I cannot believe I am going down this road after saying countless time to doctors and specialists that “I am not mad I am just dizzy!!!”, but my neuro suggested speaking to a psych to help me through this illness. Having a chronic illness for so long is beginnning to take its toll on me and I think I need some help now. Since they are medical doctors who deal with these “brain drugs” it might just be beneficial ??? My question is if anyone knows of a good psych in Melbourne??
I completely understand, after always saying no no no i feel optimistic i dont need any help. After it became sooo much worse last dec i have finally started to see a me two health worker to help with my anxiety and now panick attacks. Honestly it has helped me heaps just to have someone to isnt talking doctor talk and who gives me things to do on the bad days to keep thT optimistic feeling. I cant help with who to go to but what i have found its not necessarily the qualifications but more the personality of the person and how the mesh with you! I see someone in the yarra valley. Goodluck :).
Hi Kylie Yes I so many of us will understand - it is absolutely normal to need more help to actually deal with a chronic illness and it doesnt mean the condition itself is in our heads.
I live interstate now and have recently started with a local Pain Management Clinic recommended by my neuro to get nerve block injections. There are more of these multidisciplinary teams around and to sign on you get a trained person looking at a bigger picture and a list that includes more psychologists experienced at helping people deal with chronic health problems than you can poke a stick at. No psychiatrists here but they are available on referral. Now it might depend whether pain is one of your issues.
Wait to see what comes from real Victorians but I can see that the Pain Clinic at St Vincents in Fitzroy actually list Psychiatrist as a team member. The Royal Melbourne have a clinic that doesnt list psychiatrist but you could ask them. At least in my state a nice person answers the phone and you could talk with them, as could your GP if they are any good 
take care and good luck with it all wendy .
Thank you so much Becky & Wendy. I feel a whole lot better about it now.My local GP is pretty ordinary and knows very little of MAV and the drugs I have been trialling. I think it is the right path to take now. Any new advise/treatment from another Dr would be very welcome at this point of time.
Thanks again
Kylie
Kylie
There’s nothing worse than struggling on our own to deal with MAV and not knowing which way to turn - who to go to for advice and understanding! So sorry you aren’t making any progress with the meds and any help we can get, as long as it’s the right help is definitely the way to go.
Sorry, can’t help with any psych suggestions except to say that you do need to see someone you can really ‘open up’ with and preferably someone who comes with a good referral. I’ve recently been seeing a psychologist who I related to really well - a lovely person and great in helping me deal with this chronic condition. She wasn’t actually able to help with the anxiety & panic attacks I was having at the time & was honest enough to say so but as it turned out they were caused by the med I was taking and have ceased since I stopped taking the Dothep!
What neuro are you seeing at the moment? Is he in Melbourne? Do you trust him to recommend a good psychiatrist who understands MAV? Like Wendy says there are some good pain management clinics at the big hospitals in Melbourne - Dr Waterston treats MAV so his office may be able to suggest a good psych if you give them a ring. Let us know how you get on.
Barb
Hi Barb.
That’s a great suggestion… I hadn’t thought about contacting Dr Waterston. I am still seeing Dr Granot and find the trip worthwhile. I am med free at the moment, still struggling on a daily basis but continuing to put one foot in front of the other. Dr Granot suggested taking Zoloft but after just one dose it was clear that this was not the medication for me… my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest!!! So Barb what are you taking now that Dothep didn’t work out. I am glad however you found the source of the anxiety/ panic attacks… such an awful sensation. Thank you for your words of encouragement and support.
Kylie
Hi Kylie,
When I was first sick (and undiagnosed), I saw a lovely psychologist (not a psychiatrist, she doesn’t prescribe meds) called Judy Thomas who works at Southside Psychology in Brighton.
I was in a bad way as I didn’t know what was wrong with me and was having panic attacks and lots of anxiety as a result. I think it’s so helpful to have an impartial and professional person to talk to when dealing with a chronic illness, as friends/relatives don’t and sometimes can’t understand what we’re going through. Don’t take it as a sign of madness or weakness on your part, i think it’s a good idea to seek help wherever you can get it.
Judy was a very lovely and caring lady, and very easy to get along with (important as Becky and Barb mentioned). She helped me come to terms with what was happening to me and also did some hypnotherapy on me to help me relax. Not sure if you’re keen on the idea of hypnotherapy, but as a relaxation tool it helped me.
I like both Wendy’s and Barb’s suggestions, but if you’re unable to follow those for any reason, I would recommend Judy. She doesn’t come across as clinical and I found her manner really great.
