a bit lost with labyrinthitis!

[crisgal]

i've been diagnosed with the above and started my 15 day course of pills on saturday. the thing is i'm feeling much worse now - the slightest movement of my head means severe dizziness. I thought i would be feeling better by now. Do you think it's one of those things that will get worse before it gets better or should i go back to the docs?

[beryllium]

Hi crisgal, you should have been given specialist exercises to do aswell. A friend of mine had this, and she made me dosey doh (sp?) with her round and round in circles, one way and then the other with our arms interlinked. It was about 3 times a day. She did recover.

http://www.labyrinthitis.org.uk/vrt.htm

so, you may need to see an ENT specialist about vestibular rehabilitation unless your GP is with knowledge on this subject.

[Dollie]

crisgal - I feel so sorry for you - had labrynthitis about ten years ago and wanted to share my story with you in the hope that it may make you feel a bit better. The bad bit is that it really does take a while for the dizziness to stop - I was still dizzy a month later but not as bad as at first. For the first week I was continually vomiting as well. It took me about 3-6 months to completely recover and get back to normal. On the plus side - It has never recurred in ten years and I am fully fit with no lasting side-effects. Also during that 4 weeks to six months recovery period it got better and better every day and after a month I was able to return to work and do things - albeit slowly.
My doc warned me it would take this long and I didn't believe him, but he was right. If you feel really ill, go back to docs - I had to have my medication changed twice - and I wish you all the luck in the world my friend - it is a truly awful illness, but thankfully one which is not life-threatening and you WILL recover in time. Doll xx

[crisgal]

thank you so much dollie, that has made me see there IS light at the end of the (very long) tunnel. xxx

[Catso]

I've had lab. also, first got it perhaps 5 years ago. The first attack was dreadful, pretty much like yours I guess, I was incapacitated, in bed and vomitting for days. The pills didn't seem to help much, but it did slowly wear off. Perhaps 5 days before I was well enough to even get up again.

Be warned though, it may recur. I've had further attacks, maybe one or two a year since then. But, each one has been less severe than the preceeding.

It's a realy unpleasant little 'disease', isn't it. And when you tell other people it sounds so inconsequential. It's only those who've had it appreciate it!