Hey guys, recently my migraines have been increasing in pain and my vertigo has been getting worse and coupled with my uni exams I’m getting burnt out extremely easy.
If anyone has some positivity for me, or activities I can do that will motivate me without causing too much of a vertigo attack I’d would appreciate it a lot xx
Hey Chloe,
Let me take a shot at it. We could all use an injection of positivity.
I have had MAV symptoms since I was in college - or maybe before. It got disabling in 2017, when I was 44. So I’ve had some time to work on my zen and some time to get perspective on MAV.
First things first - do things that de-stress you and bring you joy.
Go outside. Sit in the sun (with sunglasses, a hat, maybe blinders). Close your eyes. Listen. Hear the wind? Or the birds? Feel the warmth? Take that in.
Get some exercise. MAV will fight you a bit, but every bit of life you can wrestle back is a victory. Go for a walk. Or a bike ride (if you can manage it). Do something to get oxygen to your starving brain. Studying constantly is not helpful. Study some, then let that knowledge percolate and sink in while you go about some other thing that gets you moving. Take both studying and exercise in bite size chunks.
Get adequate sleep. Eat properly. Hydrate. Get electrolytes. Meditate. In short, manage your triggers by loving yourself and treating yourself the way you need to in order to give yourself the best chance at success.
Listen to music. I know it’s crazy, but when I’m at my worst (provided it doesn’t make me nauseous) I listen to hard hitting music turned to offend the neighbors levels. It’s hard to focus on my own misery when there’s that much going on. And, I already hurt. I’m already dizzy. Neither of those things have ever killed me. If I want to dance over the line, that’s my choice. (The real lesson is take control back by deciding MAV can go to hell and you’re going to do what you want.)
Be honest with yourself and others. You have a neurological disability. Accept that. Be willing to explain it to others, have the courage to ask for reasonable accommodations, be gracious in accepting whatever others are able or willing to give you.
Give yourself permission to fail or to underperform. You got up. You tried. You’ll try again tomorrow. None of what happens today matters in 10 years (trust me - that D- in Organic Chemistry II did not affect the outcome of my life in any way whatsoever). You’ll muddle through and find success on your own terms, even with MAV. It may take longer than you’d like or expected. That’s ok.
Finally, you can do this. You can find balance but you have to give yourself permission to work with what you’ve got - whether or not that meets everyone’s expectations.
Take care of yourself.
Love, Emily
This post is wonderful. I’m going to stick on some Faithless now and blast it. Screw you MAV!!
Honestly thank you so much, reading it put a smile on my face! 
Definitely going to immerse myself into them and try and keep a positive outlook xx
And the really good thing is there’s no known side effects.
Really love @flutters piece here. Only thing I’d have to question is her choice of music but each to their own. My choice would be Classical. Every time. Two or three of my favourite pieces restore calm and set my spirits soaring.
Hi Helen !
Which ones are your favorites ? I’m sure classical music has soothing abilities… my pregnant sister told me that classical music is very soothing to her. 
Oh very wide range. All the gentle relaxing stuff. From Zipoli’s Elevazione to Tchaikovsky Ballet Music. Film music, Schindler’s List, Ladies in Lavendar. I was listening to Vaughn Williams 49 Parallel Prelude when I made the comment.
What makes you think I don’t like classical? Pre-Covid we were season ticket holders at the Tacoma Symphony. I know several pieces that will make your house rumble off its foundations and many others that offer the light kiss of butterfly wings. The choice depends on whether you’re going for meditation or defiance. Sometimes taking your power back involves kettle drums.
The Tacomba Symphony eh. Wonder when they will next be performing now due to Covid. I wasn’t casting dispersions just a throw away comment really. All I meant was I’d happily follow your Chill Out plan just that I would prefer to avoid the vibrating stuff and would go for (quiet) Classical in its place. Loud vibrations and I don’t have a very good track record. It was the volume I’d shrink from even with the Classical.
Ah well, I’ve never been any good at moderation. I didn’t say defiance was necessarily good for MAV. Does wonders for the soul though.