I thought this an important message to pass on. When I was recently diagnosed with MAV, following a clear MRI, my doctor informed me right away that this would rule out the birth control pill as a birth control option for me.
She says those that suffer from ‘atypical migraines’ are more prone to blog clots etc on the pill.
Now this is not to say that people should get off of the pill or change anything but it’s worth a conversation with your doctor about options.
Obviously hormones can play a HUGE role in migraines and dizziness associated with them, so going off the pill might not be a great option for us MAV’rs either.
My doctor’s really knowledgeable and wonderful and she stressed this point over both of my last two appointments (maybe not realizing she had told me the first time).
So just a heads up and something to think of.
*This is not meant to cause a stir - just passing on knowledge.
My Neuro has mentioned very similar to me that MAV, and especially the medications they prescribe to treat it can have negative effects when used in conjunction with birth control or also those hoping to get pregnant and taking fertility meds. Fortunately, I’m not on birth control or planning a baby anytime soon.
Good call Laura! I’m convinced it was my trialling two different birth control pills which set this off for me. The only other time i was this unwell (and not with vertigo then but described marshmallow feet and things moving and was diagnosed with uveitis - which is floaters in my vision) was when i first went on the pill when i was 18. . . HORMONES are such a problem for MAV. We need to keep them calm and natural as possible!
I’m hoping,as happened last time, after 1 1/2 years - i settled back down again and got alot better. Still have to eat every 5 mins tho! x
The birth control pill def set off my MAV. It was like a ticking time bomb waiting to happen. I just wish I never took those damn pills and maybe my life would have never came to this uggh… Unfort doctors are stupid and when I told my doctor I was getting headaches and I just didnt feel “right” he said oh it cant be the pill… I also started getting eye floaters… and it wasnt long until BAM… MAV struck and my life was never the same. LADIES – please be careful with the pill… it ruined my life… :roll:
Agreed on all counts. BUT for some of us (aka…me) the shifts in hormones as I’ve gotten closer to 40 seems to be the biggest trigger!!! My husband had a vasectomy after my daughter was born eight years ago and I was off the pill all that time. I had NEVER experienced migraine symptoms prior to that (and had been on the pill since I was 18 for various reasons including irregular periods).
When I weaned my daughter was the first time I ever had a migraine event ( all out ocular migraine with central blindness) thought I was having a stroke. Then nothing for 8 years. My periods started getting really heavy and weird and BOOM MAV and other weird unexplained disequilibrium etc. worst mid cycle and nearly nonexistent for four days just prior to cycle like a clock.
So, I’m actually TRYING the pill to try to tame the surging hormones…someone typed on another thread " do you really want to treat ‘natural’ fluctuations? My answer is this… If it makes me feel normal again, I’ll treat whatever it is. Natural or not!
Yes I feel the same way. I’m 41 and I am experiencing perimenopause symptoms. I am on the estrogen/progesterone cream which has helped a lot with my hot flashes and brain fog etc… my dizziness is way worse around my cycle so my doctor is prescribing me birth control to see if stabilizing my hormones with that will be more effective. It’s called seasonique and you only get a period four times a year. So I would not have as many fluctuating days. I’ve never done well on birth control swim has attention to try it, but at this point I’ll do anything to get my life back…
