Aa
vertigo and migraines
Hi, I have migraines with or without aura and sometimes get aura's alone or double vision alone, or flying alone or with migraine or aura. or vertigo where I fall on the ground alone or with an aura hours before or not. I have seen a neurologist that is a migraine specialist as well as an ENT to rule out acoustic neuroma (negative MRI), and not sure about meniers disease yet but since I have all the symptoms of a migraine variant they are treating me for that first. I have also gone to an opthamologist and my eyes are fine. The main issue here is the vertigo. I can be walking or sitting and the vertigo will come on all of a sudden and I can't stand up at all. I fell the other day and hurt my hip and arm but didn't break either luckily. I have been given Cyproheptadine 8mg at bedtime and this almost got rid of the flying lights but not anything else. So, they are thinking of giving me amitriptiline (Elavil). Has this worked for anyone on the visuals and especially vertigo? Any bad reaction to this drug and how hard is it to get off of if necessary. I also take Imitrex and Ibupropin for the headaches. But won't be able to take the triptans if I go on this drug. Also, I am on 1.5 mg of Klonopin at bedtime for my migraine variant I had 20 years ago (and it totally working on my vomiting and stomach pain that was associated with the migraine variant). I exercises regularly, eat a vegan diet and don't eat junk food, no MSG, no red wine etc. Can someone suggest help for this vertigo as it is taking away my ability to drive and walk on my own. I am trying to get an appointment with my neurologist but she is on vacation this week.
thanks,
mkh9
thanks,
mkh9
Thanks Midijane for your kinds words. Yes I'll let you know if the Amitryptiline works for me and if not what else they have in mind. My migraines used to be much more severe. Now that I'm nearing menopause (how time flys) my migraine headaches are mild to moderate but can last for a couple of days at times like yours. The main issue I have is the vertigo right now.I wouldn't use Klonopin unless you want to be on it the rest of your life as it takes away the receptors for a particular neurotransmitter, I think (can't remember which one) also since your MRI and other tests were negative I don't think you have MS. It may be a migraine variant or another type of nerve problem or an autoimmune disease but I would have to look into it some more. I'll message you regarding my back problem just so you know what I have been through. I guess it is good to talk to someone about it so that at least someone knows what you have given up and what you are going through etc.Feel free to message me as well anytime you want to vent, chat or whatever.
take care,
mkh9
take care,
mkh9
Wow, what a long road. And hear I am feeling so frustrated bc of the past year. Ok, my pity party just ended :)
It is unbelievable to hear migraines can cause so many jeuro symptoms and while Im never glad to hear someone else feels bad, it is good to know that Im not crazy and there are others out there with similar issues. I had posted in the forum awahile back looking for anyone else with similar migraine related aymptoms. I cant remember if you responded, just remember that I only had 1 or 2 responses in general.
Its good to know Klonopin works so well for you. Im going to remember that one in case things goes south for me. Right now I have Imitrex tablets for the more frequent headaches that are less minor and the injectable form for the whomper migraines that put in in bed for several days.
I agrre with your opinion about persuing another avenue than the migraine variant (to use your wording). Im just wrestling with whether or not I will follow through with my MS specialist appoinment in Dec... But Im starting to lean towards keeping the appoinment just to put my mind at ease. Some information is better than none.
Im really sorry to hear everything migraines have done to your health. The double vision and vertigo must be unbearable at times. Feel free to msg me just to vent sometime. Another forum member just offered her support to me recently in the same way and it really made me feel better. Like you dont have to complain to another family member or friend again about the same issues that bother you. I wonder what comes next with your neuro doc to help control the dizziness, but let me know since it sounds familiar. Yours is much more extreme than mine, but in the event that things kick up again here and the dizziness comes back full-force... Id like to know theres something out there that works.
To answer your question, yep... i had MRIs of the head, cervical and lumbar spine, an LP, blood work, and and EVP eye test... All of which were fine and landed me in the anxiety/migraine bucket.
Doesnt it just drain you completely thinking of this stuff. Mental energy is often more taxing than physical energy for me, and I dont have to deal with near as much as others.
