I’ve read up some info. From Dr surenthirans views on google stating that most of his patients diagnosed with vestibular migraine usually are people who go through enormous amounts of stress and anxiety or are just extremely hard working people and go all out working at much more than their capacity as humans. These patients can be stressed and anxious always but they don’t realize it until their bodies give in to vestibular migraine or some other illness is triggered. These patients may have never had a migraine symptom ever throughout their entire lives. Hormones and pregnancy also brings on stress and anxiety which women may not notice.
From this I think what he means that massive stress and anxiety regardless of whether u have been a previous migrainier or not is ONE reason of many that triggers MAV.
I would agree that I am that sort of person and I was living like that just before I got MAV. Not that I was doing any more than most people but I felt anxious and over stressed all the time and was probably pushing myself more than my body could handle. I don’t believe all humans can handle the same jobs, the same amounts of stress, the same work etc. It stands to reason that some of us can do less than others. Not because we are lazy but maybe because our bodily constitution is just not as strong as others. Just like we all look different, have different personalities and different abilities and strengths then we also have different tolerances to stress and susceptibility to different illnesses.
I know for a fact that for me working full time was too much. I have always been labelled a hard working person all through school and generally in life but I don’t think my body was strong enough for it especially because I always tried to be so efficient and to do everything well. It’s kind of like your mind wants you to do more than your brain and body will handle and maybe they go into meltdown for some people if pushed too far.
I totally agree with you Jem every word. There was a time in the past year I would argued against it but I have finally accepted I have MAV maybe and that my stresses of last year triggered it off. My dad became very ill yet carried on working and pushing myself as well as caring for him. Financially I had to take on 3 jobs and worked an 18 hour day. One of the jobs was early morning in a supermarket stacking shelves and working on a till. A repetitive job that sent me dizzy every time. Then I was teaching new students new year etc and then on an I t help desk. Was still caring for my dad and attending interviews every week. Then my sister became seriously ill. So all of this saw my dizziness soar and I ended up having a bad vertigo attack that I haven’t yet recovered from. Balance all over place. Vertigo all the time. Can’t lie down still. Everyone said I had done too much but I refused to believe this and was still being treated for md but not successfully. I just couldn’t accept that hard working me who could cope with anything could be affected by stress. I so accept it now and are kinder to myself. Accept medication and try anything to get better that’s what I do now. Never will I push myself too far. Angela
Feb 2011, my then partner had a couple of epileptic fits. I knew he had epilepsy already so it was to be expected, but it involved making sure he was ok through his fitting, calling an ambulance the 2nd time, sitting with him in A&E while he was unconscious for 6 hours, and then we had an extended period where he had tiny mini fits every hour for 2 weeks. I thought I coped well and if anyone had asked if I was stressed at the time I would have said of course not, but I had actually turned into a nervous wreck- afraid of the tiniest movement from him and looking back it was quite traumatic.
I don’t think it’s a surprise that in April 2011, I got hit with MAV.
It’d be interesting to know how many of us can pin point some particular stress factors just prior to this kicking off.
Lots of us I would say. Just a question on anxiety. How on you know you are anxious. I naively thought it was quick breathing. I get jittery I suppose but I never see this as anxiety. I get this awful sinking feeling in my stomach which turns into full blown fainting fit but thats when I an trying to sleep. Is that anxiety? Was told is was symptom of md. Angela
Angela, there are different types of anxiety. There is a psychological type and physiological type in my experience. The psychological type is when you know you are worried about something and it is very clear that you feel worried or anxious about something in particular. Everyone will have experienced that to some degree in their lives. The physiological type is what I have experienced for the first time with MAV and it’s where you aren’t necessarily consciously worried about something but your brain chemicals and processes in your brain are activated, for example by your brain giving/getting the wrong balance messages and you experience anxiety symptoms. Both types can bring about the same symptoms which could be any or all of the following: racing heart, palpitations, sweating, nausea, trembling, shaking, dry mouth, upset stomach, overwhelming feeling of impending doom, feeling faint or fainting, feeling weak and probably many more. In my experience the physiological anxiety is a lot more severe and disabling. I felt I had no control over it at all and it was terrifying.
