Labyrinthitis Revisited

I think I was rather optimistic when I posted on Friday. I suspect that the virus has returned as the symptoms have not subsided or improved. I've just re-read my post December 2010 (Here) and it seems that, last time around, it was my hearing that was most painfully effected. Over the past 3 days, it's very definitely been the vestibular nerve that's in trouble this time.

Sleeping has been a real problem the last two nights. On Friday night, I lay down carefully and very slowly tried to turn over. It caused acute, intolerable vertigo. I spent the rest of the night employing the following strategy in order to move/turn over in bed: waking up, sitting up carefully/slowly, turning my body slowly and then very carefully lowering myself onto my other side. This wasn't without its difficulties i.e. vertigo, but it was tolerable. Last night, I tried the same thing but it was impossible. I couldn't find a way of turning over and lying on my right side. Whenever I got to a certain angle/position, it was like I hit a raw nerve and the vertigo was instantaneous and overwhelmingly extreme. The sensation through my head was like hearing someone running their fingernails down a blackboard whilst also being spun round at 100 mph - really not pleasant. I'd grab my head and carefully try to return it to a position that was tolerable, whilst the spinning subsided. Ultimately, I slept on my left side all night without moving which meant that, to be frank, I hardly slept at all. This morning, once I was properly awake, I did make a concerted effort to see if I could lie on my right side. I managed to get into position but on swallowing hard, it obviously caught the nerve in my ear and the vertigo was as before. It's very strange that it's worst when I'm lying on my right side.

I tried to get out and do things on Saturday afternoon but my visual processing was also effected (like last time) and I felt drained from the effort of coping. Today, it's been raining and snowing(!) so I've not been out and not really moved. However, I've continued to experience momentary spins (where it feels like my eyes are suddenly spun round in my head very fast). Sudden movements physically or visually cause acute vertigo. I'm not looking forward to trying to sleep again tonight.

Other than that, my ears do feel slightly 'full' but that's it. The vertigo (with its visual processing irregularities) is the key problem. I hope it doesn't last much longer....