I had a horrible vertigo experience this evening. I was sitting at a table with my husband and it was like the whole world suddenly tipped 90 degrees backward, then it was like I was on a violently rocking boat. I grabbed the table. When I realized what was going on I closed my eyes and put my head down. The worst of it passed but I am now feeling very nauseous, off balance, with a weird feeling in my head, and light sensitive. I believe this is MAV. I think I've been having more MAV lately, which is really frustrating when the MM is getting under control and I've been getting my life back. Anyway, I think I need to start learning more about MAV. Have any of you here who have it found a discussion board similar to this about MAV?;
hmm here is there facebook group too seems they are changing formats https://www.facebook.com/groups/vmpro/
hehe I just joined it too I did not know they changed formats but I was added immediately, if you are not let me know I will ask them
Thank you so much, Vicki! I'm doing physically okay today, but I feel very emotionally shaken up. It is scary to know that something so dramatic can happen out of the blue like that. I imagine those of you who have had drop attacks feel similarly. I think if that had happened while I was standing I would have fallen down, and with the world being all topsy turvy, I don't think I could have gotten myself to fall in a safe way. Bleah.
Bythebay - I had an episode a year ago where I was sitting down. Halloween office potluck to be exact. Without warning one minute I am sitting there, the next I am sideways across my manager next to me. Wham. Then the room was moving, but not like a "normal" attack. I did get "normal" spins about 10 min later, was driven home and the attack was much shorter than normal. No warning. No increase in ear pressure or ringing. No decrease in hearing. Felt perfectly fine and then WHAM. It was an eye-opener to my new coworkers (transferred to this office about a year and a half ago) who I had told about my Meniere's...but until one sees it definitely harder to comprehend. The other interesting piece to me (doctor was not interested) the jolt took me to the right; trying to walk to the car I was significantly veering to the right also. (Left is my bad ear) Typically when I have a normal attack if I try to walk somewhere I stagger right/left (like a drunk) with no preference to any side - but of course not straight! Doctor only shrugged the whole thing off but it was different and scary - especially to have that extreme sudden jolt. I hope you have a better day today.
you're very welcome ByTheBay! I know how scary these odd weird strange attacks can be I have had 3 or 4 drop attacks in my life and its so frightening and soooooo strange. That jolt is bizarre like something invisible pushing you very hard. Thank goodness each time I did not get hurt. But once landed on the floor from being on the couch and another time if any of you recall, walking out of the endodontics's office to the waiting room after root canal. The waiting room chairs broke my fall. The other 2 times I was standing talking to someone and got that jolt and grabbed onto the wall in front of me, but they were more like hallway drop attacks the other 2 I went black for a split second but was conscious. I try to block those out of my head because if I give them any thought I would freak out too!
Have had 2 drop attacks--one at home, and it felt like I was being pulled (to the right) and down to the floor! No control and thankfully I was on my home carpeted area. The room was moving then and I knew a vertigo attack was happening following the attack. I crawled to my chair, tried pulling myself up--but gravity was against me, but I remembered I had Meclizine in my jean pocket--and got it and chewed it up and then managed to get into my chair. Hubby got home, helped me to bed--and I could barely walk-had to hold to the walls and him helping me and got in bed and after a short time, fell asleep. The room stopped moving--very scary. The worst one was after having to go to the E.R. with a vertigo attack--and upon being released from the E.R. and sitting in a wheelchair, suddenly it seemed the room went 'over--clockwise' and everything turned upside down, and it literally threw me to the right so hard--a drop attack-that had I not been in the chair I'd have gone to the ground! I bruised my shoulder badly on the chair handle and my husband quickly grabbed me to keep me from being thrown from the chair and called for help--and two nurses helped get me into the bed again. So, I spent the night in the hospital for observation and was given 'meclizine' right away to stop the vertigo. It was not long after that and more vertigo episodes that I had the shunt procedure. Since then, no vertigo--but as I have posted---daily very bad head pressure and dizziness that really halts my quality of life. I keep on going but it's due to sheer determination and lots of prayer! Those attack are really scary! Do hope you get some help for them.
Thank you so much for all the responses. I am sorry these things have happened to each of you, and at the same time it is so very comforting to know I'm not alone in this. I'm okay today. I'm taking it really easy.
Today has been better. Less headachy. Fewer waves of dizziness--though a few times I started to feel eyestrain and changed what I was doing. The really remarkable thing is that my tinnitus got very quiet today. I couldn't even detect it sometimes. Really a very lovely thing, and surprising that it happened on this day. Though maybe not if that is the AVs working on the MM, and the vestibular issues are MAV.
