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Migraines with and without vestibular problems

yogabanana

Active Member
How many of you get migraines? I feel like my nervous system is so sensitive that they get triggered over almost anything. I tried tracking barometric pressure changes through an app but I would get migraines from such minor fluctuations the app said I shouldn't have any issues.

The migraines often come with nausea, sinus pressure, slight congestion, and weird sensory stuff like feeling I'm being pulled to one side of my body.

Curious if anyone else is dealing with this and if you found any solutions.
 
Do you have a seizure disorder, too? This can be a "comorbidity." Are your migraines at various times, or always at the same time (e.g., morning)? How regular are they? Lots of questions. Over half of migraine sufferers can get some preventive relief from an anti-seizure medication such as Keppra. It wouldn't be recommended to take such a drug on speculation, nor would it be easy to find a physician willing to prescribe it. Other prophylactic migraine drugs can come with unfortunate side effects, too. For sure, getting a neurologist who specializes in migraines would be a good idea.
 
Yup. Coffee is a big cause for me. There are other triggers but I haven't sleuthed them out.

Mine come on gradually. Very light sensitive. If it gets worse I'll talk with the words out of order, and have difficulty with simple arithmetric. Next balance and coordination become poorer.
No solutions found. Wish I could help.
 
Do you have a seizure disorder, too? This can be a "comorbidity." Are your migraines at various times, or always at the same time (e.g., morning)? How regular are they? Lots of questions. Over half of migraine sufferers can get some preventive relief from an anti-seizure medication such as Keppra. It wouldn't be recommended to take such a drug on speculation, nor would it be easy to find a physician willing to prescribe it. Other prophylactic migraine drugs can come with unfortunate side effects, too. For sure, getting a neurologist who specializes in migraines would be a good idea.
Often get them in the morning but not always.
I have been seeing a neurologist at a headache clinic. He gave me Emgality and Nurtec. Emgality does seem to help but it's a pain. Nurtec is meh, sometimes yes sometimes no. I cannot take triptans unfortunately.

I don't believe I have a seizure disorder. Not one that is diagnosed anyway. I've had some interesting spiritual experiences that probably look like epilepsy from the outside but I don't consider them seizures.

Weather changes like major temp/pressure changes, "it's going to rain at some point today" changes, and potentially chocolate are my primary triggers I am aware of.

I just suspect that autism is related because I was reading earlier today how vestibular migraines tend to happen with people who have more sensitive nervous systems, which is also autistics.
 
Used to when I drank. Try triptans, every one I recommended then to said they worked for them too. Nullifies virtually all of a migraine within 40 mins

Ed
 
Yes, I get them, usually brought on by stress. Headache and nausia, and more sensitive to light.
I take medication, Panmigran, it works if it's a mild one. I've been told that drinking a can of Red Bull also works, but haven't tied that one yet.

I don't get them so often now that I'm on anxiety medication.
 
My sister suffered with these badly until she worked out what the trigger was for her - chocolate flavoured milk. She could eat chocolate with no problems but chocolate flavoured milk gave her a migraine every time.

She didn't work that out until after she'd given up on doctors and drugs and decided to try and work it out for herself.
 
There is quite a bit of diversity amongst individuals with migraines. I've never experienced them, but my wife, unfortunately, experiences migraines probably more days out of the week, than without. CTs, MRIs, blood work, migraine specialists, and literally every specialty drug on the market,...failed to do anything,...in fact, it's gotten worse over the years.

With her,...it used to be with her monthly hormonal cycles,...still is, but with menopause setting in, it's pretty erratic now. Definitely, the drop in estrogen and progesterone appear to be strongly associated with the increased frequency,...and barometric pressure has a significant effect,...and food allergies (no fermented drinks wine, beer, etc), no cheeses, and a handful of other allergies.
 
There is quite a bit of diversity amongst individuals with migraines. I've never experienced them, but my wife, unfortunately, experiences migraines probably more days out of the week, than without. CTs, MRIs, blood work, migraine specialists, and literally every specialty drug on the market,...failed to do anything,...in fact, it's gotten worse over the years.

With her,...it used to be with her monthly hormonal cycles,...still is, but with menopause setting in, it's pretty erratic now. Definitely, the drop in estrogen and progesterone appear to be strongly associated with the increased frequency,...and barometric pressure has a significant effect,...and food allergies (no fermented drinks wine, beer, etc), no cheeses, and a handful of other allergies.
Yes hormones, sudden drop in estrogen are triggers for me too. Unfortunately I've also got autoimmune conditions and apparently most substances that mess with estrogen (aside from prescriptions, not tried those) seem to trigger autoimmune fatigue, join pain etc. I've got a functional med doc appointment soon. Maybe they can help me solve the puzzle. I need to buy a vowel I think.
 
Often get them in the morning but not always.
I have been seeing a neurologist at a headache clinic. He gave me Emgality and Nurtec. Emgality does seem to help but it's a pain. Nurtec is meh, sometimes yes sometimes no. I cannot take triptans unfortunately.

I don't believe I have a seizure disorder. Not one that is diagnosed anyway. I've had some interesting spiritual experiences that probably look like epilepsy from the outside but I don't consider them seizures.

Weather changes like major temp/pressure changes, "it's going to rain at some point today" changes, and potentially chocolate are my primary triggers I am aware of.

