Anyone tour the parks with vertigo??

[DznyDreamz]

I've been dealing with a nasty bout of vertigo for the past 2 weeks. I'm really hoping to shake it before we leave for our trip.

My doctor assures me that once I feel better (which BETTER be soon!) that going on rides won't cause a relapse. I sure hope he is right!

Anyone ever manage to make it through the parks with vertigo?

 

[Pakey]

I've been dealing with a nasty bout of vertigo for the past 2 weeks. I'm really hoping to shake it before we leave for our trip.

My doctor assures me that once I feel better (which BETTER be soon!) that going on rides won't cause a relapse. I sure hope he is right!

Anyone ever manage to make it through the parks with vertigo?

I did it in May. My doctor put me on a seasick patch but I had terrible side effects so he told me to stop and I had no choice but to vacation with it.

I tried ToT first morning as it's my all time fav ride and it was terrible. After that, I stayed away from rides for the week except for tame stuff like Great Movie Ride, Safari, etc.

Hopefully yours will be gone by then. I finally had to go to a neurologist to get mine taken care of.

 

[vicki_c]

I have some fluid in my one ear that's been making me dizzy when I lay my head down or tilt my head backwards. It didn't go away before our trip despite seeing my doctor. Anyway -- we did 12 days of parks over Christmas and it didn't bother me on the rides I did.

But I avoided Space Mountain, EE, and RnR. It just seemed to me that those were asking for trouble. I didn't have any issue on Mission Space (green) or Test Track, Star Tours, or anywhere else.

Not sure if that helps you decide or not -- but depending on how bad it is, you might have to skip the more intense stuff.

 

[Tara8595]

I have. Look up Epley maneuver on the web and learn how to do it by yourself before you go. I've been when I was having episodes and performed the movements myself on various benches. Looks silly, but it works.

 

[deej696]

While its not vertigo, I experience anxiety from time to time that has some of the same symptoms, dizzyness being one of them. I just take it one ride at a time. ToT is one of the main rides that gives me trouble, but for the most part the rest I'm ok on. One thing to keep in mind is that there's always a bail out exit before the ride. If you feel ok getting in line, but then your vertigo shows up when its time to board, you can always decide not to ride...

 

[ekatiel]

Ditto the Epley manuver, but it only works if you have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)-- it's basically vertigo when you lay down and move your head, like switching sides while sleeping, or when you look up for long periods of time (it's sometimes called "top shelf" vertigo). I have this type of vertigo, and my DH (who is a nurse practitioner) has done the Epley manuver on me several times. It works and gets rid of the vertigo for months at a time. --Katie

 

[vicki_c]

Ditto the Epley manuver, but it only works if you have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)-- it's basically vertigo when you lay down and move your head, like switching sides while sleeping, or when you look up for long periods of time (it's sometimes called "top shelf" vertigo). I have this type of vertigo, and my DH (who is a nurse practitioner) has done the Epley manuver on me several times. It works and gets rid of the vertigo for months at a time. --Katie

Off to Google that -- sounds exactly like my problem, but my doc said it was some fluid in my ear related to my sinuses (stuffy) -- but the nose spray she prescribed didn't seem to help too much!

 

[DznyDreamz]

You guys are awesome! I knew I count count on the Dis'ers! I was diagnosed with BPPV and will google the treatment. It worked but its not totally gone.

The bummer of it all is DH and I are leaving DD home this trip and we planned to rid the "big" rides over and over again. I am going to be one unhappy camper if I still end up on all the tame rides. Grrrrr. 2 weeks left, hopefully its enough to shake it for good.

Thanks again!

 

[DznyDreamz]

Ditto the Epley manuver, but it only works if you have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)-- it's basically vertigo when you lay down and move your head, like switching sides while sleeping, or when you look up for long periods of time (it's sometimes called "top shelf" vertigo). I have this type of vertigo, and my DH (who is a nurse practitioner) has done the Epley manuver on me several times. It works and gets rid of the vertigo for months at a time. --Katie

Question for you: is the vertigo something that comes back once you have it? I'd hate to go through this ever again in my life. I like the teacup ride and all, but I simply HATE feeling like I've been on a wild spin day in-day out! I was hoping once I got rid of it, it would be gone. I'm not liking the sound of relapses.

 

[angboys3]

I have this same thing. I had it really bad over the new year's holiday when the doctor's offices were closed and couldn't get to a doctor, then it went away.My sinus were really bad. I was suspecting this disorder by I haven't heard of this treatment yet. Is there any other treatment for it? What kind of doctor diagnosed it ENT or just regular practioner.

