Yesterday I felt pretty good. However this morning I woke up and the world was spinning around wildly. It was the worst vertigo I have ever experienced. Fortunately it only lasted a few minutes, but for that time I just closed my eyes and buried my head in my pillow. If I opened my eyes or moved my head I immediately felt nauseous almost to the point of vomiting.
It almost cleared up in a few minutes, then hit my about an hour later, then a couple of hours later again.
I decided this was enough, and headed off to the emergency room (Gisele driving, of course).
Chandler Regional Hospital is great. The ER was not very busy, and we got in right away. Still, by the time we got all the tests done and got moved from room to room we spent about 4 hours there.
They did a CAT scan (CT Scan) which showed no damage or other problems with the brain. They concluded that the trauma had messed with the inner ear, and that was causing the problem. A dose of “Meclizine”, and I felt a lot better.
They sent me home with instructions to take Meclizine whenever I feel dizzy and not to play basketball until all symptoms are gone.
I can live with that.
Sounds like your bump caused benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). I have occasional episodes, and it’s awful. I didn’t know what it was until I read about it in a novel. The last time I had it, I tried the Epley’s maneuver. That’s hard to do on yourself, though.
If your symptoms persist, you might need to try it. But wait until your concussion heals.
And take it easy! (even when you go back to Bball!)
Comment by Donna — April 28, 2007 @ 9:31 pm
That’s scary. The last time I went to the ER they didn’t know what was wrong. I’m glad yours wasn’t so difficult. Head injuries are so dangerious.
Comment by jocelyn — April 29, 2007 @ 7:58 am
I’m still waiting to hear if this episode has knocked any sense into you. Contact sports are for much younger bodies. Have you considered shuffleboard or lawn bowling?
Seriously, I learn such interesting things from reading blogs. Who knew that benign paroxysmal positional vertigo even existed, let alone how to control it?
Comment by Richard — April 29, 2007 @ 8:25 am
BPPV! Sounds exactly like the ER doctor described, though he didn’t use those words.
I see at the Mayo Clinic this procedure to help get those little particles back where they belong — is that the “Epley’s” maneuver?
Richard — Basketball a contact sport? Don’t be silly — don’t you know you get called for a foul if you contact somebody? Therefore, by definition it is not a contact sport, and I should be perfectly safe…
Seriously, I still think the benefit I get from the exercise outweighs the risk of injury, at least so far. The people I play with are normally pretty careful not to injure anybody. Plus, as a slow, short white guy I usually play around the perimeter lobbing up long shots rather than mixing it up in the middle.
Now, when I have to start worrying about breaking a hip from falling down, it might be time to move on to shuffleboard.
Comment by Daryl — April 29, 2007 @ 9:15 am
Daryl,
After this problem, I am certain that you will be more careful, even without being hyper cautious. Take care and WIN.
Go Suns.
Comment by Don — April 29, 2007 @ 12:37 pm
You make me laugh! I am glad you went in today and you can skip you CT this week. Take care of yourself!
Comment by Heather — April 29, 2007 @ 1:30 pm
I tried to stop it when I saw my typo, the 4th “you” in my entry should read “your”! 🙂
Comment by Heather — April 29, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
As long as the grey mass is where it’s supposed to be, all’s well that ends well.
Comment by Dianna — April 29, 2007 @ 2:40 pm
Check this site. It has an animated demo of the maneuver.
Comment by Donna — April 30, 2007 @ 6:14 pm
Oops, I’m not very good at html. I’ll just do it the long way. http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/bppv/bppv.html
Comment by Donna — April 30, 2007 @ 6:17 pm
Donna I saw that “animation” too, but when I look at it there is not motion. There’s just a series of stills and I have to click “Forward” to move to the next one each time.
Am I looking at the wrong thing?
Comment by Daryl — April 30, 2007 @ 10:10 pm
There are some links on the page that will start up “avi” tool and play some animation. Try the “site DVD” link.
Comment by Donna — May 1, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
I just saw Don’s “Go Suns” in his comment. Isn’t he a Laker’s fan? He must see the writing on the wall…
Comment by Donna — May 1, 2007 @ 7:12 pm
Wrong Don — That one is Mister Bates, the internet entrepreneur.
Comment by Daryl — May 1, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
Suns? Is that the team that’s playing the LA Kobes?
Comment by Don — May 1, 2007 @ 8:13 pm
Yes, brother Don, the LA Kobes. Don’t you wish you had a “team” instead of just one flash in the pan?
Comment by Donna — May 2, 2007 @ 6:25 pm
Well, I don’t know about “flash in the pan” but yeah it would be nice if we had more than just Kobe.
Oh! I keep forgetting to ask. When was the last time Phoenix won the NBA championship?
Comment by Don — May 2, 2007 @ 7:16 pm
With my allergies, I get labyrinthitis. I wonder if those maneuvers will help me?
Glad to hear you are ok.
Comment by Betty — May 3, 2007 @ 4:39 pm
Great game last night, huh?
Comment by Donna — May 3, 2007 @ 7:13 pm
Yes it was!
And now to gently turn this back to the original topic — Me!
I felt well enough to play basketball this morning, just one week after the incident. The ER doctor had told that I could play as soon as I felt normal, and I felt pretty normal this morning. Made several three-pointers, so I guess my balance isn’t too far off.
Comment by Daryl — May 3, 2007 @ 8:20 pm
Go Daryl! And Go Suns! 🙂
Comment by Donna — May 3, 2007 @ 10:13 pm
How about those Suns!!!! What? They lost to the Spurs? They will probably win the series though.
Comment by Don — May 6, 2007 @ 3:31 pm