Recently I have been diagnosed with a daily type of migranie which causes imbalance, dizzyness and visual blurryness although I don't always have a headache. The doctor put me on nortriptyline 10mg once a day at night. I'm on my second day and my dizzyness and visual symptoms have gotten far worse? Is this normal and does it go away after a while? Feeling rather panicky as I struggle to even go to the shop. Nothing feels real. Any advice out there?
Hi PinkMuffin,
I would say without doubt you need to go back to the dr asap, it may mean the meds aren't right for you, or you have been misdiagnosed.
It is possible it is Hemeplegic migriane, where you don't very often get a headache at all, just these unusual symptoms, I know because some of the symptoms you describe are what I get and have been taken to hospital several times, with drs thinking I am having a stroke, although scans show I am not.
Yes, it is scary, but if you have had brain scans and all is normal, it could quite possibly be Hemeplegic migrain.
Good luck with your progress PinkMuffin and ask about Flunarizine, since being on this drug, I have only had one milder attack!
Hi
I suffer with the same symptoms although I am on different medication. The one I'm on took about 7 days to kick in but then I was pretty much symptom free. So I would give it a bit longer and hope the same happens to you.
Hope you feel better soon.
Thank you for responding Murphs, I am finding it difficult to do normal things as I've been housebound for almost a year now. It's strange because I can hardly remember what it's like to be normal, so excited if it does go. The first thing I will do is go shopping! I will keep going so fingers crossed. What medication were you on?
To be honest I don't think the doctors know what to do with me. I have sent his secretary an email for advice to see what the dr thinks. I will keep fllunarizine in mind. I'm not impressed that he put me on a antidepressant as I know they can mess with your head. I am not feeling depressed though, just annoyed that my symptoms won't go. Thank you for responding.
Hi
I tried a few different ones which didn't really work but I'm now on amitriptyline 10mg and it's like a miracle cure for me.
I've heard of that one, it is very similar to what I'm on. Oooooh I'm now half excited that this might actually work. Have you had any side effects?
No I've not had any side effects. I was on them for 6 months and then off them for about 3 months and for most of those 3 months I didn't have any symptoms until a few weeks ago when it came back with a vengeance so I'm now back on the magic pills and feeling fine again.
Yes, it is annoying that they cant find the right meds to help you, but keep nagging them, this is what you have to do to get anywhere with drs sometimes.
I am sure they will find the right meds that help you. As well as Hemeplegic migraine I alo suffer from Cluster headache and I was basically a guinea pig trying differernt ones, some better than others,
The thing with neurological conditions, it is sometimes trial and error and you are lucky if you get the right meds at the start.
So keep nagging them PinkMuffin I am confident you will get the right meds eventually. Keep posting on here, I really want to hear how you get on!
Hello and thank you for responding. Yes I am hoping that nortriptyline will work for me but as you say, I'd be lucky if my first meds do work. I shall keep you informed on how I am doing in a few days time, by which time I'm hoping for some improvement. It is nice to talk to people who actually know what is happening to me, sometimes I think people think I'm going a bit crazy. I hate it when I walk about the place and I hear someone saying 'is she drunk?'. So so annoying. Keeping my fingers crossed.
I have tried nortriptyline in the past and it worked well for me. It may take a few days for your body to adjust to it or your body might not like the drug. I also am having a tough time at the store with all the lights, movement and stimulus. I wear my sunglasses in the store and try to keep my focus straight ahead. I agree with the other person, I don't think the doctors really know what is going on with these brain issues. I find it hard to believe that a migraine can have such severe symptoms that last for months on end. Bottom line, the MOST important thing is to stay CALM. Stressing and being anxious only make everything worse. Do whatever you need to do that is healthy to stay relaxed. The body and the mind are not meant to be as taxed as we are in this fast-paced world. There is way to much stimulation going on and solitude and quiet are healing. You will get thru this. Try the meclizine for the dizziness and ginger for nausea. Get as much rest as you need. These episodes are exhausting. Been there. Feel better soon and stay positive.
Thank you for your response. I have been noticing lately, mainly due to the bright days that I get a lot of static type vision, I squint when I look at the sky and I get light lines or blotches in my vision. Did you get this and did the nortriptyline help it? I hate how this condition knocks my confidence, I can't look people in the eye because it's difficult to see them at times. I'm now on day four of nortriptyline, no side effects I don't think. I didn't realise at the time when I mentioned it felt worse but it's now the lady time of the month which does make it worse. I'm upping my does from 10mg to 29mg this Thursday. I have only noticed two symptoms disappear which are general headache and eye pain but the visual disturbances and bad balance issues with a foggy feeling are still very much there. It's still early days though!!
Little update for everyone. I really don't think these tablets are for me at all and unsure if I should double my dosage tonight as the doctor requested. I'm feeling rather 'high' , giddy and drugged up as well as panicky. Do you reakon this will pass as my body gets used to it. I didn't feel like this at the start but lately I can feel like I'm rushing off them. Is this normal?
That's what i was taking for over a yr,,, and headachs taking all my wknds up.. neurologist days amitriptyline had side effects of headachs.. if problems get worse in future
I take birth control 24 7 never take a wk off... that was my only trigger. .. now it's every wknds i get migraine that last hole wknd
Hi PinkMuffin,
I would go back and check this dossage with your dr. If you are having this much trouble on the lower dose, then clearly the higher dose wontbe any good either.
It could be a case of your body just not used to them yet, but check with him first.
Just trying to say what I would do.
Good luck PinkMuffin
Hello and thank you for replying. It was a case that my body just needed to get used to it. I am now on 20mg which has helped a little but I'm still dizzy quite badly but at least I'm not in any pain anymore. Doctor wants me to be on this a good while before giving it up as the next drugs are far worse I've been told. I'm thinking about upping it to 30mg in a week or two to see if the dizzy spells go.
I've been taking nortriptyline 10 mg for three weeks so far for migraine prevention. My symptoms are not the traditional severe migraine headache, but I have had two rounds of right-sided weakness with limbs constantly falling asleep and shooting pains in limbs, dizzyness and blurry vision / light specs obscuring my vision. My headaches are just on the right side and the back of my neck, with my head feeling like it will explode from pressure on that side. Ususally when the headache is really bad my face falls asleep as well. Super strange. My neurologist didn't specify what type of migraine, but I think my condition might be related to the hemiplegic-type. I ended up in the ER during my first attack with the doctors thinking I had had a stroke, but the MRI came back showing only mild inflamation in white matter of brain, leading to a migraine diagnosis. I re-gained strength on my right side, but after a week on nortriptyline I had another attack, this time not as severe with only my leg getting strange again, but not my arm. The nortriptyline is supossed to take a month to start preventing migraines and lessening the severity, but I'm hopeful it's starting to work already. I'd like to get in touch with others who have this condition and see what's working for them. Best of luck to you!
this sounds more like hemaplegic migraine and the best preventative meds for this is flubarizine, I have been adnmitted to hospital on a number of occasions for stroke symptoms, but after tests they decided I have this condition,
Good luck, hope this helps
I was on Nortriptyline for a year for migraine prevention. At first it made me feel very strange. Very jumpy and nervous. The side effects do go away after a week or so, Is there a anxiety med that you can take temporarily to help you thru the side effects? I eventullay came off of it because it was making me very tired and my heart race. You may decide it is not good for and stop also. But talk to your doc first, he can change you med with less side effects.