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Anyone had experience of 'the dizzy clinic' for viral labyrinthitis?

(9 Posts)
fourormore Tue 04-Jul-17 17:08:22

Feeling a bit fed up at the moment! sad
Normally I'm as fit as a butcher's dog,but nearly three weeks ago, completely out of the blue I was struck down with viral labyrinthitis.
Various medics have said it cannot be cured, just has to take its course - could take weeks or even months to clear.
It seems that the pills ease the symptoms but I have to be patient!
Apparently if it goes on for several weeks there is a 'dizzy clinic' that they will refer me to.
Does anyone have any experience of these clinics? What can they do? Perhaps there are exercises that help relieve it?
I would be interested to hear from anyone with experience - good or bad.

shysal Tue 04-Jul-17 18:20:43

I think the clinic you mention can perform the Epley manoever (Google it), which can return the particles in the inner ear which can cause the dizziness, to their former position.
I suffer from BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo)and get attacks of labyrinthitis every few years. The recovery can be weeks or days, and the initial bout was the worst. I have, however never been referred for the manoever. I know people who have and have been given instant refief.
My policy is prevention rather than cure and my life is governed by avoiding the movements or positions which can bring on an attack.
I expect you will feel a bit spaced out at the very least for a while, but I hope you will soon recover and not have any recurrences. flowers

norose4 Tue 04-Jul-17 18:40:13

Don't know anything about the clinics , but I have lived with this condition for about 6 yrs now, occasionally it is bad enough that I have to stay in bed, you cannot take medication to prevent it , but as soon as you feel it coming take the tablets & it does wear off, lie down if you can drink plenty of water all the time & get to recognise what may bring it on i.e. Too little water, stress, overdoing things just treat yourself with respect but don't let it stop you living the same life you alaways have lived, and always carry your tablets with you, good luck

silverlining48 Tue 04-Jul-17 20:37:43

I went to a vestibular clinic at st thomas hospital london. The idea is to retrain the brain to deal with the vertigo so the exercises were to bring on some sort of dizzy spell. I did them carefully as i had a train ride back to my home and didnt want to have an attack on the journey.
I didnt find it that helpful, but do take betahistine every day as a preventative. I have not been ill for 4 years now which is a personal record.
i also have the meds/ injections to help in case of an attack.
Good luck, give everything a go because vertigo is just awful.

Coolgran65 Tue 04-Jul-17 23:06:51

Oh dear... I read the title as 'vaginal labrinthitis'
Obviously much too tired and time I was in bed........

jollyg Wed 05-Jul-17 14:07:50

I have something called BPPV. Never have had pills for relief, what were they anaway.

I first was told to see he physio who I was told had been trained, my ar*e.

She did what I now know was the Epley, sadly she was inept, but a lovely lady,and when she put me upright, I said I felt sick, and sure enough vomited, all on their clean floor, with no buckets,YUK.

Next eventually I saw a lady in the dedicated ear clinic, tested my hearing, offered a hearing aid, I was not for that!

She did the Epley, looked for nystagmus, when i was on one side, counted the seconds carefully. Next other side. Google will describe Nystagmus better than me

Oh had to come with me, and we got home successfully, but I had to keep my eyes front and looking down.

I was OK, but himself has the irritating habit of getting me to look at clouds, birds . And forgets my ailment

I cannot even look up in shops for goods on the upper levels......... Do all supermarkets think we are giants.

I think some folk are given seasickness pills. As medication

In Greece 3 years ago we took a small boat between 2 islands and I was sick, but over 10 years ago We travelled from NZ S to N.

I sat in the prow of the boat when all about were retching and crockery flying. no probs.

So it is all bout ear balance, and IHMO once lost it dont come back.

Id love to be told ddifferent

jollyg Wed 05-Jul-17 14:09:47

Sorry I forgot I listened to a radio prog about the problem fro St Thomas, and it was informative

fourormore Sun 16-Jul-17 11:58:20

Thanks everyone for the various comments. I am now four weeks on and pleased to say that it seems to be easing at last.
I actually had a double whammy as my skin was getting really itchy with the heat and stress, alongside the labyrinthitis.
The medics gave me an antihistamine based pill for the itching and a 'motion sickness' type pill for the balance/dizziness. The instructions were to take them 'as required'

They both worked quite well but being a person who won't take tablets unless I have to, once I felt a bit better, I tried to miss the odd dose but each time had to go back when it recurred. It was impossible really to take 'as required' as there was no way of knowing whether I felt better because the pills were easing the symptoms or the virus had gone?

I saw my GP again and explained the situation. He told me to continue both tablets twice a day for a fixed period of three weeks, regardless of how I felt. I have just over a week to go now and although I'm not keen on pill-popping at least I know where I am and what I am doing. Apparently the dizzy clinic doesn't figure for another couple of weeks so hopefully won't be needed.

I had a weird experience last night though - I went to bed perfectly fine and due to the heat I am sleeping under just the throw rather than under the full duvet. I settled down but I suddenly felt freezing cold and literally shaking and shivering. It lasted about an hour and was quite frightening as it certainly was not a cold night. I crawled under the duvet but it made no difference. After about an hour it eased and I slept the night. Could the shivers be the virus giving up??? Here's hoping! grin

shysal Sun 16-Jul-17 13:50:19

I am glad the tablets are helping to some extent. I have never experienced the shivering, but hope it was the virus giving up. flowers