Before being diagnosed with MAV I had some success with Prozac. Any tips for looking for one that works for this condition? SSRI or SNRI?
Effexor ER. Many people have success with this and this is Hain’s first choice. It is an SNRI. I had some success with Zoloft which is a SSRI but Effexor is sooooo much better. Good luck Stacy.
You can read about this here
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I concur. Effexor ER has been my friend, too.
Thank you so much for responding. Who is Hain?
Dr. Hain is the U.S. MAV expert. He’s based in Chicago. He has a phenomenal website.
Hi, concur with folks here, on venlaflaxine (effexor) since early may and its making a big difference.
I managed OK on Amitriptyline alone, and according to 
the big med poll 
, it’s a big help to many people 
One big advantage of that drug (and Noritriptyline), is they are much easier to wean off.
also on effexor since may 1st, it is helping, my mornings are almost back to normal, the dizziness kicks in around mid day. Less pain too and i am sleeping better now. I am taking 800 mg of magnesium glycinate at night. It is easy on stomach.
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Good point there about the ‘weaning off’ from Effexor. As is only natural in our urge to get rid if this horrendeous dizziness we have to take these drugs most of which have unpleasant side effects. Currently on here alot of people are having great success with effexor however that hasn’t always been the case as I found out reading some of the more historic posts. One wonders why it’s all so individual which of course makes it so much more a question of trial and error than ever. Dr Hain whose website is such a godsend to most of us here seems to favour Effexor as first choice. I’ve been trying to recall anybody UK based on this forum who has taken it. Perhaps it’s not in general use here for MAV. It’s not listed on the literature I was referred to by the neuro-otologist I saw at all. One wonders why. Could be as I understand it’s relatively new it’s more expensive than the longer standing meds such as Amitriptyline for which there are generics.
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The generic in the U.S. is Venlafaxine. Our FDA approved Effexor in 1991.
Hi,based in Ireland and its not currently first choice for neuros here, however my neuro and his nurse told me that they are seeing more usage in the last year as a front line preventative and they were honest to say that they are still learning about it. My neuro shared he met a doctor from the us, Stuart tepper (I think) at a world headache summit last year and there was discussion about this drug. I suspect we might see more of it in use once the neuros learn more about it courtesy of guinea pigs like me. Like everything time will tell I suppose but for now I’m thankful I’ve a supportive neuro letting trial this as my first med and thankfully am blessed its helping me.
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Hi- I have been on antidepressants for years, and the MAV has been mostly under control except for a 1-2 day at a time and then I’d be ok. Well I never did exceptionally well on AD’s- and recently did horrible. Now MDs are thinking I am bipolar 2 and I can no longer take AD’s. since being off I have been off my balance since May. How do Bipolars deal with this? Please tell me it will be ok.
Hi
Sorry to hear MDs now think you are bipolar. Are they sure yet? Are there tests available to confirm yr diagnosis these days? Could it just be some reaction to long-term AD’s I’d ask, My mum was bipolar, like lots of conditions getting the right drugs/drug combination is vital. Hers affected her less and less on the right meds the older she became. She became more and more stable. The last 15 years of her life nobody would even have noticed and she lived to be nearly 90! Regular meals, company, regular brain stimulation, the correct meds and alwws to have something to look forward to, even if it was little things like somebody calling around for a cup of tea. Mum didn’t have MAV as well.
As you can longer take AD’s I’m sure the MDs can offer you an alternative migraine preventative from one of the other classes of drugs which include betablockers/calcium channel blockers or anticonvulsants. There are drugs in these groups as tried and tested as the AD’s to treat MAV. The MD’s will probably want to try to find a drug that deals with both conditions - comorbid they call that. Lithium comes to my mind but I’m not a medic just a person with long-term MAV who happens to have had a bipolar mum.
I expect the MDs will have suggested treatments to discuss/put in place but are waiting the the AD’s to clear your system before they suggest you trial them. Try not to worry - much easier said than done I know - but worry certainly won’t help either condition and it’s early days as yet. One possible tip: try to make sure all the medics know you suffer from both conditions if that does indeed prove to be the case. All the best.
I have heard of people using topamax for bipolar and migraine. Mood stabiliser and migraine preventative