Recurring Vertigo

   I was laying on the floor playing with the pups who live with me two weeks ago (Tuesday, August 25, 2015), when in the process of getting up from there, I turned my head to the left... and BAM! Suddenly the world no longer sat in place as it should. In fact, it moved so violently that I felt obligated to turn my head back to center to see if I could make it stop! Just so you know, that doesn't work well.
 

   When it cleared up within a minute or so, I went on with my day, under the impression that, as in instances of its kind before, it would be quite some time before I experienced that again. However, much to my dismay and distress, it returned MUCH sooner than anticipated. To wit, only hours later, while floating in the swimming pool, once again upon turning my head to the left... BAM! The pool, sky, clubhouse, and all in sight, were swirling continuously but gently, round and round as if without a care in the world.

 

   My problem at that moment was that I was several yards out in the pool, no walls within reach, and I desperately needed to hold onto SOMETHING that wouldn't move! This time was worse than the first, lasted longer, and I also felt nauseous to the point it seemed I might hurl (thankfully I did NOT). With the help of the pool side, I managed to work my way to the steps in the corner and sit there till I thought I might be able to walk to the car. Thankfully, there was a guy there in the pool who was appropriately understanding of the situation, and assisted me in that walk to the car. :D

 

   The current thinking as to causes of vertigo include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis, a virus which naturally has to go through its life cycle as antibiotics are useless on such), and one other somewhat unlikely cause, but being unlikely, I'm not bothering with it.

 

   It's a very disconcerting sensation, vertigo is... unnerving, as well! Just when the world seems to have righted itself, if one's head turns or tips or whichever move sets it off, it can feeling as if walking in the dark on a Tilt-a-Whirl ride that's in motion (for a visual, copy this link to your browser - http://yhoo.it/1O8sLnN), or VERY drunk.

 

   A nurse-friend I called recommended I get/take meclizine in whatever form I chose. I got the chewable lozenge which my doctor told me to take of three daily, but even with that, if I tipped, turned or moved my head suddenly to the left, I could tell I needed to stop that motion and return to upright. It became clear to me that for the time being I needed to not tip my head to the left, or the spinning began again. Also, numerous times while lying in bed, when it would begin, the quickest way to normal, was to place my palm on the vertical side of the bedside stand drawer. Somehow the stillness of that solid object stopped the spin. Otherwise, all is fine - normal - upright and without incident.

 

   There's an exercise that's recommended for getting rid of vertigo which I attempted without assistance, called the Epley Maneuver (http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/liberatory-maneuvers-for-vertigo-epley-maneuver). I also pressed a couple of magnets placed over my ears three or four times for a few moments at a time, and between the 2 of those and some time, as of today (9-8-15) I'm not being hounded by dizziness any longer. What actually made it go away, I cannot tell you, but, being able to once again get up and down, and move, turn and all the other moves we humans do without a thought... is FABULOUS. ...not to mention, a great relief.