Hi everyone, 4 years ago I was hospitalised with early stage sepsis and ever since I have suffered from extreme dizziness. I have seen ENT and Neurology specialists over the years and had scans done of my inner ear and head but both scans didn’t show anything unusual. The current diagnosis I have is that I am suffering from vestibular migraine but all medication I’ve been prescribed for this has failed to help. I do believe I have vestibular migraines from time to time but as I am dizzy 24/7 I find it hard to believe I am in a constant state of migraine? The main trigger for my dizziness in the last 18 months has been hunger. Literally every single time I get hungry, my dizziness gets a lot worse to the point it is unbearable being on my feet. I eat regularly but seem to be hungry all the time which just makes the dizziness worse. I have had my bloods tested and the only issue was high vitamin B12. PPPD has also been mentioned as a possible diagnosis - I have done vestibular rehab and attended CBT therapy which both were no help for my symptoms. I am quite a stressed person and I do believe stress may be impacting my dizziness. I was just wondering if my situation sounds like anyone else’s? Is hunger a main trigger for anyone else and what do you do to combat this?
You need to make sure you eat regularly and choose foods with a low glycemic index to avoid sudden spikes in blood sugar levels. I also find it helps to eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day to keep my glucose levels stable. Regarding stress, I have found that regular relaxation practices such as deep breathing, yoga or meditation can reduce its effect on my dizziness.
Just want to share that I also have vestibular migraines and am really surprised/worried that my migraines are 24/7 and last weeks/months at a time, so I guess it's reassuring to hear that someone else is experiencing that too. I haven't figured out my trigger yet, but I have flare-ups at specific times of the year so I think it's tied to temperature/sun/barometric pressure?? Also, none of the medications I've tried have helped me, either. I don't think it's triggered by stress, because stressful things happen at times when I don't have a migraine.
Your dizziness worsening when hungry could be linked to blood sugar or blood pressure changes, even with a vestibular migraine diagnosis. Tracking meal timing, foods, and symptoms might reveal patterns to share with your doctor. Since rehab and CBT haven’t helped, it may be worth exploring other possibilities, like autonomic or metabolic factors.
