Hello,
It’s me. Again. :roll:
Today I visited a neurologist. After a lot of tests and telling him that I suspect having MAV, he said that I have BPPV. I showed no real nystagmus. He knew about the MAV condition, but he said that the vertigo occuring in MAV is different than mine (vertigo lasting hours or minutes nonstop, getting worse with head movements). I experience only vertigo when I move my head in special ways, the vertigo lasts only seconds. What’s puzzling me is that “BPPV” occured shortly after my monthly migraine for two times (he knew about that,too), so to me it makes a lot of sense that it’s MAV. Can BPPV and MAV be related? He said that I should try the maneuvers, and when it’s not getting better I should come visit him again. What speaks against MAV is that I don’t have any visual disturbances or ear problems, my balance is good as well. I’m becoming insane. :mrgreen:
Anyway I’m happy that this forum exists. Very informative and a lot of nice people.
Sounds like BPPV and now VM for sure. Good luck in your recovery x
Lasting seconds is definitely more in line with BPPV. I believe the conditions DO tend to travel in packs - we have a sensitive system, and any number or combination of disorders could theoretically creep up. I had BPPV along with MAV many many years ago - it was really bad for awhile, and now I have small flare ups up the BPPV but generally do ok. The maneuvers are so quick and are not invasive, so I think it’s definitely worth trying them out.
This is a bit tricky. My two cents:
You are a migraineur as you state and it appears you are having BPPV attacks. The literature shows that in migraineurs, the occurrence of idiopathic BPPV occurs three fold higher than in “normal” controls. I have had two BPPV attacks since this VM junk kicked off in my life 10 years ago. I have also had positional vertigo unrelated to BPPV. For me BPPV produces unmistakable discrete nystagmus in one particular direction that goes off when I turn my head in bed. My eyes pulse towards the affected ear. It rises and falls when you hold your head still. Then there is a residual off-balance feeling that lingers for weeks.
In people with migraine, the after-effects can last a very long time – more than in normals. Prof Halmagyi once told me at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital that the people who get BPPV attacks and who are sitting in his chair are almost always migraineurs. It’s just so much worse for a person with migraine. The others just get over it and don’t usually need to see a specialist.
So, I would suggest that your migraine brain IS playing a role in your BPPV if that’'s what is happening. It may be the reason you are having the attacks in the first place and making recovery a pain in the ass. I would look at treating your migraine as per the Survival Guide and my guess is the BPPV will disappear.
Best,
Scott
— Begin quote from “Shaeridan”
Thanks you all for your replies. I read somewhere that migraeneurs have a higher chance to develop BPPV.
I haven’t done the maneuvers yet, just because I’m extremely afraid of the vertigo (the last ones that I did made me extremely nauseous and I sometimes had to vomit). I hope I can see an ENT specialist next week, I want to get rid of this sh** before my holiday in Italy. I could need some medicine to stop the nausea.
Scott - I will definitely have a look at the Survival Guide. I hope that hormones are my only trigger.
Let’s hope it really is BPPV. 
Warm hugs and positive thoughts,
Mel
— End quote
While I was told I couldn’t take any anti-emetics that suppress the vestibular system before any of the procedures (e.g. compazine, phenergan, meclizine, etc.), I WAS allowed to take other ones like Zofran which do not affect that system. Even plain ol ginger caps (don’t take those on an empty stomach!) can help some folks. While it may or may not help you, it has for me and I still take it before procedures that I know I will get nauseous during. It may not stop the nausea completely, but it does keep me from puking, which is a help. Everyone will react differently to the meds, but if it is a serious concern for you, bring it up with your doctor. They may be willing to prescribe something for you.
I had ‘just’ bppv for months before developing MAV on top. I had severe spinning vertigo, nausea and nystagmus on turning over in bed and tipping my head back but as time went on I gradually developed further dizziness with all head movements and the internal rocking sensations. i had several failed manoeuvres and thought the whole bppv thing a myth before at last I had a successful one which eradicated the spinning vertigo completely. I still have some positional dizziness alongside the spontaneous symptoms but I would say it is worth doing the manoeuvres to get rid of the really severe gut wrenching vertigo. Make sure they tip your head back as far as they can for as long as they can as half hearted attempts did not work for me. Good luck!
A really interesting heading.
And that in my book is the way it goes for many.
It’s clearly physiologically related.
In my recent relapse I had BPPV for a couple of days, then it became a neurological annoyance.
BPPV is obviously not migraine as you don’t have migraines that come and go depending on the angle of your head.
Imho, something physiological happened, this compromised my brain map of my vestibular system (mostly my inner ear response I suspect) and that escalated to neurological issues as the brain struggled to make head or tail of it.
Luckily no full-on migraines this time around.
As inner ear thing cleared up, less and less neurological issues and I’m back to normal now, no BPPV and no funny head.
I’m absolutely crystal clear now that migraine is secondary, in my case at least.