Hello Everyone, My name is Brian and I am a 39 year old male from California. 4 years ago i suffered a migraine but at the time i did not know what it wasā¦ it was the painful type but after about 2-3 months it went away on its ownā¦ the pain was very very bad. I remember thinking i would need to quit my job if it didnāt get better but i pushed through because my son was just born and my family really needed the money.
Fast forward to 03-05-2022 I was under a lot of work stress and all i remember was the rooming spinning and since than it never stopped. After seeing doctor after doctor they have determined i am suffering from VM or MAV. not sure if there is a difference.
here is my problemā¦ my original neurologist put me on 25mg topiramate 1 morning 1 night but after a week he added 10mg of amitriptyline which got bumped up to 20mg after 1 week. After being on Topamax for about 4 week and amitriptyline for 3 weeks my original neuro sent me to get a 2nd opinion to a ENT/Neuro who specializes in VM in my area because my condition was improving very slowly. The 2nd Neuro ended up giving me a shot of Emagality and told me to stop taking amitriptyline and taper off topamax in the next 4 daysā¦ Initially i felt pretty good after the shot but now that i am 4 days off amitriptyline my head pressure is back and i fear my vertigo will get worseā¦ Any thoughts on what i should do?? Should i stay on topamax and amitriptyline?
Iāve been reading stories of people that recoverā¦ do they mean recover meaning dependent on meds? Im stumped on how i got like thisā¦ prior to march i was completely fineā¦ I am struggling to make this post 
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It sounds like you have withdrawal symptoms. I am currently coming of Pizotifen medication and I had bad nausea for a few days, with day 3 and 4 being the worst. If my theory is right and you do have withdrawal symptoms, then just wait it out. There are a few posts on withdrawal symptoms on this forum, you might want to check them out.
Welcome to the forum!
How long does withdraws usually last? Does anyone know the efficacy of Emgality on MAV? I havenāt been to work in 6 weeks and Iām about to lose it all I got 2 little ones that depend on me and I am freaking out. Arenāt migraines supposed to come and go? if so why am i dizzy so much?
Hi Brian and sorry to hear of your plight. Itās not an unusual story Iām afraid not that thatās much help to you currently I know. Youāve been very lucky to obtain a prompt diagnosis and treatment. VM or MAV (not much difference in practical terms) is rarely understood and diagnosed as quickly. Trouble is, IMO, looks maybe as if your case could be suffering from ātoo much too soonā syndrome. Everything about VM usually moves at a much more steady pace. For instance until very recently it was common practice to slowly introduce drugs one at a time and wait and watch each for several months to gauge success for unlike modern life VM rarely moves quickly. Itās very hard to sum the condition sum to a newcomer but I would like to offer the following comments/suggestions.
Donāt think of VM as you might a straight migraine. Itās is its own entity. It can and does often last months once chronic, as yours appears to be by mention of the constant symptoms. You need to do some research to really understand the concept. That should allow you to pace and plan and help avoid too much āfreaking outā. Accepting that your have VM and making the necessary lifestyle adjustment (you talk of job changes, excessive stress etc) is often half the battle.
All the drugs you mention are good preventatives to try. Each of any of them could well, in the course of time, offer good control over your symptoms. Different people respond to different drugs. Itās not possible to predict outcome other than by individual trial and error. You can research each using the Search facility.
Thereās much debate over the meaning of ārecoverā in context of VM. Most people here accept good control over symptoms on drugs as being ārecoveredā. Some people find they are able to leave off drugs after a few months and no longer need them. Sometimes the condition returns at a later date. Sometimes not. VM is a chronic condition the predisposition for which does not āgo awayā. You could worry yourself sick wondering how you got like this but you will never obtain a definite answer. Stress is probably one major enemy to VM but thereās no one right proven answer. Medics have yet to find any proven cause.
Hope this link might set you on the right path towards understanding whatās happening. Good luck with your journey.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/otolaryngology/_docs/migraine%20patient%20handout.pdf
WIll i ever feel the same without meds? Iāve been off amtriptyline for 5 days and my resting heart rate still sits at 100bpm!
my symptoms were the worst in the first weekā¦ i couldnāt even use the computer for 10 seconds without feeling really sickā¦ but every week Iāve gotten betterā¦ i am now able to use the computer 10 mins or soā¦ i really hope that i make a full recovery like i did with my other migraine because my family canāt afford for me not to work. Iām used to working on the computer 8 hours a day. My doctor who is on the list of āgoodā doctors here thinks iāll make a full recovery but after what iāve been through in the past month im very scared.
the vertigo for me is bad when i close my eyesā¦ or try to restā¦ is that common thing for MAVers?
my heart goes out to you. it is especially hard to be the breadwinner of the family and also have this condition. I canāt work and all the responsibility is put on my husband. Someone on here recently posted about www.migraineworldsummit.com. Iām listening to all the interviews now. Itās a vast wealth of information. Itās a nominal fee to access, but itās more than worth Itā¦all the best 
Thank you amyā¦ my condition seems to be improving day by dayā¦ i hope to be back to work soon 
. The brain zap migraines lasted about 2-3 months 4 years agoā¦ and mysterious went away with no medication or special diet.
Emgality, migraine diet, exercise, vitamins and neck massages this time around all seem to be streamlining my recoveryā¦ few weeks ago i could not even use my phone to type this message out.
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6 posts were merged into an existing topic: Brianās diary