 

[DznyDreamz]

I had a series of blood work done along with an MRI. My general practitioner sent me to an ENT. He did the Epley treatment referred to above. They basically just move you around rapidly from side to side. I'm sure there is some logic to it, but it seemed very hoakey to me....until I started to feel better. This was on Friday morning.

The ENT doctor told me I would feel much worse before I got better. I actually felt better that night then I had in many weeks. The next morning (Sat) I was back to being all out of sorts. I tried to go to CVS to pick up my meds and must have looked like a drunk at 9am as I was weaving all over the store as I was walking. (He prescribed steroids and valium; the valium to reduce anxiety about making the movements I think will cause me to spin).

I'm slowly feeling less dizzy with less of the spinning sensation, but I'm still not "right". My head movements feel weird, my ability to process information seems slower then normal and I feel lightheaded. My doctor said to give it a few days and is seeing me next Monday. I sure hope its gone by the following Monday as I have a date with Mickey, Minnie & Friends!!

Good luck to you if you are feeling like this. Its one of the most horrible feelings I've experienced - including childbirth!!

 

[kitkatsmom]

I call it car sickness/motion sickness but the doc calls it vertigo.

The worst I had it was one time during a hectic flight back from nashville. The plane shook so much!!! I literlly couldn't walk upright without banging into the walls for at least 4 days..
Its awful when it happens.

I find that if I take a dose of car/motion sickness medication (prescription or over the counter) BEFORE I attempt rides I am okay.
But I only do somewhat tame rides.
I know my limitations.

I skip the spin rides like the teacups etc.. And the virtual reality stuff also is a big no no..

I am able to do normal roller coasters as well as most other rides as long as there isn't a great deal of spinning.

So you should be able to do some..

 

[Emiems20]

Once you have vertigo, you will always have it. I have been diagnosed for about 3 years and while my flair ups have lessend, I will never be "vertigo free." I typically only get flair ups when I am extremely sick. The only ride that has ever bothered me was the astro orbitor. I can't do that ride, the one time I tried, it was bad and I didn't have my medication with me.

 

[DznyDreamz]

Emiems20; I was afraid of that when you say you have your medication with you, if I am not being to forward may I ask: is that a motion sickness type medicine? I was wondering if taking one of them would help with the rides (if I can stay awake that long, that is ) Definately won't be trying the orange side of MS this trip!!

 

[kitkatsmom]

I get prescribed Meclizine I think. (may have spelled that wrong)

Its the same as what is in the over the counter stuff only a stronger dose.
Many times I just buy the over the counter stuff and take more (the doctors dose) since its cheaper than my prescription plan is.

If I use dramine I am very sleepy, but for whatever reason BONINE doesn't make me sleepy. Its the same active ingredients so I don't know why.

As long as I take it ahead of time I can do some rides.

 

[DznyDreamz]

That is the same meds that my doctor prescribed and also makes me sleepy (plus it says on the side may cause dizziness - what's the point of that???). I may try bonine and see if I am able to stay awake on that.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[kitkatsmom]

That is the same meds that my doctor prescribed and also makes me sleepy (plus it says on the side may cause dizziness - what's the point of that???). I may try bonine and see if I am able to stay awake on that.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I guess the docs figure sleepy is better than sick? Who knows.
The bonine has the same active ingredient in it as dramine, I don't know why it doesn't make me sleepy as well. Must be something else in there that counter acts it in me.

 

[cattrix]

I get motion sickness very easily and have always taken Bonine on any trip with me. I take 2 before I go to bed at night, they last 24 hours so I get up the next day feeling refreshed and not sleepy and can ride any ride at DW. The exception is Mission Space and the TeaCups....I haven't gotten up enough guts to try those!

Bonine works great for me though.

 

[Tara8595]

Vertigo and other kinds of dizziness are not (I don't think) the same thing. If you're dizzy from being motion sick, the Epley won't do anything for you. BPV or Benign Positional Vertigo is something that runs in families and well, you'll have to google exactly what it is, it's too much to write. I have bouts of it for a few days and whenever I start listing to the side, I do the Epley and immediately feel better (if you see a girl on a bench in the Canadian pavilion with her head hanging off the end, it might be me). Sometimes it comes back and I do it again. Eventually, it goes away and can stay away for months or years at a time. But I know if I quickly turn my head in exactly the wrong way (which is unpredictable), I'll start walking like a crab again.

I'm fairly certain that medicine won't help this too much like the Epley does, because when you're doing the Epley, you're getting the particles/debris out of the area in your head that is causing the dizzy reaction.

 

[DznyDreamz]

Thanks, the Epley treatment worked somewhat but not completely. I'm just looking for the meds to even out the spinning so I can enjoy some rides. Unfortunately it doesn't cure the problem, just masks the symptoms.