Lorcalon, thank you so much for everything you’ve said. I keep relapsing into hopelessness - I really do need to try to get a handle on this incessant anxiety. I’m seeing my neurologist again in eight days (finally), so hopefully he’ll reevaluate my treatment plan with something, anything besides Gabapentin! And hopefully something to combat this nerve-wrecking anxiety. I don’t know how you were capable of delivering a presentation when the entire room was wobbling, but you know what? If you could do it, I can give this best man speech! That’s what I need to keep focusing on. No matter how many success stories I hear, I seem to always gravitate towards the negative stories, just because I become anxious at even the slightest possibility I might end up like them. I’m only one med in and one month into a diet that I’ve admittedly lapsed on two or three times. I can’t thank you enough for always being there to life my spirits up. It really does make me feel better.
Sails, that CBT sounds interesting and I may very well bring it up with my neurologist in a week. From my understanding, you’re fairly new still to this MAV thing, so maybe we’re in the same boat and just need more time to find a treatment plan that really works. The thought of accepting that I’ll have to be slightly imbalanced or dizzy for the rest of my life is somewhat unsettling and I don’t like to think like that just yet, but maybe I need to just accept it…depending on what the definition of “slightly” is lol. But it is good to hear you’re doing everything you used to do! I still force myself to do things, but it feels rather pointless since my symptoms are so bad I can never really enjoy myself. If I could just ENJOY things again…but thank you for your encouraging words. I hope that when I get there and get caught up in the moment my dizziness will, indeed, take a back seat to the proceedings.
Sarahd, I actually made a note to ask my neurologist that exact question when you suggested I do so on my last post! You have also been indispensable in talking me through these initial tough times and I can’t thank you enough. I’m so sorry that so much hasn’t worked for you. I wish I could give you some advice from what I’ve gathered on these forums, but I’m sure I could suggest nothing you haven’t heard or tried already! But you’re right. I can only hope that you eventually find something to lessen your suffering. You seem like such a genuinely concerned and caring person.
Rhoda, I appreciate your advice, as well. I refuse to back out now, however. That would be like admitting complete defeat and conceding to this awful condition. Though the alternative is terrifying, I have to at least attempt it and try. The cane idea isn’t a bad one at all - I’ve often thought of whether or not I should get one. I saw in November that you had been struggling with symptoms for years, but still seemed unsure whether or not it was actually MAV you were dealing with, and you said you’d have to wait several months before you could see a neurologist for an official diagnosis. Did you ever find a good, confident GP/neurologist who diagnosed you with this and is treating you accordingly? You, like Sails and I, just might be so new to this that we haven’t had nearly enough time to even begin recovering! Have you tried any of the meds of dieting techniques that have been discussed on these forums? It takes quite a while, but it seems like the majority of people do get relief with something eventually…I just need to keep reminding myself of that. Look at Lorcalon! And Nabeel! I’ve been speaking with MissMoss, MAVPrincess, and several more on FB as well, and though they admit they still struggle with it on the rare occasion where it’s not nearly as bad as it used to be, for the most part, they’re 90%+ better and living completely normal lives! There’s many others as well, both on here and on the Vestibular Migraine Professional FB page.