Well, I need to get back to work here. Beautiful day outside and Im trying to finish work ontime to get the new puppy outside for a walk. Hes still wants to eat every leaf, twig and anything not nailed down so our walks are usuallyme carrying him half of the way just to get home :)
Talk to you later
It is unbelievable to hear migraines can cause so many jeuro symptoms and while Im never glad to hear someone else feels bad, it is good to know that Im not crazy and there are others out there with similar issues. I had posted in the forum awahile back looking for anyone else with similar migraine related aymptoms. I cant remember if you responded, just remember that I only had 1 or 2 responses in general.
Its good to know Klonopin works so well for you. Im going to remember that one in case things goes south for me. Right now I have Imitrex tablets for the more frequent headaches that are less minor and the injectable form for the whomper migraines that put in in bed for several days.
I agrre with your opinion about persuing another avenue than the migraine variant (to use your wording). Im just wrestling with whether or not I will follow through with my MS specialist appoinment in Dec... But Im starting to lean towards keeping the appoinment just to put my mind at ease. Some information is better than none.
Im really sorry to hear everything migraines have done to your health. The double vision and vertigo must be unbearable at times. Feel free to msg me just to vent sometime. Another forum member just offered her support to me recently in the same way and it really made me feel better. Like you dont have to complain to another family member or friend again about the same issues that bother you. I wonder what comes next with your neuro doc to help control the dizziness, but let me know since it sounds familiar. Yours is much more extreme than mine, but in the event that things kick up again here and the dizziness comes back full-force... Id like to know theres something out there that works.
To answer your question, yep... i had MRIs of the head, cervical and lumbar spine, an LP, blood work, and and EVP eye test... All of which were fine and landed me in the anxiety/migraine bucket.
Doesnt it just drain you completely thinking of this stuff. Mental energy is often more taxing than physical energy for me, and I dont have to deal with near as much as others.
Well, I need to get back to work here. Beautiful day outside and Im trying to finish work ontime to get the new puppy outside for a walk. Hes still wants to eat every leaf, twig and anything not nailed down so our walks are usuallyme carrying him half of the way just to get home :)
Talk to you later
Hi Midijane,
Has anyone done an MRI on you for MS yet? You have some symptoms of that and some that are like a migraine variant. Do you have any visuals like I have? I think I would pursue ruling out MS then go the migraine route in your case. I 'm sorry you have gone through all this. I'm glad you have your family to support you and make you laugh! As for me I have two problems one is a migraine problem which you know most of and the other is chronic back pain. I guess I can write both so I'll start with the migraine issue. So, in my 20's starting at 23 I started getting vomiting, the shivers , stomach pain and it would only start at night when I tried to go to sleep. I couldn't stop vomiting all night and would end up going to the ER to get rehydrated and usually anti-nausea and pain meds (something to knock me out) would stop the cycle. I did't have migraine headaches or auras back them. It took the 8 years to diagnose me. I went to every doctor you can imagine had every test (brain scan ,EEG, two upper GI's, gastroscopy, lower GI, stomach ultrasound, lots of blood tests etc. all were normal except the electroencepalogram (EEG). This showed that I had a migraine/seizure pattern. The neurologist put me on an antidepressant to get me to sleep at night so I wouldn't get the vomiting. But after a year I got used to the pill and started throwing up again. It wasn't every day it was about once a month or two weekends in a row then nothing for a couple of months etc. I finally though I must be crazy and went to a psychiatrist and he said I had a migraine variant and put me on Klonopin (benzodiazepine). It totally worked as it is for anxiety but also works well on migraine variants and cyclic vomiting syndrome which I may have. So after 10 years of being on this drug I'm still free of the vomiting syndrome. in my 30's I started getting migraine headaches (really bad ones) and they gave me Imitrex for them which helped some. Then I started getting the auras too. Only last year I started getting double vision two or three times (very strange thing) then more auras , flying lights , all these visuals then vertigo. The vertigo is the worst because I have no sense of which was is up. Usually, it starts with a spinning and I feel I am going to fall and I do unless someone holds onto me. I had the MRI to rule out acoustic neuroma and it was negative. I get off balance as well. So, I am back with a new neurologist who thinks it is migraine related. I hope that they can control the vertigo or I can't drive and I will fall and hurt myself. I have ringing in my ears off and on too. I'll tell you about my back in another message.
