Spinning

A week ago, I turned over in bed, and the world spun around me. What was happening? I waited, and gradually the world slowed. I moved, and it happened again. This wasn’t good. Head movements triggered the spin. I sat up, and almost fell back down again as the world was spinning again. I stood up. Wobbly, but the world didn’t move, as long as I didn’t move my head. Balance, however, was another issue. I went down the stairs carefully, not looking down, feeling my way. The problem of living in a house with multiple levels.

It continued for the rest of the morning. Walking made me feel that I was on a ship that was rolling, and threatened to lurch if I didn’t pay attention. I googled “”spinning head when turning over in bed” and discovered I wasn’t the first to do that. I learned that this is a common enough complaint, and gave myself a self-diagnosis of BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo). Best of all, I learned that there are treatments. Relief. No stroke. (I had already done the self-test to determine that). No apparent brain tumour. I tried out the treatment (a series of movements), and though I felt different after it, I was still highly imbalanced. I slept on the couch – sitting propped up, as lying down is what triggers it. And afterwards, when I moved my head, the world stayed put. I walked around tentatively all evening, but was pleased to feel more anchored. I know Dr Google can be dangerous, but the good doctor served its purpose that day.

Sadly, the vertigo came back. The movements or manoeuvres help. I can walk around okay, and there is steady improvement. But I’m not driving yet, just to be careful. And I’m tired of trying to sleep sitting up, or only on one side, to avoid a recurrence. So I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow. There was a time for Dr Google. But it is now time to talk to a human about it.

(see Eggs on Mali’s Daily Delights for an update)

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