Hi, I’m wondering if you guys had these issues?
For me I had all 3, anxiety, panic attack and depression sometimes hyperventilation 1-2 years before I got all these balance issues. My main symptoms are ringing ears, feeling of walking on a trampoline or on a boat 24/7.
If you had these problems before your MAV started, are you feeling better now? What medications if any did you or are still taking that is helping?
Thanks!
Yes. I did. I had severe anxiety for the first time in my life (due to my PhD dissertation) right before I felt ill suddenly and then got MAV (which I think is nerve damage from a virus in the cranial nerves). Herpes zoster to be exact (the chickenpox virus that can reignite from a dormant state in the cranial nerves - just as it can in the form of shingles elsewhere) when a person is under stress & has low immunity at that point due to vitamin D or B12 deficiency it is though…or genetic predisposition).
Hi Liv, that is very interesting. If it is indeed herpes related then shouldn’t one get relief from antivirals like acyclovir or valacyclovir also known as valtrex? This would suppress the virus and thus lowering ones symptoms? With the case of meniere’s patients the antivirals that I mentioned does help most people with menieres get less or no more vertigo attacks as long as they are taking a prescribed dose.
Have you tested for herpes to see if it’s active in your system? I got tested and they didn’t find anything. I’ve never had a cold sore or or shingles before all of this either but I did have chickenpox when I was kid.
Yes I should have been treated immediately with antivirals and steroids as if I had had a Ramsay-Hunt episode (unfortunately since I am young I think Ia actually did have this but I had no trademark rash except on my left eardrum - a doctor said there were little bubbles on the eardrum, easily overlooked by a doctor as simple labrythitis). Labrythtis and vestibular neuritis are themselves not well understood by doctors. It may be the reactivation of the chicken pox virus. It comes out when someone is very immune deficient or under a ton of stress. It’s been shown the shingles erupts during stressful periods. The stress is like a latchkey that enables the virus to opportunitistically come out and damage nerve endings - that is why our nerves are orverreactive to stimuli - be it barometric pressure on the head, flicker from lights in the eye that then triggers other nerves to do weird stuff since they are all connected in the brainstem, including the vestibular nerve in the ear - google trigeminal nerve. That is why we have the cochlear nerve clicking, weird hearing issues sometimes with this problem, sometimes some people are affected by the virus more than others depending on how much it can damage the nerves before being suppressed by the immune system. I have been in correspondence and met in person with the female doctor who is listed on this article - she agrees that this could be a possibility. She recommends that people reduce stress and depression that makes you vulernable and supplement with D (if you can get your levels checked that’s a good idea) and I eat meat again. I used to be a vegan or eat very little meat. I thought that was healthy but I was wrong since B12 is vital for immunity too and nerve health. No one understands MAV’s cause and I am convinced this is the cause. But most neurologists will scoff at this. They say it’s a migraine. Migraine is the after-effect of the viral attack - mine was silent for years just head and eye pressure - but now comes sometimes if I am not eating enough of my magnesium supplements and eat gluten or other foods that make my nerves go haywire in addition to the normal inflamed state they are in. CFL lights are my worst triggers for MAV symptoms due to higher flicker rate. We’re like semi-epileptics I think after these viral attacks. Very overexcitable and sensitive nerves. That’s why I am going to try the ketogenic diet that is used for epileptics since I don’t want to take nay more drugs if possible. every now and again gabapentin is nice at a tiny dose just to chill out … you know how stressful this illness is 
I am a highly functioning person just on magnesium at at least 600-800mg a day (KAL brand of glycinate or Drs Best brand of chelated mag) and ST Johns Wort- since it acts like nortripytline with serotonin altering effects (serotonin affects how your nerves receive pain signaling)- but I want to have a fuller recovery because CFLs still bug me.
Check this article out: Neurological Disease Produced by Varicella Zoster Virus Reactivation Without Rash - PMC
My story is similar … suspect a viral attack initially from which I thought i’d fully recovered from and compensated for … then before I had full-on MAV i had several brief ‘dizzy’ moments when under a lot of stress. I can still feel my brain starting to complain when under stress nowadays … its not full on dizziness but an odd sensation. Your aim should be to minimise stress and work out strategies to deal with it. Maximise your nutrition and get lots of outdoor exercise in the sunshine.
Incidentally, liv85, I also did a PhD back in the day and can sympathise … a very stressful time of life.