I’ve been told by a neurologist that my almost constant lightheadedness/dizziness is in fact migraine. It also is accompanied by head a pulsating head pressure. Is this true? Is this really my migraine being active all the time? I also notice that certain smells - very strong floral - gets my a little dizzy and certain visual stimulants will do the same. Not vertigo dizzy (I’ve had that once before) but just an off balance/lightheaded feeling. Just want to k now your thoughts on this. It’s driving me crazy…been going on for 8 months now :x
Yeah, same with me, going on a year and 2 months. Constant dizziness and lightheaded. Its awful.
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Have you tried medication? My neurologist is trying some on me. Have you tried any migraine diet? Do you think it could be anxiety and stress related (like I do)?
Feeling that way & worse till I started the diet. I already was on nortriptaline for stomach trouble.
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So the diet helped? I bought the book “Heal our Headache” by David Buccholz but haven’t started the diet yet, plan to in a couple of weeks. I keep asking my neuro to let me try nortyptoline but he just won’t do it, keeps trying SNRIs but I’m afraid of those - the side effects kill me. I’m supposed to try Effexor but I’ve read such ugly stuff about it. I currently take 4 prescriptions that all say “can cause dizziness”. I’m wondering if i should just come off all that stuff (allergy meds and a diuretic for inner ear crap), try the diet and see if that works. I just don’t like all the medication.
Ive done vestibular therapy and so far tried nortriptylene which i could not tolerate. I am now on 10mg of amitriptylene at night …ive seen no progress yet and its been four weeks. The diet just seems so difficult for me…ive stopped eating cheese, caffine and i try to watch my salt intake now but its difficult. Im going to see my neurologist next week i wiill let you know what he does next. I just wish there was something other than prescription meds i just wish i had dizzy days or weeks and not constsnt dizziness i just feel hopeless
Yes, this is how it was for me 5 years ago. It started with unstable ground feeling and sporadic lightheaded episodes, progressing quickly into feeling lightheaded all day long (not spinning). I did have a couple vertigo episodes of less than 12 hours, though.
Celexa was my first med (my initial diagnosis was postpartum anxiety before I believed my neurologist that this could be migraine) and it worked after about 5-6 weeks. I tried to come off a year later, but the lightheadedness came back. I then switched to Prozac, but it was too stimulating, so moved to lexapro, which I am still on at a low dose of 2.5mg. I added topiramate around two years ago, and that is a good combo for me. I’m actually tapering off topiramate now to see if I can stop meds since I’ve had good symptom control for about 3+ years. Don’t be afraid of topiramate.
Dizzybee–have you had allergy testing? I am allergic to just about everything, and when MAV started for me, I also started getting ear infections and fluid build up in my ears. I’ve been doing allergy shots for 3 years now, and those problems have resolved. You may want to think about getting your allergies under control to help your migraine.
Anne, good to hear that your symptoms improved! Makes me hopeful So, gonna bite the bullet and actually try it today. I think mine is caused by stress and anxiety. I don’t know. I’m going to counseling for stress /anxiety and I’ll soon start a migraine diet. Hopefully those things, along with medication, will do the trick.
Now, if I could just take this first Effexor pill… :lol:
Yes, this is how it was for me 5 years ago. It started with unstable ground feeling and sporadic lightheaded episodes, progressing quickly into feeling lightheaded all day long (not spinning). I did have a couple vertigo episodes of less than 12 hours, though.
Celexa was my first med (my initial diagnosis was postpartum anxiety before I believed my neurologist that this could be migraine) and it worked after about 5-6 weeks. I tried to come off a year later, but the lightheadedness came back. I then switched to Prozac, but it was too stimulating, so moved to lexapro, which I am still on at a low dose of 2.5mg. I added topiramate around two years ago, and that is a good combo for me. I’m actually tapering off topiramate now to see if I can stop meds since I’ve had good symptom control for about 3+ years. Don’t be afraid of topiramate.
Dizzybee–have you had allergy testing? I am allergic to just about everything, and when MAV started for me, I also started getting ear infections and fluid build up in my ears. I’ve been doing allergy shots for 3 years now, and those problems have resolved. You may want to think about getting your allergies under control to help your migraine.
All the best,
Anne
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Hi Anne, Below, I will link the website to an ENT in Maine (US) in which he presents a very thought out (and study-based) argument regarding allergy being the cause of middle ear infections and eustachian tube issues. If you get time, ready through all the information linked to the buttons on the left side of his web page. Although I recognize this guy is trying to sell his book, his ideas are very thought-provoking. earallergy.com/ears-allergy/ … hian-tube/
i just wish i had dizzy days or weeks and not constsnt dizziness i just feel hopeless 
So, gonna bite the bullet and actually try it today. I think mine is caused by stress and anxiety. I don’t know. I’m going to counseling for stress /anxiety and I’ll soon start a migraine diet. Hopefully those things, along with medication, will do the trick.