# Labrynthitis... ever had it



## GROUNDHOG (Mar 7, 2006)

So the sun comes out for the Summer and I am sittining in bed just about typing this with Labrynthitis, compeletely dizzy, nauseas and not very happy.

Doc prescribed some travel sickness pills to stop the sickness but I need to get rid of the head spinning - anyone any experience please?


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Rita had an attack last spring, very poorly, couldn't stand up and she was quite distressed. This was before her cancer diagnosis and it was unrelated.

Her GP gave her some tablets which made her worse, and after another visit to the GP I took her to the out of hours surgery in Kettering.

The doctor there was great, he told her not to have any more of the tablets that were prescribed and gave her an alternative.

It took a couple of weeks to get her over it and she hasn't had an attack since.

I'll try and find out what the tablets were, I think that they were a mild tranquiliser.

Prochlorperazine Maleate

Peter


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## johnthompson (Jul 29, 2010)

I had it 2 years ago. I had antibiotics to fight the inflammation as well as anti sickness pills.

It took about a week before I could walk in a straight line.



Treating labyrinthitis 
Labyrinthitis is usually treated using a combination of self-help techniques and medication. Chronic labyrinthitis may be treated with vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT).

Self-help
Drink plenty of liquid, particularly water, to avoid becoming dehydrated. You should drink little and often.

In its early stages, labyrinthitis can make you feel constantly dizzy and it can give you severe vertigo. You should rest in bed to avoid falling and injuring yourself. After a few days, the worst of these symptoms should have passed and you should no longer feel dizzy all the time.

You can do several things to minimise any remaining feelings of dizziness and vertigo. For example:

•During an attack, lie still in a comfortable position (on your side is often best). 
•Avoid chocolate, coffee and alcohol. 
•Stop smoking. 
•Avoid bright lights. 
•Try to cut out noise and anything that causes stress from your surroundings. 
Medication
If your symptoms of dizziness, vertigo and loss of balance are particularly severe, your GP may prescribe a short course of medication such as a benzodiazepine or anti-emetics (vestibular sedatives).

Benzodiazepine
Benzodiazepines reduce activity inside your central nervous system. This means your brain is less likely to be affected by the abnormal signals coming from your vestibular system.

However, long-term use of benzodiazepines is not recommended because they can be highly addictive if used for long periods.

Antiemetics
A prescription medication, known as an antiemetic, may be prescribed if you are experiencing the troublesome symptoms of nausea and vomiting.

Prochlorperazine 5mg tablets are an antiemetic used to treat the symptoms of vertigo and dizziness. It may be considered as an alternative treatment to benzodiazepines.

Most people are able to tolerate prochlorperazine and side effects are uncommon but can include tremors (shaking), abnormal, or involuntary, body and facial movements and sleepiness. 

Check the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine for a full list of possible side effects.

If you are vomiting, there is a prochlorperazine 3mg tablet which is placed inside your mouth between your gums and cheek.

Corticosteroids
Corticosteroids, such as prednisolone, may be recommended if your symptoms are particularly severe. They are often effective at reducing inflammation.

Side effects of prednisolone include:

•an increase in appetite 
•weight gain 
•insomnia 
•fluid retention 
•mood changes, such as feeling irritable or anxious 
Antibiotics
If your labyrinthitis is thought to be caused by a bacterial infection, you will be prescribed antibiotics. Depending on how serious the infection is, this could either be antibiotic tablets or capsules (oral antibiotics) or antibiotic injections (intravenous antibiotics). 

A number of antiviral medications are also available but these are usually less effective than antibiotics and may have a limited effect in speeding up your recovery time. Therefore, your GP may feel there is little benefit in prescribing antiviral medication.


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## Arrachogaidh (Sep 27, 2011)

Oh yes, I've had this at least twice. Once just before a holiday and it was touch and go if the doc would let me fly.

The worst time I was out of it for the best part of ten weeks. I just woke up one morning and the room was spinning. I managed to dress and made my way to the station. On getting there things got worse and I had to go home. Was in bed for a week just trying to get things settled down. 

I hope you don't have it too severe. It isn't nice. I can vividly remember that feeling of being at the centre of everything spinning around me and feeling at every moment I was about to fall off the planet.

Get well soon.


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## colonel (Oct 11, 2008)

I have had this few times and for us oldies it's normally caused by a crystallisation around the inner ear which for some reason moves causing the awful dizziness. 

I have found the following helpful:
Sit on the edge of the bed with your feet on the floor.
Slowly turn your head to the left as far as you can go, at the same time leaning your head forward from the neck.
You may feel you're about to fall over - hence the reason for sitting on the bed.
Now do the same thing again turning your head to the right, pausing after each turn. 

At first this will be really horrible, you should feel it worst on one side usually. Persevere and do it 3 or 4 times each side and then rest. Do this every few hours. What you're doing is training the brain not to react to the problem and believe me it does work. 

You can go to the hospital and they will do a more intense version of this although I wouldn't recommend it as it can make things worse. 

Good luck, hope it improves soon.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Oh yes, it's nasty.

My first attack was thirty years ago. I woke up one morning, turned over and thought the bed was trying to throw me onto the floor. Doc treated me for low BP for a month with no luck whatsoever to either dizziness or BP. I also have mild tinnitus with it but pretend I am in the bush (cicada noise). Some suffer nausea but luckily I've been spared that symptom.

Found out some years later there was an epidemic of it (viral cause) in my area at that time - some of my colleagues had it too but not as bad.

It recurs from time to time, lasting 6-12 weeks approx. about once a year. But you do get used to it and adjust to cope. I sometimes feel an attack approaching and get swallowing my meds - 48mg betahistine per day in 2-3 doses till it settles down, gradually tailing off the quantity as needed. I don't take anything in between attacks.

