Been a while!

[scott]

Richy,

Currently on Paxil 2.5 mg and valium as required (which isn’t much at the moment – maybe once every 2 weeks). Lifestyle is critical or I’d fall apart. I’m thinking of cutting Paxil again now that my neck is so good to see how I’d be without the sero fix.

I’ve never had bouncing or trampoline effect with this. I get drunk on wine feeling, slight rotational vertigo but not really and a similar feeling to BPPV if in a really bad way – eyes pulsing back and forth and unable to hold my gaze on a target type stuff.

I’m sore today though and head feels off from overdoing it yesterday. Not too bad though and will keep at this.

What’s your exercise plan?

[waspcharmer]

That’s such great new Greg! There was another person (lady) on here saying that her commitment to running has really helped her recover.

Exercise of any sort really messes me up so I avoid it like the plague! But I do plan to get some activity/exercise plan going soon, mild though!

On the good days I like to forget I have this condition too and don’t look up symptoms or research half as much as I used to.

Take Care!
Trish

[Aussiegirl1982]

Congratulations!! Thanks for sharing. I am so happy for you. You worked hard and deserve your success I am starting at gym today and this post has given me so much inspiration! Thanks again

[belgianwaffle]

It’s nice to read stories like these!
Hope it continues likes forever and forever.

I also think exercise is an important key to success.
I’ve recently bought a WII for some balance fun and am now a member of a local gym
in my street (because riding a car is a big no no for now).

I’ve tried slow running for 20 minutes this week, but cardio just gives me
more headache and my ears start to ache, you know the feeling you get when
you come inside after walking in a cold, windy environment.
Is it normal to feel worse at first?

Good luck to every one who is starting at the gym this year!

BW

[beatles909]

Scott,

That’s great news about your neck. Hope it still not giving you problems. How’s the exercise going. I’m still at it and I’m still doing awesome!. I haven’t been on in a while again, but to be honest, I hardly ever think of the dizzy’s anymore. I only exercise about 2-3 days a week now and I just maintain the good stuff.

Waspcharmer,

I’m telling you, get involved with some exercise. You will not regret it. You’ll feel crappy for a good while when you start. But you MUST stick with it. Not only does the dizzi’s get better, your whole body and mind in general feels fantastic. I think it’s a must for people like us-if you are at least well enough to do it without having an accident.

Aussiegirl1982,

I really hope my story sits with you. I read a similar story in here in the success story column a long time ago that I constantly looked back to when I felt really bad. It was about how exercise helped this person kick the dizziness. Now almost a year later, I feel I’ve become that person and I don’t think I would have stuck with the exercise program if that success story that I read wasn’t in there. In fact I know I would have quit. But I believed in their success and worked hard and long and became that story myself. I’m extremely happy now and glad that I didn’t give up this time. It’s worth the work, believe me!

Belgianwaffle,

It is absolutely normal to feel worse at first! In fact, you’re gonna feel pretty crappy for the first few months probably. Sounds horrible, but you’ll also have some nice moments too! But still some pretty nasty setbacks. DON’T quit though. If anything scale it back a little and don’t work out so hard, but DO NOT quit! Find your exercise comfort level and stick with it. You have to have cardio in your program though. I think walking is good, but not sure if that’ll do the trick. You must jog or eliptical. You need to sweat, there’s no better way. Any exercise that makes you sweat good. But stick with it and you won’t be sorry!

Greg

[scott]

Hey Greg,

I’m still doing really well. Neck is still fine and no return of the dreaded knot or neurological meltdown that accompanies it.

I have ramped up the exercise and it’s going surprisingly well. This is new ground. Today I power-walked just over 7 km and then did reps of sit ups, crunches and push ups. Using dumb bells at home too. Hoping to get to a stage where I can get up 30 min earlier than I normally do in the morning and start doing a 3.5 km power-walk down at the Esplanade here at Bondi before I head off to work. If I could do that 3x a week and then the 7 km one on the weekend, I’ll be really stoked. No dizziness here either.

