BPPV - Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

The days leading up to Passover on March 31st were hectic. Stressing in trying to get the house cleaned up, checking & double checking my guest list, trying to condense 5 workdays into 3 & planning the meal to be served that evening.

When I went to bed on the 30th, I never dreamed that the next morning would just about derail the whole day.

I set my alarm for 6:15 am. This would give me time to finish cleaning my kitchen & do a little baking for the Passover meal. During the short time my daughter would be in school, I could pick up a few things I needed from the store.

The alarm went off at 6:15, I rolled over to grab my cell phone (which was my alarm clock) & the room starting spinning instantly & the waves of nausea were unbearable. I staggered to the bathroom (about 20 feet from our bedroom) to splash cold water on my face, no help. I then made my way back to the bedroom, grasping door frames, chairs & whatever else could help me stay in an upright position. I collapsed back on the bed to try to gain some sort of control, again no help. The waves of nausea were becoming stronger & I had to run back to the bathroom to throw up. This continued for several hours. My hands, arms, legs & feet were cold & clamy but my core temp was normal.

I usually avoid the doctor like the plague but I knew if I didn't get any help soon that Passover would be a bust. My son drove me to the emergency room where I was I given Zofran for the nausea & Meclizine for the dizziness. After an hour, I could move around a little, as long as I didn't move too fast, without getting dizzy. I was finally discharged after being there for 2 1/2 hours.

The diagnosis - BPPV - Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Basically what I've been told is that a certain population have crystals in their ears & that these crystals move up to a point in the ear & start stimulating the hair in the ear. This affects our balance & how our body feels in relation to our position.

http://www.physioworks.com.au/images/Injuries-Conditions/bppv.gif

Physical therapy, an exercise in movement to try to get the crystals down where they need to be OR to get the body used to the new position is an option for some. I start physical therapy on Thursday to try this exercise.

http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/bppv/bppv.html

I visited my chiropracter last week & he found 3 vertebrae out of place. 2 in my upper back & 1 in my neck. When he pressed on the one in my neck it was instant pain. He said that was the one that was causing my vertigo problem. He popped it back into place & the room started spinning again. He said he would take a few minutes for it to clear up & not to drive home until I see clearly. (took about 20 minutes for things to clear up enough to head home)

I can drive but I have to be careful when I'm looking in both directions to check for traffic or to look to see if someone is sitting in blind spot if I'm changing lanes. The last 2 weeks of work have been interesting. I'm good for about 3 hours, anything beyond that & I start getting dizzy & sick to my stomach.

I'm looking forward to getting back to a normal life. With my busy lifestyle, I don't have time to be "down".

Til Next Time,
Lori