Is it possible to recover from vestibular migraine? This is a question I get often and one I’ve asked to my neurologist many times. The answer is yes, it’s completely possible to be cured of dizziness and feel 100% on most days. I'm total proof this can happen with an effective vestibular migraine treatment plan.
While it did take me about two to three years to completely have dizzy-free days, now it's more common for me to not have any symptoms. Is this remission? It's tough to say as I think remission looks different for everyone. But any dizzy days are so much more manageable now and this is even after going through infertility and IVF treatments.
My goal with this post is not to say this is exactly what you should be doing, but to provide some hope that finding the right doctor and getting on the right plan can make all the difference when battling a migraine or vestibular disorder. I also want to manage expectations that these treatments take time to work, and it's definitely not a quick fix. Although migraine does not have a cure, you can definitely cure the daily symptoms of vestibular migraine!
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Migraine without Headache
About 4 years ago I started to experience episodes where I felt like I was moving when standing still or that I was walking on marshmallows. I had constant dizziness that led to brain fog, memory loss, and a floaty feeling, like my head was in the clouds or could become disconnected. I also struggled with visual symptoms and bright lights and loud noises seemed to make everything worse.
These are often symptoms of vestibular disorders, but all my test results were showing that I didn’t have hearing loss. Initially I showed some vestibular weakness in my left ear, but a follow up test at the Mayo clinic showed no weakness.
This finally lead to my diagnosis of vestibular migraine, which I found difficult to believe. I had always assumed that migraine = headaches. However, as my doctor explained, this particular type of migraine can come without headache pain.
My vestibular symptoms were constant, I never had a break. Some days were worse than others, but they were always there. I couldn’t drive, exercise, look at a computer or phone, or go for a walk without debilitating sickness or a vertigo attack.
A Vestibular Migraine Specialist
After seeing 7 doctors, a mix of neurologists and ENT’s, I finally met with “The Dizzy Neurologist” - Dr. Shin Beh. Dr. Beh happened to be in my own backyard at UT Southwestern’s Medical Center and he specialized in vestibular migraine and unexplained dizziness. There are very few doctors out there who treat this specifically so I was excited to meet with him.
After over an hour of reviewing my vestibular symptoms and some balance and eye movement tests, he diagnosed me with chronic vestibular migraine.
Although I do have a history of migraine in my family, both my mom and dad rarely got attacks so it wasn’t an obvious diagnosis for me until it was mentioned by my physician. In the past, we never discussed my parents attacks because they just didn’t seem like a big deal, but migraine is genetic and this can be one of the indicators.
Another small sign was car sickness as a child. I remember one episode very vividly where I had been out in the heat picking blueberries with my grandma and we drove home on winding mountain roads. I was even in the front seat and got so ill that afternoon. Dr. Beh mentioned this is common in individuals with VM.
Medications
In my discussion with Dr. Beh, we worked on some migraine recovery goals. My original plans before this chronic illness hit was to try to conceive and I knew I needed to feel better for that to happen in my life. I also wanted to keep that in mind as I chose a medication plan. We specifically chose medications for vestibular migraine that could either go into pregnancy, or I could wean off of. This included:
Timolol Eye Drops - a beta blocker, the pill form has shown success for migraine prevention in studies. In eye drop form, it is absorbed faster and it can also be used as an acute medication to attempt to stop a migraine attack quickly. The eye drop form also allows for a smaller dosage of medication, limiting side effects. It took me about 2-3 months to notice this was an effective treatment for me. I did not have any side effects other than it stung a bit when I first put them in. I used these 2x a day - in the morning before I put in my contacts and at night. Timolol was my migraine preventative for over 3 years until I was going months feeling 100% without symptoms. At that point I decided to come off of it, which was so easy.
Ativan - Dr. Beh prescribed the lowest dosage possible for me to take before bed. This would allow my brain to calm down and stopped some of my more severe vertigo attacks. It also helped with some of the anxiety I would feel in this new unbalanced life. With Ativan, I felt relief within just a few weeks, but it wasn’t complete relief in the beginning. Although I started on this daily, as I felt better I decreased my dosage to half a pill, and then would only use it for really bad attacks or traveling. Once I felt better, it was really effective and would shorten, decrease the intensity, or stop attacks completely. This medication is not meant as a long term solution. I used it daily for about 6 months before transitioning to as needed. The weaning process was not bad at all, but we went very slow.
