I have labyrinthitis - any advice please

Hi Rose. I have vertigo sometimes which is similar with the dizziness. I take an OTC med, D- Vertigo which helps a lot. The first time I got this was 10 years ago and I stayed in bed for a couple of days because I could not walk and certainly not drive. My grandfather had labyrinthitis and my mom has vertigo sometimes as I do, but she has it worse. It can run in the family. It does go away. If you don't have to do anything, just rest and stay in, get some sleep. I also used two pillows as someone else here suggested. I keep an extra pillow handy all of the time. It helps. Resting on my back with my head on a pillow helps any dizziness and nausea. Just be still. I hope you'll feel better quickly.
 

Rose65 said:
It is so frightening. I am so nauseous and the room spins with any head movement.

I saw the GP. I have medication and must just cope now.

Please someone tell me this will get better! I have never experienced anything so alarming.
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Found the explanation, causes and symptoms on Wikipedia. Similar to the ear infections our son kept getting when he was a baby up until 5 years old. He kept getting the flu easily and then it would change into head cold and an ear infection.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labyrinthitis

Hoping this helps! For our son, it was always the same, antibiotic ear drops.
 
chic said:
Hi Rose. I have vertigo sometimes which is similar with the dizziness. I take an OTC med, D- Vertigo which helps a lot. The first time I got this was 10 years ago and I stayed in bed for a couple of days because I could not walk and certainly not drive. My grandfather had labyrinthitis and my mom has vertigo sometimes as I do, but she has it worse. It can run in the family. It does go away. If you don't have to do anything, just rest and stay in, get some sleep. I also used two pillows as someone else here suggested. I keep an extra pillow handy all of the time. It helps. Resting on my back with my head on a pillow helps any dizziness and nausea. Just be still. I hope you'll feel better quickly.
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Thankyou. I can't do anything but like here. Second day in bed. I have a pounding tinnitus too.
 

Rose65 said:
Thankyou. I can't do anything but like here. Second day in bed. I have a pounding tinnitus too.
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It's okay to stay in and sleep if that's all you can do. Your body needs the rest right now. Are you using and extra sleeping pillow? I'm not sure if you mentioned whether you were or not but elevating my head helped me. The first time I got this I was very scared. It was like being drunk with the bed spins. It does go away quickly, at least it did for me, but I wasn't ashamed to go to bed. Hugs. Hope you feel better fast.
 
Rose65 said:
Thankyou. I can't do anything but like here. Second day in bed. I have a pounding tinnitus too.
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Don't you think you need further evaluation? The Primary Doctor is good to general diagnose and prescribe medication, but a specialist is more specialized evaluation along with adequate medication. Years back, I had a similar episode, but it went away right after diagnosed, 'high blood pressure' very high-198 or more and took a medication for high blood pressure..
 
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chic said:
It's okay to stay in and sleep if that's all you can do. Your body needs the rest right now. Are you using and extra sleeping pillow? I'm not sure if you mentioned whether you were or not but elevating my head helped me. The first time I got this I was very scared. It was like being drunk with the bed spins. It does go away quickly, at least it did for me, but I wasn't ashamed to go to bed. Hugs. Hope you feel better fast.
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Thanks. I already do have 2 pillows. Also a neck collar has proved useful to keep my head still.
 
At last feeling the worst is over. The symptoms began last week with loud tinnitus - which I still have. If this continues I will go back to my doctor.

I was examined at the emergency department last Wednesday but the doctor found no other signs of anything. He said go to my GP and get a referral to ENT.

I felt really dizzy next day and saw my own doctor on Thursday , he diagnosed Labyrinthitis and it became much worse by that evening. Thank goodness I had vertigo medication already because from Friday morning I couldn't walk, nausea, room spinning. So bed since then. What a terrible experience since then! The weekend is a blur.

Now this morning I am much better though still very shaky. I slept a lot, vivid dreams, sweated, headaches round the eyes. So nauseous and terrified every time I got up as my eyes could not focus. By a careful slow procedure I had a bath each day because I cannot bear to feel unclean. That felt good yesterday as I slept more comfortably.

I aim to get increasingly up and about over these next few days. I hate staying in bed, something I never do unless truly forced to.

I would like to know how anyone who lives alone has coped with this? I have depended on my husband as I am still pretty helpless.
 
I hate this loss of control, it's frightening holding onto furniture to do even essential things. Mainly I have had to stay in bed and sleep a great deal. Felt better this morning than yesterday by far, but so dizzy again tonight. The pounding in my head has not stopped. I somehow sleep.
I hope for more improvement tomorrow.
 
At last feeling better, able to pop downstairs for a few hours. I can't stay in bed as I must let my eyes and brain adapt to this vertigo.

My husband did a great job of keeping things going but - men don't notice little things! Like letting houseplants die, milk get out of date, wipe the kitchen countertops. He ate out of tins but kept our dog fed properly. I have restored order now. But he did well, even putting washing through, vacuuming and shopping - I managed to give him a list before becoming helpless. Some men don't know how to do anything.
 