Glad you’re still doing so well. Great stuff. 8)

[rockyksmom]

HI
On a similar note, Ive discovered Zumba. For those that don’t know, it’s a dance style cardio class that makes you sweat like crazy. I have been going 3-4 times a week and have been feeling better. Also, I have been drinking airborne, which is a supplement you dissolve in water that has some large doses of vitamin C and I think some B vitamins…between the 2 I have felt super good, comparitively.

Kelley

[Luna]

I love hearing about all of you being able to exercise:)

I have started the last few weeks, too! I used to do triathlons, so I would swim, bike or run 6 days a week. When this all started for me last summer it was really sad to not be able to exercise. I have lost over 20 pounds and I think 1/2 of that is muscle! I tried every couple weeks to go on a walk, but anything over 100 yards would trigger pretty severe head fog and imbalance. Yoga was a disaster, lol. I kept waiting for my symptoms to ease a little and the months ticked by.

The first thing to give me back my confidence was using a razor scooter, ha! My kids got them for Christmas, and I played around a little, and was surprised how good it felt. If I just focus on a spot in front of me on the sidewalk, and try not to turn my head, I could go a mile without feeling dizzy. It was SO great to be moving again:) Now we do it most days. It will still trigger symptoms if I over do it, but it’s worth it.

After handling the scooter, I decided to go back to the gym. I am very noise and motion sensitive, so it is a bit of a challenge. I have a routine that seems to work for me now, and I have gone 4 days a week the past 2 weeks! I walk in and try not to look around at all. I head right for the reclining stationary bike and read a book or listen to music or watch the tv (all of those things seem to distract me enough to help clear my head). I have built up each day, and now do an hour on the bike at a pretty good resistance. Then I do some gentle stretches and yoga afterward for 20 min. I always feel better when I leave than when I get there. The hardest part is walking in and out. They workers there know me now and know my story and don’t panic anymore when I suddenly drop to the floor or look woozy. (I caused quite a scene the first few times I tried to go, ha!)

I am so happy to be able to exercise again…and have gone even on the mornings that I feel bad (but get a ride on those days). I don’t know if it is helping my symptoms overall yet, because I still get pretty moderate symptoms everyday, most of the day, but it is definitely helping my mood, my body, and my social anxiety.

I definitley couldn’t handle zumba yet, and was really impressed reading that you do that Kelly!

I thought this was great:
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 … x/abstract

This NY times article talked about benefits of exercise, too
well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/1 … migraines/

Keep up the inspirational stories! It is so great to read them.

Luna

[ichbindarren]

Fantastic news Greg!!!

[whosthatchick]

This is a great post! One thing tho - people be wary of over doing it as this can trigger migraine which will then make you worse - my physio therapist said to even just try to do 10mins of yoga or pilates each day - and that’s a good place to start !

Some of us need meds to get to this stage, myself included, but we will get there!

[belgianwaffle]

— Begin quote from “rockyksmom”

HI
On a similar note, Ive discovered Zumba. For those that don’t know, it’s a dance style cardio class that makes you sweat like crazy. I have been going 3-4 times a week and have been feeling better. Also, I have been drinking airborne, which is a supplement you dissolve in water that has some large doses of vitamin C and I think some B vitamins…between the 2 I have felt super good, comparitively.

Kelley

— End quote

Wow! That’s amazing! Happy for you!
I tried it once and it made everything ten times worse.

Did you feel worse at first?
Are you suffering from fatigue as well?

@Greg: find it very hard to do cardio, but I will give it a (slow) try.

[beatles909]

Belgianwaffle,

Yes, I recommend anyone just starting to go the exercise route, definitely start out slow but you MUST increase to a decently high level! Don’t be afraid of kicking it up notch after about 3 or 4 weeks. I used to be too scared to up my intensity cause when I did, symptoms would ramp up a bit and I would eventually just quit cause I thought it was doing more harm than good. It took me nearly two years to finally stick with exercise and force myself through the tough times. Totally worth it and sooo much more happier now… You won’t regret it, just don’t expect much for a long while. But well worth it, believe me!