Steroid Taper and Afrin - I’ve rarely had to do this, but when more severe attacks have popped up I do a short steroid taper combined with 2-3 days of Afrin. One instance was when I flew back from Hawaii with congestion and my ears couldn’t unplug, which spiked my vestibular migraine symptoms like dizziness. It usually helps improve symptoms quickly.
I did not take any of these while I was pregnant and just managed with the treatments below. I still kept Timolol in my back pocket though as an acute medication to use through pregnancy. Although I intended to get back on timolol postpartum, my OB recommended I wait due to them wanting to get an accurate read on my blood pressure.
Instead I tried a new treatment, gammaCore, which I've written about below.
What Migraine Medications Didn't Work
Medications that didn’t work for me previously are meclizine, dramamine, and a long course of steroids. I also try to avoid anti-nausea medications like zofran, if possible. These tend to give me head pain, which I don’t usually encounter with my attacks. I did at one point try valium, but even ¼ of the lowest dose made me feel really out of it and foggy. On ativan (or lorazepam) I didn’t have as much brain fog or tiredness the next morning.
Supplements
I started on the most researched combination of supplements for migraine as advised by my doctor. It also took me about 2-3 months of combining these with medications to even notice a difference in my 24/7 symptoms.
It’s important to remember most supplements are not a quick fix and you have to give them a while to see results. This is a great vestibular migraine treatment at home to try, although run all supplements by your physician first.
Magnesium - This took a lot of trial and error. I started out with magnesium citrate and oxide, but at the level I was taking, 600mg daily, it was causing me digestive issues. After a lot of research I landed on Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Glycinate.
Because my research also indicated Magnesium Threonate was effective for cognitive function, which was a big issue for me with vestibular migraine, I added that in to my morning routine. Magnesium has been the most effective supplement I have taken for vestibular migraine and I continue it daily to prevent attacks and help with anxiety and brain fog.
These days I take 2 Cognimag in the morning and 4 glycinate after dinner, before bed. Previously, I spread out my glycinate taking 2 in the afternoon with lunch and 2 in the evenings. If I had a really bad attack, I’d either add in 2 more glycinate pills or do a magnesium bath. Often I’d use magnesium lotion on my feet in the evenings before bed. Magnesium was and is the most effective supplement I have taken for migraine.
Riboflavin (B2) - Studies have shown this to be effective for migraine prevention and I took 400mg faithfully my first 3 years with vestibular migraine. I’ve since stopped it, not noticing a huge difference in how it makes me feel, but it’s worthwhile to try. I used to take it in the morning with a full meal.
Vitamin D - This is something I continue to this day, as people with migraine have been shown to have low levels of vitamin D, and it’s also really good for fertility. Dr. Beh prescribed me 5,000IU’s because of my low levels. Consult with your doctor to find the right amount for you. I take this in the evenings before bed.
CoQ10/Ubiquinol - I took CoQ10 initially as a migraine prevention tool, but I don’t believe I was taking a high enough dosage initially to really see results. Mainly because it was expensive. Later on when I saw a reproductive endocrinologist, he recommended 300mg of Ubiquinol specifically, which is the active form of CoQ10. This was actually when I saw the most results with energy levels and head clarity, and it also improved my fertility and my husband’s as well. I used to take this in the mornings or around lunch with a full meal.
A Daily Multivitamin - In the past I took Pure Encapsulations ONE, but with trying to conceive I’ve tried a few brands of prenatals. MamaBird by Best Nest was originally great but they have since changed the formula. Ritual has a very strong lemon flavor and gave me fishy burps. Most other brands contained a lot of unnecessary ingredients. Seeking Health was also really good, but requires you to take 6 pills which is just too much. Currently I take Thorne, which is going well.
Probiotics - I don't take these continuously, but I add them in when I feel like I need them or I can't eat as varied as I normally like to (aka pregnancy). I originally stopped taking probiotics because I found I was incredibly sensitive to live active cultures and fermented products like kombucha and yogurt, so I have to be careful here.
A good option I’ve found to combat this is HistaminX by Seeking Health. Align and BioKult also have some good options.
What Migraine Supplements Didn't Work
Supplements I’ve tried for vestibular migraine treatment that I didn’t continue with were Migrelief and Feverfew. With Migrelief it was nice to have a combination pill of CoQ10, magnesium, and B2. However it wasn’t giving me the amount of magnesium I needed and was also causing me to have digestive issues.
