Looking for advice

Hi,

Iā€™m new here. I found this website recently, thank you for making it.

Iā€™m Sara, from London, female, 30 years old .

Bit of a long story, I was wondering if anyone would give me advice or help me out.

Basically nearly 2 years ago around the same time that the first UK lockdown happened I started getting a light headed / floaty / head cold feeling when I was walking. At the time I had no idea that I had an ear infection, I had no pain and had no idea what vertigo felt like.

I canā€™t exactly remember when it started getting worse but one of my friends told me it might be labrynthitis. Because of covid and the lockdown i couldnā€™t go to the doctor surgery to get checked out but I was given antibiotics. My ear infection was pretty bad so I had to have two doses of antibiotics.
I used ear drops, an ear wash to wash it out. Found out that I had a small bit of cotton wool stuck in my ear which must have been in there for 6 months, Iā€™m not sure.

The ear infection cleared up but I had vertigo nearly every day since then and itā€™s been nearly 2 years now. The waiting list to see an ENT through the NHS was 11 months.(because of covid) I couldnā€™t wait that long so I booked a private ENT , did a lot of tests, did an MRI which came back normal.
Hearing tests were normal too so itā€™s not Menierā€™s Disease.

The ENT told me he doesnā€™t think the vertigo is related to the ear infection and think itā€™s vestibular migraines. I donā€™t think my parents have ever suffered from migraines and I havenā€™t ever had migraines. I have noticed since my ear infection or since the vertigo had gotten worse I canā€™t listen to loud music with my headphones anymore and have to turn it down.
I might have a slight sensitivity to bright lights and this is why the ENT thinks itā€™s VM.

I was taking Stemetil (prochlorperazine maleate) 10 mg , 3 times a day for nearly 2 years ever since which helped me get rid of most of the vertigo most of the time but sometimes I would still get bad attacks. Itā€™s the only medication which would help me feel normal.
Sometimes the vertigo would go away for a week but come back.
I realised that coffee made it worse so Iā€™ve stopped having caffeine for nearly a year now.

I went to a Neurologist recently about 2 weeks ago to get a second opinion. I did another hearing test which came back normal. He told me it isnā€™t Menierā€™s Disease and told me he canā€™t work out what it is but thinks it could be Vestibular migraines.

Iā€™ve been reading a lot of info online and the migraine diet and been trying to avoid most triggers and still get vertigo. I had 3 days with no vertigo last weekend then it came back.

I started going to a chiropractor who said he treats patients with vertigo. He told me 90% of his patients who have vertigo get treated by him but he said he doesnā€™t want to give me false hope.
I did some exercises with him and he said I do walk slightly to the right. He thinks I could have an inflammation in my inner ear from the ear infection causing the vertigo or he said maybe nerve damage?

I just donā€™t know what to do anymore.

Iā€™ve been prescribed propranolol again (the first time from the ENT i took 20mg 3 times a day for a few weeks and it didnā€™t get rid of the vertigo so he told me to stop taking it.

Now Iā€™m taking 30mg twice a day to see if that helps.
(I tried taking 40 mg once and felt floaty, light headed and weird all day)

I just canā€™t tell if itā€™s from my ear infection which is when the vertigo started or if its VM.

What do you guys think? Has anyone had anything similar?

If the vertigo is caused from the ear infection do you know if it will go away on itā€™s own ?

Thank you,
Sara

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Welcome Sara. Sorry youā€™ve been suffering!!

Ouch. I understand why in the circumstances but this is a really bad idea.

You need to allow your system to compensate as much as possible and this will not help. Lack of compensation might be the cause of migraines (and dizziness!).

I trust youā€™ve stopped these now?

Also donā€™t mess with your ears. Leave them well alone to self clean.

(My MAV journey began by pointing a very low power shower into my ear. Here I am 7 years later fully recovered from the vestibular issues but still have issues with tinnitus.)

Steer clear of the prochlorperazine. It makes vestibular issues worse and isnā€™t supposed to be used for more than a couple of days at a time. Even the tablets only come in packs of right these days where I am.

Propranolol will stop vertigo but it needs time. Several months rather than weeks. Stick with it if you tolerate it and develop patience. Read my,PD. Meanwhile try to find a proper diagnosis at a balance centre. In London should not be difficult. You need (a) a definite diagnosis and (b) somebody prepared to manage your case. You could try The Migraine Trust if nobody nearer recommendsā€¦ you shouldnā€™t need to have to work it out for yourself.

If you have an ā€˜ear infectionā€™ your GP should be able to sort it and it doesnā€™t last years. VM is difficult to pinpoint so could well be thatā€™s why itā€™s being missed.

Could always go seek out a Neuro-otologist. I was years undiagnosed and one of those spotted mine. Personally Iā€™d avoid chiropractors. VM doesnā€™t like interference particularly in the neck area.

Doesnā€™t that much matter how it came about. You can drive yourself crazy wondering. Itā€™s rarely obvious but what matters is getting a grip over it ASAP and from my own experience Iā€™d say these vestibular conditions need treatment. Waiting for them ā€˜to go awayā€™ not a good idea.

Do let us know how things progress.

Hi,

Thanks for replying. Yeah I stupidly used to use cotton buds in my ears after a shower thinking it would clean my ears when the wax was softer. now iā€™ve not used any cotton buds or anything since.

The ENT I saw prescribed me the Stemetil but didnā€™t say it was bad for me to keep taking it so I didnā€™t know. The Neurologist told me to stop taking it and to try Propranolol so Iā€™m taking that but itā€™s only been less than 2 weeks.

I donā€™t feel much vertigo to be honest so maybe it is helping, who knows.
Iā€™m taking 30mg twice a day now.

Sorry to hear about yours too. Hope you feel better soon

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Thanks for your help,
Iā€™ll look into it.

I did see a Neuro-otologist, Professor Bronstein and he said he canā€™t tell what it is causing the vertigo but thinks it could be vestibular migraines and told me to try the Propranolol and see if it helps.
He told me to stop taking the prochlorperazine.

The chiropractor did some tests with me: one was standing up with your arms out in front of you and to march on the spot so he can see which direction I move to and I kept moving forward and to the right. then he asked me to walk in front of him a few times and he said I walk slightly to the right.
So he thinks itā€™s a balance issue and said if I come back 4/5 more times he can try to help me.

Iā€™ll still take the Propranolol and see if it helps.
Just hoping the vertigo goes away because Iā€™ve had it for so long now and itā€™s making me depressed.

Iā€™ll keep you guys updated.

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A post was merged into an existing topic: Side effects of propranolol

Sara please get used to board etiquette and ask that on a dedicated propranolol topic you could find by search.

Consider the reader and how they might find the question and answer in the future.

You can find a suitable Post to reply to using this search link to save you time: https://mvertigo.org/search?q=Propranolol%20user%3AOnandon03

Iā€™ve moved it for you on this occasion.

Sorry to here about your experience. It sounds to me that you have been given good advice buy your ENT doctors. Your ear infection could have been coincidental with the start of your vertigo or it could have changed your vestibular hair cells/ damaged? Either way you have Vestibular Migraine so you need to be under the care of a good private Nuerologist maybe some who specializes in the treatment of Migraines there much better medications than the prochloroperizine medication your are taking. VM tends to fall between the specialties of the ENT and the Nuerologists so that may explain your incomplete treatment.