Greg

[RichyF]

— Begin quote from “beatles909”

Belgianwaffle,

Yes, I recommend anyone just starting to go the exercise route, definitely start out slow but you MUST increase to a decently high level! Don’t be afraid of kicking it up notch after about 3 or 4 weeks. I used to be too scared to up my intensity cause when I did, symptoms would ramp up a bit and I would eventually just quit cause I thought it was doing more harm than good. It took me nearly two years to finally stick with exercise and force myself through the tough times. Totally worth it and sooo much more happier now… You won’t regret it, just don’t expect much for a long while. But well worth it, believe me!

Greg

— End quote

Hey Beatles,

What were your symptoms before going down the exercise route?

[Kathy_G]

I totally agree with making sure you exercise as much as you can tolerate it. I started jogging/running at a very slow pace. I downloaded the app couch to 5K on my iphone. The program is great. It takes 9 weeks to get you ready to run a 5K race. When I first started the program I got dizzy and i had the rocky boat feeling, but the further into the program I got, I was fine. I found I had to walk for a few minutes after you finish your run and you won’t get as dizzy as stopping abruptly. I feel much better now that I exercise. I shoot for running 4 days a week and yoga once per week. I still only run 3 1/2 miles per day, but feel so good.

[belgianwaffle]

Wow :shock:
Run 4 times a week and do yoga. I’m not there yet!
I would pass out on the floor if I’d do that.
But it’s nice to see that exercise makes people feel better.
It gives hope.

[beatles909]

Richy,

My symptoms before this were quite bad. They got so bad to the point that I ended up in the hospital. My exact symptoms are an off balance feeling, hazy vision mainly on the right side. Very hard to focus on things. But this persisted all day long. And as the weeks and months went by, it just got worse and worse. My symptoms now are nearly gone and when they’re around, not debilitating to say the least. I’d definitely still be a wreck if I didn’t exercise.

Greg

[RichyF]

Hi Beatles,

have you struck to the migraine diet throughout this health kick? do you also drink any alcohol or eat any rubbish?

Thanks
Rich

[beatles909]

Rich,

Through this whole thing, I’ve never really been able to nail down a food trigger. I’ve tried but could never really tell if I’ve had or if I have a food trigger. I have the worst possible diet you could imagine for a long while. Not that healthy at all. I did quit boozing on the weekends and that has definetely made a positive impact. I do take a multivitamin that seems to keep me somewhat healthy. But if you want to know if you should quit drinking, the answer is yes!!! The alcohol has to go. It gives you short term relief, but hinders your success! You just can’t drink a ton of alcohol and stay up late late. You must go to bed before midnight and not get drunk anymore. 1-5 beers doesn’t hurt me any. But staying up till 3 0r 4 in morning all the time could bring back the bad stuff.

I’m pretty sure my main trigger is anxiety related. Anxiety is common in my genetics also. With my exercise program I have raised my threshold to a level that seems to be just getting better and better over the months. I sure could have a food trigger on top of that but my threshold is so high that nothing really knocks me down anymore, which is sweeeet!!!

I’m at 100% most of the day. The worst I get is around 90% at times, and we all know that 90% is a very good feeling. I need to put a success story together. It’s been long enough.

Greg

[sarahd]

That is so awesome greg!!! how long have you been feeling so great now? I’m sure you said this somewhere else but what meds did you try? did you have trouble with your balance/walking, and if so is that a lot better? hope to see your success story soon!!!

[beatles909]

Sarahd,

Yes, I had trouble with my balance/walking the whole time. I have tried a nortriptyline, Celexa and periactin. I wasn’t on any of them long enough really though to make an honest judgement. The one I was on the longest was Nort, and that was only 8 weeks. I did feel better from it, but not like I do now. Right now I don’t take any meds. I haven’t tried a med in over a year.

Greg