Acute post viral labyrinthitis..........

Gingernutty

......main symptom is "benign positional vertigo".

I'm not asking for a diagnosis - I know what I've got, thanks!

Has anyone else had this? How long did it last?

I went a bit wheezy last week and needed my Ventolin, but had no inkling there was any kind of virus going on.

I had a smashing headache Sunday night but went to bed early with a couple of paracetamol hoping to get into work early yesterday.

Early yesterday, I was lying on the back room floor wondering !!!!!!!!??

I just managed to get to the doctor for an emergency appointment and was diagnosed with the above after the GP ruled out a stroke and brain tumour.

Without anything to grab on to, I'm walking like John Wayne with wide apart feet and short strides - otherwise I'm furniture walking round the house.

I've been prescribed betahistine which I've been warned may trigger an asthma attack (stemetil could interact with my antidepressants and cause cardiac arrythmia) and I'm taking them 2 at a time three times a day as prescribed.

I'm feeling very down and sorry for myself and have trouble focussing on anything so, be warned, I won't be around for replies - I'm going to bed shortly - I feel rotten.......:(

marrowgirl

Hi,

Hope you feel better soon.
I guess the really horrid super dizzy (being drunk without the fun!) bit usually lasts for about 24 hours, then you may have a few days of dizziness upon sudden movement (turning your head, looking up etc) but then that should subside. Of course, illnesses affect people differently but it shouldn't be too long before you are back to your old self - if not hassle the GP again!

Nile

Gingernutty wrote: »

......main symptom is "benign positional vertigo".

I'm not asking for a diagnosis - I know what I've got, thanks!

Has anyone else had this? How long did it last?

I went a bit wheezy last week and needed my Ventolin, but had no inkling there was any kind of virus going on.

I had a smashing headache Sunday night but went to bed early with a couple of paracetamol hoping to get into work early yesterday.

Early yesterday, I was lying on the back room floor wondering !!!!!!!!??

I just managed to get to the doctor for an emergency appointment and was diagnosed with the above after the GP ruled out a stroke and brain tumour.

Without anything to grab on to, I'm walking like John Wayne with wide apart feet and short strides - otherwise I'm furniture walking round the house.

I've been prescribed betahistine which I've been warned may trigger an asthma attack (stemetil could interact with my antidepressants and cause cardiac arrythmia) and I'm taking them 2 at a time three times a day as prescribed.

I'm feeling very down and sorry for myself and have trouble focussing on anything so, be warned, I won't be around for replies - I'm going to bed shortly - I feel rotten.......:(

Hello Gingernutty

Yes, I've had labyrinthitis.........so I understand how you're feeling.

I had a strange sensation of being unstable on my feet and wobbling over/keeling over and feeling dizzy at home for a few seconds. As fast as it happened, it disappeared.

Then a few days later I had another wobbly session, where I thought I would fall over.

The third and far worst episode was when I woke up in the morning to find that the room (ceiling) was spinning round at super fast speed............just like it used to do when I drunk too much alcohol on a night out with friends as a youngster.:o Added to the spinning room was eye flicking. This frightened me because I had no control over my eyes.:eek::eek::eek: I was very scared.

I was convinced that I had brain damage or a brain tumour or something seriously wrong and saw my GP that same morning. She diagnosed labyrinthitis but she didn't give me any medicine and said it would go of it's own accord.

She was right, it disappeared in a few days and (touch wood) I've been fine since.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

Nile

Gingernutty

The dizziness isn't too bad now but today I had really horrible motion sickness. I had to take deep breaths on the bus this morning

What's really annoying me is the tinnitus. :mad:

I have a mild form anyway but this is intrusive - a constant, almost electronic whining in my left ear which is also sore and flaking. :undecided

This is horrible

Still, I'm better than I was and back at work - with all the work that's piled up in my absence..........:(

ellay864

Don't push yourself back to work. My friend had labyrinthitis, felt better a few days later and went back to work, took dizzy again next day...had another few days off then repeated. It was a couple of months before she was properly right and she only really seemed to get properly sorted when she took a full week off work and really rested up
Hope you feel better soon x

flutterbyuk25

Hi gingernutty

I completely understand your pain! I was diagnosed with labrythitus in Jan last year, and BPV. And sadly I still have it 15mths later

Luckily it's a lot better now than it was, and I haven't had a bad episode for few months.

With the dizzyness it's best to remain as still as possible and try staring at a point directly ahead. Avoid lying down if possible as this makes it worse.

For the motion sickness/nausea try wearing travel sickness bands (Seabands, from boots/superdrug/chemist for approx £8). I find this really help mine. Also ginger or peppermint tea helps settle stomach, along with ginger biscuits or crystalised ginger (hope you like it cos of your username!!).

Also, when travelling try and sit in the front of a vehicle, although not easy on a bus. On a bus, wear travel bands and try to look straight ahead not through side windows. If I can't look out ahead I focus on a poster or something infront of me. Oh, and if you do drive, please don't drive when feeling dizzy!

Things to avoid:

- caffiene/sugar/salt - these can make the symptoms worse if you have too much, especially caffiene
- alcohol - DO NOT drink when you feel ill, it can make it soooo much worse!
- flashing lights - I find they set off a vertigo spell. So have to avoid clubs etc when bad. I also find just turning the light on can affect em so have to shut my eyes when doing this!
- don't turn head suddenly, don't look up or down either. If you drop something ask someone to pick it up. Sudden head movements can set it off.

Hopefully your symptoms will pass soon, but if they don't consider trying accupuncture. It really helped mine, I had 6 sessions and have been much better since.

HTH

x

Gingernutty

flutterbyuk25 wrote: »

- don't turn head suddenly, don't look up or down either. If you drop something ask someone to pick it up. Sudden head movements can set it off.

Yup. I've got a ballet thing going on at the moment. I almost hear a strict ballet mistress giving instructions.....

"With slow, graceful movements.......slowly and gently, waft down to the floor........SLOWLY.......keeping the head level.........bending the knees........not your back...........gently and SLOWLY.....rise.......rise........rise......and relax"

:rotfl:

Dawning

Hi gingernutty, I really feel for you, it's horrible having this and a lot of people don't understand how awful it can make you feel.
I had labyrinthitis about 20 years ago and I tried to press through it, result it lasted about 21 days altogether! I found that trying to manage stress did help, although that's hard to do because it can be very scary feeling dizzy like this.

browneyedbazzi

I had viral labyrinthitis a couple of years ago - I was seeing double, couldn't walk straight, lost all sense of taste and had serious motion sickness. For me the acute symptoms lasted about two to three weeks and it gradually improved after that. I learned that I had to push myself to do things sometimes that I knew would make me feel dizzy/ill in order to improve. Nerves are damaged by the virus and don't recover so your brain needs to be re-programmed about how to handle the stimuli. If you avoid movements that cause problems forever then this doesn't happen - I was given some exercises to do and I think they helped.

I hope you make a full and speedy recovery!

Gingernutty

I seem to have a 'mild' dose.

The mozzie in my left ear has put down the megaphone and the dizziness is almost gone.

I just feel a bit 'off' now - much better.

Thanks for all your advice.