Might This Not be MAV if I Have No Triggers?

I’m just wondering what the likelihood of my symptoms being MAV is if I have no triggers at all. I’ve gone days with no coffee—nothing changes. When I drink coffee—nothing changes. Sometimes, when I don’t get any sleep, I feel okay the next day. Other times, if I’ve had no sleep, I feel like complete crap. And if I happen to get more (better) sleep, I might feel like hell the next day. I’ve never noticed a change in my symptoms after eating particular foods—even junk food, and my period doesn’t seem to effect my symptoms, either.

All I know is that I’m getting worse every day, but nothing in particular seems to trigger my symptoms.

Does everyone have triggers, or might it be that what I’m going through (worsening dizziness, balance, nausea, rocking, swaying, falling, tilting vertigo) is a product of something other than MAV?

Just curious.

Thank you, everyone.

Im the same way, and I have mav. This just means that your mav “jug” is so full that you will need medication to lower the water in the jug.

I think it may be too early to decide whether or not you have triggers. It’s not any one thing that could trigger a migraine, it is the SUM of all the individual triggers that determines whether or not you end up with symptoms. Because of this, it makes identifying triggers difficult and not so straight forward. For example, with sleep, you might be fine if the rest of your triggers are under control, but add on an incoming storm (barometric pressure change) and then maybe the no sleep affects you. It’s easy to think “well sleep must not be a trigger since it isn’t consistent” but it could still be adding to the pile even though it by itself is not enough to send you over the edge.

Now, could you possibly not have MAV? Of course. There are lots of other issues that cause vertigo and nausea and such and a correct diagnosis is key. The neuro-oto you are seeing soon (that was you, right?) should hopefully do some further testing if necessary and be able to give you a clearer idea of what is going on with you. Have you had any balance testing or inner ear testing already?

No testing to speak of. Well, no balance/ear tests of any kind, thus far. It’s just so frustrating that no matter what I do, I get worse on a daily basis, and I have no idea what is happening that is allowing for such horrible symptom progression. Really scares the crap out of me, because I keep thinking and fearing how terrible things will get before they finally hit a baseline, or (God willing) improve.

Sometimes that testing can really help clear up the picture. Is this your first experience with dizziness? Did a doctor already tell you that it’s MAV?

I’ve not been diagnosed yet. And yes, this is my first experience with vertigo like this. Every once in a blue moon, throughout the years, I would experience a split second of spinning vertigo, but I’ve also heard this from almost everyone else I know. I do get neck aches, which are almost always brought on by straining my neck (holding it in a bad position for too long), and they can cause a headache, but I’ve never had an actual migraine in my life.
As for my ears, I’ve not experienced any symptoms, and both GPs who looked in my ears said they looked fine, which doesn’t say much, since they can’t see beyond the ear drum. Never the less, my ears seem fine. I did have a Brain MRI with and without contrast, along with a CINE (flow) study done. Everything checked out fine there, too…thank God!

My last GP suggested the possibility of this being migraine related because, while headaches have not been a factor within this nearly 9 week battle, I do get headaches, and I also have a history of getting motion sickness. I’ve always had to drive in the front seats. Boats are a no go. Planes are a no go. Even swings makes me nauseated.