Dizzy. Vertigo or something else?

[Sheena]

I was able to get a half day ski day in today (by myself ) I had a lot of fun playing around. I decided to go for a run of the John Paul lift at Snowbasin, and I skied the Wildflower trail (Olympic women's downhill run). I got halfway down, and the light started to get really flat, so I tried to slow down. Suddenly I got really disoriented. I stopped, but it looked like I was still moving, then I got dizzy, and started to see all sorts of floaters in my eyes. I have never had anything like this happen to me. I was a by myself and at the time no other skiers were around. I was a bit scared I was not going to make it down. A family came by, and I followed them, if it was not for that, I am not sure I would have known which way to go.

Does it sound like Vertigo? Anyone else have anything like this happen to them?

 

[Christy]

I've had the sensation of not being able to tell if I was moving or stopped, and of real dizziness, when it was socked in and everything was white. It's very disconcerting. My husband gets dizzy and nauseous at the beginning of the season especially in flat light. He didn't used to, but maybe it has something to do with the fact that as we age, our eyes don't work as well in poor light.

 

[VickiK]

Flat light is icky too. It gets dark so early right now. The other day I had a milder experience of that, in a bowl filled with long blue afternoon shadows. Wildflower's pretty steep, and from what I remember, in that area you need to know what/where to avoid. That would've freaked me out too.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I have had similar experiences in flat light when there's drifting snow. I will stop but still feel like i am moving and will need to dig my poles in to steady myself.

 

[mustski]

That sounds exactly like vertigo. I haven't experienced it myself, but I have been with someone who was experiencing it. It's freaky! I've heard that focusing on the trees on the side of the run helps. I don't remember how treed Wildflower is. I do remember that it's very wide so the middle would be an uh-oh zone for vertigo.

 

[WaterGirl]

Sinus issues / infection ? Floaters = some kind of preasure? In early December I was skiing w sinus infection didn't really realize b/c wasnt feeling that bad until was dizzy on the last day .... something to check out ...

 

[sperks]

I've felt similar symptoms myself when the light is really flat and extremely nauseous always on the search for good goggles to See if this overcomes the problem I wear prescription glasses which I'm sure doesn't help.
I just retreat back inside

 

[contesstant]

Sounds like light-induced vertigo to me! I would have FREAKED being on that steep of a hill with vertigo! And no trees on the sides to speak of (my avatar is on Wildflower, that's about the one tree on it!)

We really should ski together up there sometime. I very rarely venture over to JP unless I am feeling very on my game. Until I get my boot canting sorted out (Thursday, hopefully) I won't go over there. Can you ski midweek? My husband was up yesterday and it was not crowded at ALL. But I typically avoid Saturdays. We'll be skiing the next 5 Sundays with a bunch of friends because our daughter is signed up for the 5 week lesson program. Oh, and next Sunday, I've agreed to take around an Epicskier's wife who is a very cautious intermediate. Unless it's a powder day, then all bets are off! (J/K, I'll still ski with her.)

 

[Sheena]

Sounds like light-induced vertigo to me! I would have FREAKED being on that steep of a hill with vertigo! And no trees on the sides to speak of (my avatar is on Wildflower, that's about the one tree on it!)

We really should ski together up there sometime. I very rarely venture over to JP unless I am feeling very on my game. Until I get my boot canting sorted out (Thursday, hopefully) I won't go over there. Can you ski midweek? My husband was up yesterday and it was not crowded at ALL. But I typically avoid Saturdays. We'll be skiing the next 5 Sundays with a bunch of friends because our daughter is signed up for the 5 week lesson program. Oh, and next Sunday, I've agreed to take around an Epicskier's wife who is a very cautious intermediate. Unless it's a powder day, then all bets are off! (J/K, I'll still ski with her.)

Yeah. Wish there had been trees or something. I had been up there before but never alone and it was all so white. Blah. I went home right after I got down (I feel like such a wimp for giving in, but it is what it is).

Sending you a pm @contesstant

 

[contesstant]

Yeah. Wish there had been trees or something. I had been up there before but never alone and it was all so white. Blah. I went home right after I got down (I feel like such a wimp for giving in, but it is what it is).

Sending you a pm @contesstant

See you up there soon!

 

[Divegirl]

Could have been a mild bit of motion sickness. Your brain lost its reference points and thought your body was still moving even though you were stopped.
I've gotten vertigo under while diving, mainly while surfacing. Everything spins and I lose my reference points - which way is up and so on. I end up following my bubbles like you followed the other skiers.
Mine is due to one ear clearing fast than the other and imbalance of fluid in my ears which also gives me severe motion sickness. Have not had a problem skiing mainly diving and being at sea.

 

[num]

Sounds super scary, Sheena.

It does sound a lot like vertigo, and it makes sense for it to just have been situational. I'd keep an eye out to see if you have similar symptoms in other situations, but I'm sure you're doing that anyway and didn't need to be told. Hopefully there's nothing more going on.

Don't beat yourself up for calling it quits for the day after that- I'd say kudos for making it down the run!

 

[sibhusky]

I often get vertigo in severely flat light. Worse is positional vertigo, which I've been having for three weeks now. Combine that with flat light and it's an effort of will to get down a slope. I hope it clears up soon. It's the longest I've ever had it. I've tried the darn half handstand exercise to fix it, but it seemed to make it worse, so haven't tried it again.

 

[nopoleskier]

yes to Vertigo.. flat light, too much white snow, no trees or other objects to focus on or have for reference.. the eyes can't adjust.. I've had vertigo on top of Whiteface in a white out on the Men's downhill and at Abasin on the wall in a snow storm.. definitely scary!!

 

[ling]

It's a normal sensation in flat light.

(I'm surpeice none of the European divas chime in yet. They deal with this all the time in the treeless Alps)

To tell if you're movimg or not, drop your pole to get a connection to the ground as suuggested. You may even close your eyes for a bit and rely completely on your poles to tell what's up and what's down.

I used to get freaked out in that situation. But skiing in the Alps, I couldn't afford to get freak out 6 out of 7 days! Though surprisingly enough, once I accepted it's normal and have to ski in it, I stopped worrying and it no longer scares me.

 

[Pandita]

I also had a similar experience. Snowmakers were going full blast, it was snowy, windy. I started down the slope and that same sensation came over me. I started to look for the trees to help guide me down and give me some definition. Hasn't happened in a while. I think the flat light combined with low visibility throws us off sometimes

 

[mustski]

I often get vertigo in severely flat light. Worse is positional vertigo, which I've been having for three weeks now. Combine that with flat light and it's an effort of will to get down a slope. I hope it clears up soon. It's the longest I've ever had it. I've tried the darn half handstand exercise to fix it, but it seemed to make it worse, so haven't tried it again.

Yikes! That sounds awful. I've never heard of positional vertigo. What causes it?

 

[sibhusky]

It has something to do with crystals in the ear canal.

https://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/04...o-treat-common-vertigo/#.VL8I5ZKXeXk.facebook

 

[SkiBam]

I, unfortunately, am all too familiar with this problem. It's ok at the moment, but I'm very careful about things like turning over too quickly in bed (triggered a very scary episode doing that) or moving my head too suddenly. I've had it seriously enough that I vomited and could barely stand up. Not fun! I looked at the remedy in @subhusky's link and have never tried that. What seems to work for me is, I guess, the more traditional one - sitting and turning your head, then lying down and turning your head. It's horrible to do as it makes the room spin, but seems to work. Interestingly, once during a moderate episode, I skied and felt fine.

 

[ski diva]

I get vertigo if I'm in a very high, open space. I think it's part of my thing about heights.