I just suspect that autism is related because I was reading earlier today how vestibular migraines tend to happen with people who have more sensitive nervous systems, which is also autistics.
That is all very interesting to me. My wife has had migraines for years which caused me to do some research and reading. This leads to a very confusing array of research directions. It is disappointing how the pharmaceutical industry and the neurology branch of medicine seem to suffer from rather slow progress. I hear similar things about the drugs you mention from people. For some, they work really well, but for many not as well as desired. For your nausea, you may find a dissolvable tablet of Zofran (prescription) may be helpful for relief from that at least.

I sure hope you're not getting them so frequently that it causes a severe disruption!.
 
That is all very interesting to me. My wife has had migraines for years which caused me to do some research and reading. This leads to a very confusing array of research directions. It is disappointing how the pharmaceutical industry and the neurology branch of medicine seem to suffer from rather slow progress. I hear similar things about the drugs you mention from people. For some, they work really well, but for many not as well as desired. For your nausea, you may find a dissolvable tablet of Zofran (prescription) may be helpful for relief from that at least.

I sure hope you're not getting them so frequently that it causes a severe disruption!.
Thanks! Definitely a few days out of the month that I'm pretty useless and bedridden. I suspect the slow progress is because migraine happens more frequently to women and medicine is not exactly egalitarian. Autoimmune and migraine are supposedly the next big areas, seemingly some of the last areas without good breakthroughs as well.

I'll ask my doc about the Zofran thank you.
 
How many of you get migraines? I feel like my nervous system is so sensitive that they get triggered over almost anything. I tried tracking barometric pressure changes through an app but I would get migraines from such minor fluctuations the app said I shouldn't have any issues.

The migraines often come with nausea, sinus pressure, slight congestion, and weird sensory stuff like feeling I'm being pulled to one side of my body.

Curious if anyone else is dealing with this and if you found any solutions.
Hi,
I have lived with chronic vestibular migraine (VM) for 15 years. I have recently found out that this is related to my having dysautonomia as well. I am very easily triggered, but have found some ways of remaining functional.

Number 1- thing to do is keep a migraine diary and try to figure out what your triggers are. They are different for everyone.. can be weather, hormonal flux, foods (MSG, tyramine, glutamine, citric acid, food additives), some medications, dehydration, stress, not sleeping or eating on a regular schedule, illness, new glasses, loud noise, perfumes/ scented products, chemicals used for cleaning or bug spray, flashing or bright lights, flourescent or LED lights, phone or computer screens (imperceptible screen motion/ dynamics or flicker), etc...basically anything that can change the routine that your very sensitive brain is used to. You cannot avoid all triggers all of the time, but minimizing them helps. Also be aware that it can be hard to id triggers because they accumulate over the course of approximately 3 days. You have a migraine threshhold, and the more triggers you are exposed to, the closer you get to the limit. Once you get past the limit, you have a migraine, which can last for days, weeks, or months, depending on how often/ long you are constantly exposed to triggers.

Number 2- find a neurologist who specializes in migraines. Only they will be familiar with VM and all of the weird neurological symptoms that can accompany it, as well as which treatments work best for VM. For example, abortive medicines that work for painful migraines, like triptans, do not often work well for VM. NSAIDs (Aleve or ibuprofen) work best for me. (BUT DO NOT TAKE NSAIDS MORE THAN 2 DAYS A WEEK OR YOU COULD GET REBOUND MIGRAINES...not to mention ulcers, liver or kidney problems from too much NSAIDs) You should also have an MRI to be sure you only have VM.

Number 3- If you get triggered easily, a preventative medicine may be what you need to be functional. It will raise your migraine threshhold and help prevent you from becoming as triggered. I take a beta blocker called Nadolol. It has worked well for me (most of the time) for 12 years, along with a combo of avoiding environmental and food triggers AND getting regular cardio exercise. According to a couple of drs I have had, 10- 15 minutes of cardio 5 days a week is just as effective for raising the migraine threshhold as a medication. I ride an excercise bike (recumbent) whenever I can. My cousin who has VM also just exercises and he is able to work, etc. most of the time. Unfortunately, none of the drugs he has tried work for him.

Here is a list of some of the different medications that are used off- label as migraine preventatives and an example of a drug in that class that I have either tried or know of it being used as a migraine preventative. Note: not all of the drugs in each class serve as a preventative because each has their own specific biochemical action in the body and it is believed that the causes of migraine are different in different people: (USA medicine names)
beta blockers (nadolol), calcium channel blockers (verapamil), tricyclic anti-depressants (amytriptyline, nortryptline), gabapentin, SSRIs (zoloft), anti-seizure drugs (topomax, depakote)

Also, my neurologists have had me try magnesium glycinate and riboflavin...neither worked for me. I do not have a magnesium deficiency, so that's probably why. I would see a dr before trying large doses of any of these supplements on your own. If you decide to take magnesium, be careful. In large doses it is a muscle relaxer and it can negatively affect the heart rate and ejection fraction= heart attack. I do clinical research and have an MS in nutritional biochemistry. I do not believe vitamin supplements should always be considered safe when taken over the RDA. They are just as effective as drugs and can interact with drugs and health conditions. Please be careful.

Things my neurologist tells me to always observe to avoid migraines: get enough sleep AND go to bed and wake at same time every day; avoid getting dehydrated, drink plenty of water; and always eat breakfast, have carb and protein for breakfast. Also make sure you are eating at regular intervals, so that your blood sugar is not fluctuating too much. The brain prefers to run on glucose, so low blood sugar can be a trigger. Also, some hacks for getting rid of headaches w/o drugs that work for some: hot shower w/ water running on your head and neck for 5- 10 minutes, ice pack on forehead AND hot pack on base of skull/ neck..or you can switch position and put heat on forehead and cold on neck.

Good luck and I hope you find a solution that works for you!
 

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