Well after waiting to get into see a neurologist/migraine specialist that is familiar with MAV. He said it appears that
I do have migraines now and then, mostly years ago and less than 5. He said that I have a very high level of anxiety.
And that he believes I do not have MAV and I have anxiety from the BPPV episodes that I experienced, and a hard year
before that. So who knows. It will be interesting to see what Dr. Hain says on August 2nd.
Kayera.
Hi K,
Do you have frequent photo and phonophobia going on? Is it in the family (migraine)?
Did you have a BPPV episode that you are aware of?
Having anxiety with MAV – high levels – is like telling someone with a cold that their nose is running. The only use in pointing this out if it’s clear that you are a migraineur is finding the best medicine to kick off on. In other words, you need a migraine med that treats anxiety as well such as nori or an SSRI.
S 8)
Hi Scott,
I have always been a little sensitive to light, I was told its because my eyes are light in color. I wear glasses all year round.
Nothing more than usual since this all started. Well now that summer is here, when the sun reflects off of cars that bothers me.
I seem to have things in my field of vision. Not aura type, or moving. These are very small and almost not noticeable at times.
both eyes, they are even there when I close them.
I didn’t know this until recently but I guess my dad had migraines, just not in the last 10 yrs. No aura, just nausea and pain. No dizziness.
I woke up in bed one night with BPPV. It happened 2x. Didn’t matter which way I turned. I had the PT treatment and it took it away.
The spinning part. But Im still dizzy. Sometimes it feels like Im moving. Even when I close my eyes, and at night.
I thought it was anxiety as, when I lie down, if I think about it to much, I get more dizzy.
I am on Nortriptyline. Only 10mg. It worked almost right away. I tried 20 a few times and it just made me more dizzy.
I’m not sure if its anxiety or MAV. But what you said about the cold and runny nose makes sense.
I feel as time goes on, I keep getting better. 6 months ago, I would say I was not doing well. Now I just have days where I’m just
okay, bad and real good (not normal though, but close). Most okay and real good now.
My eyes are probably what is upsetting me the most now. I just don’t feel the same. I feel like my vision is off, but cannot explain it.
Thanks for the post
Kayera
Hi K,
Everything you describe fits MAV very well indeed. You are light sensitive because you have a migraine brain and not because you have light coloured eyes. I would dispense with that piece of information immediately.
See this article which offers a physiological reason for your “runny nose”.
http://mvertigo.cloudapp.net/t/migraine-anxiety-related-dizziness-mard/451
The fact that Nori made an impact is also another great sign that you’re on the right track as well though it may not be the best choice for you if it made you worse at over 10 mg. Have you tried amitriptyline?
Lastly, BPPV is 3X more common in migraineurs than in any other group. This is particularly true in idiopathic cases (where there is no known cause such as banging your head against the ground). Many times a BPPV attack will occur in the person with a migraine brain and that is the “big bang” that launches them into the chronic state – and in your case MAV.
When I was first ill I too would have panic attacks and feel hugely anxious on lying down. I still cannot lie on my right side without inducing anxiety, albeit at low levels. Still it’s irritating enough that I sleep on my back or left side only. Even the left side is not ideal.
Hang in there and focus on treating the migraine component. The rest will fall into place.
Scott 8)
Yes, let me echo Scott and say that I also got large bouts of anxiety (for the first time in my life) from MAV. My problems also got worse when lying down on my side, to the point that even though I’ve slept on my side all my life I could no longer do so because the anxiety was so bad.
Now that I’ve got the MAV under control the anxiety is completely gone. So it was totally a symptom of the MAV. I also agree with him–your light sensitivity is almost assuredly due to your migraines. That is a CLASSIC symptom and was my main symptom as well. If you look up symptoms, light sensitivity almost ALWAYS drags the diagnosis back to migraines time after time after time.
I’m guessing the things you see moving in your field of vision even when your eyes are closed are most likely floaters, which are unrelated to migraines. In 99% of cases, floaters are completely harmless. Tons of people get them at some point, especially as they age. You can talk to any eye doc about they and they can describe them in detail.
Days like today I’m just confused. I feel pretty good. But if I were to say go lie down, it may make me a little anxious. Sometimes it does, sometimes it does just a little for a minute or two. This is why I’m so confused, I have these good days that tend to run up to a week or so long. Although I can trigger my dizziness anytime. Moving my head to fast, or something. But even on a good day, the quick dizzy will be just that, and be okay, unless anxiety sets in.
I’m just surprised how only 10mg or nortriptyline could really be helping so much. I have not tried Amitriptyline but asked a few docs about it and they all say, just stay on the nortriptyline as its working so well.
And let me clarify. The little lines or spots or whatever are not floaters. They do not move within my vision. They dont “float” or move about. They stay put as if its stuck in one place of my eye.
I always believed the thing about the light colored eyes, as I have heard that same thing from others. lol. Also, I just thought that a lil sensitivity to sunlight and glares off of cars where normal. I wish I knew what else to do.
I had blood tests done and I am low on Iron and Vitamin D. Im sure these could be causing some of my symptoms, “other” symptoms, you know the new ones you tend to notice every few weeks. Fatigue, aching muscles, lightheaded etc.
Thanks you two.
Kayera