Apparently there was a separate company developing this CoQ10 formula and Migrelief stopped it a few years ago and replaced it with Feverfew. Feverfew gives me terrible headaches which I believe might be due to the ragweed connection. I always feel hungover when I take it.
Ginger worked best for me when incorporated into food. In supplement form, I had issues with acid reflux and indigestion. I also liked to incorporate turmeric (with black pepper) into my morning oats or latte, both recipes can be found in my cookbook. To me, it's just not super effective as a supplement.
You can find these supplements discounted in my store and on Amazon.
Diet
Incorporating a migraine diet was the “missing piece” vestibular migraine treatment for me. This is also a great vestibular migraine treatment at home. When I started the Heal Your Headache diet, I was about 6 months into using medications and supplements. Although I had noticed a decrease in the severity of vestibular symptoms, the daily dizziness persisted.
I was skeptical of the diet, especially since there wasn’t a lot of information at the time on how it could help someone with vestibular migraine. Now after all these years, I believe people with VM tend to see the most success with testing food triggers.
The first two months I didn’t notice a lot of change, and honestly thought it was a lot of hard work for nothing. One night I tested out yogurt, which I had previously eaten almost daily without it noticing a huge difference in symptoms. Within 30 minutes I experienced a vertigo attack, which had been more well-controlled with my medications and supplements. I knew there must be something to it and decided to stick with it.
For me, it took about 6 months to start having breaks in my dizziness. This was almost a full year after starting medications and supplements, and almost 2 years since my symptoms started. Again, this is not a quick fix and half the time it takes blind faith to trust these things are working.
About 8 months into the diet, I was having enough low dizziness days to feel comfortable reintroducing foods. By testing when I had my symptoms under control, it was so much easier for me to distinguish food triggers. There were also foods that seemed to bother me initially, but as I improved over the years I could tolerate them much better.
I also believe there’s a huge healing factor that comes from cooking at home. If you can find joy in a new recipe or skill, or sharing a good meal with friends or family, it can help brighten some dark days.
What Diets Didn't Work
Originally I tried to do Whole30 thinking it was a great way to find food sensitivities and eat healthier. But Whole30 isn't really meant for someone with a specific chronic illness, like migraine. What I didn't realize is that most nuts were a huge trigger for me, and I only found this through doing Heal Your Headache. So with Whole30 or even Paleo, I was constantly eating nuts and drinking nut milks thinking I was helping myself.
I also tried to go dairy and gluten free for about 4-6 months to see if it had any effect on my migraine symptoms. I had been tested multiple times for sensitivities to these, especially with my previous gut issues, and nothing was ever found.
However, I saw a functional doctor for a short period who encouraged this so I gave it a try. I think this works much better for those with known sensitivities or allergies, but it's also possible to improve without going gluten and dairy free. I'm complete proof of that because I love real cheese.
Vestibular Therapy (VRT)
I tried vestibular rehabilitation therapy initially when I was in my chronic cycle with non-stop symptoms and it only made things worse. It was wrong of me to think that if I did more exercises like this, including practicing often at home, that it would help me feel better. What I needed was to calm my brain down with supplements, medications, and diet first before I found vestibular therapy, also known as VRT, helpful.
The biggest difference for me was using a therapist knowledgable with vestibular migraine, which I found through UT Southwestern and Dr. Beh. I only went once every 2 weeks and we worked specifically on head movements and patterns that were triggering for me. The rule was that I needed to return to the same baseline of when I started within an hour. If my increased symptoms persisted longer than that, we had done too much.
Our vestibular therapy exercises included standing on soft mats with my eyes closed, bouncing a ball or picking it up off the ground and then holding it over my head while walking, and watching videos of people walking through busy streets. This helped me so much more the second time around when I wasn’t constantly dizzy.
Vestibular Therapy Exercises
Initially when I was so sick, all I could do was walk. I would set small goals for myself to walk to our sidewalk and back, or down the street and back. Eventually that bloomed into taking a beginning ballet class, which helped me focus on my memory and cognitive function, as well as balance.
I also started mowing our yard since I was home all day without a job - some days were brutal and I had to lay down for a while, but I do think it helped to stay active. Eventually this shifted into more high intensity classes like cycling and weightlifting. This build up happened over the course of 2-3 years.
Alternative Migraine Treatments
Every time I saw a slight improvement in my vestibular migraine symptoms, it gave me the passion to fight for more. I knew it could only get better. So I tried a ton of different alternative migraine treatments to see if anything could help me get to 100% days.
