Starting vestibular rehab

[wendysig]

Hi all,

I had my first (sort of anyway) session of vestibular rehab today.  I was very nervous after reading some of the posts here since I had no idea of what to expect.  The PT just evaluated me today and  he also did some other tests to determine how goo/bad my balance issues are.  In the meantime he gave me some eye exercises to do because he said my eyes aren't tracking well.  My doc said the same thing so I wasn't too surprised.  Rehab starts in ernest next week and he is hoing the eye  exercises will make it easier for me to actually do the strenghening and balance exercises he is planning  to have me do.  I noticed some of you experienced nausea and actually threw up.  Should I bring an extra set of clothing with me just in case?  I've never experienced true vertigo, just a feeling of being off balance and wobbly and visual problems.  I'd welcome any advice you have to offer.

Thanks,
Wendy

[LADavid]

Wendy
Good to hear you're starting PT.  It was six months after my surgery that I started PT -- I only wish I had started it earlier and I wouldn't be dealing with so many issues this far along in the process.

I personally never had any issues with nausea.  And there wasn't anything in particular in the exercises that I was given that would have caused it -- at least not to me.

Best wishes for success with it.

David

[wendysig]

Thanks David, I hope PT will really help me with my balance and visual problems.  I've never experienced the nasuea many have, even after surgery.  I hope my good fortune continues.

Wendy

[leapyrtwins]

Good luck, Wendy.

The vestibular exercises my neurotologist gave me pre op (that I continued to do post op) did wonders for both my balance and my eye tracking.

Hope things go well for you 

Jan

[wendysig]

Hi Jan -

Thanks -- What exercises did your neurotologist have you doing?  The PT has me doing the following:

1. tape a business card to the wall and I have to turn my head from side to side as fast as I can, keeping the words in focus then repeat this exercise move you head up and down (sitting position - 1 - 2 minutes)

2. tape a large letter or word to the wall postiion yourself 8 - 10 feet away.  Keeping the letter or word in focus move your head side to side as fast as you can.  Repeat this exercise moving your head up and down

Are you still loving your BAHA?  I would guess you are -- I find being SSD to be as unpleasant and annoying as I thought I would.  I can see why you were depressed for a while before you got it.  When you've had decent hearing most of your life it is a hard adjustment to make.  I keep erminding myself this is onlly a temporary thing.

Wendy

[HeadCase2]

Wendy,
  Those exercises sound familar.  Next you may be standing in a corner, facing out into the room, with feet spread at first.   The walls in the corner are to catch you if you start to tip over.  You may be asked to progress with your feet closer and closer together, until you have one foot in front of the other.  This is harder with your eyes closed.  Then you may be asked to do the same exercises in the corner while standing on a pillow or something soft.  Lastly you may be asked to do all this with your eyes closed while moving your head around- left and right, and up and down.  None of it is strenous, but it sure is hard to do at first.   Even non-AN patients would have problems with some of these excercises.
  My Physical Terrorist mentioned that you'll see the most improvement in the first 6 weeks.  That was the case for me, but things continue to improve after that, albeit more slowly.
  The other thing that the PT had me doing was various walking exercises.  Walk down a hall way and while continuing to walk, turn around and walk backwards.  Try spinning to both the right and the left.  Try turning your head left and right and up and down as you walk-- Capt Deb calls this the bobble headed strut, if your neigbors see this they may think you've completely lost it after brain surgery! 
  Good luck with the vestibular retraining.  For me long walks during recover seemed to help a lot.
Regards,
  Rob

[wendysig]

Hi Rob,
Thanks for your input.  My neurotologist already had me walking and turning my head right, left, up and down before surgery.  Not easy things to do, and you're probably right -- anyone who saw me probably thought I was strange, it certainly felt strange to do.  I also zigzag slightly when I walk and this made iand continues to make it worse, but I guess that too will get better.  The other exercises sound challenging but just another part of the AN experience I guess!

Thanks again,
Wendy

[Dog Lover]

This all sounds very encouraging. I was at my 4 week post op today and I am going to call tomorrow to make an appointment with the Vestibular PT. My dr. said that she could give me some exercises to make the balance come back faster. Like Wendy, I was a bit afraid to give it a try after hearing others talk about nausea. I had the worse nausea after surgery and that's the last thing I want to deal with again!

Also some of the exercises that others mentioned here I was doing for a while a few weeks ago, but I think maybe I was overdoing it a bit to soon, because I started to feel worse than better. or is this normal -- getting worse before better?

