Interesting comment. Makes sense. He should end up āknowing whatās leftā to deal with I suppose. Reading through your story bit surprised they didnāt put you on gabapentin before Pregablin. Sure they had good reason.
As you only got a diagnosis last week Iād think thatās more than enough for starters. Preventatives can take months to really kick in and if you start up on too many youāll not be able to sort out whatās causing what if you do develop side effects, or, if it works, which is working. Best to tread water a while, avoid known triggers and manage symptoms while you wait and see. Helen
Hi Whatās the difference between Pregabalin and Gabapentin? Even though I only was diagnosed with VM last week Iāve been on the Pregabalin for a couple of months because the orthopedic surgeon prescribed it when he thought it could be the disc leaking onto the spinal nerves that was causing the dizziness. I did find it took the edge of the worst of the dizziness so kept taking it, though I think thatās partly because it helps me sleep.
Thanks for your advice about taking things slowly to see whatās doing what. Iām sure youāre right. Iāve also just introduced all the supplements so thatās definitely enough to be getting on with. I do think theyāve made a bit of a difference the last day or two as well. Itās frustrating when my life is on hold though not to be able to try everything at once ha ha!!
Iām not sure of the exact differences between pregabalin and gabapentin, but I think itās just Dr preference. My spine Dr gave me low dose gabapentin for a similar reason- to calm the nerve. Iāve taken it a few times, when I donāt have to get up at 4am the next morning! And even that low dose does help. Takes the neck, face and arm pain away, and takes my tinnitus away! No other drug has helped my tinnitus!
Very little I understand from reading about it but Iām no chemist. Pregablin is newer version of Gaba it seems and should have fewer side effects. My comment was made becsuse I was but surprised you were prescribed Pregablin and not Gaba because Iād assumed youād been given it by neurologist for controlling MAV and I think Gaba is used more often by neurologists but now I see you were given it by orphopaedic makes more sense. Actually I have heard either can be used for MAV, and any long-term chronic pain condition too. Glad it worked for you for both but of course that doesnāt really help specialist finding root cause of the dizziness so I guess youāll be going round and round a bit longer in more than one sense of the phrase! Still good to have some relief in the meantime. Helen
I woke up this morning feeling a little better than I have been doing.
Whilst making my breakfast and moving my head about, turning I had a lot of pressure feelings (like a migraine was on the horizon) I find if I do too much moving my head this can be a trigger so try to avoid this. (Need a neck brace)
Is this a common symptom for many Mavers? I find Iām especially bad in the morning and then I seem to get better as the day goes on.
Yep, itās always listed in any MAV symptoms list. Reaction to self movement. Majkr trigger. Youāll find it mentioned in lots of threads on here. In your case currently guess itās just sign system has become more sensitive for some reason. Iāve had it myself last couple of days first time for maybe six months,
IMHO No you donāt. Thatās about the last thing you need. Quite the opposite Iād say. The stiller you kerp it, the worse it will get and youāll get a stiff neck to boot. Iām not saying keep turning your head about to see if itās got worse (common practice. Everybody does it) and donāt do head turning exercises, just try to move it as necessary and as naturally as possible. Move chairs into circle for conversation, I spent years avoiding turning my head because I would get room spinning vertigo and that caused more problems.
Best bit of advice I was never given - a friend who had labs years ago was told by her GP āwhatever you do keep miving your head. VRT therapist commended her on the free movement of her neck despite her balance disorder! Iām still working on mine. Helen
That news is reassuring! Even though it is uncomfortable im trying not to make too many allowences even though I feel as dizzy as a duck! Its settled down now.
I wonder why it is particularly bad in the morning
My Botox canāt come quick enough! It does appear that with Ami, botox and diet some days are better than others, but I feel like I perhaps need to increase Ami as Iām still only on 20mg!
Thank you for your reply Helen.
I knew I could rely on your for a very helpful response!
Well it is a symptom things are winding up or would be for me but knowing you I donāt suppose itās worth bothering to tell you today wouldnāt be the best day despite the sun to get the ladders out and climb onto the roof to dust the roof tiles. If it needs to be done, no doubt youāll do it.
Bit of a pattern that. Maybe because your balance system has been asleep overnight. Helen
Good morning friends! @MNEK18, head (neck) movement, especially in the morning is probably my biggest trigger right now. Even when I am lying still after just waking, my neck muscles ājumpā around for a while as if they are recalibrating for the day ahead. It was very unnerving at first, now I just ride it out and let it do itās thing Once I am up, showering is always the next step which obviously consists of bending my neck forward and back to rinseā¦ this is where Iāve always had scary moments so I just try to ease my head / neck into necessary position. If I donāt make quite sudden movements I do pretty well. I do think a move up from your current dosage may be worth talking with your dr about thoughā¦ youāll know when / if youāve gone too far but you may not have reached the appropriate dose quite yet. XOXOXOXOXO
I am sorry to hear you struggle with this too! Do you think its a sign you need to rest? It seems I am always rushing about when it comes
Iām with you on slowing up head movementsā¦ it can be so hard to keep remembering your brain is too sensitive to even look around with causing some discomfort! It generally makes me much dizzier
Yes, defo going to try go up with Ami - see neuro soon!
Last night I was at dinner with my family for my sons birthday, I didnāt feel well and knew something was going to happen so I loaded up on my meds ahead of time. towards the end of dinner I turned my head to the left and turned it back and LOST MY MARBLESā¦ I donāt know why this happens but I have learned to turn my head ver slowly.
Yes moving my head makes me dizzy and massaging or vigorous stretching of the neck can start a full blown migraine. All my symptoms are worse in the morning especially visual vertigo and brain fog
For anyone in doubt and, by the number of older posts there are on here relating I doubt there can be that many, it is official. And some days donāt I know it still!
āThe most prominent specific feature of MV was head motion intolerance.ā. Salhofer et al, 2012 after a investigation amongst 149 I think it was MAVers.
Iām wondering how many of you have specific head/body movements as triggers? I can identify more positional triggers than food so far. I think Iām sensitive to alcohol, I know if I reach up into a shelf or lie flat on my back Iāll have problemsā¦ I wonder if this positional nature is common to VM even though it sounds more like bppv?
Once I am up, showering is always the next step which obviously consists of bending my neck forward and back to rinseā¦ this is where Iāve always had scary moments so I just try to ease my head / neck into necessary position. If I donāt make quite sudden movements I do pretty well. I do think a move up from your current dosage may be worth talking with your dr about thoughā¦ youāll know when / if youāve gone too far but you may not have reached the appropriate dose quite yet. XOXOXOXOXO
