NSAID for stopping a dizzy attack?

Medication đź’Š
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Hi Everyone,

I went to a new neurologist yesterday who specialises in migraine and she has given me a prescription for an NSAID to stop the dizzy attack I have had going on for about 3 weeks. She said to try 2 aleve in the am and 2 in the pm or to get the prescription for Nabumetone 500 mg a tab twice a day for 5 days only. She also gave me a prescription for Diclofenac to use in the future if I have dizzies. She said not to take the Diclofenac more than twice a week bc I could cause rebound headaches. When I asked her about just using ibuprofen she said that there is more of a chance of rebound w it than the others. I have a sensitive stomach so I don’t think I will b taking too much of any of them. Anybody have any experience w NSAIDs ? I always stayed away from them bc I thought they were a no no.

Thanks
Jeanette

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Hi again, Jeanette,
I partially responded to this under your Depakote post too, but want to repeat it here. I have been chronically dizzy now for months, and since I can’t get in to see my neuro again for a couple of more months (I live in Canada where the waiting period between specialist appts is quite long), I’m wondering if it might be a good idea to try the Aleve your neurologist recommended too – just as an experiment for a few days, if nothing more. As I mentioned in my other post, I actually tried a little experiment this morning of taking an NSAID (ibuprophen) to see whether it would help with the dizziness and it did help some, so I was very encouraged by that. I’ve not taken any ibuprophen in awhile, b/c lately, I do not have frequent, severe migraines, but rather the mild, vaguely-there type. I have experienced severe migraine with nausea many times over the years, but my main problem right now is more the chronic dizziness and night-time auras without much headache. You say you are going through a period of chronic dizziness too. What are your symptoms? (e.g., is it spinning vertigo or more of a disequilibrium feeling)? Mine is more the latter. Also, for the Aleve, what strength of tablets did she recommend to use 2 of in both am and pm? Have you ever used a benzo to help the dizzies? I really appreciate your feedback.

Thanks,
Angela

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Hi Angela,

I tried taking one aleve 2 days ago and it wrecked my tummy…so no more of that. My neurologist recommended 2 regular aleve in am & 2 in pm. I believe the tablets are 220mg each. I always start low with medicines bc I am so sensitive. I didn’t feel any better dizzy wise after the aleve. Yesterday I went to see my ENT dr bc I have had a stuffy nose from all the blooming trees. He put me back on flonase, which I started yesterday. He said that sinus congestion can cause dizziness and migraine…and migraine can cause sinus swelling. So I think I will stick with the flonase for awhile. I also am curious if it has helped me in the past w dizziness bc I was taking it this winter during a time when I was under incredible stress, way off my anti trigger diet and not sleeping enough. Curiously I had less dizziness then, almost none… and I was surprised. I wonder!!! My ENT also checked my left ear bc I have a full feeling in it with pain if pressing around my ear or on the flat part near the opening. He thinks I have TMJ and said it could cause migraines too. I wonder if my migraines trigger TMJ as well bc I get pain and stiffness in my neck and left shoulder whenever I have an attack..and the the ear starts up. I get more of that than actual head pain. I also have scoliosis with a slight raised left shoulder and my trapezoids on that side are constantly stiff. That could do it too.

Back to the nsaids. As suggested by the ENT, I took a 200mg ibuprofen every 6 hours yesterday (which was only twice, as it was afternoon when I started.) When I got up this AM I was a lil less dizzy but my blood pressure is still low in the AM bc of getting used to starting the nadolol again. So I am not sure what’s the real cause as of now. However, when I close my eyes while standing, I do not feel like I am falling backwards as much as two days ago. I seem to have a more floating feeling in my head, which is different from how I felt before. My dizziness can range from actual head bobbing and a rocking on a boat feeling ( a few days ago, I think the nadolol helps a lot with that. It got rid of it when I was on it before, unless I was triggered hard…like from dental implants, etc) to a milder feeling of disequilibrium. I never feel like I am spinning…just rocking. So, I took 2 of the 200mg ibuprofen this am to see if that would make any difference. So far, I am still feeling floatey…haven’t gone outside yet or on the stairs. Will find out later.