Cathy

[Jeanlea]

Wendy,

Those exercises sound familiar to me too.  I went to PT about 3 weeks after my surgery and had no problem with nausea.  I left the hospital with directions to go to PT.  I learned later on that they were thinking of keeping me and sending me to the rehab floor in the hospital.  Sure glad I got to go home.  I did faint on the first day from one of the eye tracking tests.  But I kicked butt on that test by the end of therapy.  My favorite was bouncing on the ball in a sitting position.  Then I had to do it with my eyes closed!  I also stood on one leg and  bounced a ball back to me to see how many times I could do it.

Have fun.

Jean

[wendysig]

Hi Cathy and Jeanlea,
Now that I've had a few sessions of rehab (six sessions so far) things are starting to get better,   Even though I find I am not as diligent as I should be about doing the exercises at home -- I do them most days but not all, sometimes the day is just too busy and I put it off until I am too tired. I do walk two miles every day though, rain or shine.   My PT has added two new exercises to my program -- he places three cones in a semi-circle in front of me and I have to tap each of them with first my left foot going from left toright and back and then my right foot - same thing.  This is much harder than it sounds.  If he didn't hold onto me for this one I'd be on the floor in about 3 seconds.  The other is that he stands behind me and I pass a ball to him on one side and he passes it back on the other.  Surprisingly, this one is pretty easy even though it makes me a little dizzy.  I think I might be cheating a little on this one -- I noticed I sense where he is more than I look, so I'll have to look more when I go back today.  The only exercise I can do with my eyes closed is standing with my feet togeher and arms crossed over my chest (three sets for 30 seconds each) which is harder than it sounds.  I can finally stand on the foam block with my feet together, but lose my balance as soon as I close my eyes.  I hate the eye tracking exercises and this seems to be my worst problem so I know I need to do them -- funny too, since I have no problem reading, but when I'm walking outside, at the grocery store or mall I get that wonky headed feeling and I'm now pretty  sure it's an eye tracking problem.  I don't really understand why I don't have the same problem iwhen I'm in the house. 

Cathy -- Good luck with rehab.  Make sure you find someone you like and that they have experience with vestibular rehab.  One of the people I worked with apparently didn't have experience with it and /or she was just not very nice.  I really like the man I''m working with now and it makes a difference in how things go.  I know tjhey're supposed to push you, but they don't have to be mean about it and wht woman I worked with was.  I'll never work with her again.  Pleas let me know how it goes for you.

Best wishes,
Wendy

[Omaschwannoma]

Cathy,

VR training does make you feel worse, but resting after your session for about 10 minutes or so should make you feel better?!  Check with your PT person on this as to why you feel worse.

Wendy,

In house your field of vision is not challenged where outside it is vast and there's much going on in front of your eyes and at a distance.  Does this answer your ?

I would like to encourage all who are beginning training to not cheat with the eye exercises and tracking as you are training your good vestibular nerve and if you cheat then that's what the nerve will relearn--you don't want a cheated nerve. 

[cin605]

I have not been able to do any typ of rehab till i o back to Dartmouth Monday,Due to swelling of my toung everytime i try to get physical.It sounds like the vestubular rehab is a good thing
i am going to ask about it .it doesn't sound too physical.
I have been practicing some of the excersise from pamphlet i recieved fron AN usa.

[Dog Lover]

I went to PT on Tues. She was really nice. Did a lot of different tests to see where I was at. She showed me several different exercises to do and said that some of the things that I had been doing on my own had actually already helped me. She said I was doing great and that unless I had any problems i didn't need to go back to see her.

I've been doing the exercises religously and noticed that I was feeling different. Not horrible, but like I took a 1/2 step back. Enough that I didn't feel like I should drive, but otherwide didn't stop me from doing anything. I emailed her today to verify what I thought she told me. And yes, she said that sometimes you do feel a bit worse before you feel better. She said to give it about a week to get used to the exercises.

Just hope I get to the point soon where I feel more comfortable driving. 

[bltfollis]

wendy  hi, my name is bill my surgery was in july 08 been in rehab apx6 wks yes some activities can be nauseating and anxiety provoking one thing you can do is take something for nausea prior to rehab , hope for the best and plan well have a trash can close but it does get less nauseating as you go on   yours in health bill

[MaryBKAriz]

Hi,

BOY those exercises mostly sound familiar. I haven't done the cone type, though. I, too, was tested with eye issues for my balance. I haven't gotten to vomiting from the exercises, but do feel like a clown doing them!

Take care,

Mary