Hey board,

It's been a LONG while since I've posted. There are a lot of new faces on here, and a lot of interesting posts. As always, I truly hope this finds everyone doing well. There are some of you on here that I think about quite often.

Just an update on me for those of you who do not know me (you can do a search on my current user name, and my older user name - Wowwweee to get a complete history, etc.): I have been informally diagnosed with MAV.

I continue to deal with my head symptoms, which fluctuate. In the past year, I got another job, and then got laid off (I am currently on Unemployment), and have been dating a man for the past six months who also was dealing with similiar head symptoms a few years ago - so he really understands how it can be.

Although my symptoms come and go, I have them on some level daily. It appears that the worst of my symptoms are apparent in certain atmospheres (stores, restaurants, movie theaters, to name a few), the week before my menstrual cycle, if I get an inner ear infection or cold, times of high stress, and weather changes. My head symptoms do provoke anxiety. Night driving and stores continue to be a problem for me (I feel that I am still always being pulled to the right, and I continue to walk to the right if I am walking any length).

In speaking with a new OB-GYN recently, he suggested that I try a 3-month cycle of birth control pills to see if my head symptoms can be alleviated through hormonal manipulation. I procrastinated about taking them, because I was nervous about side-effects or my head symptoms getting worse because of it. But I finally "got brave', so, I am on my first week of a low dose estrogen birth control pill; the three-month pack, with no break in between for my cycle.

Although for birth control purposes, the pill will not reach full potential in my body for one month, I have already noticed a subtle change in the way my headaches and head in general feel. This is a positive observation - although I "live" on aspirin and antihistamine for my head symptoms, I am taking minimal doses lately because I am tolerating or feeling better.

As I continue on the bc pill, I will keep you all posted.

Hugs to everyone. xo

Hi Wowweee:
Glad you posted and will keep fingers crossed this will help!:) I feel strongly about hormones affecting this condition so maybe this is the right route for you to go...

Woweeeeeee,

Nice to hear from you. I'd be very interested in hearing more about how you're feeling in another month or two with the birth control pill. I actually thought about this myself to see if it helped. Please keep us posted and good luck. I really hope it helps you and your small progress so far sounds so positive.

Best,
Gloria

P.S. - Hi ASLme. Hope you are doing well.

Hi,
I too have been off the board for a VERY long time....Praise God!!! But am ready now to be back to help others. I have also gotten an official MAV diagnosis and wanted to say that hormones play a HUGE part in migraines. I've suffered from migraines since age 13. But not the constant dizziness. When in my second trimester of pregnancy the migraines improved only to be replaced with dizziness which worsened as the pregnancy progressed and REALLY dropped off after my precious son was born. Four months later I had to stop nursing and go on Lexapro which VASTLY improved my symptoms of dizziness. My hormones were so encredibly out of whack. I had extreme hot flashes (i'm only 25!), constant severe dizziness, weakness, etc, etc, etc. Once the SSRI kicked in and each time I upped the dose I noticed an improvement in dizzy symptoms. I am now fully functionable where before I could not even get myself off the couch for fear of passing out, etc. Anyway, a specialist (neurotologist) at UCLA said that becuase my seritonin was so out of whack, and migraines deal specifically with seritonin... that that is why the SSRI worked. I have to be on it a year before considering tapering, but will see what happens.
All this to say that YES, hormones play a HUGE role in migraines, especially MAV. Your seritonin is responsible for all of your hormones and when one is off, the other gets off too until set back into place.
Anyway, soon, when I get a chance (with a very active one year old!) I will share my story with everyone.... but it's a looooong one!!!
Let us know how the pill goes for you. They won't put me on it because I am on the SSRI and a very small dose of Topamax and they don't want to add anything as the combo seems to be helping tremendously.
Michelle:)

I finally figured it out for myself after 5 doctors. Pre menopause, out of wack hormones a big factor with my foggy brain and dizzyness.

Got predisone cream seems to help a bit, will start taking hormones next week. (I also have a list of other symptoms now, but the dizzy stuff started first)

Look at that forum, menopause..