take care,
mkh9
Has anyone done an MRI on you for MS yet? You have some symptoms of that and some that are like a migraine variant. Do you have any visuals like I have? I think I would pursue ruling out MS then go the migraine route in your case. I 'm sorry you have gone through all this. I'm glad you have your family to support you and make you laugh! As for me I have two problems one is a migraine problem which you know most of and the other is chronic back pain. I guess I can write both so I'll start with the migraine issue. So, in my 20's starting at 23 I started getting vomiting, the shivers , stomach pain and it would only start at night when I tried to go to sleep. I couldn't stop vomiting all night and would end up going to the ER to get rehydrated and usually anti-nausea and pain meds (something to knock me out) would stop the cycle. I did't have migraine headaches or auras back them. It took the 8 years to diagnose me. I went to every doctor you can imagine had every test (brain scan ,EEG, two upper GI's, gastroscopy, lower GI, stomach ultrasound, lots of blood tests etc. all were normal except the electroencepalogram (EEG). This showed that I had a migraine/seizure pattern. The neurologist put me on an antidepressant to get me to sleep at night so I wouldn't get the vomiting. But after a year I got used to the pill and started throwing up again. It wasn't every day it was about once a month or two weekends in a row then nothing for a couple of months etc. I finally though I must be crazy and went to a psychiatrist and he said I had a migraine variant and put me on Klonopin (benzodiazepine). It totally worked as it is for anxiety but also works well on migraine variants and cyclic vomiting syndrome which I may have. So after 10 years of being on this drug I'm still free of the vomiting syndrome. in my 30's I started getting migraine headaches (really bad ones) and they gave me Imitrex for them which helped some. Then I started getting the auras too. Only last year I started getting double vision two or three times (very strange thing) then more auras , flying lights , all these visuals then vertigo. The vertigo is the worst because I have no sense of which was is up. Usually, it starts with a spinning and I feel I am going to fall and I do unless someone holds onto me. I had the MRI to rule out acoustic neuroma and it was negative. I get off balance as well. So, I am back with a new neurologist who thinks it is migraine related. I hope that they can control the vertigo or I can't drive and I will fall and hurt myself. I have ringing in my ears off and on too. I'll tell you about my back in another message.
take care,
mkh9
Hi again mkh9,
My story is that my body went a little haywire this year, haha. In March of this year I started to have lightheadedness with vision problemms, my ears were ringing, tingling all over in different places including my head and tongue, creepy crawly sensations like bugs and worms were on my skin (I know that sounds crazy), swallowing difficulty with a lump in the left side of my throat and this intense buzzing in my chest that felt like I was standing on a power line. I lost almost 20 ponds that month beacuase I had no appetite.
Things mostly cleared up after 3 weeks but not completely. Then in may/june, I began having problems walking with left foot drop, left leg weakness, many trips and falls, extreme dizziness with side-stepping and bumping into everything around me, and the buzzing in my chest came back full force. Althugh I gained some weight back, I lost another 15 pounds (small bonus, haha). I also had an evening when I couldnt walk at all bc my legs just wouldnt support me as well as an episode where I couldnt stand upright bc my muscles would support me either. I looked like a marionette puppeton strings trying to stand up and felt like an idiot in front of my friends.
Since then things have quieted down overall but I still have lightheadedness daily and... This is so starnge so bear with me... I feel like I have a band of muscle heaviness that runs on top of my legs from my hips to my toes which causes me to lose my balance. Again its like the muscles on top of my legs wontsupport me properly so that I tend tolean backwards when standing or sway in my seat side to side when working. The buzzing inmy chest is still hanging around as well. The lightheadedness is what bothers me the most though, Ive lost around 35 pounds this year and still have no appetite. Trust me, I had room to lose a few pounds.
All of my testing for MS, Lupus, Lyme, West Nile, autoimmune and I forget what else, came back negative so my neuro doc says anxiety and migraines are the cause. I told her i felt embarrassed that anxiety could be the causebc I dontfeel anxious and also I havenet had a migraine this year. I realize it was a simple diagnosis bc there was nothing else to give it a label.
Anyway, Im supposed to an MS specialist in Dec to get his opinion, we'll see how I feel then. i havent cancelled the appoinment yet. I want to to be honest but retelling my story does make me thinktwice :). I forget how bad things got and how my wonky legs scared the h--- out of me. Im a hikerand if I could get out in the woods I dont know what I would do.
