Hi Sharon, I had vertigo very bad. It started almost three years ago. It just happened the first time the day after I went to a soft cervical collar after having the hard collar after my last cervical fusion. So naturally, I thought it was from when I moved my head. It was so bad that I would be in bed laying down and if I moved my head just a tiny bit it would make everything in my head - while laying down with my eyes closed - was spinning out of control. That first day after that was horrible. I was nauseous and then it would be a little better and then I would move and it would happen again. It went on, and I did mention it to my spine surgeon. He said that he didn't know why that would happen. It lessened, but then it would come back and it would be all over again. I had it more when I was laying down than when I was up. It went on and on and the pain mgmt PA told me that I should see my primary care physician about it. He put me on Antivert - he said that is the only medicine that helps it. I don't remember if it made me sleepy or not, but I do know that when I took it, I didn't have the vertigo. About three months later, my doctor prescribed 'balance therapy'. They did exercises with me where they had me sit up and then lay down a certain way and they could tell by the way my eyes were exactly when I was having the vertigo and when it ended. They said when you are having the vertigo that your eyes 'beat' they don't move slowly, but more where they are making little jumps instead of moving smoothly. The balance therapy actually worked. They say that we have crystals in our inner ear. Sometimes that big crystal thing in there will lose some crystals and then they are moving around on their own - I understand the principle, but I don't remember if they just break lose and are still in the inner ear or if they get out of the inner ear. When the crystals are loose they move when we move and I think they are rolling around and causing that vertigo. The balance therapy was very effective. I don't know where you live, but maybe if you google 'balance therapy' you may find a facility and then have your primary care doctor write you a prescription for that. Going through the therapy really worked for me. Until then, you should continue with the Antivert. If you don't, you could fall and really hurt yourself. I don't know if I looked it up, or someone told me, that Antivert is actually one of those meds that you take for seasickness...I think maybe Dramamine...not sure, and that is just what someone told me. If it is the very same med, then probably you could get that less expensive than the prescription. I hope that you feel better soon; and I am sorry that you have this. Take care, Joan
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sharon Norman Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 2:54 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [Chihuahuas] Vertigo (OT) Sunday I ended up at the ER after getting VERY dizzy and almost passing out 4 times. They did a LOT of blood work...an EKG...chest xray and a cat scan. They said all my tests came back normal..and that I have vertigo. I can’t do anything because of being so dizzy. Has anyone else ever had it this bad? I can’t stand it. The medicine they gave me for it (antivert 25 mg) makes me sleep...the shot they gave me at the hospital knocked me out for hours. I’m very sensitive to medication. This morning at 3am I had a bad attack...I called my husband who had fell asleep in the living room...but he didn’t hear me...then I just started to cry...I hate feeling so helpless...which makes me useless.... ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chihuahuas/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chihuahuas/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