As you mentioned in the depakote post, it might be a good idea to try a different blood pressure medicine. I have never heard of the beta blocker you take, have no idea if it is used for migraines. i know that Verapamil is a calcium channel blocker that is successfully used by a lot of people, sometimes in combo w another medicine. Nadolol is also used, but maybe less often. i personally had success with nadolol for 3 1/2 years. I was put on it bc the two big things i get w migraine attacks are tachycardia (as bad as non-stop160 bpm lying down..whoa!) and dizziness. the first year or so, I took 10 mg in the am and 400mg of magnesium glycinate in the pm (most of the time). That worked really well till I was being triggered a lot more by several things and then upped the dose to 10 mg nadolol twice a day (am & pm), no more magnesium. That has been what I was on for the past 2 1/2 years till I had a problem w my blood pressure going too low (I think from an interaction w lidocaine, but drs aren’t convinced) and was taken off the nadolol cold turkey by a neurologist I will never go to again! I had severe withdrawls and had to start up again after 5 days off. Now I am on day 9 of 10mg nadolol and experiencing the side effects from start up. Hoping my blood pressure will come up a bit more and the tiredness will go away (it did before). However the drs said I should not take more than 10mg. They think 20 is too much for me as I had low bp to begin with. I am just trying to stick it out for a few more days bc the nadolol did work so well before. I’d say I was 90% most of the time. I am also concerned that a different medicine may not control the tachy. Although i have recently heard that magnesium can help with that. Interesting that it helps w migraines too. Once this crazy low bp gets better i will try taking the magnesium again…I hear that it can lower bp a bit. If this dosen’t work my dr wants me to try adding in 12.5 mg zoloft. Keeping my fingers crossed!

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Jeanette,
Thanks for answering my questions in such great detail. We definitely have many things in common, it seems. For example, I have allergies too, and when I’ve been on Nasonex, things seem a little better, I guess b/c the swelling is down a bit and not triggering the migraine mechanism and vice versa. Likewise with the TMJ/fullness in one ear that I believe is having the same triggering effect. I don’t know if you’ve read my first post (“Recently diagnosed with migraine disorder and scared” in General Discussion). It will give you more of an idea how much we have in common.

For example, you write “I wonder if my migraines trigger TMJ as well bc I get pain and stiffness in my neck and left shoulder whenever I have an attack..and the the ear starts up. I get more of that than actual head pain. I also have scoliosis with a slight raised left shoulder and my trapezoids on that side are constantly stiff. That could do it too.” Everything you say here is IDENTICAL to me but on my right side. I get the falling feeling too, except I usually feel like I’m falling forward – and just for a split second.

Similarly, I often get palptiations when the MAV acts up. What is triggering what I don’t know, but I do feel they are related. The visual auras (without headache) that I get when I wake up at night (with my eyes closed) are quite psychedelic and are almost always accompanied by palpitations. Tachycardia was a real problem for me before the beta blocker. I have gone up as high as 160 bpm too. In fact, when I had my stress stress test, it went to 180. Incredible.

The rocking is not something I’ve experienced YET, but with things seemingly getting worse, I don’t doubt I will. Whereas for years, I had just floaty, disequilibrium, off-balance feeling, as well as the occasional falling feeling and veering to the side, I have more motion sensitivity lately, as if sometimes things are moving around me, like when you are sitting in a car that is standing still but it feels as if you are moving when a car next to you moves.

Will you continue taking the ibuprophen for the next few days? I’m wondering if I should continue too, just to see if it tames down the dizzies. I didn’t know that magnesium was helpful as well, but I don’t want to do too much at once without getting the neuro/cardio’s okay.

I filled my propranolol prescription today and am thinking of changing over from the Bystolic. A little nervous about it, so not sure if I’ll start tomorrow, but will when I get my nerve up enough. I am very leery about the beta blockers b/c of my normally, low, low bp too. It would be a dream come true though, if the propranolol or some other beta blocker could take care of the tach/palps as well as the dizziness, as it did for you. If I could get to 90%, like you did on Nadolol without using Ativan, I’d be delighted at this point. I certainly hope it works again for you as well. Keep up the salt and water intake. Please let me know how you do. Btw, do you allow yourself any decaf coffee or tea? I have one or two cups a day – probably a no-no, but it is one of my true joys in life. I used to have the fully caffeinated stuff and much more of it, so I’ve made some attempt to cut down, although maybe not enough …

Take care,
Angela

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Hi Angela

It’s nice to know that there are others out there like me. Makes all this a little less scary. I have not run into anyone else that gets the tachycardia and palpitations w mav attacks too. A lot of people here talk about fullness and sometimes pain in the ear. It is common with mav. I am not completely convinced that I really have tmj. I have still been experimenting w ibuprofen. I am only going to take it for 48 hrs tho bc I do not want to cause more trouble by setting off rebound headaches. I have found that it has reduced the dizziness but has not completely gotten rid of it. The ear pain is gone most of the time now and the swelling feels lessened. However my face on the left side is tingling and I am gettin flashes of headache. I don’t really want to up the dosage bc it would upset my stomach too much. I do not drink decaf coffee. I find that some decaf coffee still has too much caffeine for me and I feel awful for a whole day after. Good luck with switching the bp meds over. Did ur dr tell u how to get off one and start the other? I hope it works well for you. I am still waiting to see I the nadolol will work for me again. My dr said to give it about 6 weeks all together.