Jamala said:
Rose, the medication you are given is probably a form of antihistamine. The dizziness could last a week or much longer.
If your hubby can accompany you to the loo at night that would be safe and if at all possible, try to have your head higher,
maybe two pillows and top of the list don’t stress, which could worsen things.
I specially asked my son, he is a doctor.
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Thankyou. I'm doing all that you mentioned. I am glad I was able to go to the toilet and bathe by myself - I hate the loss of dignity that could be. But he was keeping guard near the door. I am so frightened of falling but I do everything slow and easy.
 
Rose65 said:
At last feeling better, able to pop downstairs for a few hours. I can't stay in bed as I must let my eyes and brain adapt to this vertigo.

My husband did a great job of keeping things going but - men don't notice little things! Like letting houseplants die, milk get out of date, wipe the kitchen countertops. He ate out of tins but kept our dog fed properly. I have restored order now. But he did well, even putting washing through, vacuuming and shopping - I managed to give him a list before becoming helpless. Some men don't know how to do anything.
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So happy to hear you are past the worst of this.
 
Much better, still bit wobbly.

The only thing is this pulsating tinnitus which makes sleep hard to achieve. I find blocking just the right ear reduces it a lot. I will book a full hearing test very soon.

Meanwhile I've ordered one of those sports headband earphones. I am hoping with white noise or relaxing gentle music, to drown out this noise at night or when quietly reading.

Will this problem go away once the inner ear infection is fully recovered? The doctor diagnosed viral Labyrinthitis.
 
So , if anyone else had this, can you be normal again after a while - even if you have to remain on pills to control vertigo forever? I wondered if once you have had this it could mean dizziness can be triggered again anytime.
 
Rose65 said:
Should I stay in bed or aim to continue normal life - adapting and going slow of course?
I hate being bedridden but this morning I felt so sick and dizzy on waking.
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Stay in bed for now. It'll clear up with the meds. I've had several patients who developed this condition.
 
I'm better getting up and allowing my brain to adapt.

I found my new headband headphones to play soothing relaxation music made a huge difference to my night - to cover the ongoing pulsing tinnitus. A good sleep helps me cope.
 
Feeling wobbly, not very well.
This pulsating tinnitus is still with me and I'm learning how to cope at night in the quiet. I do not like white noise at all but I do find relaxing meditation music through my headband headphones is good. It lulls me to sleep and I let it play a couple of hours. After that I find I can sleep.
 
If I could be sure this tinnitus is harmless, I can live with it, even permanently. It's just the worry of thinking all sorts that is getting to me, especially in the quiet of nights.
 
It's been 2 weeks and I am still quite unwell. Especially in the morning I am so unsteady and have nausea as I get ready. Wobbly on my feet.
Should this still be like this?
 
Rose65 said:
It's been 2 weeks and I am still quite unwell. Especially in the morning I am so unsteady and have nausea as I get ready. Wobbly on my feet.
Should this still be like this?
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I'm sorry you're still having to deal with this, Rose. :( Only a specialist can answer your question about whether it should be like that. When I had the infection, it was about 2 weeks... but the regular tinnitus has been with me for very many years. It's always there and I'm used to it. *However* that is just the loud ringing for me... there's never been nausea or shakiness with the regular tinnitus... just when I had the infection.

If your regular doc isn't able to answer your questions or calm your fears, you may want to ask for a referral to a specialist? @Rose65
 
CallMeKate said:
I'm sorry you're still having to deal with this, Rose. :( Only a specialist can answer your question about whether it should be like that. When I had the infection, it was about 2 weeks... but the regular tinnitus has been with me for very many years. It's always there and I'm used to it. *However* that is just the loud ringing for me... there's never been nausea or shakiness with the regular tinnitus... just when I had the infection.

If your regular doc isn't able to answer your questions or calm your fears, you may want to ask for a referral to a specialist? @Rose65
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Hi thanks, very kind.

I am being referred for an MRI scan, my GP is very good. Also I've seen my dentist and he confirmed I have a cracked filling which he will treat soon, it could well be at least part of the discomfort. If I bite on that side it sends pain through my head.

I feel for you, ringing in the ears must be nasty. I have pulsing and churning, with now mild but frequent pressure headache around my eyes.
 
You have my sympathy. Did they diagnose you with Meniere's disease? I hope you're better by now. The only thing that helped me was Ativan at first sign of dizziness/nausea. Take it about 1 hour before a car trip. I have become allergic or sensitive to Ativan & it is now making me feel worse. I don't know if it will help you but I sleep almost sitting up with 3 or 4 pillows. If I lay on either side it makes my vertigo worse. Now that my medication makes me sick I'll be housebound. I also keep a walking cane next to my bed. Good luck!
 

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