Labrinthyitis

Very nasty. DH had this some years ago and the only thing that cleared it was a very large dose of very strong antibiotics. Don't suppose they do that now as they are trying to cut down on their use. It is a very unpleasant, depilitating thing, and I do hope you get some relief from it soon. I think it is one of those things people don't realise how horrible it is unless they have either had it or had contact with someone that has. Thinking of you.

I've had this in the past and my GP prescribed Stematil (?sp). At the time I couldn't even sit up, but this really helped. I'm not sure if it's still POM, but your pharmacist may be able to help.

I had the viral kind so it didn't recur but felt like death while it lasted - so bad that the GP actually visited me. Stemetil was the only thing that helped with the acute nausea. Recently, I had a similar affliction - Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (PPV), which is caused by tiny flakes of something or other in the inner ear, causing imbalance at unpredictable intervals. It stopped me driving for a couple of weeks as I knew it wouldn't be safe for me or other road users. It might be a good idea to keep a stock of Stemetil or seasickness pills which are much the same thing.

You poor thing - it is horrid. You have all my sympathy.

Since the mid 80's I have had many of these attacks over the years, and now take betahistamine 16mg 3 x per day which for me seem to work. I also have the tablets which you put under the gum buccastim, and if things are absolutely vile, which they usually are, there are injections which give instant relief. My husband can now do this for me at home which is better than having to call the doctor out. After years of these attacks
I was then diagnosed with Ménière's disease 3 years ago but have had no attacks for....drum roll.....2 years now. Am hoping its burnt itself out, but still fearful and it has affected my confidence especially driving.
You may be lucky and not experience attacks again, but I feel for you, it's absolutely dreadful. There is a lot online both labyrnthitis and menieres which to me have exactly the same symptoms. Good luck.

Sorry, these predictive texts. It is betahistine. It also helped my friend, but it has to be taken every day forever.....have recently been advised to cut it down to one a day as I have been attack free for 2 years. The longest gap in many a long year. Hooray!!!!

My first experience of this condition was when newly pregnant with DD1, it was horrendous and the GP was reluctant to prescribe anything to help. I spent 2-3 weeks in bed unable to move without the room spinning and vomiting, followed by a few months of feeling spaced out. I have had many recurrences, but haven't had an attack for about 4 years. This I put down to avoiding all actions which can trigger the onset, like turning quickly, looking up (can't clear cobwebs!), or lying flat on my back in bed or at exercise classes. Since I retired it has been easier to modify my life.

Well done shysal for being of these horrible attacks free for 4 years, that's brilliant. You describe my experience very accurately. A suggestion .. It helps always have a light on at night because when there's a problem with the inner ear which manages balance the eyes Take over and if it's dark they can't , balance is affected and it's easy to fall. We use those light plugs which are very useful. It's only those of us who have experienced how frightening these attacks are fully understand how truly awful it is.

I also take betahistine for Meniere's Silverlining and can't see any reason to cut down from 3 a day. I'm not aware of any side effects and wouldn't want to risk a recurrence. I have PPV too like Annodomini and use a sequence of movements called an Epley manoeuvre to persuade those little floating flakes to return to their correct positions. I've found that the PPV episodes only last for about 30 seconds - not nearly so horrid as a Meniere's visitation!

I have a friend who suffers and I know how debilitated she has been but she too had the Epley manoeuvre done by her doctor and although she has had a couple more episodes which she needed it done again it has greatly helped her.
I hope you find something that helps you.

I've had it twice at night 2 weeks apart. Was very scared the first time but luckily DS was staying. I was lucky, it had receded by the time a paramedic had finished checking me out. He sent for an ambulance to take me to A&E but road closures made them drop me at a Walkin centre. I spent a couple of hours there in my Winnie the Pooh dressing gown, saw a GP and got a taxi home. I had medication prescribed to treat the symptoms but not the cause which was a virus. The second time I was alone in the house. Luckily I got the same paramedic who checked me out and put me back to bed. I was nervous of living the house for several days both times. I now text DD each morning just to reassure her that I am all right.
Not pleasant but a milder attack than other posters for whom I have much sympathy.

