New member....being treated for MAV

Hi, I’m probably like most here, battling a dizziness, imbalance problem for a long time, approx. 3 years. All the tests done ENTs, MRIs and heart tests. This past June I stumbled on a ENT office in Portland ME. that specializes in balance problems. They detected a weakness in my vestibular system and started me on VOR excersises and I actually thought progress was being made. I think the ENT doc thought that I was progressing slower that normal but thought it had to do with the amount of time that I’ve had the symptoms. Well, 2 weeks ago I woke up with a migraine headache, which caused increased dizziness. My history of migraines are relativley few and far between. May be a total of 5 through my lifetime. I have not been medically diagnosed with migraines, however, in the 5 previous episodes had a visual blind spot that last about 30 mins and then a severe headache would follow, most time with nauseau. My ENT stopped my VOR therapy when I described this to him and told me to go back to my PC doc to explore the migraine connection. I believe he mentioned MAV as a possibilty. My PC doc listened and agreed to try a migraine preventive drug, Amitriptyline. I’ve been on the drug for 5 days, although I’ve seen a little improvement in the dizziness, I’m feeling a little like being sedated. Does this sound like MAV? Am I on the right track?

Hi Skip,

From what you have said it sounds like mav. Dr Battista is the Dr I saw and he does alot of work with mav. He ruled out the ear and when he heard my mother had migraines he said thats a strong case for mav. I never had a migraine myself before and found it hard to believe. My grandmother suffered with them as well. I had a 2 times in my life where I went through some dizziness but not headache and the dizziness left for years with no other problems. I have now had some migraines with aura in the past 3 years and believe the dx. Seems like it can hit you at once or take some time with a few episodes with feeling good for years inbetween. We all get our own unique way for which this illness happens.

I have talked to many people with common migraine and they don’t get the dizziness we do. What makes us different is being debated. There are of course many things that can cause chronic dizziness and those should be ruled out. Its a pain for sure, and the meds for are all used off label and can be just as bad as the dx it self. I was on the drug your trying and it caused the jitters. One thing though is the side effects wear off and so I would stay with it for at least 8 weeks to really see how you do. Thats about the extent of my knowledge, I just follow the migraine diet and I can see how it has helped. I am a woman and for me hormones play havoc on my mav. Just hang in there and try other meds if this one doesn’t work.

The best way to see if its mav is trying the meds for it, but I would say yours sounds like a strong case for it.

Charisse

Hi Charisse,
Thanks for the response, it’s nice to talk with someone who understands what I’m going through. I will keep on the Meds and see what happens. I’m just not sure of the dosage, I’ve read low dosages work better for MAV, but my doc says to up it to 20 mg a night when I feel 10 mg is not an issue. Today I felt pretty good, but still got a little dizzy in the supermarket, you know looking back and forth in the isles. Will keep posting my progress.

Skip,

I get that same thing while trying to scan the shelves in the supermarket. I have to ride on one of those power chairs the stores provide, I hated it at first cause I look well, but I got over it real quick LOL. Hope you get good results with the meds.
I always went up slow on those, the Dr would up it by 10mg and I would do it by 5mg, helped alot with the side effects.