r/BPPV

Greetings all. I'm a 56yo F and newly diagnosed with my first bout of BPPV. It literally came out of nowhere and I simply "woke up like this" just over a week ago. The onset was severe dizziness and fatigue with no other symptoms. By day two, I went to the walk in clinic and was told that the vertigo appeared to be caused by a viral illness since I had fluid in both ears and inflamed sinuses and throat. They prescribed Prednisone, Antivert, Flonase and Astepro nasal sprays that I've been using since with no relief. 

Two days later, I worsened with added severe dizziness and nausea rolling over in bed so I returned to the walk in, who shipped me to the ER for scans. Luckily, all scans were normal and I'm negative for all of the usual respiratory viruses. I was diagnosed with BPPV based on Dix-Hallpike results, told to take an increased dose of Antivert, and given a referral to a Vestibular and Balance Center in a month. When I asked about the prognosis of this, they said it can resolve on its own, but suggested I try to the Epley Maneuver at home. That hasn't given me any relief at all. 

I'm just kind of stunned that this condition can appear out of nowhere and turn my life upside down like this. I've never had any issues with balance or dizziness before. Now I'm using a hiking pole as a cane around the house because my balance is so bad, can't/shouldn't drive, and I'm so exhausted that I'm not functioning very well otherwise. I've had to clear my work calendar (dog trainer) and can't even give them an estimate on when I make be able to return. I'm mind blown and frustrated for sure. 

Has anyone had this just resolve on its own? Or has it required vestibular therapy to get back to normal?

EDIT: Just to be clear for those that are urging me to seek treatment, I have an appointment for treatment with a vestibular therapist. Unfortunately, the first available appointment was 4 weeks out but I'm on a cancellation waiting list. Fingers crossed!

Everyone has been great with sharing their personal experiences, tips and suggestions. Thank you!

Hi everyone. I’m currently on day 2 of what seems like BPPV/vertigo and I’ve been really struggling mentally with it.

The dizziness mostly happens when I move my head, stand up, turn in bed, or change positions. Sometimes it feels like the room shifts for a second and it immediately triggers panic and anxiety. The hard part is that my brain keeps convincing me it could be something neurological or something seriously wrong in my brain instead of “just vertigo.”

I know anxiety can make dizziness feel 10x worse, but it’s hard not to spiral when every movement makes me feel off balance or weird. I keep overanalyzing every sensation and checking if I’m having signs of something more serious.

For people here who’ve experienced BPPV with anxiety:

How did you calm yourself during the first few days?

How long did the dizziness last for you?

Did anxiety make your symptoms feel worse?

Any tips for sleeping, moving around, or avoiding panic?

Would really appreciate hearing other experiences because right now I feel scared and stuck in my head.

Been getting gradually more dizzy since January. Im either swaying on spinning in tiny circles. I physically sway when I try to sit still. Or my head will slowly lean to the side over time. And the random tinnitus I get is a nightmare. I'm also car sick at times, which I never was before.

Had a CT scan, nothing on my brain. Phew. Also had my ears checked for blockages.

Its been debilitating. I've had vertigo before but it's only ever lasted a week max. This has gone on for months... I've had random bouts of relief for about an hour or so and im able to have some peace, but it's always come back.

It's worse when I turn over in bed, bend over to pick anything up, walk down long hallways, etc. My glasses also make it worse. Starting to wonder if its caused by eye strain...

I had extremely bad vertigo 2 years ago. It was the worst thing I’ve ever experienced. Now it’s came back but not intense at all. Just small bouts here and there starting in February it comes if I don’t get much sleep (I currently have a 9 month old and 3 other kids) or leaning back on the couch reading or looking down etc. The spinning only lasts a few second thank god but it keeps happening. I did the eply last night and felt a small surge once but that was it. But now next day late afternoon it happened again while reading on the couch but when I tried the eply I didn’t feel anything? Maybe the crystal went back when I was reading? I do have a small cold right now and my ears feel full but I always get worried it’s a tumor or something much worse. So is recurrence a thing? Not just once a year like multiple times over a few months?

Edit to add I developed high blood pressure after third baby but it’s not extremely high so I’m not on medication for it.

I have had this for about 20 years and it started i think after jaw surgery. I have been to countless ENTs and vestibular therapists and spent a lot of money on private appointments. I either cancel last minute or go and dont let them do the manovres.

I cant understand why mine hasnt resolved itself like with other people and why it's lasted so long. I dont have any vertigo unless id try to lie down or extend my neck to look straight up. I dont lie on my sides just propped up. Sometimes i would feel generally dizzy or woozy.

I dont have any other symptoms or fit into having vestibular migraines or menieres etc. I keep getting told that epley and other manovres is the first step to getting rid of it but i just think it sounds like fantasy and i don't trust it.

