Vestibular migraine and amitriptyline

Hi Sarah. I like you have suffered with vertigo for the past 2 years and have had every diagnosis under the sun, including what you have listed. I also have MS and a migraine sufferer, so think these may be all linked, although the link is not obvious upon examination.

I am about to begin physiotherapy to retrain the brain, so perhaps try that and see if it works for you. I have been told it may take a year or so to see results though as i’ve had it for so long.

I have never experienced  any real result from migraine or vertigo medication, but hopefully this won’t be the case for you! With all due respect to doctors,  I do believe that trying to tackle the route cause instead of purely relying on medication will be most helpful in the long term. Yoga also helps me. Diet very important too and avoiding things that can make the problem worse. I would also encourage everyone to challenge their health professionals if they are not satisfied with advice as it’s taken me over 2 years to finally find a consultant who I believe is truly proactive and not just pumping me with meds! Do independent research and don’t leave your life in anyone else’s hands.

Happy to talk more if you would like further info!

All the best with it xx

Hi Sarah .

Unfortunately I have had exactly the same experience as you . Dizziness started about 7 years ago off and on and has progressively got worse. I have had dizziness every day for 3 months now , which at times has been so severe I am unable to get out of bed .

The ENT specialist says it’s vestibular migraine and the Neurologist says it’s ears .

Luckily having pushed at both specialists I finally was referred to The Dizziness clinic . Most fantastic man ever who insists that it’s severe damage to the inner ear . It’s not a great prognosis unfortunately. But he has recommended loads of treatment to deal with it . Also recommended that I take high doses of Magnesium, Vitamin B2 and Co Q10 . 

Like you I am at the end of my tether .

I have suffered with acute migraines since a child and now this on top is really quite depressing.

Do hope you find some sort of answer and help .

The Neurologist always try’s to put me on some drug and having tried them all with hideous side effects I decided that it’s no longer a route I want to go down .

C

Hi

Sorry to hear you are having such a bad time. For my vestibular migraine I've finally been put on Venlafaxine and when really bad with vertigo on Cinnarazine. I was also recommended Dolovent put together various bits and minerals. Have all helped a bit.

Good luck!

Sandra.

Thanks everyone. 

Part of me would rather it be Meniere’s as there are treatments to stop the vertigo full stop. 

My life is falling apart, the vertigo needs to stop. I’ve not been able to work for 2months of this year already. 

Hi sarah

i am also a migraine sufferer and have been on amitriptline for about 2 years but it didn’t help prevent them and I also gained weight so I am now on nortriptyline 30 mg a night and it’s not prevented the migraines but has helped with the severity of them so I suppose that’s something I am not sure what a vestibular migraine is but migraines are not a typically head ache and can be very debilitating so I sympathise with you 

hope you can get on with amitriptyline 

js

My main worry with the vestibular migraine is the severe vertigo attacks I get, I’ve not been able to drive for 3 months now, can’t get my daughter to school and it’s generally not safe for me to leave the house alone so I’m more or less stuck here. 

I just want to find something to stop the vertigo, the tinnitus is annoying but I can cope with that. Facial and general left sided tingling/weakness is annoying but again I can cope with it. 

The vertigo is what floors me and stops me working, I just want to be able to drive and work again that is all. 

I hope we all find the treatment that frees us from this 

Sarah

Hi, Sarah. Yup, vestibular migraine sucks. I've had it.  One doc told me I didn't have Meniere's because I didn't have enough hearing loss - ha! Another said I had both. They don't really know. But I had all the other symptoms including the ear fullness. Do you have that? I learned that too much sodium (salt) brings on an episode so I try to balance with potassium from bananas, sweet potatoes etc and cut back on the salt. They gave me meclizine for the dizziness but it puts me to sleep. I didn't tolerate the amitriptyline well so went the natural supplement route which seems to have improved things without the side effects.Stress is a HUGE factor in both of these conditions. I also went for neurofeedback sessions to calm the brain down. Do evaluate your diet, hormonal levels, and stress levels. Also cut back on alcohol. I use magnesium, 5htp, feverfew, B6 and B12. I also use butterbur during allergy season. Vit B2 is said to help with migraine but I prefer to eat more red meat. Hang in there. This too shall pass. You are not alone for sure. Also check out migraine world summit. It's free and comes once a year. Lots of good information from experts. Take care and keep us posted. Blessings, Patricia

Hi all, first time posting on here and was just wondering how everyone is getting on? I have menieres disease and the vertigo has improved since having 3 steroid injections in the ear but since then have been having awful headaches and eye pain on that same side and now been diagnosed with vestibular migraine. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thank you!