I saw Dr. Rauch yesterday. As I have been suffering since last August with no relief. I had originally seen Dr. Whitman, also at Mass Eye and Ear, who prescribed Nort. at 10 mg., Gabapenten at 100 mg. and propranolol at 10 mg. with no improvement in symptoms. I tried to increase all but could not tolerate the side effects. Dr. Rauch thinks this could be chronic subjective dizziness. He said it is anxiety based and prescribed klonopin at .50 mg. nightly at bed time. Has anyone taken klonopin and gotten relief? Any side effects.
Incidently, this is my second bout with MAV. First time was in 2006 and lasted about 6 mos. and it went away. I never took any medication then but this time seems so much more intense and I just can’t break the cycle and get my life back to normal.
Some people who have had an illness/condition with their ears, central nervous system, etc. including MAV sometime have a lingering anxiety from the constant rocking/swaying/dizziness, etc. So chronic subjective dizziness is anxiety based, I guess I can’t articulate this condition very well. Here is a link to WebMD which speaks of it: webmd.com/brain/news/2007022 … -dizziness. Also Dr. Jeff Staab at Mayo Clinic has done research on this condition. Usually the treatment is Klonopin or Zoloft. Dr. Rauch also encouraged me to reach Heal Your Headache, The Migraine Brain, both of which I had already read but will go back and re-read. He also suggested the book The Chemistry of Calm by Henry Emmons, M.D. I have started reading, but some parts are very technical about what effect different foods have on your brain function. Other than that it has some good ideas in relaxation, calm living.
Hi Joan,
I find that a very low dose of Ativan, another benzo, really helps me too. As methanol said above, “it does wonders”. Thanks for the link. Since I have a severe anxiety disorder, as well as a migraine disorder, I found it very interesting. Did you start the Klonopin? If so, did it help you?
Yes, Angela, I have started the Klonopin. Although it was prescribed at .50 mg at night, I only take .25. I felt relief the 1st day. But at the same time I am starting this new drug and I also stopping Nort. 10 mg. which I had been on for about a year; and propranolol 5 mg which I was on for about 5 mos. So I don’t know which has helped me, starting Klonopin or stopping the other meds. On Saturday I was able to go furniture shopping with my son which I wouldn’t even consider before. I also lets me incorporate some exercise in my day which is one of the lifestyle changes suggested. I can do 30 mins on the treadmill without a problem. Before the Klonopin I would try to do 15 mins then stagger to the couch and be off balance and swaying for the rest of the day. I have my fingers crossed that this is the answer to my MAV and Chronic Subjective Dizziness.
It seems to encapsulate many of the symptoms of MAV but with a greater emphasis on anxiety as an underlying cause, or at least as a symptom caused initially by dizziness and then perpetuating the original dizziness.
I was initially diagnosed with MAV by exclusion by an ENT consultant, then chronic daily headache by the first neurologist I saw and then nervous tension (i.e. anxiety I suppose) by a second neurologist. This could make me categorised as having CSD with an underlying migraine condition :?:
Thanks for the link, Joan. I will definitely read that. I’m glad you are feeling a little better and would hazard to say that the Klonopin is what’s giving you that immediate relief. It’s doubtful that dropping the other meds would have such a sudden effect. Ativan gives me relief, starting anywhere from 20 minutes to one hour after I take it. Without it, I could not exercise, go out to socialize, go shopping or anything like that. I would be staggery and off balance too, very sensitive to motion and seeing motion, and even a little queasy. Although I’ve been on Propranolol for 8 weeks or more now, I am not noticing much of a help. Thus, at this point, I still need to rely on the Ativan to lead a normal life. I’m very careful, though, to take no more than 1 mg in total a day, and somedays I can get by with the .5 alone, depending on whether I’m staying at home. I believe .5 of Ativan is equivalent to .25 of Klonopin, although I’m not sure. Hope you continue to find relief.
It seems to encapsulate many of the symptoms of MAV but with a greater emphasis on anxiety as an underlying cause, or at least as a symptom caused initially by dizziness and then perpetuating the original dizziness.
I was initially diagnosed with MAV by exclusion by an ENT consultant, then chronic daily headache by the first neurologist I saw and then nervous tension (i.e. anxiety I suppose) by a second neurologist. This could make me categorised as having CSD with an underlying migraine condition :?: