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Catching Up 4: Vestibular Migraines

About 15 years ago, I was diagnosed with something called Meniere's Disease. It's an inner ear condition, which results in episodes of dizziness and vertigo, and eventual loss of hearing. I know several people who are afflicted with it, and it is not pleasant. This last number of years, I've lived my life as a meniere's patient. I've dealt with periodic dizziness and vertigo, had my hearing tested regularly, been mostly off salt, and otherwise lived my normal life as best I could. 

Earlier this year, I started having more dizzy spells, so when it was time for my annual checkup, I brought it up. My ear doctor thought this was odd, that all of a sudden I should be having more difficulty. And I've never lost my hearing, so he was suspicious something else might be going on and had me re-tested. I then went through a battery of balance tests, and an MRI, and was referred to a middle ear specialist. Lo and behold, after all these years, I DO NOT have Meniere's Disease! IN fact, I likely never did. The new doctor suggested that what was thought to be Meniere's, was actually another condition known as vestibular migraines. Apparently, there is a type of migraine disorder which presents with episodes of dizziness and vertigo. I've had almost daily headaches for many years now, but they were never a classic migraine. I just thought I was someone who got headaches. But the new doctor assured me that headaches are NOT NORMAL. Go figure!

Shortly after that, I was encouraged to go on a migraine diet (which I did, and I must say that going off diet pepsi and chocolate all at once is not something I would recommend), and was referred to a neurologist who specializes in just this thing. I'm now on a couple of different medications, and the headaches are manageable and so is the dizziness.

The great thing in all this is that I feel I finally have the right answers, a good plan for lifestyle management and a good doctor. I feel very blessed.

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