MED Poll

Specific Illnesses & Conditions VM/MAV
1

Hello all you lovely dizzy people! I’m wondering if all the people who have improved on meds could answer these questions?

  1. Which med helped you?
  2. At what dose?
  3. What % improvement did you see?
  4. How long were you taking the med before it improved your symptoms?

Thank you so so much! Xxxx

2
  1. Sandomigran (Pizotifen)
  2. 1mg
  3. 80-90%
  4. 3-6mths
3
  1. Paroxetine
  2. 2.5 mg
  3. 95%
  4. About one month but had been on other SSRI-type meds
4
  1. a) Noritriptyline b) Topamax
  2. a) 25mg (was 150mg) b) 150mg
  3. 90% I have tinnitus and some permanent visual aura that won’t resolve. Topamax has improved it though.
  4. 3 -5 mos
5
  1. Nortriptyline
  2. 150 mg
  3. It has helped prob 80% with motion sensitivity, brain fog, positional dizziness, rocking when sitting or lying down, feeling the floor move under me when i wash dishes, feeling like when i push a shopping cart i roll with the cart, etc. It has made no difference to my visual symptoms or my balance.
  4. A month or so.

I have been on it I think for 1.5 years now? I think another good question would be to say how long have you been taking it for and has it worked consistently the whole time, did u have to up the dosage, etc.?

DL what r u taking now?

6
  1. Topiramate
  2. 25mg
  3. 95%
  4. Amazingly 1 week.
7

jackie thats awesome how long have u been on topamax for? did u have trouble walking and did it help?

8
  1. Benzodiazepines (Alprazolam,Lorazepam and Clonazepam). I suspect that other downers will also work.
  2. .25 mg, 1 mg and .5 mg respectively. Generally the effects increase with increasing doses. Higher doses are more effective.
  3. 60-70 percent while their effects last
  4. I take them as needed
9
  1. Amitriptyline
  2. 20mg
  3. 90% of the sudden room shifting vertigo and 50% of the other symtoms. Everything is now at a manageable level.
  4. Took about 4 weeks
10
  1. Pregabalin + Pitozifen
  2. 450mg + 1.5 mg
  3. 70%
  4. 6 months

Medication has recently been added for RLS which has pushed me up to about 80%. Still have ups and downs

11
  1. Metoprolol
  2. 25mg am, 50mg pm
  3. 85% - plus another 5-10 from lifestyle
  4. Probably 3 months until I could be sure it was working, and 6 before the full impact
12

— Begin quote from “TLOMurray”

Amitriptyline
20mg

90% of the sudden room shifting vertigo and 50% of the other symtoms. Everything is now at a manageable level.

Took about four weeks

— End quote

I always forget, I also take Metoprolol - 50MG night/25 AM - I’ve been taking it for 15 years for my Blood pressure so I forget that it’s also probably been helping me with VM.

13

Sarah d I never really had a problem with balance or walking apart from when I had attacks of vertigo.

I have been on topa for two months and have another two months to go, after that we see how things are. Xx

14

thats great jackie what dose are u on now? what other meds have u tried? are u planning to get off it in a few months? wont ur symptoms return?

15

Thanks so much for all your replies. So interesting! Xxx

16

Topamax.
50 mg (half/half morning/night).
A few weeks.

17

I am still early on nortriptyline and can’t say yet if it will help, but I WILL say this:

For brain fog and fatigue, Ritalin and Provigil worked GREAT. Also Strattera (norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor), which started helping me within 2 days.

Someone mentioned “downers”; for me it’s the “uppers” that help. But these are just ameliorating symptoms, not preventing migraine attacks.

Nancy

18

Sarah d I am on 25mg and my doctor wants me to take topa for a further two months, if my symptoms return I will carry on taking topa.

I have not taken any other meds for mav before.

Take care Sarah Xx

19
  1. Pizotifen & Celexa
  2. 1.5mg & 15mg
  3. 90-100% for 18 months (Sept 06 - Oct 07)
  4. 1 month

I came off these, symptoms returned 7 months later after dizzy spell. Failed to work again second time round. Took a break, then trialled others drugs unsuccessfully until 2010.

  1. Celexa
  2. 0.5mg - 20mg over 4 years
  3. 80-90% for around 4 years (with blips Jan 2010 - Dec 2013)
  4. 2 months

Now trialling Nori at 10mg, symptoms not great.

20
  1. Zonisamide (Zonergran) Also Magnesium, CoEnzyme Q-10, Riboflavin
  2. 150 mg (provider wants me to take 200 mg but it makes me too sleepy)
  3. 100 % for 6 months, last 5 months have had one 3-4 day spell of vertigo & currently in one lasting about 3 wks. thus far
  4. Not sure, maybe a month.

Tried Neurontin, Topamax, Verapamil, Depakote.