Other than the health issues, I have two kiddos and a new puppy, all of whom crack me up all day every day. Life is good and we have a new home to enjoy. Looking forward to our first Christmas in our new place.
How about you? I shared my story and would like to hear yours. Have at it....
Hugs,
Marell
My story is that my body went a little haywire this year, haha. In March of this year I started to have lightheadedness with vision problemms, my ears were ringing, tingling all over in different places including my head and tongue, creepy crawly sensations like bugs and worms were on my skin (I know that sounds crazy), swallowing difficulty with a lump in the left side of my throat and this intense buzzing in my chest that felt like I was standing on a power line. I lost almost 20 ponds that month beacuase I had no appetite.
Things mostly cleared up after 3 weeks but not completely. Then in may/june, I began having problems walking with left foot drop, left leg weakness, many trips and falls, extreme dizziness with side-stepping and bumping into everything around me, and the buzzing in my chest came back full force. Althugh I gained some weight back, I lost another 15 pounds (small bonus, haha). I also had an evening when I couldnt walk at all bc my legs just wouldnt support me as well as an episode where I couldnt stand upright bc my muscles would support me either. I looked like a marionette puppeton strings trying to stand up and felt like an idiot in front of my friends.
Since then things have quieted down overall but I still have lightheadedness daily and... This is so starnge so bear with me... I feel like I have a band of muscle heaviness that runs on top of my legs from my hips to my toes which causes me to lose my balance. Again its like the muscles on top of my legs wontsupport me properly so that I tend tolean backwards when standing or sway in my seat side to side when working. The buzzing inmy chest is still hanging around as well. The lightheadedness is what bothers me the most though, Ive lost around 35 pounds this year and still have no appetite. Trust me, I had room to lose a few pounds.
All of my testing for MS, Lupus, Lyme, West Nile, autoimmune and I forget what else, came back negative so my neuro doc says anxiety and migraines are the cause. I told her i felt embarrassed that anxiety could be the causebc I dontfeel anxious and also I havenet had a migraine this year. I realize it was a simple diagnosis bc there was nothing else to give it a label.
Anyway, Im supposed to an MS specialist in Dec to get his opinion, we'll see how I feel then. i havent cancelled the appoinment yet. I want to to be honest but retelling my story does make me thinktwice :). I forget how bad things got and how my wonky legs scared the h--- out of me. Im a hikerand if I could get out in the woods I dont know what I would do.
Other than the health issues, I have two kiddos and a new puppy, all of whom crack me up all day every day. Life is good and we have a new home to enjoy. Looking forward to our first Christmas in our new place.
How about you? I shared my story and would like to hear yours. Have at it....
Hugs,
Marell
Hi Midijane,
Thanks for your reply. Well, I was on 1200mg of Neurontin for several months and it didn't help my migraines or back pain. I did end up getting to see a new neurologist that was taking my regular neurologists place. She gave me the Amitriptiline and we'll see how it goes. I have heard many people say it works great on migraine prevention and all the effects such as aura and vertigo. If the vertigo or dizzyness is due to migraine. I would love to hear your story. I'll try to go on your webpage if it is there. Lightheadedness can be from low blood pressure too as I get that sometimes too. Have you seen a migraine specialist? Are you on a daily drug for migraines or the lightheadedness? If not you may want to try something. At least I am sleeping very well with the cyproheptadine and now the Amitriptiline. We'll see how it goes.
mkh9
Thanks for your reply. Well, I was on 1200mg of Neurontin for several months and it didn't help my migraines or back pain. I did end up getting to see a new neurologist that was taking my regular neurologists place. She gave me the Amitriptiline and we'll see how it goes. I have heard many people say it works great on migraine prevention and all the effects such as aura and vertigo. If the vertigo or dizzyness is due to migraine. I would love to hear your story. I'll try to go on your webpage if it is there. Lightheadedness can be from low blood pressure too as I get that sometimes too. Have you seen a migraine specialist? Are you on a daily drug for migraines or the lightheadedness? If not you may want to try something. At least I am sleeping very well with the cyproheptadine and now the Amitriptiline. We'll see how it goes.
mkh9
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Your post caught my attention bc I have lightheadedness daily with a diagnosis of migraines with stroke like symptoms (its a long story). Anyway, I have heard neurontin can help with many migraine symptoms but havent tried it myself.
Please let us know if you find a helpful suggestion. Best wishes.