Could this be Vestibular Migraine?
Hi everyone. Sending all best wishes for the New Year.
I'm not new here but I'm looking for answers if at all possible. I have been under a lot of stress lately, my husband had been very ill and he doesn't sleep at night which means I get a lot of broken sleep and tearful, stressful nights. This has been going on for two and a half years but more so over the past two months.
I have a history of migraines but am wondering if they are becoming vestibular migraines. I realise I cannot get diagnosed here but am wondering if my symptoms ring a bell with anyone.
I have switched my meds a lot over the past three months, amitriptyline to propranolol, and bp meds ramipril to losartan. I had terrible side effects from all of these, I ending up in A&E. My bloods, ECG etc were normal. I am now off all of these and am taking a diuretic for my bp. Since all this swopping and changing I have developed dizziness, especially from lying down to a sitting position, looking up or down, sometimes short spells of vertigo. It's beginning to make me anxious and depressed. My neck aches, my ears are buzzing, my shoulders ache too. I have headaches but not like the migraine headaches I used to have. I have no appetite through worry and stress. I intend making a doctor's appointment tomorrow but am afraid of more meds being thrown at me. Can anyone relate? Thanks.
Hi
- Thanks so much for taking the time to post your question. I think it's understandable that you want to better understand your migraine symptoms. We do have some information available on vestibular migraines here: https://migraine.com/migraine-types/vestibular-migraine. However, since we're not medical professionals, we can't diagnosis your set of symptoms.
I also hear your concern of being prescribed more medications. It is my hope that if you share this concern with your doctor, they will offer a variety of different solutions. There are non-pharmacological approaches to managing migraine, which might include nerve stimulates like GammaCore Sapphire or Cefaly, which you can read about at these links: https://migraine.com/gammacore-sapphire and https://migraine.com/blog/cefaly-questions-answered. They are similar to a TENS unit, and are used to manage migraine related pain.
There are also complementary and alternative treatment approaches, like acupuncture and chiropractic care. Each individual has their own needs, so it may take some exploration to find what works for you. I personally am able to manage my migraine symptoms with an abortive medication (Sumatriptan), with both weekly acupuncture and once per month chiropractor visits. However, we're all different, so it is important to figure out what really fits for you.
Please don't hesitate to update us if you are able to get that doctors appointment scheduled. It's always great to hear updates on how people are doing.
Best, - Cody (Team Member)Hi Cody, thank you for replying. I will take a look at the attachments you sent. I did see my doctor today, my BP was normal and he stopped my diuretics. I'm to see him again next week to get it checked again. My tinnitus has been worse on them. He is referring me to ENT in case it's an inner ear problem. Sending Best wishes.
Yay! Kudos to you for getting everything checked out. Sounds like your medical team is doing everything in their power to rule out other possible conditions. Fingers crossed that this brings you closer to a diagnosis and treatment plan that meets your needs 😀. - Cody (Team Member)
I see that a lot of resources have been shared with you here, which I hope that you find helpful. In the meantime, I just wanted to offer some virtual support and let you know what you have an invisible army alongside you each day - and each sleepless night - who is in this with you and sending you lots of care.
Also, good luck with your appointment next week and please keep us posted as you feel comfortable doing so. We're just here to support you.
Best
Alene, moderatorThank you Alene for your kind message of support and yes, the attachments are very much appreciated and helpful. I hadn't realised there were so many forms of vertigo. I hadn't heard of internal vertigo before but it describes how I sometimes feel, even when lying in bed. Hopefully I will find answers soon after my ENT visit. Thanks to everyone, this website is truly amazing.
that is one of the greatest benefits to this site in my opinion - having so many resources that can put words to the many indescribable experiences that we encounter with migraine. It's so validating when there are words for our experiences. I'm glad that you're feeling that. We're glad that you're part of this community and part of this discussion. We hope you post as often as you feel inspired to do so 😀
Have a good rest of your night
Alene, moderator
