I am desperate to find out why, after being an avid runner (and competitor) for 30 years, I suddenly had a horrific vertigo attack during a very good run I was having. It was Spring 2009, very windy, sunny and cool when I realized I was running sideways. When I stopped to figure out what was happening, the world began to swirl like a kaleidescope. I donāt know how I got home, but once I did, I crawled up the stairs, collapsed on the couch and couldnāt move for 24 hours. If I tried to move my head, I felt like someone was violently throwing my head down to the floor. Since then (2009), Iāve been terrified to run. I tried jumping rope and within a minute, lost balance control. Now I walk fast, and try to run for 30 seconds at a time, but in all honesty, that experience has left me very afraid. If I have MAV, why would running or jumping bring on a vertigo attack that severe? Does anyone out there run with MAV? Have you had similar experiences?
Iām kind of in the same boat as you, but about swimming. In fact i just now posted a thread about my swimming experience today. When were you Dxed w/ MAV and what is your treatment? Iāve been diagnosed w/ loads of things, but nobodyās mentioned MAV so i am clueless.
Are your inner ears normal? My hearing exam and VNG were normal, but iāve heard that doesnāt 100% rule out inner ear, so iām sick right now worrying again. 
Have you tried VRT? i havenāt but may consider it.
Hi, butterflygirl. Iām a runner, not a competitive or fast runner, but a steady runner nonetheless for the past 15 years. I do not have a diagnosis of MAV but have been suffering with spinning vertigo, off-balance, floaty head, ear clicking, head and neck pain, foggy brain since December 2010. I have good days (and weeks) and bad days (and months). Iāve been diagnosed with BPPV and have an appointment with a neurologist who treats MAV in August. I truly feel I have MAV and have learned a lot from the information and people here. What sets it off for me is a mysteryāsome days a windy day will do it, other windy days Iām fine; low pressure bad one day, okay the next; chocolate truffles send me into a tailspin one week and not the next.
I guess Iāve been lucky enough that Iāve never had a spinning vertigo event happen to me while I was out running. When this first came on, I didnāt run as much because I feared it coming on while running, but after a while I got sick of being too afraid to run so I started doing short runs but staying near my house and carrying my cell phone in case I needed to call my husband for a pickup. I have had my share of runs where I have to concentrate mightily to stay in a straight line, but overall I actually feel better when I runālike the bouncing sort of balances out the off-kilter brain feeling. When Iām feeling very off, I pick my routes carefully so that I donāt have to cross a lot of streets because I get further off kilter looking back and forth for traffic. Sometimes I run with girlfriends and they know when Iām ping-ponging between them that they have to look out for me a bit during that run. If my vertigo is so bad that I canāt see, am throwing up, or just too nauseated, obviously I skip running that day.
In any case, I donāt let the fear of it happening stop me from running anymore. I take safeguards by staying close to home when Iām feeling off and carrying my phone. I also always let my family know my route and how long I will be out so they can come looking for me if I donāt return. I canāt venture a guess on why this happened to you, but I do think you can bring running back into your life if you take safeguards and move past the fear. Best of luck to you.
dizzyrunner, thanks for your touching response. It has been very motivational for me and came, IMO, at a critical time. Like you, I take my cell phone and xanax and meclizine with me when I take long walks just to be on the safe side. Yesterday I went for a 6 mile walk and felt really off ā movement really exaggerated, plus I almost felt like I was walking on marshmallows (havenāt felt like that in almost a year). I happened to walk by a high school that was holding a track meet. I felt such sadness watching all those young teens out there running, yearning to be able to run again. āāā
Itās ironic that I worked a 9 to 5 job, and was one of those crazy people that raced to the pool or park to swim or run on lunchhour, then finished exercise plans at night, eating dinner at 10 or 11 PM. I finally find a job that opens up my mornings, so I can workout and start competing again, when this vertigo mess hit me.
But I digressā¦I got so angry that I just started jogging ā just maybe 10 yards at a time, but amazingly, I felt better when I got home. Now walking always used to start out wobbly, then after a few miles, Iād be ānormalā, but there is a real fear of running bringing on another severe attack - and I guess thereās also a fear that one could have an attack like I had that never stopped. Is that possible? Thanks for reaching out and giving me hope and inspiration. 
BTW, I have all the symptoms youāve described. How long does your average spinning vertigo last? Does it go away when you change head position, like BPPV?
Hi again. Iām so sorry you are going through this. Itās no fun, and itās particularly hard on those of us that are used to being very active and independent.
When I start spinning, I just have to wait for it to stop. Sometimes changing position works but it doesnāt always. The spinning lasts for me anywhere from 10 seconds to several minutes. Sometimes I get nauseated, sometimes I throw up (obviously thatās the worst) and sometimes Iām just spinning away but my gut is fine. Itās always a surprise.
