So it’s hard enough that I am taking classes in midlife ( career change ) and I get hit with another bout. I had a month off from the symptoms, (my illness is very episodic) in fact up until this morning, I felt better than great! Yesterday, I felt on top of the world and capable of anything. I felt glad to have signed up for the classes I am taking.
In less than 24 hours, I feel the complete opposite. I am very dizzy, extremely tired and feeling down and hopeless again. How I hate what this does to my mind!! Is anyone trying to study or work with this? How do you do it when you feel this way? I have another neuro appointment in two days. The petadolex he gave me is not working anymore ( if it ever did) so I will something else. Ugh…so upset!!
I’m sorry you are feeling bad. My vertigo comes and goes as well and I can go a long time feeling great. Then all of a sudden it comes on. I remember one time feeling fine and then as soon as I start graduate school it all comes on again. I pushed through for a few weeks or months (it was 5 years ago, I can’t remember exactly). I wonder if it was stress. Even though I was excited to start school maybe there was some underlying stress I wasn’t aware of. For whatever reason it works that way for me. I don’t realize i’m that stressed out but my body reacts.
You are excited to start classes but maybe there is some stress related to it as well that was a trigger?
Hang in there, you will feel better soon.
Joy
Thanks Joy, did you finish graduate school or did you have to drop out? I am considering an online option as just the thought of getting up at 5 a.m. to go while feeling this way is more than I can bare. I really enjoy the classes, and I think if not for this condition I would excel at it. But this illness has ruined everything else in my life, I suppose that school should be next in line. It is the reason I chose to switch careers in the first place. Sigh…I hope you are well and stay that way. The episodic nature if this illness can really play with ones mind. One minute you’re on top of the world and the next you’re depressed beyond belief. Frustrating for sure.
I think it’s okay to consider an online option. What were you doing before that made you change careers? how often do you symptoms come and go? What do you feel?
I’ve had this on and off for over 15 years. My main symptom is a rocking/swaying sensation. I don’t get headaches but I guess I do have some head pressure. I almost feel like I just want to stretch my brain out. I don’t know if that makes sense. It feels tight or something. I can’t explain it that well. I can go months and months feeling fine if not longer. But since January it has been off and on consistently. I started taking birth control and I think it got triggered. I never had a diagnosis of MVA until now. The neurologists think it might be it because of the hormone link. Although my period never set it off before. But maybe the synthetic hormones were more than my system can take.
I did finish grad school as my symptoms would come and go and except for that one blip for a few weeks in the beginning, I did fine for three years. Which is why this bout is so frustrating. I don’t understand why it won’t just go away like before. I haven’t considered meds yet. I am trying the diet and magnesium/B complex vitamins. I have good days/week, then it comes and goes.
I completely understand how frustrating this is. Don’t lose sight of the fact that you were feeling great. You will feel great again. Have you considered meds? Are you on any? Have you taken any?
Hang in there. We are going to be fine!
Joy
I am so very sorry you are going through this. I can tell you from experience with this MAV it is not easy going to school with it. I got struck with MAV during college and I had to juggle the most challenging final exams and the dizzies all at once. I would be so spaced out and scared when I had to take a test. I remember having to do presentations in front of my professors and holding onto the podium so I would not fall. I did end up graduating from the university with two degrees. I truly believe you can make it through your classes but I wonder if there is a medication that can help you. I am so used to stress that half of the time I don’t realize I am stressed and my body starts alerting me with increased dizziness so I know exactly what your are talking about. I hope the best for you and just want you to know that no matter what you can get through your classes.
Katie
Thank you Katie for sharing your experience. It does give me hope of making it through this. It must have been a very trying time for you. This condition is hard to weather even under the best of circumstances.
Joy, I was a hairstylist before and a part time office manager. Now I am back in school hoping to become a medical office specialist.
I have had this condition for 11 years. I used to have a reoccurrence about once every 3 or 4 months and it would last anywhere from a few days to a week or two. One time I think almost a year passed without an occurence. But as the years go by I notice the increase in frequency. I am in my mid forties and have also wondered if it could be hormone related. My neuro seems to think so also. I will feel awful for a week or so, be fine for another two weeks and get it again. It feels like I have more often than not now. I don’t get headaches when I get the dizziness but I do feel a type of tension similar to what you describe. I have however, just lately, begun to get headaches randomly as well.
I inherited this condition from my dad and now a cousin on that side is getting it as well. We all share the same symptoms so it is likely MAV but for many years I wondered.
interesting that it runs in your family like that. My sister has migraines but classic ones. We are twins though, so I guess it make sense that we would have similar problems. I never had a headache before in my life, just these dizziness episodes. It’s all so strange.
Are you considering taking meds? Do any of your family members takes meds for migraines?
Joy
My first severe and prolonged bout was in college. I tried to make it through, and it just was not happening. I ended up dropping a few classes and taking a partial load that semester, and I was able to get through it. It was very tough, and meclizine was my friend for awhile. It took just enough of the edge off to be able to not stumble around. I’m sorry about the timing, it is really hard. Do what you have to do to make it work without jeopardizing your health.