INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours

I haven't seen her in a dress yet. I'm heading over there in a few. I'm going out of town for a sewing retreat, limited wifi. If I get anything done, I'll show you.

Have a fun and safe weekend. Ladies

O.K. Sassy – since you mentioned my name…..

JazzyJuneBug - if I had to make a wild guess, it sounds like what you are experiencing is BPPV: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. Basically, that means we have rocks in our heads.

Here is a good, but somewhat technical explanation: http://www.tchain.com/otoneurology/disorders/bppv/bppv.html

There are three parts to the ear –

1) the outer ear, where we use Q-Tips to clean the visible part, and goes all the way to the eardrum;

2) the middle ear, which is a chamber on the other side of the eardrum, and can be filled up with gunk, or swollen from allergies and colds; and

3) the inner ear, which controls the hearing signal getting to the brain, so you can perceive it as sound.

The inner ear is also a complex series of mechanics, and controls the vestibular, or balance system. You can't see it – it's located behind your eyeballs on each side of your head.

It is a system that is closed, filled with fluid, and little hair cells that move like tall grass growing on the bottom of the lake. A sound wave (energy) goes through your outer ear, into the middle ear, and hits the eardrum, much like striking a real drum.

Then a Rube-Goldberg set of bones are set in motion, which causes hair cells to wave in the water. Eventually this wave hits the part of your brain that turns it into recognizable sounds.

There is a snail-shaped structure in the inner ear called the cochlea. You may have heard of deaf people getting cochlear implants. These are devices that electronically send signals to the brain.

But I digress!

In all of this fluid, we can develop rock-hard crystals, which can get lodged - like a gallstone - in any of the openings to the semi-circular canals which are found pretty much at the end of all these mechanisms. Many times they can dislodge themselves on their own, or other times you will need some help.

There is a test called the Dix-Hallpike, where you are in the doctor's (Audiologist or ENT) office, sitting up on a table, and they lay you back quickly and turn your head to one side. They watch your eyes for something called nystagmus. That's the motion your eyes make when they're watching each car of a passing train go by.

You would then be instructed on how to do the Epley Maneuver at home, a series of positions you put your body in, designed to dislodge the crystals yourself.

A little explanation here: when you talk to your doc about "dizziness"… explain VERY carefully what you are experiencing.

Are you feeling lightheaded? Does the floor feel like it is tilting, or uneven? Do you feel like you are walking on a waterbed or sofa cushions? Those are all symptoms of dizziness.

Vertigo, however, is a definite sensation that the room is moving around you. It might feel like you are sitting in the middle of a skating rink, and a bunch of people are skating fast around and around you. It might feel like you are in a hamster wheel, and the room goes over and over your head, In any case, vertigo involves a spinning sensation.

I have always had vestibular issues, about five diagnoses. But the first time I experienced true vertigo was the time I had insomnia, tossed and turned, rolled over and slammed my head in anger down on my pillow. WHOA! Everything was spinning! I was able to clear the crystals myself by sitting up and not moving for hours. Had I gone to the doctor's, he would have been able to pinpoint exactly which ear in which the crystals were stuck.

These days, I never roll over in bed. I sit partially up, slowly shift over to my side, and lay my head down carefully. I never look quickly at the clock on my nightstand (up and backwards), as that brought on BPPV once. Again, I partially sit up – slowly – turn my whole body, and look at the clock that way.

At the dentist, I never let him flip the chair backwards quickly. I tell him to go ahead without me and I'll catch up, lowering my head slowly backwards as I lower my body. Same as at the salon when it's time to wash my hair.

Some people experience BPPV when looking for something on a high shelf. I just know I can't make any quick head movements.

When I get dizziness, disquilibrium, or vertigo, I do take 25 mg of Meclizine (OTC motion sickness drug, like Dramamine but non-drowsy. Brand name is Bonine. DO BE WARNED – DOES HAVE MANY SIDE EFFECTS AND PRECAUTIONS!)

It does not stop the dizzies, only keeps me from having nausea or vomiting.

Disclaimer: the BPPV is just ONE cause of dizziness. There are a GAZILLION reasons we get dizzy or have vertigo. Always, always, always check with your doc.

Sorry for the dissertation, but Miss Sassypants opened the door!!!