I am not sure if what you describe is anxiety or symptoms of your illness but I would say if it is anxiety you would probably just know. Even if it is physiological and you don’t know the reason for the anxiety then you would still just know that you had anxiety I think, it can be very overwhelming indeed x
Thanks for that info Jem. I will start listening to my body I think and try and recognize the anxiety as opposed to the dizzy. It’s so hard becoming a different person I suppose changing habits of a life time
I would have to say that this really hits the nail on the head for me. I have had a prolonged period of stress in my life, trying to achieve goals at work, being very career driven and trying to succeed as much as possible… leading to me moving countries and accepting a great job… But once everything had calmed down and i had gotten into the day to day life suddenly the MAV / MDDS started…
I think i push myself to much at times, always trying to be better than I am and never being content, who knows, maybe a prolonged period of reflection and being off work could really help to sort out my symptoms but I just couldnt afford to do that
Dr S is definitely on to something here… cant wait for my appt with him next month
Feb 2011, my then partner had a couple of epileptic fits. I knew he had epilepsy already so it was to be expected, but it involved making sure he was ok through his fitting, calling an ambulance the 2nd time, sitting with him in A&E while he was unconscious for 6 hours, and then we had an extended period where he had tiny mini fits every hour for 2 weeks. I thought I coped well and if anyone had asked if I was stressed at the time I would have said of course not, but I had actually turned into a nervous wreck- afraid of the tiniest movement from him and looking back it was quite traumatic.
I don’t think it’s a surprise that in April 2011, I got hit with MAV.
It’d be interesting to know how many of us can pin point some particular stress factors just prior to this kicking off.
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Very interesting also MissMoss. If there is a prolonged period of stressful factors which can trigger this terrible condition, surely there should be a way to unwind that, without the use of Meds. This is what I wonder… if there is something that we don’t know yet that would really help us to unravel the MAV web which has been created by build up of all this factors
Very interesting also MissMoss. If there is a prolonged period of stressful factors which can trigger this terrible condition, surely there should be a way to unwind that, without the use of Meds. This is what I wonder… if there is something that we don’t know yet that would really help us to unravel the MAV web which has been created by build up of all this factors
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RichyF, there is a solution… GO ON PERMANENT HOLIDAY!! I’m not actually even joking… Going on holiday cures me, and I think it cures Victoria too…Should be available on the NHS/insurance!
Very interesting also MissMoss. If there is a prolonged period of stressful factors which can trigger this terrible condition, surely there should be a way to unwind that, without the use of Meds. This is what I wonder… if there is something that we don’t know yet that would really help us to unravel the MAV web which has been created by build up of all this factors
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RichyF, there is a solution… GO ON PERMANENT HOLIDAY!! I’m not actually even joking… Going on holiday cures me, and I think it cures Victoria too…Should be available on the NHS/insurance!
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hey that sounds like a great idea… im not on the NHS over here in Switzerland, but i’m sure my company would be really keen on that hahaha :lol:
in all seriousness though, I really do wonder if it would help me… I believe it may well do!
Stress is my primary trigger. For years, I only had “attacks” under major stress. One time, my son was hit by a car. Another time, I lost a job contract. I’ve also had three attacks without 24 hours of being on a boat. So boats are my #2 trigger. These attacks are always severe with extreme vertigo, vomiting and take days to recover.
Now, my MAV is complicated by peri-menopause hormone craziness so it takes much less to cause an attack but that’s another story…
Yes, a vacation is definitely a cure! We recently took a trip to Prague and I was worried that the travel would be too much but I had a wonderful time with very few headaches.
I am the same. I worked long hours every day and was a perfectionist. When I look back now, I can tell you now that I was always in a constant state of anxiety and stress and I am dead sure that this is what has triggered my MAV. This probably IS the reason why cymbalta is the drug that’s working for me I.e. its taking care of anxiety, stress hence calming the brain hence calming my MAV.
RICHY since u have an upcoming appointment with Dr surenthiran , it would b great if u could ask if long periods of stress, anxiety and perfectionist views can trigger MAV And get his feedback and post his thoughts on this on mvertigo
Hi guys
RICHY since u have an upcoming appointment with Dr surenthiran , it would b great if u could ask if long periods of stress, anxiety and perfectionist views can trigger MAV And get his feedback and post his thoughts on this on mvertigo
Stress is my primary trigger. For years, I only had “attacks” under major stress. One time, my son was hit by a car. Another time, I lost a job contract. I’ve also had three attacks without 24 hours of being on a boat. So boats are my #2 trigger. These attacks are always severe with extreme vertigo, vomiting and take days to recover.
