Just after a bit of advice really. I’ve been feeling a bit odd over the last few days - my eyes can’t keep up with my head movements, and processing the info is taking longer. It also feels a little like I’ve been on a boat and am now back on dry land. I’ve felt like this pre dx and just added it to the ‘arent I strange so and so’ list. When I’m inside it isn’t so bad, but outside there is just way too much going on. I asked my nurse and she has told me it is vertigo, which I gather is another MS symptom. She also thinks it may be indicating another relapse. ‘Vertigo’ did form part of my last relapse, but other than feeling especially tired and fed up, I’ve not got any of my other ‘usual’ symptoms.
When others experience vertigo, is it part of your general MS life, or part of a relapse?
I went to the pharmacy to see if there was anything I could take without a prescription, but all I got was travel sickness pills. Does anyone know of anything else I can take without seeing my GP?
Hi It was vertigo that led me to MS diagnosis…initially diagnosed with labyrinthitis, then other stuff happened, that was in August last year and I’ve had it ever since in varying degrees, it never goes away. So for me it’s part of MS life !! Just a word of warning about the travel sickness pills which will be stemitil or procholperazine…my neuro told me to stop taking them as they don’t allow the brain to find new pathways around the demyelination and thus compensate. Sending you empathic hugs… It sucks !! Xx
Hi, Like MrsH I have it most of the time. Don’t know if it’s connected to relapses as I’m ppms. But yes, I’ve usually got the rocking boat vertigo and sometimes it goes mad and I get ‘tornado’ type spinning.
It does take some getting used to that’s for sure.
When mine gets very bad I use ginger which does help, believe it or not.
Buy root ginger. Peel a lump about as big as your thumb. Peel and chop into bits. Put into cup with teabag and pour on boiling water. Remove teabag but leave ginger in the cup while you drink it. You can buy ginger teabags but I don’t find them as effective (add milk and sugar if you usually do).
If it’s worse when you move your head it’s very tempting to try not to move your head. Don’t do this… it actually makes the vertigo worse.
I was reluctant to take the travel sickness pills, but the pharmacy lady looked concerned, so thought it would keep her happy.
I’m mostly worried as 80% of my job is driving, and I find everything spins me out a bit too much. Tomorrow I’m supposed to be driving to Southampton for a 7am flight, flying to Leeds, driving around York all day and getting back to Southampton for about 6pm, which would normally be my perfect day, but I’m really not sure I can do it.
I will try the ginger idea, I’m always game for wierd and wonderful tea’s and concoctions
Oh gosh, that’s an awkward one. I choose not to drive anymore and I’m going to have to sell my lovely, one year old car. I know I’m not safe to drive with the vertigo and it know seems, after 10 months, unlikely to go as I had initially hoped.
Crikey!! There! Something else that I’ve had in the past (before I demanded the doc’s carry out the relevant tests that led to an MS diagnosis) that could well have been another symptom. I’ve had those ‘seasicky’ feelings quite a few times but on 3 occasions a full-blown vertigo attack just came on in minutes (bang!) I can’t for the life of me see how not moving your head can make it worse Pat, If I tried that, just a centimeter, I’d throw up! The emergency doc just put me on seasickness tablets but they made everything worse, could have done with you’re advice then Pat! Hope things get back on track with you MrsH. Happy hugs
I get vertigo everyday in varying intensities everyday …thanks MS!!
Sitting down improves it (…driving a car a short distance is still do-able), but as soon as I stand or walk, I’m all over the place. It seems to be getting more pronounced the longer I have it, so I may have to give up driving soon ?
Thank you so much for the suggestion of ginger, Pat. I’m gonna try that very soon (…as soon as I get some!!)
Hya, apparently it will make it worse when you do move your head again (sorry, didn’t make that clear). So sitting still for a long time without moving your head will make it much worse when you do move your head.
Sorry… sounds daft, but that’s what I’ve read and think it’s true… for instance vertigo is worse when I first wake up and move my head!
Hi, when I saw a nurse (not ms nurse) about my dizzy spells she told me to take my allergy tablets, cetirizine, as they would help. I now take them daily and haven’t really had any problems with it since. Don’t get me wrong lol it could just be luck!! So good luck, I hope you can find a solution. Debs x
Thanks Debs, I took one of mine before bed. No idea if it was that that did it, but I woke up feeling much better, though my legs are playing up now. The vertigo has edged back throughout the day so perhaps it is related to how tired I am.
Ahh MS, so generous, I had just got the hang of my other symptoms! Luckily my day is nearly done, a short drive to Leeds Bradford, a little flight, a short drive home, and then to bed. I’m so rock n roll!
I get it, ignored it for a long time like most of my symptoms til I had an MRI… my worst thing is multi-storey car parks, I literally shut my eyes tight when my husband drives into one, really hate it!
Thanks Dave, I’ll ask my GP about that when I see her I’m pretty sure mine is related to fatigue now. This week has been quite tough and I’ve suffered. I felt so awful (and my neigbours confirmed that i looked it too) last night that i was sure I was relapsing but I got 12 hours sleep last night and have done very little today and feel much better. I used to just get a crazy jigging left leg and massive cog fog when tired, so I guess I can now add vertigo to the list.