Iām curious, how old are you? I was 43, about to turn 44 when this started (Iām 45 now). Iām absolutely convinced this is related to hormones/perimenopause for me. My gynecologist thinks thatās impossible. I have no history of migraine, no migraine in my familyāin fact, I hardly ever had headaches before all this started and still donāt have them all that often, itās generally more neck and shoulder pain, low-grade head pain and foggy brain. And the nearly ever-present off-kilter and/or spins. Iām curious if you also feel it is hormone related.
I am not a competitive runner like you, but I also trail run, bike, kayak, hike, and generally have been very independent and unafraid to do things alone out in nature. Iām running again, but I also am not at the level I was before. I donāt run trails by myself anymore since I canāt get cell service out on the trail. Iām especially careful cyclingāI donāt want to veer off into traffic and have a real fear of that happening. Iām so much more cautious now. But Iām still active. I hope you can get to a level that is satisfying to you again.
I did just have a 6-week stretch that was symptom free. I tried not to get too excited, and sure enough things have gotten off again for me starting just over a week ago. Iām still managing and hoping for more of those symptom free stretches. Do you have good stretches?
dizzyrunner, I am in my early 60ās. It wasnāt hormone related for me, but I have read that hormonal imbalances can contribute to what youāre describing. Since I was a child, I was prone to motion sickness - cars, amusement rides. Sunlight, loud noises, strobe lights, flourescent lights all disorient me. I think a combo of factors - stress, allergies, wind, and the jarring effects of running may have caused my 2009 attack. In the 80ās I suffered with all the MAV symptoms (that I didnāt know were MAV symptoms) for nearly a year. I was told to stop running, rest, take tranquilizers, and was diagnosed with Labrynthitis. Fast forward to 2009, when during a very bad upper respiratory infection, my tinnitus became very severe and when I tilted my head back, I nearly fell over. I was off balanced, rocking and swaying 24/7. It was awfulāI couldnāt even use my electric toothbrush! I had heavy head, fatigue, imbalance, anxiety, foggy brain, uncoordination which lasted almost a year. Diagnosis was āinner ear virus, vestibular neuritis.ā Only through these forums have I learned that I most likely have MAV. My sisters and Dad suffer migraines. I used to have severe migraines as a teen. Now, I guess I have the vertigo aspect of MAV. Iām afraid to bike outside. I can use eliptical, stairmaster, indoor bike with no problem. Oddly, I could even play tennis when I was unable to run. Doesnāt make sense to me at all. Now, I have a new symptom - neck pain. I had my regular acupuncture session and he treated me for that, and itās been great - no stiffness or pain since the treatment. My athletic goals are greatly reduced, and I have to accept that and be grateful I can do anything. However, I do worry that the next bout will leave me with even less that I can do.
I may be odd in that Iāve never suffered motion sickness, in fact have been a roller coaster addict until this started. I have always been extremely sensitive to noise and smells, and only in recent years has lighting become a factor. I also have crippling neck pain that isnāt relieved by anything when I am at my worst. So you have had some success with acupuncture for the neck pain? I may have to try that.
So what is your next step? I am hoping I can manage my symptoms until I see this neurologist in August. I hope for the best for you.
Iāve had huge success with just one acup treatment for the pain/stiffness in the back of the neck. Contrary to many other peoplesā experiences, I think acup has really really helped me. I was so sick for two years - every few weeks I had a cold, a virus, H1N1, etc. I lost a ton of weight because I was always catching everything. I changed my acup doc and so far, for two years, despite teaching young children, Iāve never been healthier. Perhaps it has contributed to my āremissionā over the last year. This little setback is from the plane trip and Iām hoping it fades away real soon.
BTW, roller coasters never bothered me - it was the Ferris Wheel, Tea Cups, Tilt a Whirl that did me in as a kid. Now, itās ride like āStar Toursā at Disney that have me green and falling over. :mrgreen:
BTW, roller coasters never bothered me - it was the Ferris Wheel, Tea Cups, Tilt a Whirl that did me in as a kid. Now, itās ride like āStar Toursā at Disney that have me green and falling over. :mrgreen:
I have always been able to go on roller coaster, even if they go in a circle I could do it. Tea cups, Tilt a Whirlā¦ yuck, cant even watch them. That started probably around the age of 19. Before then, I went on everything. Love things that shoot you straight up in the air!
Just to back up butterflygirl, acupuncture has helped me as well. I started doing it before one of my neck surgeries back in 2009. It was the ONLY thing that got me thru my bad flare ups. For me it was the cupping part of the acupuncture that relieved my pain.
Kristina
Iāve never had the cupping. Is that more helpful than the needles?
For me the cupping helps way more then the needles. I usually leave feeling a little less tight, and by the next day my flare up would be gone!