Sorry, I don’t have her phone number, but if you google her name and business name you’ll find her contact details.
Regards,
Helen
Ps Barb, so happy for you that stopping the Dothep stopped the panic attacks!
Thank you so much for your recommendation, Judy sounds amazing. After reading your post I’m convinced that I am heading in the right direction. I am so glad Judy helped you through those difficult times. I agree It would be helpful to speak to someone impartial, as I don’t want to burden my family and friends any more with my health problems. In saying that I have had amazing support from them.
Many thanks
Kylie
kylie visiting a psych is probably the right thing to do now since u have been ill for so long with not much success esp on the anxiety part. u really need to get on an ssri or an snri that suits your body. u will notice that once ur anxiety is controlled u will b able to get a much better grip of things over this beast. good luck and keep us posted
— Begin quote from “nabeel”
kylie visiting a psych is probably the right thing to do now since u have been ill for so long with not much success esp on the anxiety part. u really need to get on an ssri or an snri that suits your body. u will notice that once ur anxiety is controlled u will b able to get a much better grip of things over this beast. good luck and keep us posted
— End quote
Thank you Nabeel. This damn condition is “a beast” !! :lol: I will keep persevering until I find the magic pill. I hope you are feeling much better. I have been following your struggle with interest. Keep well. Thanks for your encouragement.
Kylie
Kylie
As a matter of fact i have been feeling much better hovering at about 80% on the cymbalta and topamax combo especially with the dizziness part of this illness.my 24/7 visual bullshit is still the same but nothing i cannot handle as long as my anxiety is under control which it has been for a couple of months now aparts from a few blips here there. im now focussing my attention on another forum for people suffering with the 24/7 visual aura that i do which is why i havent been posting on mvertigo too much. trying to now work out what i can do for my visuals but so far no success there. lets see. i hav been pretty much getting on with life noww so thats good news from my part. i really do hope u find that magic pill of yours soon. i know how frustrating it feels when nothing that u try works. good luck and keep us in the loop wwith your progress. u r in our thoughts always
Oh thank you Nabeel. I am so so happy for you! To be living at 80 % is a remarkable improvement. Great to hear you’re getting on with your life now. Now to get those visual symptoms under control and you’ll be a new man! Thanks again. I will keep you up to date . xx
Hey Kylie,
Nothing wrong with seeing a psych that’s for sure. What meds are you on Kylie? Sorry I have forgotten.
It’s ironic that a psych will likely suggest an SSRI or TCA to help you on the mood front which will likely wipe out the VM. That’s what happened to me. VM brought on clinical levels of anxiety and then depression and a friend of my father (psych guy) told me I should go on Cipramil 10 mg. BOOM, not only did it wipe out the nervous breakdown but by a complete fluke it also treated the VM.
Good luck with this next step.
S
Hi Scott.
Wow, that would be to good to be true! Kill two birds with the one stone! I’m not on anything at the moment after I didn’t see any improvements on Dothep. I have attempted Zoloft and Cymbalta since but failed to get past the starting dose. Like you Scott VM has definitely brought on a lot of anxiety. This condition is a constant source of worry and stress for me. Hopefully this psych doctor I have been referred to is half decent… time will tell. Glad you are well!!
Kylie
Hi Kylie – have a go with Cipramil. Baloh’s number 1 drug and it worked for me. I can’t tolerate any of the other SSRIs except Paxil. S
That sounds good! I will absolutely give it a go… thanks Scott. Your a champ!! I’ll get my psych/gp to write a script!
The UK specialists don’t seem to prescribe SSRI’s for MAV. I wonder why this is…They seem to prefer beta blockers, topiramate or tricyclics in general over here. I would like to try an SSRI but doubt I will be able to get it… Let us know how it goes Kylie x
jem
the australian mav neoros do not prescribe ssris either. them seem to follow the british system that u describe i.e. trycilics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, anti histamines and anticonvulsants. so just like kylie u can be sneaky n act depressed and get your local gp or psych to prescribe an ssri for u
Thanks Nabeel, that’s something to bear in mind. I think one of my cousins takes Citalopram/Celexa for depression so you’re right they do presribe it for that, just not for MAV it seems.
— Begin quote from “Jem”
The UK specialists don’t seem to prescribe SSRI’s for MAV. I wonder why this is…
— End quote
They’re following the guidelines. At this stage there is not good evidence for SSRIs and migraine in general and probably none (in the literature) for VM.