Whoa! I had no idea a sneezing attack would trigger vertigo. I can fully sympathize with the perfume reaction as it does all sorts of things from making my throat close up to making my eyes burn. Didn't realize there were other more violent and debilitating reactions. So sorry you experienced this while trying to get your move underway.

As another who suffers from scent overload (don't get me started on that ubiquitous fragrance in everything from detergents to fabric softeners that Costco apparently sells - that I can smell on someone's clothes from 20 feet away and from every neighbor's dryer vent), I can empathize. Never had a reaction as severe as yours tho. I hope you feel better FAST and that you'll find more of Phoenix more fragrance free - there are lots of older women there, at least in the winter, but I don't find the scent overload exclusive to older women, for sure. Stay out of the Denny's. :| Good luck on the rest of your move.

Yes, she called it BPPV and I'm supposed to go to a PT specialist to fix the misplaced crystal. But will try the at home version asap - thanks!

And, very true, Olychick, scent overload is not exclusive to older women. I've become more aware since this happened.

Do you know which ear is affected?

Left.

Oh dear. Best of luck getting the vertigo resolved and the move taken care of.

Try this, it helped my two sisters
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/04/23/colorado-doctor-finds-way-to-treat-common-vertigo/

The most awful experience! I dealt with it this time last year following a cruise and illness picked up from sneezing, hacking airline passengers (dr. said the two together may have caused the episode). I did the Denver doc's method and it may have helped some. I think it was mainly time and rest which was of most benefit. Good luck. I really feel for you!

I had a case of vertigo a year ago and googled the Epley maneuver ... followed the directions and it worked. Good luck!

I am fighting a smell war at home. I have a teen boy that has grown a beard and bought natural products for the beard. Hate. The. Smell. The smell makes me gag and it is stinking up his room and wafting down the hallway. Couldn't take it any longer and his products have been banned from the house. My eyesight might be going, but my sense of smell and hearing are as good as ever!

Oh wow I sure hope you're feeling better soon.

I don't sneeze around different scents but boy do my eyes cry. The last time it happened was in the grocery store and it is immediate, I smell something perfumey and wham my eyes are crying. This time it was disposable diapers. The lady in front of me had them in her cart and as soon as I backed away my eyes stopped crying. I couldn't unload my cart until she had left. I feel for you.

Here's hoping for a smooth move as well.

I get severe episodes, I also have meniere's, the Epley maneuver works great for me. I really caution you about doing it, absolutely don't do it alone, have someone at your side assisting you. You can get extremely dizzy and confused. I often have to vomit when it gets to the worst part. My eyes are going crazy during the maneuver. Just be aware of what you are doing and be careful. I prefer to have my doctor do it but my husband has helped me so many times he is pretty good. He knows to have the plastic can ready if I need it. And be sure to move very very slowly afterwards don't try to get up suddenly or with out help. You tube has several videos of the maneuver.

My daughter suffers from vertigo and the epley maneuver has always helped her.

You must be sad to leave that gorgeous house, I remember you posted a photo once. If I could pick the house of my dreams, that is the style I would pick. Good luck with your move.

I'm so sorry for this unfortunate turn of events.

I think many people don't realize how aggressive strong scents can be. When I suffered from migraines, I had to avoid walking through the perfume department of department stores. If I had to enter through the dreaded gauntlet, I'd hold my breath and run!

It does seem to me that people don't bathe in perfume or cologne as much these days. When I was most sensitive it was back in the days of Poison, which for some misguided reason, was very popular with women.

I thought is was aptly named.

That is awful, and what terrible timing! Best of luck with the move, and with getting your vertigo resolved. I hope you are all very happy in Phoenix.

A nurse I work with taught me a good technique for dealing with strong odors (I have terrible allergies). Immediately exhale strongly through your nose, and then breathe only through your mouth, till you are away from the odor. It really works!

I often sneeze first and then the smell hits me. I can't stand it. Honestly sometimes I can taste a heavy scent. It is gross.

People who wear a lot of perfume often say "Everyone likes my perfume." or " No one ever complained before." Heavy perfume people, the people who make positive comments are JUST BEING POLITE.

Lori, I hope you have a quick recovery.

Horrible timing for sure, Lori. Hope you can get things under control enough to manage all that you have to do without suffering. Good luck with your move and I'll look forward to seeing the house where you land!

We often joke that I should work for airport security, my sense of smell is so strong.

I pretty much never wear perfume because, to me, my cosmetics and toiletries and freshly laundered clothes are already scent overload.

I always tell my kids, you should not smell of anything, good or bad, until someone is close enough to kiss you. These people who travel in perfume clouds, are downright rude.

Hope you feel better and good luck with the move. It seems very quick!

Hope you feel better Lori. Phoenix is a huge city. Should be great for your business.

How awful for you and such bad timing with your move. I hope you feel better soon!

