# Vertigo....



## Blizzard (Sep 21, 2009)

.... No, not the Hitchcock classic !

About 3 weeks ago I was driving home from work on a small country road, with loads of bends and crests, when I suddenly had what I can only describe as a severe dizzy spell. 

Fortunately I was not travelling quickly and was able to get the car stopped until the dizzyness passed.

I watched for any repeat and put it down to a one off episode, until it happened again this morning, in my local supermarket carpark, and again at slow speed.

I managed to get an afternoon appointment with my GP, who has diagnosed Vertigo, prescribing a Betahistine drug.

Do any of you have experience of this condition and if so, has it had any lasting effect on your driving or does the medication fix it ?

Thanks,


Ken.


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## waz (Jan 5, 2008)

I used to get the same thing happen to me, no had it for a while. I always carried a mars bar with me and as I found the chocolate 'rush' done the trick and was ok after 2/3 minuets 

Waz


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

I had a similar experience some years ago and the problem was Labyrinthitis - affecting the inner ear.
Your Doctor has diagnosed Vertigo and that is presumably what has affected you but look up the effects Labyrinthitis can have and see if any are similar to your own experiences.
My problem lasted a couple of weeks, with tablets prescribed, but did return for a few days in a milder form later that year.
One thing that I did do, and seemed to help, was have an eye test and glasses were prescribed - I hadn't been wearing glasses before or even thought I needed them.
I haven't had the problem for many years now and my driving has not been affected.


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## greywizard (Dec 3, 2010)

*vertigo*

hi,
it is possible that you may have to surrender your licence for a while as by law if you suffer from vertigo you must inform the dvla.
sorry to be a wet blanket.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

How much water are you taking with 'it'. :wink:


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## waggy3 (Jun 24, 2008)

hi blizzard,
just a thought but:
once when i was in yhe theatre i went very dizzy for no particular reason.
it happened on more than one occasion and i found out purely by chance that my trouser belt was to tight.
even to this day when driving or sat at the table i still loosen my belt.
years ago when women used to wear very tightcoursets the incident of them fainting was very high.
it is down to the blood suply to the brain being restricted.
i hope it will be something as simple as this in your case.
roy


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## Blizzard (Sep 21, 2009)

*waz* It doesn't sound like the same condition, its an inner ear problem rather than blood sugar level, but obviously with similar symptoms to those that you experienced.

*Keith* After seeing some of the symptoms of Labyrinthitus, I have noticed a couple of them at odd times over the past few weeks, but not constant. 
I suffer from Tinnitus anyway and have had occasional feelings of nausea and feeling drunk, which I suppose leads nicely to *Spacerunner*'s thoughts, but without the pleasure of the drinking phase 

*Greywizard* Doc told me yesterday that there was no need to inform DVLA, however after reading your response I checked their website and you are correct, it _is _notifiable. 
Makes me wonder if the doc is either A) competent, or B) suspects the condition at the moment and is seeing how the medication works before possibly investigating further.

Thanks all,

Ken.


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## Blizzard (Sep 21, 2009)

*waggy3* Roy, that makes sense and is probably one of the reasons tight clothing gets loosened as first aid to fainting episodes.

The first time I experienced this, I had belted work trousers on, however yesterday, I was wearing a loose fitting pair of shorts. Worth keeping an eye on though.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

In regards notifying dvla, may I suggest that you wait until your GP confirms the fact first. It will be impossible to get anything taken off the dvla record and when you reach 70, nigh on impossible to keep a licence for over 3.5t.

cabby


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## Daedalas (Nov 12, 2009)

*Transient Vestibular Disturbance [TVD]*

Good Morning All

10 years or so ago I fell over outside the pub <g> Come on!!! I WAS ON THE WAGGON.

My doc is also the local CAA examiner and he quickly diagnosed Transient Vestibular Disturbance . I checked with colleagues: quite a number have had it.

Unbelievably the remedy is to lie flat on your back on your bed and hang your head upside down for 3 or 4 minutes each day.

The explanation I got is that in some people / occupations, 'debris' settles at the bottom of the semi circular canals in the balance organ in the inner ear and hasn't been absorbed. Then a random movement of the head moves the debris to touch the hair sensors in the 'semi-circular canals and that causes the TVD. Hanging upside down swishes the debris around and it is soon absorbed.

It certainly worked for me ... and others.


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## Richard_the_Rogue (Jun 11, 2009)

A number of years ago I too suffered from bouts of vertigo. I discovered that it only happened when I was using athlete's foot powder. When I stopped using the powder, the dizzy spells stopped. When I started using it again, the dizzy spells reappeared. I stopped using it about 10 years ago and have never had a dizzy spell since.


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## greywizard (Dec 3, 2010)

*vertigo*

hi all,
further to the vertigo discussion the symptoms kieth describes are classic menieres effects.
i have menieres and had to give up my licence until i had been free of symptons for 3 months and the doctor told the dvla that i was ok to drive. i am now waiting for them to reinstate my licence.
i am on betahistine which seems to have done the trick.
thanks again to all who sent me such supportive replies when i was first diagnosed.


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## greywizard (Dec 3, 2010)

*vertigo*

hi all,
further to the vertigo discussion the symptoms kieth describes are classic menieres effects.
i have menieres and had to give up my licence until i had been free of symptons for 3 months and the doctor told the dvla that i was ok to drive. i am now waiting for them to reinstate my licence.
i am on betahistine which seems to have done the trick.
thanks again to all who sent me such supportive replies when i was first diagnosed.


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