The thought even of going into those positions sends me into panic.

Has anyone else been in my shoes and overcome the fear and got rid of the bppv?

Thanks

I was diagnosed with a case of BPPV after exercise and about 2 weeks that resolved, however now I am suffering from Vestibular Migraines. I got headaches now and then before the BPPV ,but now they're on a completely different level and quite debilitating. Has anyone else experienced BPPV leading to ongoing Migraines

Has anyone ever had bi lateral bppv in both ears? If so how long did it take to fully treat it and feel normal again? I am going on month two.

For 3 years I’ve struggled with chronic stress, but in the last month vertigo has started. I’ve tried doing the Epley however it’s still there. Now I’m starting to think the dizziness, migraines and vertigo is coming from a misalignment in my spine at the top of my head- or POTS as I’ve read? Yesterday, I went to an osteopath and he said yes it is out of alignment and he has to crack in back in place, in order for him to crack in back into place I have to lie down, if I lie down the vertigo happens and that scares me. So today I went to this holistic spinal doctor, and she said she can find pressure points or something down my spine to let my spinal flow because I have spinal blockages, she also said that my neck will be able to realign itself as the body can heal itself, and that all the spinal blockages and affecting my nervous system and that is what is causing the vertigo, dizziness, chronic headaches, tiredness, trouble sleeping, tiredness after eating, and anxiety. I’m just so confused, scared and overwhelmed. I also have to get my bloods done which I’ve never had done and I’m so scared, but at least if I get it done maybe it would be able to tell me what’s wrong, as it might be something I’m lacking or even a hyper active thyroid, because I get purple toes and cold feet, can’t put on weight (but is that just the anxiety) and when I stand up my heart feels like it’s strong pumping out my chest (so then is that POTS?) I’m just so overwhelmed by what could be wrong with me and I don’t know what to do. So I guess my question is, can vertigo happen from thyroid issues, why do I get dizzy is it from anxiety, why do my toes start going purple, should I keep going to this holistic spine doctor to try and fix my spine and the blockages for my nervous system? I’m only a 18 year old female, and haven’t had an vaccines so I don’t think it would be like long covid or annoying like that

if you saw a neurologist for your vertigo and already had an MRI before seeing them, what additional things did the neurologist do?

For 3 years I’ve struggled with chronic stress, but in the last month vertigo has started. I’ve tried doing the Epley however it’s still there. Now I’m starting to think the dizziness, migraines and vertigo is coming from a misalignment in my spine at the top of my head- or POTS as I’ve read? Yesterday, I went to an osteopath and he said yes it is out of alignment and he has to crack in back in place, in order for him to crack in back into place I have to lie down, if I lie down the vertigo happens and that scares me. So today I went to this holistic spinal doctor, and she said she can find pressure points or something down my spine to let my spinal flow because I have spinal blockages, she also said that my neck will be able to realign itself as the body can heal itself, and that all the spinal blockages and affecting my nervous system and that is what is causing the vertigo, dizziness, chronic headaches, tiredness, trouble sleeping, tiredness after eating, and anxiety. I’m just so confused, scared and overwhelmed. I also have to get my bloods done which I’ve never had done and I’m so scared, but at least if I get it done maybe it would be able to tell me what’s wrong, as it might be something I’m lacking or even a hyper active thyroid, because I get purple toes and cold feet, can’t put on weight (but is that just the anxiety) and when I stand up my heart feels like it’s strong pumping out my chest (so then is that POTS?) I’m just so overwhelmed by what could be wrong with me and I don’t know what to do. So I guess my question is, can vertigo happen from thyroid issues, why do I get dizzy is it from anxiety, why do my toes start going purple, should I keep going to this holistic spine doctor to try and fix my spine and the blockages for my nervous system? I’m only a 18 year old female, and haven’t had an vaccines so I don’t think it would be like long covid or annoying like that

Hey there, I (24 yr, F) have been experiencing vertigo/BPPV symptoms for 5 years now, daily.

It is positional and bilateral. My left side is worse than my right side. These past 5 years ive explored several diffrent treatments as finances have allowed. Ive done every holistic treatment ive come across, lifestyle elimination to see it was triggered by environmental factors or diet, blood work, I've seen 4 diffrent PTs, a chiropractor, several doctors, and an ENT.

Most recently I seen a PT that specialized in vertigo, she discontinued seeing me due to my vertigo symptoms having no improvement. She tested all my canals and expressed that they were all positive, confirming it being bilateral with my left side canals being severely worse than my right. We did every diffrent epliey maneuver under the sun with no improvement at all. She referred me to a neurological optometrist due to my abnormal eye movements she observed during the maneuvers. Also recommended that i have scans done such as an MRI. The optometrist denied seeing me for vertigo/dizziness.

