Well, I now know how you guys feel with the 24/7 vertigo and dizziness again. Haven’t had this for years (usually get a break after a few hours of it or a day max) but it’s continuous now. The valium just keeps going down the hatch and is keeping the lid on this by the looks of it. Gotta find a local doctor in Toronto who will write me a benzo script this week. Be interesting to see how easy or hard it is to get a hold of it here.
Joe, I can see now why you’ve not been able to get off a benzo. The minute the valium wears off for me, the dizziness goes nuts.
Hey Scott,
Look at the benzo as a preventive. Some need to take verapamil, topamax, effexor, etc. for life because if they go off the dizziness goes nuts on them. I am so sorry you are having such a flare up, but try not to be so hard on yourself for taking valium or another benzo. If it is helping the dizziness a bit, focus on that. Maybe in higher doses, this could be your answer… your preventive med. For many of us benzos do nothing so it is a good sign that it is helping even a tiny bit at such a low dose.
I feel really bad for you and hope you can get the help you need.
Warmest,
Lisa
A break through! It pretty much all stopped today. Just like that. Haven’t even needed a benzo since 4 AM this morning and enjoyed myself pretty much all day after a very rough start with heavy dizziness. No dizziness now and no headache. Had a nasty headache after being in the sun and watching the air show earlier today but it went after eating a late lunch. This has been an interesting (if not freaky) lesson in just how bad and dire this can get making me think it’s curtains and then it can all just stop – even as severe as this event was. Lisa, thank you for suggesting I keep at it with the valium because it got me through the nights and days to a point where I could get some sleep in. It really has been the lack of sleep and total sleep disruption (jet lag) that turned the screws in so heavily. Next time I get slammed again (as in going back to Sydney) I’ll just hit it hard with valium consistently and all day long – more than I ever have before. It works.
Victoria – we really do experience this the same way … both getting totally trashed with dizziness and heart-pounding anxiety and responding well to valium.
Just hope it stays like this now that I’m used to the Toronto time zone.
Hey Scott,
Thrilled you are feeling better! Maybe if you took a benzo every day at a good dose you would be MAV free forever instead of using it just when things get bad??? In any event, enjoy the good feelings!!!
Lisa
Keep the Valium on standby. May I suggest taking it every few hours on the flight home? I do that anyway as I have developed a fear of flying over the years (weird, I used to fly crazy in ultralights all the time but there you go…) and I think it helps with keeping jet lag related MAV at bay as well. Also, if you can get your hands on some melatonin it is REALLY good with helping to kill jet lag on your return.
Hope you got some cool photos of the airshow. I’m getting all fired up on the flying again - my brother showed me a photo of the Breezy our Dad and his mate built (only the second one in Australia). Anyway, a chat for another time.
Man, this is horrible. This disease is so hard on us all and it is all experimentation on our part to see what works and what doesn’t. I’m sober and have trouble with the Klonopin or Valuim, but know that taking Benadryl can cause reactions such as the ones you have mentioned as well as rebound headaches (which is what I normally get). SO even though I am sober 12 years every time I have to take a valuim I have to sit and discuss it with my husband which is totally annoying. And now we are discussing what I eat every day. I have so many triggers these days. Peaches, rasberries, gluten, you name it - I got it.
Sorry to hear of your crash but glad you’re on the mend … what about trying a benzo with a longer lifespan like Klonopin? I take 0.5 mg daily and Dr Newman does prescribe Klonopin. He also has recommended Benadryl to slow down my nausea when it was at its worst and I was on Zoloft.
I am doing well (knock on wood) Last 3 months 95% to 98% almost every day… I have the occasional day triggered by sleep, stress, or weather changes but overalll very good…
Hi Howie,
Thanks for popping in and sharing all your good news… MAV and your new additions.
I think from my recollection Dr. Newman increased you from 240 mg of verapamil to 360 mg? Are you still on that dose and how long did it take for the additional dosage to take effect.
