Hi all. I was wondering if anyone else noticed if activity/movement exacerbated their symptoms? Specifically if you have been able to correlate a specific heart rate with an attack or worsening ofsymptoms? I have had vertigo and dizziness with my MAV 24/7 for 2 years; 5 months now. I am taking 300mg Topamax and 50 mg Zoloft once daily; and Valium 2mg twice daily. As long as I sit on the sofa most of the day and don’t do more than one load of dishes, my symptoms are only slightly perceptible. Anything more than that then I’m rocking and rolling. My ENT sent me back to VRT. We have been working on motion sensitivity and habitiuation which is helping, but everytime I get on the stationary bike, if my heart rate goes over 104 beats per minute I immediately get a headache, immediately followed by dizziness. The vertigo comes shortly after that. It gets exponentially worse the longer I keep my heart rate at that level or if I do it for short periods several days in a row. Any thoughts? Do I need to see a cardiologist?
I am patient of Dr. Hain in Chicago and he noted that my dizziness increased when my heart rate increased. He did not mention that I needed to see a cardiologist so I am assuming the dizziness is just an annoying side effect of MAV (yet another one!)
I feel your pain. I try to avoid going upstairs as the effort is guaranteed to bring on the dizzies. I am at a loss to find a form of exercise that doesn’t include increased heart rate or bending down/turning around.
Thanks for the reply. The only thing my Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapist could come up with is that along with the MAV, I’m also getting exhertion migraines. It seems to fit as do seem to get a headache almost everytime my heartrate goes up, but not always. The otoneurologist of course scoffed at this idea, but I think when it comes from someone who doesn’t have “ologist” or “pedist” behind their name their egos can’t take it.
I was discharged from VRT last Friday for yet a third time with very little results. She said basically, “Can’t help you anymore.” I tried cleaning one room of my house each week, starting with the livingroom. Took seven hours to do just that room because I had to keep stopping when the HR monitor hit 110. The rest of the week I just ignored it so I could finish. Spent Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday either on the couch or sleeping. Definitely couldn’t drive. My husband took me Tuesday to consult a neurobiofeedback specialist–she was a total quack!!! So here I am back to square one.
At least I have this forum where I can vent and there are other people going through the same thing who understand.
Thanks again.