Had my latest CT Scan on Thursday, just waiting for the results

Thanks.

Well I gotta get off my duff and get into the kitchen to cut up the stew meat I took out to make tacos with

jazzyb, interesting about perhaps finding your half sister. Will you contact her? Not to pry or bring up bad memories, but any clue about your mom's passionate rejection of talking about him? Again, do not mean to pry if this is out of boundaries.

Lover, rainy days are the best napping days...feel better soon.

Hmmmm! rocks in my head. That's one explanation. lol

Loverly & Meadow - My mother grew up in Germany during WWII and experienced A LOT of trauma that she will not talk about to this day. I think she may have married my biological father in an attempt to escape what she experienced in Germany. According to my mother, my father turned out to be an alcoholic, gambler & wife beater, and she ended up bringing me to the U.S. by herself when I was 10 mos. old. The problem though has always been that she has held onto and nurtured that anger, plus continued to make life choices that didn't work out either. Now me being the only child that wasn't aware of or understood any of this, I was unfortunately the recipient of all of her anger & bitterness through out the years. Even now at 80 she is as angry as ever. I am hoping that if this man turns out to actually be my biological father, the fact that he is dead might somehow allow my mother to change her perspective and be willing to forgive. At least I am praying it does.

I do not know where this woman who may be my half sister lives. Just that she is the daughter of the man who passed in 2000. The last city I was aware that my father lived is Troy, OH, and the headstone of this man IS in Troy, OH. So as I said the lady helping me with this search has sent a message to the woman on Ancestry.com, so now we wait to see if/when she responds.

Loverly - Like you we had very windy & rainy weather here today, so I stayed inside and dusted and sorted through paperwork. Filed some, shredded some, etc. Then went to church this evening.

mommyof2 - Are you taking a class or teaching it?

I'm sure you all know this already, but as a friendly reminder, "Don't forget to turn your clocks forward tonight before going to bed!"

Goodnight to all, sleep well & sweet dreams!

JunieB, my cousin has the same problem with rocks in her head. She is also very sensitive to meds and can't take meclizine. Dramamine helps some.

Went out this evening to the Jazz Lab to see our favorite group play. I've known the lead singer over thirty years and her voice hasn't aged in the least. I think of Joni Mitchell, whose music they play occasionally, and how her voice aged over the years. My friend's has remained pure and clear. We took our new friends, my PCP and her DH who works with my DH, and they loved it. We stayed for both sets, and boy is my body protesting now. Ribs, back, hands, cramping and seizing up, but I won't mention it to DH because I want to go again. They play there usually once a month. Now we have another couple to share it with. It was well worth the pain.

Good morning MammaRay. It is 11:30 pm here in California. Sorry about the headache. Have been thinking about you and was hoping that the radiation helped. Interceded for you and hoping for answered prayer with your headache. Hugs

Loverly - the answer to you question is "All that I have and all that I am is by the grace of God! And I have my issues just like everybody else.

Also, after posting earlier I went to bed, but could not sleep. So I got on-line and did some checking. As it turns out the man who may be my father was murdered on May 1, 2000 in Montgomery Co., OH. and he is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Troy, OH. And the plot thickens. I don't mean to make light of any of this, but it sure has me wound up now. Found phone number for prosecutor's office in that city and plan on calling on Monday to see if I can get any further answers.

It is now 4:00 a.m. and I'm supposed to be up at 8:00 a.m. to get ready for church. Yikes!

Goodnight again.

Another nice day on the books here!

Good afternoon friends- Loveroflife checked in with me today to be sure I was okay and just wanted to say hi and say yes I am! Been SUPER busy with work and also this week I had layers of things going on that had me running hard every day until today. Work, tax stuff to finish for accountant, biz dinner, then a friend in town from Thursday evening until this morning. On top of DLS today, I dropped her off at the airport at 6 a.m. this morning (hardest spring forward day ever!)

Spring is busting out all over, although we were up in some of the NW mountains yesterday and it was snowing!

Today this beautiful red tailed hawk visited my back yard. I love the combo of the bird and the green buds on the cottonwood tree where he was perched.

Loverly- not sure if you were talking to me or JazzyJune, but yes, birthday in two weeks on day before Easter. Heading north for that weekend to the hot springs.

Hoping everyone is doing okay.