From the minute I left the car, I could not function properly. I made it to the couch, and laid there spinning. Ok, this was a side affect; I kept telling my self. I noticed my head only wanted to sit to the right side and lean back. It would not stay straight up on my shoulders. I was extremely dizzy. I could not eat. I couldn’t remember words if I was saying a sentence. This went on for several days. My husband grew concern and called the Doctor. He asked to see me. We drove back the next morning. Again, could not sit up in car. Had to lay flat with head covered. Could not see light nor any movement. Very ill. He gave me Medrol pack and drove home.. He claims it will get better. Well this went on all of May. Come the end of month.. I wanted help. I still could not walk properly; my family and neighbors were having to take care of me. My head was still leaning to the right..toward the back. He (Dr.) decides to send me for vestibular therapy Univ Penn.. That day, May 28th he has me see her. I begin to try her therapy. I go home again.. keep in mind, its almost four weeks.. post surgery… I go back June 2 , I have to look in my notes but I think this was the time I stepped out of the car with assistance to go into Univ. of Penn .. and my head began to tremor. Now, not only was I dizzy, having over sensory issues, my head tilted to right side and now my head is shaking in a no position. This went on and finally they stopped the therapy… right leg twitched, shoulder… uncontrolled.. so the Dr. Sends me to Neurologist.. .. Drexel Hill, PA. He thinks I have chorea, has me fill out papers for tetrbenazine…. KEEP in mind, I could not drive. Every doctor visit at this time was escorted by one or more people. He then sends me to Parkinson movement Dr. at Penn Med.
before, I reached her, the surgeon told me he feels it is ANXIETY. At this time it is well into June/July.. I still can’t drive. I can’t go into any store, because the turning of my head creates such problems I need to leave. Head shakes, have to hold on to cart (only tried once)… all Dr.’s kept telling me walk, do puzzles, it will come around.. so when I went to see Parkinson Dr. she insisted it was my body creating this movement. My head is leaning.. I walk lopsided, my head is shaking… I went in for a hearing operation and came out different. So they told me, for me to get better, I needed to accept that it was anxiety and then I will be able to heal.. at first I would not agree.. then after several days, I said fine what do I need to do.. they sent me to psychologist. Well, after time and time again seeing all three of these doctors, from May thru Sept… I went into the Parkinson Dr… again, with people who new some about medical.. and had to argue with them , that there is something wrong with me. She finally brought in her elder doctor and she did test with some red and white stripe flag… Upon leaving that day, the lady said to me (the elder) she will send me for an ENG. They wanted me to go to the Doc there at Penn. My friends, who are in medical field so no go somewhere totally different… had test of ENG at JFK in Edison NJ and came out abnormal I went to JFK hospital in Edison to a great Dr. He felt like something must have happened during the surgery. This was now October 2010. Six months…later! I just cried, because someone believed me. He said go for vestibular therapy. So I came home and looked for people somewhere north of where I lived. I came a crossed http://www.dcneuro.net/vertigo/ Dr. Scopelitti. I have been seeing him since. I had been out of work from May until Feb 1, 2011 and now I am working four days a week.. one day at Doctors. I was beginning to think this would never go away.. until about three weeks ago, when my head was in a fit, at work.. keep in mind all these months I was : still walking off gait, some what loss of balance still, head tilted to right, vision still an issue with over processing, forgetful, bad coordination, light sensitive; (he had me wearing red glasses to help the light control) so my head was in a fit and he was doing the vestibular therapy with me, and he pulled up my head, and pushed down on my brainstem or some area underneath the right side of my neck, and immediately… like a flash my head snapped up and stopped moving. My shoulders were in the normal spot. Me earrings could be seen. I said, OMG what ever you did my head is still… he said I see that.. I said.. what ever you did my pain stopped in my neck, .. (Dystonia like symptom)..
I could not believe it! So this went on for three days… then I had one set back.. and as of today.. I am on my SIXTH DAY of no head shaking. I am not able to lift anything, exercise, walk and talk at the same time. I am doing these specific exercises.. and they are helping. I don’t know what I had/ have or will be living with in future year.. but I hope it never comes back. This is a short version of the last 11 months..

AS FOR DR. SCOPELLITI… WELL, HE LISTIN TO EVERY WORD. HE HEARD EVERY WORD. HE ASKED ME EVERY VISIT QUESTIONS AND SURPRISINGLY HE LISTENED TO ME. THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DOCTOR AND A DOCTOR WHO CARES. PERSISTENCE, PATIENCE, PASSION FOR HIS WORK, AND MY FAVORITE…PEPPERMINT OIL!

Yours in health,
Dr. S.

Thanks dear! And I must say that I am very impressed with how much neurotology you retained!

Glad that you did well under my care and wish you all the best.

Dr. S.