I was checked for everything including a brain scan for tumours but nothing evident. From my own observations, a very bumpy up and down ride can bring it on (perhaps I should rephrase that). I take 600 calcium daily, neither more nor less, otherwise the condition comes back.

I have read info which says that TMJ syndrome can be implicated (temporo-mandibular joint syndrome) as can narrowing of the arteries and high blood pressure. 

There are many imponderables so best thing is to try whatever you can and see what works for you. It's just a minor inconvenience for me, a feeling like being "on deck in a heaving sea".

Good luck, keep us posted how you get on.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Never had it myself but have seen a couple of friends suffer with it so you have my full sympathy.

HermanHymer:

"_Some suffer *nausea* but luckily I've been spared that symptom_"

Then you end up with:

_"on deck in a *heaving* sea". _

Hmmmm :lol:


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

pippin said:


> Never had it myself but have seen a couple of friends suffer with it so you have my full sympathy.
> 
> HermanHymer:
> 
> ...


Pippin!!!

I said the SEA was heaving, not me!! Like one lurches up and down the deck, or as when one has had one, or several, too many!


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I got it about 7 years ago, the doc put me on Cyclizine, and said I'd be on it for the rest of my life, which didn't really bother me, but I decided about 6 months ago to see what I was like without it, and I've been fine, but I keep a bottle handy just in case it springs up again.

Not a pleasant experience at all as I was a driver at the time and could not take time of work, but it was mainly moving or walking that set it off, driving seemed to calm it down.


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## GROUNDHOG (Mar 7, 2006)

Guess I was the lucky one, after a day or two the nausea stopped with taking the tablets and then a week later completely better, not sure I want it again though, not a nice experience!!


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## blackbirdbiker (Mar 12, 2007)

I wish I had that rather than Menieres disease, very similar symptons but more severe and hearing loss to boot, there is no known cure.

One thing not mentioned is to keep watch on your salt intake very very important, and to keep stress levels down, so relax with the thought that it will go eventually.

Keith


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## blackbirdbiker (Mar 12, 2007)

BPPV
Benign: the condition almost always goes away with proper treatment
Paroxysmal: the condition may return causing vertigo without warning
Positional: it is brought on by specific type of head movement
Vertigo: the sensation is that of spinning that may be mild or violent

Good luck, hope it improves soon.[/quote]


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

I had a couple of bouts of it around 10 years ago.

The first time I had just got out of my car when for some reason I turned around quickly and suddenly my world started spinning.

I couldn't focus my eyes as everything seemed to be flashing sideways, like holding your head steady and watching racing cars speed past your eyes.

My legs wouldn't support me and when I tried to walk it must have looked like the worlds drunkest man was trying to move.

Once they'd got me home I found lying on the floor with my eyes shut helped, but I couldn't stay there for ever, and my attempts to walk had the rest of the family laughing their heads off.

After a couple of days I could get around reasonably well but walking involved me slowly putting one foot in front of the other and holding on to something to avoid falling over but still looking as if I was drunk.

The bout lasted around 5 – 6 weeks before I could think about driving and took a couple of months before I completely returned to normal.

The Doctor had given me Prochlorperazine tablets and they seemed to work for me, I still have some just in case!

A second, but no-where near as bad, bout happened in France.

I was waiting to cross the road, my head turning left and right to see the traffic, when the world suddenly started to spin again.

I clung on to a post for all I was worth and then wobbled ungainly to a bench close by.

Luckily the bout only lasted about half an hour but it still got me very worried about when it might happen again.

I had been wearing glasses reading glasses for some time and was supposed to wear long distance glasses when driving (I know, I know) but hadn't been wearing them when driving earlier that day.

As soon as I recovered I put on my driving glasses and have used them ever since.

And, touch wood, I've not had a bout of labyrinthitis since.

I would recommend you have an optician have a look at your eyesight as that may possibly be one of the reasons for your problem.


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## JohnandChristine (Mar 19, 2012)

I've had this twice now, the second time was severe and led to my retirement . 
I was a Thames Lockkeeper and the H&S would not let me work outdoors, near deep running water, alone, sometimes in the dark .
( I guess they were right ).

I was sent to an ENT specialist who told me that the microscopic hairs in the inner ear passages get destroyed by a virus, so the electrical signals going to the brain become scrambled and the brain has no idea which way up you are. It auto switches to using other senses to judge positional awareness, mainly the eyes, and can result in up to 40% brain power being consumed just on this task, instead of just 1 or 2.

The damage is permanent and, just a like a baby , you have to learn the art of balance all over again.

It has taken me two years to recover, helped by therapy,
see the 'Cooksey Hawthorn' technique for things to do to help retrain your balance system. It made me very tired.

After the initial weeks of being confined to bed as I couldn't stand, I was still unable to drive for nearly 3 months.

Stugeron travel sick tablets were what my specialist recommended to cancel out the nausea, rather than prescription drugs, and they did the job perfectly.

Try also anything that increases the blood flow like Ginko.

Light exercise involving head movements is recommended to get the balance working again, don't sit idle, its not helping. 
I've taken up tennis and morris dancing, and its helped a lot. Riding a bike took a lot longer.

Am now virtually back to normal, except in odd situations like walking through a shopping centre with crowds coming towards me, or being in a train / car/bus and the one next to it moves off in the other direction. I unconsciously touch walls and fixed objects to keep a good reference point, and when dancing I'm told I continually look at my feet.

I dare not go near the edge of anything high.

It can be a long road back but stick at it. Be positive.
One benefit is that I can cope easily on a rolling ship......I'm used to that sensation !

I just don't want a third episode of this. :? :?


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