Question: my husband began experiencing continual vertigo about 5 weeks ago, along with ear pain. he went to urgent care and was given antibiotics (doxycycline) for a double ear infection. over a week later, he wasn't feeling any better, aside from a lack of ear pain. he had also begun experiencing sudden bouts of extreme nausea, sometimes with vomiting. it was followed by weakness in his legs. he regularly experiences brain fog, fatigue and moderate to severe headaches.

he followed up with his primary care doctor who stated that the ear infection was resolved but that he had a bulging ear drum on his left side. he was given an Rx for PT (for a diagnosis of BPPV) and prescriptions for Valium (to reduce vertigo), Meclizine (for nausea/vertigo) and a pain medication for the headaches.

10 days later, with no improvement in symptoms - and not yet having scheduled PT either - he returned to the Primary care with all the aforementioned symptoms, but also a metallic taste in his mouth, both with food consumption and without. he was diagnosed with a sinus infection and given a script for antibiotics again, plus a new allergy pill, a referral to an ENT to figure out why he's having sinus issues that lead to infections and told that he must complete 6 weeks of PT before they will consider further evaluation, like an MRI.

he has been on those meds now for over a week with no improvement. he just saw the PT, who said that based on his symptoms, she doesn't believe he has BPPV and that he should see the ENT as soon as possible to figure out what is causing the vertigo. The ENT, on the other hand, isn't sure that they can help him as it could possibly be neurological somehow.

He is 40 years old and does have a history of GERD (uses Protonix), Hashimoto's (not using medication as TSH is not currently elevated) and anxiety/depression - also not currently on meds. Does limit gluten consumption due to severe GERD when too much has been consumed. Has lost approximately 30 pounds in the last year (since changing his diet)

Has had one other bout with vertigo, following consecutive ear and then sinus infections. It was approximately 3 years ago and did resolve once the infections cleared.

any idea what could be causing this persistent and invasive vertigo? the Epley maneuver doesn't help. None of the meds he has been given have helped much, if at all, except in ridding himself of the ear infection/sinus drainage. the PT did mention to him that while his symptoms (during her evaluation) weren't consistent with BPPV, it does appear to be coming from the left side, whatever it is.