Great I hope your have good days for now on. Someone posted on the mav fb group that taking vanilla extract has helped them a lot. They wrote: I few days ago I told people about my experiment with Vanilla Extract. Anyways I stopped taking it and my off balance feeling started back. I gave it a week. Just wanted to test my Vanilla theory. During that week with out Vanilla extract, I was again at 80% with constant off balance feeling all the time. I started again Vanilla extract 3 days ago and today started to feel again that my off balance is getting improved. It shows that I may have MAV, and vanilla extract is helping with my MAV. Usually it takes about 5 or 6 days to get back to 100% on Vanilla extract for me. This time I won't stop and keep taking it continuously. I also bought a powder form of vanilla extract so that I can carry it for oversees trip.I take vanilla extract about one tablespoon or less and I mix that in one glass of milk and drink it in morning.
I have MAV and occasionally get these spins out of nowhere...they sure do suck! I am a member of the Vestibular Mirgraine FB group. There is also another FB group called Migraine Associated Vertigo which has over 2,000 members. I actually started this group many years ago hoping to meet other sufferers. For a long time there were no other members...then it snowballed, seems like there's a dizziness epidemic out there! I eventually handed the group over to other admins as I decided I couldn't handle the bickering any more. There wasn't a lot of it but I decided I wanted to focus on my own recovery. What I have found helps MSV (so far): Identifying and avoiding food triggers, cutting out caffeine or switching to decaf; getting enough sleep; trying to avoid stress; taking magnesium both as oral supplements and transdermally through oil.
My MAV symptoms began long after my menieres symptoms. I wonder if thats true of most people? Anyway, I suffered almost daily and tried many approaches: diet , herbs, supplements, Topamax etc. I did get some minor reductions in symptoms but it wasnt great. Now that my menieres is improving I no longer have the MAV stuff at all, making me wonder if it was a byproduct from the menieres. Maybe for some people this is true. I think that for me having years and years of MD going unchecked led to lots of other disorders and health issues(skin infections, sinus problems, headaches, low thyroid) but i cant prove it. I can say that now that my MD seems to be in check most of those issues are gone except the thyroid issue.
Thanks, everyone. Gustav, I have had migraine issues for years--mostly the aura, sometimes the headaches. The MAV was new and after the Menieres. I also suspect that I am more susceptible to a MAV expression of migraine because of the damage and trauma to my ear and vestibular system due to the Meniere's. That is great MM improving and MAV improving went hand in hand. To what do you attribute your improvement with Menieres?
Aw, thanks Holly. It was awful. I'm still being really careful. Fortunately not more bad vertigo since then, though many little waves of dizziness. I've had a migraine headache all day today--mostly mild, but still not pleasant. I seem very migraine-y lately.
I stumbled upon this Migraine Headaches * To prevent and relieve migraines, grind a 1 inch piece of ginger root and add to an eight ounce glass of fruit juice; drink once daily. For more immediate relief take the piece of ginger root and chew on it. Ginger extract can also be used. Note: Ginger has quite the hot, spicy flavor but can offer quick migraine relief. * Magnesium deficiency can cause migraines. Up to 95% of us are deficient in magnesium and taking 250 mg or more per day may be just the ticket to relieve migraines. * Taking a hot shower followed by a cold shower of five minutes each, as hot and as cold as you can stand them, may relieve migraines in as little as 20 minutes. While you are in the shower, think pleasant thoughts and remind yourself that everything is OK and so are you. * Grind lemon peels and apply as a paste on the forehead. Migraine cures using this remedy has been found very effective and long lasting by many. * Use one of the following mixtures: - 1) Mix 200 ml of spinach juice with 300 ml of carrot juice. - 2) Mix 100 ml each of beet and cucumber juices with 300 ml of carrot juice. * Drink 2 tablespoons of vinegar * Grind fresh ripe dark grapes and drink the pure juice. * Blessed thistle, cayenne, chamomile, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, lobelia, thyme, and wood betony have all been used separately and in combination for migraines. Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/031624_vanilla_headaches.html#ixzz3Pi5fdxoA
400 mg of B-2 and Petadolex butterbar taken twice daily are known to lessen the frequency and intensity of migraine headaches. This has been clinically proven. No side effects. I think it has helped.
Thank you both. I am a bit overwhelmed by the migraine info, but am starting to trust that if I keep looking it will start to gel. I've been doing better with them the last couple days.