My name is Vivian!
3 months ago-- on April 16th to be exact-- I started experiencing a sort of rocking motion dizziness, I thought it would just go away, but it never did. I literally feel dizzy every second of the day, from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep. It has been extremely draining. I feel like my life has been robbed from me at only 20 years old… Other symptoms include: dizziness especially when I walk into stores (it’s like I’m feeling dizzy through my eyes). I work at a grocery store, so you can imagine how bad it is. I don’t really experience headaches, or vertigo. Could this be MAV? And if so, what medicine can I take to treat my symptoms? Is there any over the counter medicine that is effective? What specialist do I see for this type of stuff, a neurologist? I just want my life back… If any of you can help, I would greatly appreciate it!
Hiya,
I had some of your symptoms too, i was often to always off balance and walking into supermarkets really bothered me. I was diagnoses by a amazing consultant called, Dr S S Surenthuren he has been great to both me and my mum who also has this condition. He is highly recommended by many people on this site.
James x
Hi Vivian- my very similar symptoms started about 4 months ago too. You need to see a neurologist. If other things are ruled out then it’s likely you have migraine. I saw an ENT first who found nothing wrong with my ears and then I saw a neurologist. I had a brain MRI and a blood panel that is done for headache patients (rules out vitamin deficiencies, metabolic issues, autoimmune stuff, etc) and everything was normal. So now I am trying meds to see if they can alleviate my symptoms.
Hope this helps. I know exactly how you feel- it is so hard to function when feeling this way.
Susannah
Hi Vivian, you have found the right place for lots of good info to help you work out if you do have MAV. It took me 3.5 years to get here! Where are you from? Have you seen an ENT or neurologist yet to rule out other conditions? Once you feel confident that it is MAV then you can begin trialling meds and you will get lots of help and advice on that here. In the meantime, you could try the migraine diet to see if that helps at all x
Hi Vivian,
Welcome to our world. Where do you live? As others have mentioned, you should first see an ENT for them to rule our an inner ear problem. Hopefully some of your test results will be positive, so that you can rule our MAV. There are many neurologists that do not understand MAV. Both my ENT and a neurologist threw up their hands and said I can’t help you. To be more specific you should try to find a neurotolgist. Chances are they will be working an Otolaryngology office. I first had my symptoms back in Dec 2012 as severe vertigo. It woke me up out of a sound sleep at 1:30 in the morning and wound having to call 911 for an ambulance to take me to the ER. Over the next several months I had a CT scan, EEG (brain scan), MRI & MRA with and without contrast, all were negative and showed me to be completely healthy; what a joke. I also had upwards of 15 vials of blood drawn for more tests, all negative. I also had VENG test done to rule out problems or difference of my inner ear. Good luck to you and continue readings the posts on this site. There are 2 books that you could try reading. The Migraine Brain and Heal your headache.
My advice, for what it is worth (free): Ask your physician about Valium (or similar medication) and motion sickness medication as an interim and then get started on the testing, etc. Getting a handle on the dizziness early can save you stress while the physician verifies the cause and establishes a long term treatment. Also, you can begin diet modifications immediately. They may not help but they surely will not hurt. Lose the caffeine, alcohol, cheese, highly processed foods, msg, and chocolate - cold turkey. They are the most common triggers from what I read. Then you will have time to read posts, literature, and talk to your doctor. I wish someone had told me that in 2009 or I had found this website then.