Hi there! It took 10 years and what feels like 100 doctors and tests to be diagnosed with migraine disorder with inner ear issues causing almost constant sense of being on a boat. I went through a horrible spell for about a year, but finally got things back under control last summer. I’m almost 40 and my hormones also seem to play a major role in all of this as well. About 4 years ago I was prescribed Klonopin at bedtime and this helped tremendously at the time. They said I needed to get the nerves to settle down and rest. ??? After my worst year ever with migraines and constant dizziness with auras, my doctor added an Ativan in the morning. I’ve cut it down to 1/2 an Ativan in the morning, and tried to get by with just 1/4, but quickly learned that my symptoms returned with a vengeance by dinner time. In short, Ativan during the day seems to be the only thing that has helped me the last 10 years. And I have tried LOTS of medications prescribed to supposedly help. None of which did, and some of which has awful side effects. I’m just wondering if anyone else out there is in the same boat with Ativan or Klonopin being the one thing that helps. I hate medicine and the thought of taking something for the rest of my life terrifies me, but on the same note I wasn’t living a year ago when my migraines and vertigo were so bad. P.s. When I get migraines I get bright lights in my eyes and basically can’t see for about 30 minutes. Pretty scary and obviously debilitating depending on where I am when they strike. I’d love to hear from people on this topic! But please be nice. I know Ativan and Klonopin are addictive and I’m VERY cautious about not adding more than I’ve been prescribed. I just feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. Thanks!! 
We’re all nice here, Margaret :). Well done for getting through all that. The body is hilarious when it goes wrong, isn’t it?! (bad joke). I’m on Amitriptyline, have you tried that? (Sorry posted similar response in other thread, but this seems your personal one)
Hi there! I did try Amitriptyline, but had horrible side effects. SUPER dizzy in the mornings and felt like I was in a fog. 
Interesting … everyone is different, keep going. It made me dizzy once i’d increased to 30mg, so I backed off and remain on 20mg. Some days I am almost normal (but never quite). Unfortunately on these days my tinnitus usually then takes the front seat to annoy me! 
So far the only medicine I’ve found to help is Xanax, which is in the same horribly addicting class of drugs as Ativan and Klonopin. I was given Klonopin awhile back to try to get to a longer lasting med, but at the time was told it would act just like the Xanax did, and it didn’t, so I switched back. I’ve probably been on Xanax a good 4 years now. Have only increased my dose once, early on, from 0.5 mg once a day to twice a day. It started to not work as well, however, and it got to the point where I couldn’t work. The Johns Hopkins vestibular clinic told me I needed to taper off of it and get on another medicine (they suggested Amitriptyline). This was after I had already tried Zoloft, Verapamil, Topamax, just to name a few. Well, I was able to taper about 25% off (after a horrific week of withdraw symptoms, basically felt like the worst flu of my life) and couldn’t go down any further. I was later told I was tapered too fast, tried tapering slower, but still only got 25% down. At that point my body was a physiological nervous wreck. Had increased anxiety, symptoms of an ulcer (but declared through endoscopy that I didn’t have one). So I am back up to my original dose of Xanax but it only helps for a few hours. I’ve been told to increase the dose (by a different doctor) but that has just made me groggy, headaches, & occasionally dizzier. Now I’m on the search to find a med to pair with the Xanax, and then hopefully it will work well enough so I can try to taper off the Xanax again. I tried Amitriptyline 3 times, couldn’t tolerate it long enough. Still haven’t written it off. The next on the list to try is Lexapro. So, all in all, I hear what you’re saying, but for me the benzo class meds were only a temporary bandaid and ultimately just prolonged the time I had before I couldn’t work, which at my age basically put my life on hold, and made me feel worse and start the quest for these meds at a much worse state.
Thanks so much for your response. That’s my fear…that eventually I’ll need to go up. Amitriptyline had horrible side effects for me as well. I couldn’t do it. I’ve been on Lexapro for years, but it does nothing for the dizziness or migraines. Possibly makes me less anxious about them, but doesn’t aliviate either problem. It’s just super frustrating because the Klonopin & Ativan are the only thing that work for me. I’ve been to a tons of doctors and specialists, and none of them really know what to do. Do you mind if I ask how old you are? I’ll be 40 in March and have been dealing with this since I was 29. The migraines with auras, however, are new as of 2 years ago. Seems to be getting worse with age, and as my hormones change.
@mgstegner I’m at the point where I’m at least fairly comfortable physiologically not needing to go up on the Xanax, but it doesn’t keep the dizziness away as long as it used to, and sometimes doesn’t work at all. Sometimes 2 hrs before my PM dose I start to feel a lot worse dizziness wise and extremely fuzzy headed, which is sometimes relieved by the Xanax, but it’s hard to tell if that’s the MAV or Xanax interdosing withdraw. Since I’ve had no symptoms (other than dizziness) that occur every day my psychiatrist doesn’t think I am suffering any major Xanax interdosing withdraw symptoms. And since the Ativan & Klonopin lasts a little longer you may not have that issue.
Yeah no problem, I’m 29. Dizziness started when I was 24, and over the past year has become a constant, daily feeling.
I too start to feel worse around dinner time…a few hours before I take Klonopin at bedtime. I’ve often wondered if that was because my body was in withdrawal. I used to only take one .5 Klonopin before bed. My doctor added the Ativan in the morning about 8 months ago, but I generally cut it in half or even 1/4 because I fear having to go up. I have a good friend who has major anxiety and has been on Klonopin twice a day for over 10 years, and she acts like it’s no big deal to take it the rest of her life. I guess you weigh quality of life with or without and decide what’s best. I just hate medicines and the horror stories online of people trying to come off even low does benzos is terrifying! So what’s your plan?
@mgstegner Yes, I know what you mean I hesitate being on the benzos my whole life. I think I could handle being on an SSRI, SNRI, or tricyclic antidepressant if there weren’t huge side effects, but not the addictive benzos.
My plan, ugh. Well, there are still options, which is good. My psychiatrist has mentioned trying Xanax XR, which could possibly be better or worse, as all meds go. I just really hesitate changing my Xanax routine since my body seems so sensitive to it. Even if I try to take a 0.125 mg extra of Xanax sometimes I get groggy, headachy, dizzier, etc. And, I feel like the punch of the instant release is what helps me the most with the dizziness, sometimes, “re-sets” things.
Otherwise, I plan on trying Lexapro and seeing if that helps/if I can tolerate it. And go through more meds otherwise, hoping to find one to make me be able to function & enjoy life again. Once I can drive and go places without so much discomfort, or even just be at home without so much discomfort, things will be so much easier. Then if I can ever function I can tackle trying to taper off the Xanax again, as I have decided I don’t want to be on a benzo for the rest of my life if possible.