Now, my MAV is complicated by peri-menopause hormone craziness so it takes much less to cause an attack but that’s another story…
Yes, a vacation is definitely a cure! We recently took a trip to Prague and I was worried that the travel would be too much but I had a wonderful time with very few headaches.
Deb
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I wish I only had episodic MAV… for me the unbalance / disequilibrium is constant… a day without feeling like im on a boat would be bliss
Richy once u find a med that works, all your symptoms will go away. It will take time though. If u have been thru a prolonged period of stress, it might be a good idea to start taking the ami or the nort before u see Dr S since that’s his first line fav med. U cud simply visit a gp or a pychiartrist and tell them that u suffer from anxiety and took either the ami or the nort in the past and it helped. Tell then that U wish to start it again for anxiety and request a prescription. Don’ther telling them about your MAV CZ THEN u probably won’t get the script. Who knows u might get much better before even seeing Dr surenthiran. I usually do the same I.e. make up some crap at the docs when I need a script for something bc I have realized there really isn’t any point explaining to docs about MAV WHEN they have never even heard about it and u will b considerered psychologically illl instead. To date some neuros I have seen still think that my cymbalta is only helping my anxiety which it is. But rest assured my MAV has become way better as well which is why the anxiety has reduced but those neuros just dont believe it.
Just to echo what everyone else has said, I too was in the middle of crisis mode before MAV hit. I was freaking out, crying, and not sleeping due to anxiety. It was my senior year of college when I was trying to manage a social life and firming up my career choices. I also was dealing with an eating disorder that was EXTREMELY taxing emotionally. I kept this up for about 8 months and then BAM, hello MAV.
I’m trying Zoloft, hoping the extra serotonin calms my crazy little brain down
Very interesting also MissMoss. If there is a prolonged period of stressful factors which can trigger this terrible condition, surely there should be a way to unwind that, without the use of Meds. This is what I wonder… if there is something that we don’t know yet that would really help us to unravel the MAV web which has been created by build up of all this factors
— End quote
RichyF, there is a solution… GO ON PERMANENT HOLIDAY!! I’m not actually even joking… Going on holiday cures me, and I think it cures Victoria too…Should be available on the NHS/insurance!
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Hi Missmoss,
That is interesting how you say you feel cured on holiday- do all of your symptoms go away? How long does it take being on vacation for you to feel better? And when do all of your symptoms return- right when you get home? This is interesting and definitely would indicate that stress is a factor in this.
RichyF, there is a solution… GO ON PERMANENT HOLIDAY!! I’m not actually even joking… Going on holiday cures me, and I think it cures Victoria too…Should be available on the NHS/insurance!
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I travel overseas a lot (pretty much every year), by choice, for fun. Mixed experiences re MAV. Sometimes I’ve felt the same, or even worse. I attribute the ‘worse’ though to jet lag, stress (eg emotional stuff unrelated and simply coincidental to the holiday), rushing around doing stuff, altitude and local changes (different water, different food etc).
Generally though I do feel better and sometimes, particularly if the holiday is very easy (eg minimal travel, just mooching around the one spot, doing lots of relaxing things like spa treatments) I will feel heaps better.
So, the key thing is not travel per se, but the proper relaxation that often accompanies a holiday - switching off from daily stressors, no demands on time, no pressure. Obviously we can’t eliminate those things entirely from daily life but for those of us with chronic MAV which has an impact on our daily living it’s definitely worth doing what you can to reduce stress. This includes any of the standard relaxation techniques like medition, regular exercise and sleep, getting organised so that ‘life admin’ like paying bills and housework etc don’t get on top of you and thinking ‘bigger picture’ about your life and what is important to you and what you can manage. For me this has meant some readjustment in my priorities, for example, in terms of my career in favour of a more balanced life. It definitely helps.
I’m not actually even joking… Going on holiday cures me, and I think it cures Victoria too…Should be available on the NHS/insurance!