Jeanette

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Hi Jeanette,

I am curious if we are seeing the same doctor…since I am also in NYC area. My doc (migraine specialist–Dr. Broner) also prescribed Nabumetone 500 mg once morning and night for 5 days then as needed for “headache”. My headaches are almost non-existent instead I get horrid vertigo. I am also trialing Topamax from the same doctor, and until the last 4 days was feeling successful. The first few days on Topamax and Nabumetome were awful (I am assuming it was the Topa) and I ended up calling the doctor since my nausea was unbearable. At that point she told me to stop the Nabumetone. I decided to try it again yesterday since in the recent 5 days I’ve had horrid vertigo AND and increase in headaches, so I’ll let you know how it works for me. Hoping that the Topamax ends up being the answer.

BTW I do get palpatations with attacks sometimes. Depends on what brings an attack on. Unfortunately I had to stop allergy shots so now that is a factor for me (in addition to hormones, weather, and who know what else!). Anyway, let me know if this med ends up working for you. It’s re-assuring to me to know that there is someone else out there in this big, bad city that struggles, too.

Janet

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Hi Janet.

I am seeing dr Jann at st Luke’s Roosevelt hospital migraine center. I think dr broner studied there and is affiliated w them still. I never ended up takin the Nabumetane. I just took Advil instead because I have ibs and some NSAIDs can do a number on my stomach. Dr Jann gave me the Nabumetane for the really bad dizzies I had when I saw her. I was walking w a cane and was completely messed up and housebound. After that she wanted me to take Diclofenac for any future dizzy attacks. She said I could also just take two regular aleve instead. But aleve wrecks my tummy. Advil is more agreeable for me. I filled the prescription but have not taken any yet since the half dose of nadolol is keeping me at about 70 or 80 percent. I really try to avoid NSAIDs as much as I can. Also I did not think the NSAIDs were really helping take down the level of dizziness. Although I was still readjusting to the side affects of the nadolol at that time and was dizzy from that too. Not sure if it was helpin or not. I tried adding in Zoloft to give me the extra threshold needed to be 90 percent but that was an adventure in hell so I stopped it. I am supposed to try gabapentin next but am waiting awhile longer because I have been feeling a little better at times lately and I have read here on the board that it can take 3 to 5 months before some people have reached the full effect of their medicine. So I think I may try to get to the 3 month mark before any more adventures with drugs. If is interesting that you mention the allergies. I am seeing an allergist this week because I have found that Flonase seems to help me a bit. I know that I am sensitive to mold and have had my worst times living in apts that have leaks or mold problems. We just had a major plumbing job done 2 weeks ago. Hopefully the mold will die down and life will get easier soon. Were the allergy shots helping? Or were they a trigger? Just curious. Good luck w the topomax. Trialling drugs is not easy. Especially while working and commuting.

Jeanette

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I combine an NSAID with a benzodiazepine and am mostly dizziness free after that.

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I started the allergy shots before a definitive diagnosis of MAV but had and idea that maybe allergies were a factor (and I still think so). I took about 3 months of shots, and missed a few weeks. It seemed as though about the time I started them, when I would get a really bad vertigo episode a new symptom happened, chest tightness. It wasn’t impairing my ability to breathe. The a couple times it happened right after the shot (along with aura and vertigo–I thought it was my body’s reaction to the shot, as my body reacts to EVERYTHING) but I mentioned it to the doctor. We talked, and even though that new symptom may or may not be a direct result of the shots, he is no longer comfortable treating me right now. I do notice that on weeks I missed that this chest tightness decreased, although I was never really that worried about it. I am bummed, as I do feel like the allergy shots were helping my allergies. My body and brain is so sensitive these days, thought, that it’s probably for the best. We will re-visit it in the fall. Hopefully by then I have made some progress on Topamax and will be more stable.

I am still unsure of the NSAID myself. I seem to have more headaches recently (wasn’t having any at all) since going up in Topamax, which also coincided with my cycle (I know, really smart, right??). I am trying to just manage them through water and peppermint oil. I may try advil as needed. I hear you on waiting for to try new drugs…I feel the same way. I haven’t had to use a cane yet, but should have. I have been unable to leave the house, however, for much of the winter and as recently as last weekend. I am getting better slowly, but seem to backslide with every rise in Topa and hot flash.

I had reached out to Dr. Jann, but she nor any of the other St. Luke’s docs take my insurance. I am happy with Dr. Broner so far, and just need to practice being more patient with myself and my body and brain. I have only been on Topa for a month and not even at my prescribed dose so I need to really keep myself in check on that. Horrible weekend, hoping for a better one this coming.

I often wonder if mold from an old leak here is causing all of this, and that is one of the reasons I started the shots. Love my apt. but it’s an old old musty dirty building so not so in love with it anymore.

Let’s keep in touch. Contact me anytime!!

Janet