Long-time lurker from the UK but now finally decided to join the discussion and hopefully give and get some support among this brilliant community from now on. Thanks for the help youāve already given me just reading your stories and replies. Hereās mineā¦
Back in February, I suffered a Vertigo attack. I span out for 45 minutes, vomiting along the way. It only ceased when the ambulance arrived and administered drugs and a drip.
Up to that point, I had some warnings - a far smaller occurrence of vertigo months before and several feelings of dizziness along the way. But, following the February attack, Iāve suffered with what has been diagnosed as MAV.
My theory is that my original Vertigo was a combination of MAV with perhaps another Vestibular problem. I say this because I had other symptoms ā nausea when using ear/headphones ā that indicated that there was something else amiss.
But, certainly from April onwards, my symptoms resembled MAV and only MAV.
Iāve been on Beta Blockers as a first-line Med and, while they proved effective, I suffered horrible stomach/bowel issues. Only this week, having attempted to go back to Nebivolol, have I discovered that this is because they effectively weaken my gastric muscles to the extent that food is not pushed through and I have no ability to pass stools without over-straining. This ended up giving me Diverticular Disease on top of the MAV back in September. At that point I had to turn to counselling to help me.
Cruelly, the Migraines actually calmed during this period but, when I had the Endoscopy and Colonoscopy to investigate my bowel pain, the physiological stress from the procedures triggered the MAV once again.
So, since September I lived with daily pressure in my head, of varying degrees. Iām lucky in that the visual vertigo has calmed a lot and my levels of dizziness are manageable. But the pressure can be bad, to the point that it sets in massive fatigue and nausea.
Weather is my big trigger. When the pressure drops, the pressure in my head increases. Iāve watched for food triggers and cut out all alcohol and caffeine, moderating chocolate and cheese.
Today I was told to come off the Beta Blockers as the Gastric problems means I simply canāt tolerate them. Iāve been on 30mg of Nortriptyline for 11 weeks but, sadly, that looks to have raised my heart rate to 95-110. Iāve had an ECG and Iām not at risk but Iām not really sure if I can continue on anti-depressants either. Returning to the Beta Blocker was the solution to the heart rate issue.
I have a fifth neurologist appointment in two weeks to discuss further options and I have a first acupuncture session next week.
Iām scared Iām running out of avenues to explore with medication and that I will have to find a way to live with the daily head pressure. With a young family and a high-pressure job ā Iām a Video Games producer working on a big project ā this is difficult to deal with.
Iāve been inspired by this community to volunteer my story and, from this point, will seek to join and advise in discussions to help others. Thanks for reading.