Massage Therapy - I continue these appointments to this day, and try to schedule at least twice a month. My therapist has been practicing almost 20 years and has been educated in reflexology, cupping, acupressure, cranial sacral therapy, and gua sha. We often do a combination of these treatments in my sessions, focusing heavily on my head and neck. With vestibular migraine, a lot of tension and inflammation can be held in that area, so loosening those muscles regularly really helped. It’s also great to sit in a quiet room and just relax. For me, it’s a huge form of self care.
I did try acupuncture for about 6 months, but the cost benefit wasn’t there for me. Personally I saw better results with massage therapy, and it was much more relaxing for me than all those needles.
Migraine Glasses - Axon was my first pair of lenses that I used in my old office. I really enjoyed TheraSpecs when I would go to the grocery store and during really awful attacks. Now I like using Migraine Shields and Avulux since I work on the computer all day. I appreciate that they don’t have a heavy color distortion, which makes it easier for me to edit photos. They're both heavily discounted with code THEDIZZYCOOK. If you're not sure which ones to get, read my post comparing which migraine glasses are best.
Allay Lamp can also help a lot with light sensitivity, nausea and even my anxiety, but I didn't notice that it reduced my dizziness or vestibular symptoms. But if you're looking for a light that won't make things worse - definitely try it out. Managing time on the computer and away from screens can help tremendously if your symptoms are constant.
Chiropractic Care - A lot of chiropractors will tell you they can cure your migraines and you just have to be cautious searching for the right one. I was doing chiropractic care before my vestibular symptoms hit and while I did feel better after our sessions. I don’t think it was a huge factor in my vestibular migraine recovery, but it was worthwhile to add in.
Stress Management - After I left my toxic work environment, I noticed I felt better almost immediately. In fact, a lot of issues with my gut resolved within a month of my departure. I think we take for granted how deeply stress can affect us. It was also the most difficult decision I have ever made in my life. Obviously I see so clearly now how much it was hurting my health, but when you’re in it, it’s difficult. There are apps like Headspace, which American Migraine Foundation has a free pass for, and Calm that can help with meditation and mindfulness. While these are great, I find myself forgetting to do them or getting distracted at home. Signing up for restorative yoga classes was also helpful, and helped me commit to being present.
Dealing with dizziness and daily symptoms can be a grind and it just feels so heavy. Finding things that make you happy is so important, especially if you've lost your job or can't work. A few things I did - volunteered for VEDA, started cooking simple dinners, and more elaborate ones if I had the energy, and looked into helping local dog adoption agencies with paperwork or calls.
Therapy - I highly encourage anyone with chronic migraine to see a therapist regularly and seek out one that can help you work through the . Through my therapist I learned Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques, visualization and DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy). This can help you shift your mindset from negatives to positives and work through all the anxiety and burden that a chronic illness can carry with it. I struggled greatly with losing my career to migraine and a lot of depression over feeling like my life would be this way forever. She helped me set small goals that made days seem more manageable. It made me realize how much joy I found in cooking.
Hydration - I committed to getting at least 70oz a day of water, and it truly does make a difference. There are water bottles out there that will give you a schedule for consuming. You can set a reminder on your phone. What worked best for me was getting an insulated water bottle and filling up at least 3-4x a day.
Sleep Schedule - This factor was difficult for me because my visual symptoms made me want to close my eyes often to rest, or would leave me so exhausted. I feel like our brains have to work extra hard to keep us steady and by about 2-3pm I would feel miserable. I would take 3 hour naps and then not really be tired for bed at a good hour. So I cut out the naps, as difficult as it was. It was really rough initially, but I did adjust and my sleep improved. Every doctor will tell you that a migraine brain loves routine, so getting up and going to sleep around the same time is essential. Also, be aware of how much sleep your body needs and try to not go over or under that number.
What I'd Like to Try
Dr. Beh has encouraged me with are the Cefaly device and Gammacore. Because I was extremely well-controlled, the cost of these devices didn't really appeal to me. After postpartum in 2021 hit me a little hard, I did decide to try gammaCore instead of going back on my preventative medication. It worked extremely well for me for dizziness and anxiety.
What Didn't Work
Essential Oils - Essential oils are great for just relaxation and I do think that peppermint is great for head pain. However, I was reading that frankincense relieved and prevented vertigo attacks and would diffuse it around my house 24/7, to which I saw no benefit. I think having realistic expectations here is key. For me they're useful in some instances like traveling, but not as an essential treatment.
