Exercise Makes the Vertigo Better

I emailed my brother over the weekend to ask him if he still had Meniere's disease since I didn't think he'd suffered any hearing loss or tinnitus. Being my brother, he didn't answer the question. Instead, he went on for several paragraphs about how I should do a test with an ear wash kit to see if I had vestibular insufficiency. (He's exasperating to deal with, which is why I keep contact to a minimum. My sis hasn't spoken to him in years.) I tell him that since I'm able to put cold hydrogen peroxide in my ears without triggering dizziness, there's no need for me to buy an ear wash kit. I don't have vestibular insufficiency. He goes on with a weird pep talk and then tells me to take Claritin-D® everyday forever. I'm not even sure if he hasn't confused me with someone else at this point.

Plumbing issues at the gym today

I do go to the CVS this morning because I had coupons worth a few bucks, and a prescription refill to pick up. Strange that the Claritin-D is locked behind the pharmacy counter. But there are info cards on the shelf that list the active ingredients as well as directions for use. Well, well... it's got pseudoephedrine in it, as well as loratadine, an antihistamine. I buy a small box of generic loratadine, but the dose is higher than what's in the Claritin-D pill (10mg vs 5 mg). I have psuedoephedrine at home. So now the question is, do I need to take both or should I just try taking the decongestant first? Or I can try taking just the antihistamine? Today, the vertigo is only bad when I lean forward, like to tie my shoelaces. Then I get so nauseous that I'm worried about hurling. It's like getting carsick while in park. Exercising seems to help a lot. I don't feel dizzy or queasy while I'm at the gym! But I don't want to wear myself out and catch the flu or worse.

I watched a few YouTube videos on the Epley maneuver, which is suppose to help reset the otoliths in the ear canal if you have BPPV. But only if you can figure out which ear canal is problematic. Because doing this maneuver can make the vertigo worse. And determining which side has issues requires someone looking at your eyes when you lie down because they'll flicker. Um, what?! This morning I guess that it's my right side and do a limited version of the Epley maneuver while lying on my bed. Nothing feels any different. I'm still getting really queasy when I lean forward. So, it might be displaced otoliths, but in which canal? Because there's more than one. Ugh. Nothing is ever simple.

Here's one of many videos online that shows how to do the Epley Maneuver:

One thing that is simple is the recipe I got from another Scout's mom this weekend for a no-fuss beef roast. My hubs got excited enough to buy a 5 lb beef butt. Season, put on a rack, turn oven to 500F and roast 5 minutes for each pound of meet. Then turn oven off, and leave for 2 hours. My hubs was skeptical so we stuck it with a thermometer. The center read 175F. Done! This is probably the first roast we've ever made where most of the meat was the rosy pink we prefer. Serve with sauteed mushrooms, and a wilted salad. (Personally, I would've either cooked the salad greens or left it as actual salad, instead of how my hubs served it. My son bailed on the greens and I don't blame him, although I ate all of mine.)

I get to the gym at noon. My head is a tad sore so I don't want to push anything too hard. I just do cardio, basics and core, then a bit more cardio. The Mayor is blathering loudly by the time I leave the Mat. So loud that I'm thinking I need to get ear plugs just to hear my tunes! Ugh. In general, I feel pretty good, although my scalp feels sensitive, like my hair's been pulled too tight. There are some thoughts that vertigo can be caused by un-diagnosed food allergies that cause inflammation. Because my vertigo appears seasonally, I'm giving the auto-immune/allergy idea some credence. Which would explain why antihistamines and/or decongestants would help. It's just a matter of parsing out exactly what works, and how much. At least it stopped raining and temps are in the 40s. I'll probably get a bug bite though.

Monday 5.54 miles Cardio & Core

30 min x-trainer
Calories 143
Miles 3.87
Average Heart Rate 143

HGPU 30
Push-ups 60

Elbow Plank 60s
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s
Elbow Plank 60s

20 min elliptical
Program 2
Calories 188
Miles 1.67
Average Heart Rate 150