Vertigo

[rumboogy]

And I ain't talkin' about the movie.

 

Six months ago a buddy of mine sold his bike because he had constant vertigo. In fact, he recently found out he has Meniere's disease. The fact he had to sell his bike was a hard thing for him to do, and I even kidded him about how big a WUSS he was.

 

A week ago Saturday I woke feeling FINE. I sat down and turned my computer on and my world TURNED UPSIDE DOWN! My vision went black and the room spun so hard I had to hold the desk. It let up a little bit after about 30 seconds, but I was DIZZY and unbalanced the rest of the day. On Sunday it was worse, and I was bouncing off walls down the hallway.

 

Last MondayI slept all day long and finally called my wife and told her I had to go to the doctor (I haven't been to the doctor in a very long time)...and even longer since I had any kind of wellness screen. But, she drove me to the doctor and he explained the possiblities to me. It could be blood pressure, an inner ear infection, loose "rocks" (seriously), and maybe even Meniere's disease!

 

Hestarted me on Steroids, Antibiotics and Valium. My wife took me back home and I began my medications. I called into work the next day (first time in 5 years) and had my wife TAKE ME TO WORK on Wednesday. By Thursday I was well enough to drive myself by car (although that was scary...still not focusing right) and then on Friday...same thing, but driving was a little better.

 

My goal was to RIDE yesterday. I rode approximately 400 feet and then turned around and came home. I was gonna ride today, and while I am better (maybe 90%)...something told me NOT to ride, so I didn't.

 

I do plan on riding this week later in the week.

 

My reason for sharing this story is let everyone know that something "seemingly" so minor can be a major impact on your life.

 

My guess is that many of you that read this will have already experienced this and just not written about it...but if you've ever had this problem, you will NOT forget it.

 

It is NOT unusual for older adults (I'm 55) to have an occasional bout with vertigo (I didn't know this)...but there are treatments for it.

 

I PROMISE I won't ever call anyone a WUSS ever again for not being able to ride.

 

Gettin' old is a BEOTCH!!

[bongobobny]

Hmmmm, may be time to consider trike...

[rumboogy]

I am HOPEFUL that won't be necessary for a few more years. HOPEFULLY.

[Yammer Dan]

Be carefull out there!!

[Aussie Annie]

AAWW cr*p Wally........bouncing off walls ain't nice.

 

Hope things improve for you.....and Hey! trikin' ain't bad ya know

[SilvrT]

I've experienced "Vertigo" numerous times during my younger years .... after being overserved too many times. From what I understand from those who I know who have had bouts with vertigo, it's much the same feeling. It's not nice at all. A very good friend of mine suffered thru it for several months and basically couldn't do most of the things she normally could. It's a very dipaladating (sp?) condition.

 

Hope you're over this soon!!

[Reddog170]

That aint no doubt there. Vertigo is so wild that you can not even think, period. I went through a bout of it due to a viral infection. I hope to NEVER do that again. I went to the doc, got some meds, and he pulled my drivers license for 30 days. Aint been back to a doctor again. I do understand why though, to have that come on suddenly while you are driving would not be good. I feel for you man. Get better and ride safe. Shaun

[Freebird]

Sorry to hear of your problems. I know exactly how you feel though. I went through a similar, though not as bad, experience before I found my eye problem. It turned out not to even be related to the eye but it was because of that experience that they found the other problems. I hope the medication works for you and it will all be a bad memory soon.

[phill12]

Been there done that! The doctors couldn't find anything wrong and it did go away after a couple of months. Mine started when I was up in Kansas by my self 150 miles from home it took me over 5 hours to make it home because I had to stop and get off the bike about ever 10 Min.

Phill

[Carbon_One]

While I haven't experince this myself ( knocking on some wood now) but my wife, Joyce, has delt with this for a number of years now. Some days she can hardly get out of bed, other times it's only a minor tempory inconvience. I do know it's no laughing matter as you all have said it's life changing to say the least.

