Hi There
I'm Matt. 46. Been struggling since lockdown with Vestibular Migraine. I've been tested in everything; MRI/CT Scan/caloric testing/impedance study/posturography and everything has come back fairly normal until recently. I have been told that the migraines I have suffered for the last 30 years have had a material impact on my vestibular system and- now I have permanent damage to the vestibular system resulting in 'vestibular dysfunction'.
I have a few months of feeling relatively ok but then without warning
What I really want to know is:
1. Should I keep doing my exercises? My physio told me that I would be ok to stop once the sickness goes away? But it does keep coming back every now and then and I have certainly stopped the exercises once I have felt better.
2. Should I do the exercises when feeling even slightly dizzy?...
3. Has anyone noticed a difference by sticking to a diet (no chocolate/cheese etc) and staying really well hydrated. In the past I have not really taken these seriously because they have not made my symptoms worse when I have been feeling constantly dizzy but I am willing to try anything.
4. I have tried amitriptaline/topirimate/and now propranlol (beta blocker) but none have had any success with reducing the feelings of vertigo.
5. Has anyone got any tips of reducing spinning when lyting down; My number 1 triugger is lack of sleep and currently I am struggling to turn to either side when sleeping which is killing my sleep.
If anyone else is suffering from vestibular migraines please do get in touch.
Take care and thanks for reading this.
Matt
Hi Matt, although I don’t have the same diagnosis as you, a lot of vestibular patients go through similar conditions. As far as your exercises you should definitely continue them as these type of exercises sometimes take a while to feel a difference. However if you feel they aren’t working over the long run that’s definitely a conversation you should have with your doctor or therapist. These exercises are usually made to make your symptoms slightly worse while doing them, but you should feel some relief if you stick to them. Again it’s best to consult your therapist to make sure your getting the most out of your exercises. Diet can play a big part in some vestibular patients, you can check out The Dizzy Cook, she has great tips on vestibular friendly foods. VEDA has lots of resources for all patients such as support groups informative articles and more. Check out the website vestibular.org for much more information. Best wishes on your journey back to health. David….
