Migraine Associated Vertigo (MAV) – Misdiagnosed as Meniere's

Discussion in 'Meniere's Disease "Database"' started by studio34, Oct 17, 2010.

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  1. Imnoscientist

    Imnoscientist New Member

    Burd too.

    I have permanent vision loss in my right eye. Optic neuritis, most likely triggered by/comorbid with horrific chronic migraine some years ago.
     
  2. Aladdin-Fae

    Aladdin-Fae New Member

    So Cal _ I started verapamil last night.
     
  3. So Cal Cyclist

    So Cal Cyclist View Askew

    Fingers crossed here for you.
     
  4. burd

    burd New Member

    Well said So Cal and INS. Irelandman, I went completely deaf in my affected ear for a couple months after a slow degradation in my hearing, back when I had no clue what was tripping the migraine mechanism and lived amongst the things that were the culprits. I started making dramatic changes and when my health improved, most of my hearing returned with some minor permanent damage.

    For another few years I had no clue I had migraine and believed as many do, that I had meniere's instead. But my ongoing fluctuations in symptoms that never completely went away kept nagging at me because I knew that was not meniere's, mostly dizziness of varying degrees and sensitivity to motion. I didn't understand what migraine was, and never had the stereotypical headaches and auras I thought was the definition of migraine. Friends here helped me understand and with the help of Dr. Buchholz book I identified and treated myself.

    I was fortunate to be able to figure out the rest of what was tripping my symptoms and made more changes and the difference was dramatic, and was lucky to be able to deal with it without medications. I battle it all the time, jumping through hoops to make sure I can avoid my migraine triggers as much as possible, and sometimes live for months on end with low grade migraine symptoms but also go through months at a time with very little and feel quite normal, but it's been a while since I've had those debilitating vertigo whirl-n-hurls. Oh yeah, I had those, and all the other meniere's symptoms.

    I worry about people masking their symptoms with meds so readily, I understand the desire for relief, I really do, but many are able to do without meds and the common side effects, and too, the meds can make trigger identification very difficult, and it becomes a cat and mouse chase from meds to symptoms to meds again. Some will need them on a regular basis, or for occasional flare-ups, but I would do some serious thinking about learning what may be causing them to flare for you in the first place.

    Another book I highly recommend is this... The Migraine Brain, by Carolyn Bernstein
     
  5. Imnoscientist

    Imnoscientist New Member

    Burd - great post as always.

    The only thing I would say is in relation to your comment that meds 'mask the symptoms'. I think that's only half the story. If a person continues to indulge in known triggers then yes - they are making the med fight unecessary symptoms. However, assuming that a person removes triggers (as much as possible) then the job of the med is to, for want of a better word, 'recalibrate' the brain.

    I think it's Steve Rauch who uses the excellent swimming pool analogy. That a migraineur is in the pool, with the water always lapping at their nose. Removing triggers helps you grow taller and adding a med drains some water out of the pool.
     
  6. burd

    burd New Member

    Yes, thank you for explaining that further. You are right as that is the case with many migraine sufferers. I get a bit jumpy about how quickly most doctors want to push medications without determining if the person could manage without going down that road. I do know that some will need them though, to give them more leeway with their thresholds (Irelandman, threshold is explained in Dr. Buchholz's book) and to help those whose triggers are something they have no power over.
     
  7. studio_34

    studio_34 Guest

    Hi INS -- not splitting hairs but I think avoiding triggers lowers the water level and taking some good drugs makes you grow taller in the pool. Of course we could always just get the hell out of the water. :D :D Great article by Silver btw. That guy is a legend. I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe chronic smouldering migraine so well before.

    Lovely Burd - I've been such a slacker keeping in touch. Apologies. I hope you won't draw that gun on me and shoot. :D I have to throw in my 2 cents about the masking thing if I may. I don't believe the preventatives act as a mask but actually change brain chemistry and stop the migraine mechanism from firing. They stop the genetic screw up from, well, screwing up. Of course if we keep pumping in the triggers the mechanism will fire off regardless for most, so identifying and avoiding triggers, sleeping well, eating regularly, hydration etc, is numero uno as you said.

    J :)
     
  8. Aladdin-Fae

    Aladdin-Fae New Member

    80mg three times a day
     
  9. burd

    burd New Member

    :) Always good to see you, and I promise not down my sites. :D
    You make very good points. I hadn't thought of that angle about migraine prescriptions. I can only speak from what I have read and from the experiences of others, I am afraid it hasn't included much successful talk about prescriptions. I am glad that you shared what you know. The more information migraine sufferers have, the better off they will be for making informed decisions. It is important for all to research and ask questions of anything recommended by a doctor or fellow sufferer so they can see a fuller picture of which to gauge their choices by. The more facets of understanding we have the better we will be at being proactive with our care. Thanks J. :)
     
  10. james

    james ''Everywhere I go there I am'' GS

    Exercise just as good as drugs at preventing migraines
    I posted this at mav.org and Scott has supplied the pdf versions. Thought it should probably go on this thread.

    http://www.alphagalileo.org/ViewItem.aspx?ItemId=113451&CultureCode=en

    "The results show that the number of migraines fell in all three groups. Interestingly, there was no difference in the preventative effect between the three treatments. Our conclusion is that exercise can act as an alternative to relaxation and topiramate when it comes to preventing migraines, and is particularly appropriate for patients who are unwilling or unable to take preventative medicines."



    http://www.mvertigo.org/articles/exercise_migraine_prophylaxis2011.pdf



    http://www.mvertigo.org/articles/aerobic_exercise_migraine2009.pdf
     
  11. Aladdin-Fae

    Aladdin-Fae New Member

    ten days into the verapmil and no migraine as of last several days...
     
  12. james

    james ''Everywhere I go there I am'' GS

    That's great Aladdin! I take it too.
     
  13. Aladdin-Fae

    Aladdin-Fae New Member

    good James - thank you So. Cal - I was at my limit my mind was to the point of literal distraction with the pain from migraines. My oto warned that I could not take verapamil with my diuretic. I also took it with meclizine and had a funny reaction but it could have been myself out in public.

    best wishes James

    thanks So Cal
     
  14. So Cal Cyclist

    So Cal Cyclist View Askew

    Aladdin- Good news. Thank you for sharing. Best wishes for many more migraine free days ahead.
     
  15. bulldogs

    bulldogs New Member

    Aladdin: great news, verapamil did it for me as well. I take 80 mg three times a day.

    Great news.
     
  16. Aladdin-Fae

    Aladdin-Fae New Member

  17. burd

    burd New Member

    :) :) :)
     
  18. So Cal Cyclist

    So Cal Cyclist View Askew

    Migraine has been associated with syncope. Syncope is one cause of drop attacks.
    http://www.neurology.org/content/66/7/1034
     
  19. Aladdin-Fae

    Aladdin-Fae New Member

    Some days I take only two pills while other days I take three. When I take three I get very drowsy - not tired enough to sleep but drowsy. But no pain!
     
  20. So Cal Cyclist

    So Cal Cyclist View Askew

    Aladdin, check with your doctor. If you get very drowsy on the medications your blood pressure may be going too low. It is something to watch out for. I am happy that you're pain free.
     

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