Postpartum MAV/PPPD

New here, let me introduce myself 🤝
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Hello all!

I have read a few postpartum/pregnancy related stories being a MAV/PPPD trigger but wanted to share my experience. I have had an attack after both pregnancy’s- my first experience was late 2016 and it scared the heck out of me being a new mom. I ended up in the ER panicked by the imbalance and had multiple tests done (all normal) and followed up with an outside neurologist who told me I had PPPD. I was out on Zoloft and recovered within 6 months 90%.

I was terrified for my second pregnancy but knew I had a plan if it were to come back (I was off Zoloft during pregnancy). Within a few days after delivery (March 2019) the dizziness returned. I started Zoloft right away but it’s been 4 months now and I’m still dizzy with light/sound sensitivity, ringing ears, nonstop tension headaches, and lots of visual side effects I don’t remember having the first time around.

I tried topomax for my headaches but hated the side effects (not for me).

I’m switching now to Cymbalta, hoping an SNRI will help.

Glad I found this forum it’s hard to connect with others about what I’m experiencing, it’s such a hidden illness! I’ve always been motion sensitive, had occasional migraines with aura, but never had an attack of such extreme long lasting dizziness until my first postpartum experience. Sucks! But I have hope for another recovery.

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Sorry to hear your story.

Try Effexor instead of Cymbalta as folks have better luck with it. Weaning off both Cymbalta and Effexor are hard , keep that in mind.

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Hi Megan, you have found “your people” here! All recovering the best we know how. I have not heard much on the use of Zoloft, although I’m relatively new also.
Here is a graph that James @turnitaround put together for us of the medications most used by people on this board. Medication mention count in User Cards - User Polls đź“Š - mvertigo.org vestibular disorders support forum
Also, not user if you have been around Dr Hains website yet, but an incredible wealth of information here: Migraine Headache

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sorry you are going through this, I hope you start feeling better. You got better once! I am a fellow post partum mav dizzy mom. I am on venlafaxine (effexor).
Hugs

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Hi Megan, welcome to the forum, and sorry that you’re also having to fight MAV. With a new baby - and a child - it can’t be an easy thing to do.
I became dizzy for the first time a few weeks after giving birth, am now on my second occurrence of dizziness (after surgery). I still remember how scared I was to drop my baby in the stairs.
I’m currently on 80 mg nortriptyline. Wish you a good recovery :heart_eyes:

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Thank you! Did your current med work for you the first time around too?

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Thank you! Are you finding relief from venlafaxine?

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Thank you so much for the info!!

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I didn’t use any med the first time round, I recovered naturally after three months. Different story this time.

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