Migraine Associated Vertigo

I have those symptoms too and have just assumed that it sold age. I also have the migraine headaches. I'm really interested to find out more about what you mentioned thank you

This is the first time I heard of this diagnosis. Apparently you can have these symptoms without the pain of the headache, as long as you've had a history of Migraines. I haven't been able to find out a lot of information about it, other than what the Neurologist at Cornell told me.
Best of luck to you!
Kat

Hello, I started to have vertigo in past 3-4 years. It was debilitating and scary. My neurologist at UCSF found out the cause. It was migraine. I had no headaches. The neurologist first put me on Duloxetine 30mg. It stopped dizziness, but I couldn't take one of side effects. I'be been taking once a month preventive shot called Emgality. Emgality has been easing my vertigo and balance problems. I can't speak for other people, but there are ways to treat MAV. I hope you find one that fits you.

Hello @makamae7 and welcome to Mayo Connect. I do appreciate your post as you have worked to find answers to vertigo and migraines. I'm in a similar situation to you, in that I've dealt with vertigo for a number of years, but the thought that I may be having migraines was new to me. I have been seeing an ENT/Neurologist who diagnosed this vestibular/migraine problem and has helped me a lot.

I was told that diet can create migraine problems. Especially chocolate, caffeine, some cheeses and other aged products. Also, there are some visual activities that can also trigger these vertigo/migraines. Have you found any correlation between food/drinks or other activities and your migraines?

I am glad to hear the injections of Emgality have been of help to you. I'm wondering if the injections completely eliminated the migraine/vertigo problem, or do you still have breakthrough vertigo?

Well this is the first time I have seen this diagnosis in print. It has been my diagnosis for over 30 years. I see an otoneurologist who specializes in all sources of dizziness. Apparently it is a very common diagnosis, but who knew?
I had a lot of anxiety pre diagnosis. Symptoms came on quite suddenly and it took quite a while to get to diagnosis. In the beginning, I had no headaches but they appeared eventually with visual aura. Some neurologists do not think this is a thing, but obviously mine did..
I don’t know why I got this in my 40s. I have had my best relief using Nortriptyline as a preventative. But everyone is different.
Good luck to all.

I'm on Emgality for 3 months. It takes about 6 months to work fully. I still get migraines every now and then. So far, Symptoms and physical impact became less with Emgality. According to the manufactures website, about 85% of people get benefit.

My neurologist tried:
Symbalta (30mg per day)
Vitamin B-2 (400mg per day) & Magnesium
He told me to eat more nuts.
Honestly I could't tell significant benefits from Vitamin B-2 & Magnesium or nuts.

Activities and conditions that triggered migraine:
Menstral cycle (=shift in hormones) including menopause
Back pain

There may be other causes that other patients experience.

Please take good care.

Not to sound rude but could the full technical name be recorded for MAV and SNF. It is always best to spell it out first then put in a parenthesis the initials and/or medical terminology. Thank you

It's called vestibular migraine. If you take a look at the vestibular disorders Association website at https://vestibular.org you will find lots of information about vestibular migraines. They even have an interesting article on "BEST MIGRAINE GLASSES FOR DIZZINESS AND VERTIGO". For those of you who also have light sensitivity (Photophobia) along with the vertigo episodes, they also talk about glasses to help with that. I found this website completely by accident one day. My dizziness and vertigo episodes were getting worse (currently experiencing 4 different versions of vertigo episodes - 1. Sensation of me spinning while world stays still, 2. Sensation of the world spinning around while I stay still, 3. 1 and 2 at the same time, and a new one, that's #4 if you're counting that just started in June where I have the sensation of fast forward motion like I was in a moving vehicle only there is no vehicle anywhere around and I am standing completely still. Vertigo sensations 1-3 have been happening since the beginning of January 2024. They are unpredictable. I never know when I will have a vertigo episode, what kind of sensation I will experience or how long it will last( shortest one so far lasted 30 minutes while the longest one so far lasted about 3 days). I don't think they have to do with my ears as I have tried several of the head maneuvers suggested when I have had one and as far as I can tell the only one that the maneuvers do affect is the newest one #4 and they don't make it better in fact they make it even worse. With #4 I have to instantly sit down and hold my head, neck and torso centered and aligned and as still as I can with my eyes closed and let it dissipate. I had finally had enough of my Dr's not listening to me and dealing with the vertigo episodes so on my last visit I demanded that the my family dr make a referral to an ENT(I even brought in the name and contact information for the one I wanted the referral to as my neurologist kept dismissing me when I would try to talk to him about it). I can't work as I am always dizzy which is causing me to be unstable and unbalanced and because they are so random and unpredictable and I never know how severe they will be when they occur I have pretty much become housebound. I went from walking normally at the beginning of December to needed a cane in my own house and a rollator walker for the times I do venture out by the end of December. I finally got an appointment for testing and to consult with the ENT after. Finding the Vestibular Disorders Association website finally put into words and descriptions all of sensations I was feeling during a vertigo episode. In fact, a lot of the symptoms I am currently experiencing were listed or described to a tee in many of their articles. They also had a symptoms checklist you could print and several different versions of logs that you can use to track both the vertigo episodes themselves and other symptoms that you may be experiencing that you can take to the specialist appointment. I see the ENT for testing and consultation the middle of August and hopefully I can get some answers for what I am experiencing and ways to either stop the vertigo episodes completely or at least lessen the severity and impact they are having on my life. I hope the Vestibular Disorders Association website can help others like it did me, even if that help is giving you a way to put into words the sensations you are experiencing so that the medical professionals out there can help.

Sometimes I know I forget. I’ll try to be more mindful.

Having over 40 years of medical experience, I too forget! but those had me stumped! I am so sick and tired of being sick and tired! The vertigo, dizziness, headaches started acutely in November 2023 and 7 months later still no answers and/or relief after appt with two, not so very nice ENT docs, one trained at House Clinic in LA, the other at Mayo. Then having to wait two to three months for a neuro appt and will probably get the 20 minute "visit shuffle" (shuffle out of the office at 15-20 minutes) and still no answer. Thank you for your response! and I did not mean to offend!