Im looking for advice or similar experiences. I dont know what my next step should be. I dont want to waste money on scans if they're not beneficial for my condition. Im open to literally any suggestions or input!!!!

any tips/advice/shared experiences please

i had an episode of vertigo back in 2022 when i got hit with a pretty severe flu, the vertigo lasted 2 days and that was it and i didn’t experience vertigo again until this year.

end of january while at work, i started experiencing vertigo which i believe this day was related to anxiety, too much caffeine and not enough food and sleep. it lasted a few hours then went away.

start of feb i was at the shops, felt completely fine and all of a sudden i got hit with intense vertigo, a sensation that my head was falling backwards, a heaviness/numbness that started on the left side of my body and very quickly spread to my entire body but mostly effecting my calves and arms, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and stinging/shooting pain through my chest and armpit, blurred vision and a weird sensation in my brain that i can’t describe. i went to the ER as i was sure i was having a heart attack or stroke. they listened to my heart, checked my blood pressure and oxygen levels in the waiting room and i saw in the monitor that it was all fine and immediately most of my symptoms went away (besides the vertigo). i stayed in the waiting room for 8 hours before deciding to leave. when i got home i started to feel like i was coming down with a bad cold. the next 2 days i had very mild dizziness/vertigo but was fine besides that.

end of feb i came down with the flu, 2 days into the flu i started experiencing horrible vertigo that had me bed bound. the second day of vertigo i was sitting up and my left foot went numb and tingly, while moving it to get feeling back the tingling suddenly shot up from my foot to just below my knee, i suddenly got extremely light headed and sweaty, my heart started racing (140bpm sitting down) and i thought i was going to pass out. i spent the rest of that day with vertigo so bad that i couldn’t even roll over in bed. i spent the next 2 weeks in bed with horrible vertigo, only able to get out of bed to have a quick shower once per day.

basically since then, ive had vertigo/dizziness every single day to varying degrees. ive noticed my vertigo is worse when i sleep on my right side, which is annoying because i can only fall asleep if im on my right side. sickness, sleep deprivation, hunger, dehydration and caffeine all trigger my vertigo and i also notice that when i move my head to my left i feel vertigo more intensely.

on days my vertigo is really bad ill experience really intense weakness in my legs, specifically in my calf muscles, weakness in my forearms/shoulders, my head feels unstable, my entire body just overall feels weak, sore and very sensitive, i feel weird nerve like pain in random parts of my body, my ears sometimes feel blocked, ring, or crackle when i swallow, i get very mild pressure in my right temple, the left side of my jaw aches sometimes, my eyes won’t focus properly and i get a weird spinning sensation in my eyes, sometimes i get a weird internal vibrating feeling through my back, chest, stomach and ankles.

on days my vertigo isn’t as bad, i still experience mild weakness in my left arm which i think might be due to the fact im spending most days in bed lying on my left side with my left arm up under my head, and horrible fatigue which feels mental? im diagnosed with adhd and to begin with my adhd medication actually helped my vertigo but after 3 days of it suddenly making my vertigo worse i have become afraid to take my medication, so im unsure if my fatigue could be due to this.

i keep booking doctors appointments when my vertigo isn’t as extreme for a few days but then by the time it comes to the day of my doctors appointments my vertigo is so bad that i can’t go so i’m looking into booking an appointment with a gp who does home visits, however they’re quite expensive so i currently don’t have any answers for my vertigo.

does anyone have any shared symptoms/ similar experiences? or any idea what type of vertigo i could be experiencing? when i research vertigo conditions i feel like i fit almost all of them. i’m not looking to self diagnose or seek an internet diagnosis, i would just like some peace of mind until i can be checked out by a doctor as all this has caused me to develop horrible health anxiety and i completely spiral on days my vertigo is bad.

thankfully this no longer happens to me or at least not nearly as much. i used to have very severe episodes of vertigo. it would happen with double vision, straight up not being able to see objects, inability to walk straight/ falling over, etc. these lasted at minimum 45 minutes and i had to be hospitalized. i just found out that bppv episodes typically only last seconds. i can and lately still do experience episodes for an hour.

Hi all!

I’m currently suffering with my first BPPV incident. The first day I had extreme dizziness and performed the Epley manoeuvre with what felt like success.

I can now dangle my head over the bed/pillow with no dizziness but I’m still having problems when my head is actually on the pillow and at a slight incline. I’m also getting dizzy when sitting up too.

I have assumed this is residual dizziness but this is day three and it still seems to be quite bad still.

Is it possible crystals have moved and I need to do a different manoeuvre?