My reaction to certain scents is the "perfume headache." I used to work with a woman who always wore perfume that gave me instant headaches. I used to dread her coming to our department.

I love moving to new places, so I'm a bit envious of your adventure! Actually, I read something you had written a while ago that sort of made me think you were living in AZ already. It surprised me cause I could have sworn you were on the EC. Anyways, as someone who is also very sensative to fragrances, I can relate and empathize. I just don't understand why people feel it's necessary, a young guy who helped me load some mulch at Home Depot yesterday was soaked in it ...and the end result for me is usually a painful headache.

On another note, having problems happen like that out of the blue may seem like Murphy's Law but I think it's sometimes a sign from your body that the stresses you're experiencing are just too much; you may need to slow down just a tad and cut yourself some slack. Even if you feel like things are fine and you're on a roll emotionally, your body knows better and is telling you to take a breath. I won't go into details but I also had a physical issue come up when we moved from California to Michigan. It was just plain bizarre but once we were here and some of the stresses from the move subsided, it went away.

Take care of yourself and I hope you have a safe journey and good luck on your new adventure!

I've also suffered in the past few years with BPPV and agree, it's the worst. I always feel it must be nature's punishment for my cockiness about never getting seasick :).

Anyway, my dr. recommended the Brandt-Daroff exercise for this and I've used it to good effect, although that somersault half move looks intriguing. Hope you feel better soon@

It isn't just older women. The high school where I work is an olfactory NIGHTMARE. Teens keep bottles in their locker and spray down between each class, they get into SCENT WARS going at each other with the spraying. I can' t decide which sounds worse the cause or the cure for you. Good luck, hope it all gets straightened out. I know your organ of corti can get to swirling and that will make you nautious but this crystal is a new one for me.

I too do Brant-Daroff exercises daily to help my brain compensate for my permanent state of vertigo, but they take quite a few days to help where as the epley and somersault exercises have high success rates in two tries.

That is so awful! There is a woman who works on my floor (not in my office, thank goodness) who smokes AND wears very strong, cloying perfume. If I end up on the elevator or in the restroom with her, I feel physically ill. I don't know how anyone could work around her.

I had never heard of BBPV until about 6 months ago when a friend came down with it. She saw a specialist who taught her to do the Epley and another exercise, and she is much better now. I hope you feel better soon, and good luck with the move.

Thanks for the BPPV links. Add me to the list of those who have vertigo, though earlier this year I had more of general dizziness vs. the room spinning, but I had it about a month before it resolved. I even went for a cardiac workup. Then it went away and I hope it doesn't come back. We have a PT who teaches for us, and he suggested some of those exercises in the House clinic videos posted along with the first one.

I'm so sorry Lori. Though having vertigo is never good, this timing couldn't be much worse. I hope some of the techniques help so you can get done what you need to without feeling ill. Sending up healing prayers.
I too am very sensitive to so many scents. I've never experienced vertigo as a result though. I am what my allergist calls hypersensitive, but I react in a very rare way. I get extreme facial pain.

Lori, so sorry about the vertigo. I hope some of the advice here helps.

I also am sensitive to scents. It tends to go in cycles, getting worse when my immune system is on high alert (meaning my sensitivity ramps up and shortly thereafter I get sick with a cold or flu). When it's bad, it seems like everyone is wearing cologne, even though I know that I'm probably just smelling the same soap or lotion or shampoo that they use every day. I once found myself following a woman on the sidewalk who I could smell from half a block away.

It usually shows up as either post-nasal drip (and the subsequent throat-clearing and coughing) or as lightheadedness and an inability to concentrate, depending on the particular chemicals in the scent (I think). For me, it started in graduate school with powder fresh deodorant (my own). After I fainted a couple times in shops like Bath and Body Works, I learned to avoid them. I buy unscented products when I can get them and check the scent of other products (like shampoo) before I buy them. I'm pretty proactive about telling folks who I can't avoid (office mates, other members of my choir) that I have a problem with their lotion (or whatever) and they have been very good about cooperating. It's the strangers or folks I see only occasionally where I get into trouble (and don't feel okay bringing it up).

Banning perfumes is on my "queen for a day" list (along with reforming social security and the US income tax system).

Old Spice and Axe must do subliminal advertising to middle school boys! I've just banned those products from the house recently! Hate those scents.

Thanks for all your posts, well-wishes and info. {hugs to all}

Have slowly tried doing various methods at home - and today I really, truly feel better. I've had moments when I've totally forgotten about it. Still not going to attempt to drive.

Movers show up this morning at 9 am. Soooooo not ready - have done nothing but sleep the last few days. This might not be the most organized move but nothing I can do about it now.

This vertigo thing kicked my butt for several days. #brutal

I'm so happy you are having some good days Lori. I hope you continue on a speedy recovery.
Time will pass and you'll be moved and eventually all this will be forgotten.