It helped me so much. My flare ups were so bad, I mean I could barely move.
K
Hi Butterfly girl,
Exercise is a major trigger for some migraineurs (including myself). It would not be an unusual thing to happen unfortunately. I think what youāll need to do is increase your exercise incrementally over time and if you arenāt already, take a migraine med to raise your threshold plus other lifestyle measures of course.
I definitely would not recommend cupping. Itās a nonsense therapy with zero evidence and will likely leave you bruised (see below). Itās right up there with ear candling, reiki, seances and leprechauns. The interesting thing is, the more hard core and jaw-dropping these alternative therapies are, the more they have the potential to bring on a placebo effect (see above).
Scott
ā Begin quote from āscottā
I definitely would not recommend cupping.
Scott
ā End quote
Youāve been to the Hellfire Club again havenāt you? Surely you knew the risks? 
wow, thatās a scary picture! So exercise is a trigger for some, that stinks! I always thought the fact that I exercise has almost forced my head to adapt to motion sensitivity.
ā Begin quote from ābutterflygirlā
Iāve had huge success with just one acup treatment for the pain/stiffness in the back of the neck.
ā End quote
Along with cupping, you do realize that Scott doesnāt believe in the normal acupuncture that you said helped you. So if your already going for acup.
then I would try cupping for sure. I had a herniated disk in C5 and would laugh to hard or yawn, something simple and it would flare instantly. Could barely move, hurt so bad. Cupping is the only thing that helped, it got me thru 6 months of hell before I had surgery. I also turned my mom on it, she needed back surgery and hip surgery, this has helped her as well. I know a lot of people that have it done and swear by it, so all the flipn research out there, means nothing to me, because it took my pain away.
It doesnāt hurt and I have never had that many cups. It does look red like that for a few days, doesnāt swell up or anything. I say try it for yourself, because if I came here before I tried it, maybe I wouldnāt have found the one thing that worked.
No disrespect Scott, but it has helped me and others. And no placebo affect could change my pain level, it was sooo bad. Not to mention, it is not at all relaxing for me, I hate just laying there, I get bored. So not the atmosphere either. Iām not arguing research, butā¦
K
ā Begin quote from āKristinaā
you do realize that Scott doesnāt believe in the normal acupuncture that you said helped you.
ā End quote
Kristina ā First, itās not a question of whether or not I believe in it ā thatās irrelevant. The question is this: is there any evidence or science behind the therapy to tell us 1) does it really work beyond placebo effect and 2) is it even plausible as a therapy for migraine? Acupuncture fails spectacularly on both of these points. There is no plausibility to start with because the premise is that it works with your āenergiesā or āqiā along meridian lines. There are no such meridian lines nor has anyone ever measured this so-called energy that zips around the body in these discrete āmeridiansā. Furthermore, a number of well-designed controlled clinical trials show it is a placebo effect. Period. Twirling toothpicks on the skin creates the same effect and it doesnāt matter where you twirl or prick. Why donāt you promote toothpick twirling instead? itās cheaper. If you find the ārightā toothpick twirling expert, youāll get that effect youāre after. The point is itās a placebo effect which isnāt to say you cannot go and still enjoy a placebo effect for a little while.
Second, cupping is another alt therapy that reportedly removes those ātoxinsā again (you could save the bruises and by the Thai foot pads instead). Medicinal āvacuum cupsā were used by Greek doctors to balance humours; the system in Chinese medicine that supposedly explains how cupping works is based on the same fundamental principles of humour balancing (a similarly ancient idea that has no scientific credibility or plausibility). Instead what cupping results in includes anything from erythema (reddening of the skin due to capillary expansion), edema (excessive fluid accumulation in tissue spaces), or ecchymoses (purple discoloration of the skin due to rupture of blood vessels).
I hear that smoking dried horse manure and inhaling deeply soaks up toxins through lung tissue, and because horse manure is a totally awesome fertiliser it also stimulates the growth of cells in the body which has been shown to relieve migraine. Sounds good doesnāt it? So why not go out and smoke a horse manure joint while youāre being cupped? Youāll be in placebo heaven.
S
Hell Scott, I told you that new girlfriend of yours was a bit too passionate :shock:
Christine
I once saw a fantastic documentary on the placebo effect and how powerful it really was at inducing physiological changes including pain management -it was a few years ago now, but fabulously, itās available on youtube.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4115610193400691959
HIGHLY recommended - from the Harvard Placebo Study Group
I suppose the downside is that you canāt give yourself a placebo effect
ā Begin quote from ālorcalonā
I suppose the downside is that you canāt give yourself a placebo effect
ā End quote
Not true, you totally can. Iām drinking an awesome Placebo Effect right now. Wynnās Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon.