Hello Shez32, Ben here.
Wow, I am very sorry to hear that you have had to suffer with this horrible thing for so long, and now, to know that it has come back and is controlling your life like that....my hat is off to your for coping, I don't know what I would do. But I do think you have come to a very good place to work on finding out all about it.
I have had Vertigo followed by double vision and a feeling of unsteadiness especially when I am on my feet. That unsteadiness has kept me out of work or a little over a year. It seems to interfere with my ability to think clearly and quickly, and my job is so demanding upon a keen sense of understanding of mechanical and electrical systems (in cars) that I simply cannot do my job productively. I still have a lingering feeling of lightneadedness and confusion and fatigue.
My vertigo has proven to be quite elusive to the professionals that I have seen. I have been diagnosed with BPPV, then Meniere's, and now Vestibular neuritis. In all of the confusion over bogus diagnoses I have studied on as many aspects of "Vertigo" as I can, and I have learned a little about it including the headache that I get from it.
In my studies I found that in the US, where I live, our statistics show that only about 14% of the entire population suffer from migraine headaches and of them only 1% get mav, nearly twice as many women as men, until the women reach menopause. So it is very rare and you will need to have several tests done to determine the cause. ( like you didn't know that!) You must go through all of the tests for Vertigo, starting from simple (?) BPPV tests, which typically mean various maneuvers while a skilled professional watches your eyes. Then the tests for VN, then the tests for Menieres', adding blood tests, stress tests, mri, cat scan, etc. all the while trying to eliminate the non likely prospects, one by one. Doctors seem to figure this one out only by process of elimination.
I don't think this is new information for you, but I wanted to let you know that there are others out (t)here that have it and you're not alone. I have done so much research that I know the professionals look into hormone imbalances and such things as metabolic rate changes in our brains. It seems that any kind of change to our delicate balance of brain activities can bring on the mav. BUT, since you mentioned that you have had set backs due to colds and other minor strains of invasive virus, I was wondering about a very little known cause of vertigo that happens when one of the "otolith organs or semicircular canals" has a weak membrane that is affected by changes to "cerebrospinal" fluid. If so, either pressure or a chemical change can cause these organs to send information that results in a dizziness. The migraine can be a part of the effect, or a side effect of the problem causing condition. I don't know much more about it, because when I read about it for my own I seemed to rule it out and went on. But you might want to check it out. This condition is called: Endolymphatic hydrops.
Hey, at this point, I want to tell you that I am not a doctor, I'm just soneone who's been studying this "thing" for 16 months due to my own affliction with it. I've seen so many doctors and technicians as well as actually met people with vertigo, spent countless hours on forums like this one, that I sometimes sound like I "know" what I'm talking about, but in reality, I am just someone who has had a lot of time on my hands, because I haven't worked, and spent all of my waking hours trying to find out all I can about it.
I wish I could help more, and I wish you well and a speedy and full recovery.
Ben
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