Good luck and keep the rubber side down,

Larry

[marinakorp]

I have had a bout with this as well.

 

MANY times (for me) it has been related to a collapse of the inner ear due to dehydration.

 

When the normal course of gatoraide / pedialyte and water does not fix the problem (or if I'm sure I have been hydrating well) it usually is a sinus infection that got out of hand. Obviously a doctor is required at that point.

 

I also will run a NETIPOT sinus cleanse and clear up the passages. Work well if you have allergies too.

 

.

[KiteSquid]

Gettin' old is a BEOTCH!!

 

I agree but it sure beats the alternative....

[Sailor]

Wife and I have both had it. Fortunately just one bout each. I was sitting watching tv when I suddenly fell over sideways. I could not get up and could feel what was coming. I crawled across the floor and just made it outside in time. Nope, no alcohol involved. A couple months later the wife had it. The doc said there would be return bouts but each one would be less violent. He was right. Been a few years now but no more symptoms.

[SilvrT]

Wife and I have both had it. Fortunately just one bout each. I was sitting watching tv when I suddenly fell over sideways. I could not get up and could feel what was coming. I crawled across the floor and just made it outside in time. Nope, no alcohol involved. A couple months later the wife had it. The doc said there would be return bouts but each one would be less violent. He was right. Been a few years now but no more symptoms.

 

Thanks for posting this Kerry ... now I can tell Nina it was vertigo that caused me to fall off the chair one Friday evening when we were playing cards and I'd had a few... no several too many R&C's ... LOL

[saddlebum]

I have had vertigo twice in my life, and feel assured it has nothing to do with getting old, as I was in my 30's the 1st time and in my 40's the second time. It can be the result of a minor inner ear infection as well as something as serious as a inner ear disease, such as Meniere's disease. For me the worst part was the constant motion sickness, caused by the dizziness. For this I found gavol or other motion sickness medication, often used by travellers worked wonders. It did not get rid of the dizziness and loss of balance but it sure got rid of that nauseated feeling that goes along with it and that in itself is a big blessing.

[ediddy]

I've had one bout and it was bad. A year ago I was dreaming the room was spinning, woke up at 5:00am and the room was spinning. Was going to get some water and realized I couldn't make it to the kitchen so I went to the bathroom and was leaning on the sink and all of a sudden my legs collapsed and I hit the floor. I've never had that to happen to me in my life. I tried laying down but the room would spin, I tried sitting up and the room would spin, I tired laying on the floor and the room would spin. I could sit on the floor with my back against my recliner and tilt my head left and the room wouldn't spin. I've never vomitted so much in my life. I got an appointment with the doctor at 2:00pm and told them I would have to bring a plastic trash can because I was vomitting every few minutes. The doctor diagnosed as vertigo and gave me a prescription for meclizzine. It helped and after a couple of weeks I thought I was fine so I was going to ride my bike to the grocery store. After about 1/4 mile I had to turn around and go home. I was getting nausiated. I went to home depot a couple of weeks later and was looking at some items on the shelf and got nausiated again and had to go home. I was beginning to panick thinking I might never be able to ride again. I went to an ear nose and throat specialist. When he saw that I had only one attack within the last six weeks he asked why I was there to see him. I explained that I still got nausiated at times. He put on some googles that looked like the bottom of coke bottles and looked in my eyes. He said there were no neurological problems so no brain scan would be needed. He said it could take as long as 90 days to get completely over an attack. He said there were three receptors on each side of my brain and that five were probably working fine but one was still out of whack and would clear up after a while. The doctor said dramamine or any over the counter antihistamine would be good to take if I had another attack. I carry a pack of dramamine in my bike in case. So far I haven't had another attack, but I can tell you it is some bad stuff.

[Flyinfool]

I have had the vertigo from an ear infection, Fortunately for me my hobbies required me to do a lot of spinning in circles so I have learned to ignore my inner ear as a primary means of balance.

 

Like mentioned above it is not just due to getting old.

I may be getting older, but I refuse to grow up....