Jeannie in NJ Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I woke up yesterday feeling just a little dizzy. About 2 hours later, the room started spinning, jerking, swaying all very violently (room did not really move, it was vertigo). Dh told me later that I laid on the floor for 5 hours throwing up into a old, beat up pan. I could not get off the floor. Since I had only eaten 2 cheese sticks that morning, I was having dry heaves with violent stomach spasms and contractions. Dh went to pharmacy and got me some meclizene (sp). I took one pill with the tinest sip of ginger ale and threw it all right up and then went into another intense fit of dry heaving. After a couple of hours of my stomach finally settling down, I was able to get another meclizine pill down and no more throwing up as I fell asleep on the sofa. Dh woke me up 8 hours later to take another pill, I went back to bed and so far today, I feel a little woozy but no spinning room. Any ideas what happened to me and what I should do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 My mother in law has vertigo and I believe had to get prescription medication to get it under control. I would suggest a visit to your doctor. They had to try a few different medications before finding the right one. She used to have episodes frequently but now they don't occur very often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 No idea what you had, but as for what you should do....call the doc! I know that's not what you want to hear, but do it anyway--please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Labyrintitis would be my guess. Harmless, but you should get an exam to rule out anything more weird. It usually resolves in a couple of weeks. Move slowly, avoid bright and/or flashing lights (TV or computers may be included) and don't drive until you've completely recovered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Don't lie down!!! You will throw up. Try sitting up with a tall chair for support. You need the medicine to feel normal. Mine is usually bad a day then only a minor annoyance but I can function. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoundAbout Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Agree with Dianne. I had this years ago and it totally freaked me out. I still went to the ER where I was examined by a neurologist. They were planning to do an MRI but it cleared up the next day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 If you have not already done so, I strongly encourage you to call your doctor or go to the E.R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I have episodes of vertigo once or twice a year. They're bad for a day and then gradually get better over another day or two at the most. I self-treat with non-drowsy Dramamine. I've never felt the need to go to a doctor because it occurs so infrequently. If it ever becomes a more frequent issue then of course I'd go get checked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I first went to an MD when I had vertigo. He gave me something for the dizziness and pretty much old me to rest for several days. A few weeks later I was at the chiropractor for something else and mentioned it. I was still having a few problems. He did an adjustment that included something at the base of my skull. That was perfect. I wish I'd gone to him from the start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarlaB Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I'm so sorry. :crying: I've had 2 mild cases of vertigo after bad-weather cruises....the room would tilt, spin and suddenly jerk- and it was pretty rough to function but wow-.nothing like what you're describing. I took Zyrtec & Decongestant & Dramamine intermittently and it subsided after 1-3 days...plus I knew what caused it. So yeah- I have no input advice, just needed to give hugs. I'm so sorry for those who suffer this on a regular basis- it sounds terrible and terrifying. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 :grouphug: I know how bad that feels. When I was pregnant with my now 5 year old, I started getting episodes of vertigo. They came about every 5-6 weeks and lasted 48 hours. Then they went away. Two years ago, I started having mild dizziness that ended up being caused by mold on the windows. Then the real vertigo hit me in December and January and lasted three weeks. It was bad for several days and then mostly just nausea and mild dizziness for the rest of the time. I keep meclizine in my purse and at home. I always wake up that way; it never hits me mid-day. I take a meclizine and lay dead still for half an hour. Then I can get up and be ok. I also have Valium in case it gets really bad again. My doctor thinks I have Meneire's, but I don't think my symptoms fit (no hearing loss). I think it might be vestibular migraines. The symptoms fit better, I get two other varieties of migraine, and the last two times it occurred right after I had an ocular migraine. Go to the doctor so they can rule things out. I hope you figure out what is going on, and it is one of the treatable causes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 There is a maneuver--that I can't remember the name of--that an ENT can do that can completely remedy some types of vertigo. If it works with the type of vertigo you're experiencing, it's something that should be done soon. My friend found a video on youtube teaching how to do this maneuver in case you want to try at home. I wish I could remember the name of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Have you had any kind of cold, flu, or viral kind of thing? You can get a virus in your inner ear canal that can cause that. You do need to go to a doctor, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocolate Rose Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I had this for the first time last fall. I was at my sister's house, 2 hours away from home. I woke up to the room spinning and it was so bad I started throwing up. I thought I was dizzy because I was sick, not sick because I was dizzy. It took HOURS before it settled down enough that I could drive. I got home OK, but moving my head quickly started the room spinning again. The next morning I woke up again with it. I had to skip work because it was so bad. The following morning I went into Urgent Care. Dh had to drive me. It turned out to be an inner ear thing. Some kind of crystals forming and touching the nerves? I know there's a better description. I was given an exercise to do (basically you turn your head and quickly lay back and look at the ceiling. This recreates the dizziness and hopefully dislodges the crystals) several times a day. It lessened over a period of days and now only shows up occasionally and the exercise helps to get rid of it. I was given a prescription, but never filled it. I've since heard that some people have this for years and have to be on long term medication. Not fun at all. Sorry you got to experience it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 There is a maneuver--that I can't remember the name of--that an ENT can do that can completely remedy some types of vertigo. If it works with the type of vertigo you're experiencing, it's something that should be done soon. My friend found a video on youtube teaching how to do this maneuver in case you want to try at home. I wish I could remember the name of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had this for the first time last fall. I was at my sister's house, 2 hours away from home. I woke up to the room spinning and it was so bad I started throwing up. I thought I was dizzy because I was sick, not sick because I was dizzy. It took HOURS before it settled down enough that I could drive. I got home OK, but moving my head quickly started the room spinning again. The next morning I woke up again with it. I had to skip work because it was so bad. The following morning I went into Urgent Care. Dh had to drive me. It turned out to be an inner ear thing. Some kind of crystals forming and touching the nerves? I know there's a better description. I was given an exercise to do (basically you turn your head and quickly lay back and look at the ceiling. This recreates the dizziness and hopefully dislodges the crystals) several times a day. It lessened over a period of days and now only shows up occasionally and the exercise helps to get rid of it. I was given a prescription, but never filled it. I've since heard that some people have this for years and have to be on long term medication. Not fun at all. Sorry you got to experience it. The maneuver mentioned in these posts is the Epley Maneuver. It is used to treat Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, and should be done by someone who knows how to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 What an interesting thread. I had vertigo or something like it (y'all know more about this than I do - assuming it was v. b/c of the spinning room when I lay down, but slightly better when I'm in a sitting position) about 5 years ago and again about 2 years ago. It lasted maybe 3 days each time, but the first day was the absolute worst. I did go to the dr. and he said he'd had it once after going to the amusement park with his kids. He described the same symptoms. It's a little frightening to say the least. I did not take meds for it, but am going to re-read these replies and gather info. on some of these other terms to become familiar with them so that if it happens again I may ask for a med. Is there a natural approach? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoundAbout Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 What I had was a viral infection of the inner ear so there wasn't really a remedy other than just waiting it out. The vertigo cleared up in a day, with mild dizziness for a few days after. They did give me an anti-anxiety because I seemed stressed so stressed out. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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