replied: I suffer with vertigo too, so I feel your pain. Sometimes I have really really bad spells and other times I have minor ones. Lately I've been having minor ones, but I'm really getting concerned about how they will be when I get pg again. Right now I just have minor dizziness but quite a bit of nausea. UGH!

When I have severe ones I won't drive and I don't dare pick Kylie up unless it's absolutely necessary. It's just too dangerous when I get that dizzy. I had a few minor spells YEARS ago, that they couldn't explain at the time, but it was definately the vertigo. I blacked out getting on a city bus, it was very bade! So I think that's my worst fear is getting too dizzy and blacking out.

My doctor didn't really want to give me any medications for it, he suggested I see a specialist, an ENT, to learn exercises I can do with my head to help with "balancing the flow of fluid" between my ears. I think that's how he described it. I haven't gone yet, even though I was diagnosed last year, lol. I've just been dealing with them in my own little way. I took biofeedback a few years back to deal with migraines and that's the technique I'm using now for the vertigo.

When I get pg again, if the vertigo gets really bad I'll go see the ENT. I had vertigo off and on pretty bad during my last pg but the doctors couldn't explain it. They thought it was just pg symptoms and in fact it wasn't, it was the vertigo.

IMO, I would try seeing an ENT for ways to help it instead of using a medication. They less medication you can give your body they better off you are .

KatieLeigh79 replied: I just hate the idea of this lasting long term Right now I've been trying the over the counter meds but gosh I then feel dead tired but if I don't take them then I'm sick to my tummy - DH doesn't seem to understand though, he keeps trying to get me to take energy pills telling me that will help when in reality it just makes me feel worse... Question though what is biofeedback? All I can imagine is laying on a table and having veggies stuck in my ears or something and having them tell me what is wrong with my head/ears... no idea why I guess its lack of sleep and feeling yuck.

jem0622 replied: I had it short term due to an inner ear infection. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy! Hope you are better soon! If you need the meds, then take them for relief. One day at a time. I had it for two weeks. I get boughts of it every now and again.

MommyToAshley replied: I've never had vertigo, but it sounds just aweful. Maybe you could talk to your doctor (or a different one) and he might be able to prescribe something that doesn't have the side effects.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

CantWait replied: I have no advice hon, have you tried a different dr. Hope you're feeling better soon

coasterqueen replied:
Hehehehe. Biofeedback is just a *therapy* of sorts to help you deal with pain management in a different way. I went to sessions two times a week for a few weeks, maybe 2 months, I can't remember it's been so long. They teach you to use visualizing techniques to get rid of pain. It was offered through our local hospital.

It sounds absolutely strange but it really works. Believe me I tried every medication out there and saw every doctor and specialist for my migraines and biofeedback did the trick. The only problem is I had better luck with controling the pain when I was there then when I was home. It still helps though. Dh and I actually thought about using this technique when I gave birth to Kylie, but we chickened out.

This is how a therapy session would go....the room was nice and dim, soft calming music on the stereo, a therapist talking very softly, I was hooked up to monitors on my arms, head and chest to monitor me and I got to sit in a very comfortable leather lazyboy, which I almost fell asleep in many times. She would have me close my eyes and find a *safe/calm* place. I would be in that safe place and that's where I would literally visualize myself pushing the migraine out of my head through my fingers and toes, etc. Trust me sounds cooky, but it is so relaxing and helps soooo much. I wish I could have a lifetime membership to the program because I was at my calmest when I was there doing those sessions. It really made me a calmer person at the time, lol. The problem is I tend to *forget* to use those techniques in my life now.

Biofeedback can be used for many things...pain management, anxiety attacks, etc. The therapist even helps you to figure out what triggers certain things, in my case the migraines so we dived into a bit of my pysche and she helped me see where and when I get migraines. Cool, huh?

I DO try to use the biofeedback for my vertigo, but since closing my eyes sends my head spinning like I'm blitzed out of my mind, I can't seem to control those feelings in my *safe* place. That's why I think I'll go to the ENT then go back to biofeedback if necessary.

BTW, my insurance covered mine

KatieLeigh79 replied: oh awsome thanks so much for posting... sorry for the caps etc john broke my new keyboard before nap time... didn't like the idea of sleeping so my shift, caps lock and several other keys no longer work.. i will call the dr. today and see if they cant set something up, i'm already at a week and going into 2 and the longest he has had someone deal with it at a shot was 3 1/2 weeks and i really couldn't handle that... also glad to know it doesn't involve veggies thanks again though for all the info, just need to find something to get rid of it and help me keep it away if it keeps showing up.

Kaitlin'smom replied: my gandmother -in-law has this along with many other things it terrible for her, she has fallen a few times because of it, thankfully she has not broken anything yet (knocking on wood). Its terribel she is so afraid of picking Kaitlin up or walking with her. She right noe wis working on the nosie in her head.

I hope you can find some relief for it.

A&A'smommy replied: My mom has this problem she also gets migrains so you can amagine how miserable she stays (but she doesnt have to worry about a baby either). My mom takes something that helps her but they make her edgy and sleepy too....maybe you could try one of those things that you put behind your ear or on your wrist (they give them to you for motion sickness). (((((BIG HUGS)))))) I hope you feel better soon!

Guest_julesmom replied: The meds made to tired, I slept all the time.

I also used physical therapy and that helped.

lsjulee replied: Oh.... so, I was suffering from Vertigo few years back......

My doc prescribed some stress relieve medication instead. Helped stabalized it tho. Well I hope and pray that I won't get a recurrence.