Thanks a lot for all your replies. Eirel you made me laugh out loud.
I was on a bus journey some time ago when i got to the end of my journey
could not get off the bus, i was stuck there could not walk, an ambulance was called and was taken to a hospital, i was humiliated, they thought i was drunk.
Thank you

No experience but as someone who has always been prone to motion sickness I can get an idea of how awful it could be.

Just reading this makes me feel odd. I am not good at watching film of fast movement.

I have had this sort of sensation for the last couple of days but I'm not sure where it's labyrinthitis or positional vertigo. It's worse in the morning when I wake up with the room spinning round me, then once I'm upright it's not so bad but I feel rather wobbly. I'm not hopeful of getting a GP appointment much before next week, but I will try and get a telephone appointment. If it's not one damned thing it's another.

I totally agree Greyduster. This might be helpful to a lot of people, I carry
Stemetil tiny little tablets around with me (prescribed by my doctor)
if i swallow one with water, whenever i feel the dreaded sensation coming on
i take one , it takes 20 mins to work, and they are a god sent

Blimey! Rang the surgery - appointment at ten to twelve this morning! Didn't even have to explain what was wrong. Almost unheard of. Has everyone left town, do you think?

I agree that stemetil is brilliant. I have the kind of labyrinthitis that comes and goes. It's been coming and going for about 17 years and I wish it would just go! I really sympathise. I once lost my balance completely and fell out of the back door into a big puddle!

My OH suffered badly with it for a few years and they said that because he'd had a lot of ear infections it had basically killed off the nerves in one ear. He took stemetil for a few years but they said that his eyes would eventually compensate for the loss of balance caused by his ear and sort of do the job instead of his inner ear. Sounds bizarre , I know, but they seemed to be right and his balance is generally ok now, with just the odd blip. Hope yours improves, Daisychain- it's a very nasty thing!

Daisy - the medication I had is 5mg prochlorpromazine. The only way I could describe my symptoms was the worst hangover ever, (minus headache) room spinning, barely able to sit up, nausea. Just so sudden, unexpected and frightening.
Sunday morning at a small Walkin is equally busy but different from a noisy scary Friday or Saturday evening at A&E. Packed mainly with unhappy small children often with bored siblings brought along too. After an hour or so I was recognised by a TA I used to work with, there with a tiny grandson with recurrent earache. By then I'd given up trying to be invisible and was so glad to see someone I knew. GPs working so hard. I was so grateful for the cheerful, reassuring, emergency paramedics who got me there and for our creaky, undervalued NHS.

I suffered for years first with Labrinthyitis, then Vertigo, but lucky for me what ever was in my ear causing this came out one night while I was asleep and I`ve been for a couple of years now. It is so restricting, so many things you can`t do. I feel for you. I never took medication, I tried but it didn`t do any good.

Daisy and everyone else I sympathise I had a severe attack a few years ago so bad that I thought I had had a stroke- couldn't see or hear on one side, sever vomiting and dizziness took weeks to resolve. I have had a few attacks since strangely related to if I have slept with my neck in an odd position. It has left me with visual disturbances and when this happens I just have to sit up straight with my head held straight and wait until it passess. All seems to be related to something going on in my neck. Hopefully it goes away entirely eventually.

With Meniere's I find that the room appears to spin around whereas with positional vertigo things just go up and down OR side to side very rapidly (as do my eyes evidently, a bit like nystagmus I think). Is this just me or do others find this too?

Meniere's attacks have resulted in almost total hearing loss in one ear. Thank goodness I'm equipped with two!

I suffer from this too. I had it a couple of weeks ago quite badly and just had to sit and keep my head still. Even moving my head to rest it on the back of the sofa set it off. I have felt ok for the last few days but it can hit at any time. I weighed myself last week on my bathroom scales, looked down to see what the damage was and fell over. Thank God that I don't vomit as well. I was told back in the 90's that it was Labrynthitis but wasn't given any meds I don't think so I haven't been back. I just rest now which is ok because I'm retired.