Acupuncture - I touched on this above, but saw greater benefits with massage therapy and acupressure.
The Epley Maneuver - Before I was officially diagnosed, I had a number of doctors try different maneuvers on me since BPPV is a really common cause of vertigo. However, this won't be effective for vestibular migraine without BPPV.
Neuromodulation Devices
I wanted to update this as of June 2022 to reflect my most current treatment plan. Postpartum was not easy for me, but I wanted to try to manage without going back on a preventative medication. That's when I decided to try gammaCore, which has become more reasonable in the past few years.
My neurologist had recommended both gammaCore and Cefaly as options, but because my symptoms revolved more around postpartum anxiety, dizziness, and lack of sleep, I decided the vagus nerve stimulation could perhaps give me more benefits.
I used gammaCore as a preventative and acute treatment, and this allowed me to avoid going back on my daily preventative medication. It also helped me decrease the amount of times I had to use ativan as an acute medication. While my supplement regimen remains the same, this is one addition to my treatment that I love.
When my dizziness became more well-controlled, I switched over to Truvaga. I wanted to be able to see how the devices were different for myself. I feel like Truvaga is easier to find your vagus nerve with, but wouldn't be for someone trying to treat chronic migraine. Since it's a health device, it's best for nightly use for sleep, stress management, and other health benefits of vagus nerve stimulation. I personally use it for sleep and to help me lower my cortisol.
- Truvaga discount is AFFILIATE10
- Cefaly discount is DIZZYCOOK
- gammaCore discount is DIZZYCOOK (filled in when you submit prescription)
Current Vestibular Migraine Treatment
My current vestibular migraine treatment is helping me through a second postpartum period where I'm struggling with high cortisol symptoms. This could also be due to my age, which is my upper 30's.
- Truvaga every night before bed for vagus nerve stimulation. Also will use on bad days.
- Magnesium - A combination of glycinate and threonate at 560mg a day.
- Custom multivitamin
- Adrenal mocktail by Jigsaw in the morning within an hour of waking. Cortisol calm by Pure Encapsulations at night.
- Walking outside every morning and/or afternoon (weather permitting).
- Timolol and ativan as needed on dizzy days. I start with timolol or if there is an anxiety component, I'll use a low dose of ativan and truvaga.
- Diet - After discovering my trigger foods through elimination, I follow the Mediterranean Migraine Diet and just avoid my big food triggers which continue to be caffeine, yogurt, kefir, and kombucha, collagen, pea, and whey protein powders, almonds and walnuts.
Vestibular Migraine Remission is Possible
If you've seen any of my interviews with Dr. Shin Beh on YouTube, you'll know that vestibular migraine remission is totally achievable and happens to many patients. Remission may mean different things - either not having an attack for over a year, or maybe it's going a few months without symptoms or very light symptoms. Obviously my journey was a long one and took a lot of work, but consistency and hope is key. It's really nice to feel completely cured of that daily dizziness and brain fog.
I realize my vestibular migraine treatment plan won't be the road to success for everyone, but I hope by sharing it can bring you some idea of how long trying new medications or supplements can take so see results.
Getting to 100% days again does not happen overnight, but they can and will happen. Don't give up.
Vestibular Migraine Posts
Acute Treatments for Vestibular Migraine
Natural Treatments
Vestibular Migraine Triggers
Common VM Symptoms
How to Calm a Migrainous Vertigo Attack
Vestibular Migraine Diet
I Lost My Job Because of Migraine
5 Things I Wish Others Knew About Life with Vestibular Migraine
LAnce says
I have been suffering for a year now with what was thought of initially as BPPV then Meniers, then Vestibular Migraines. I will be fine for a while during the day then i can feel my eyes start changing and getting tired and out of focus and very sensitive, then my ears will start ringing and loud noises are painful, then i get brain fog with weak arms and legs. Will last hours to days. I have not had one week with out it for a year. I have been on many medications that the side effects are as bad as the symptoms. I have been going to an active release chiroparactor but have not seen a significant difference. I am doing VRT on my own since i cant afford physical therapy. I could handle everything but the Eyes going wonky and making very diffcult to concentrate or even keep them open at times. It is just crazy i can feel ok one minute then its like boom im done for the day. Im a 37 yr old male and this all started after a carpal tunnel surgery with general anesthesia.
Any help would be appreciated.
Faith says
Hey Alicia! I see where you recommend the Migraine Shields on both your website and You Tube video. Would you mind sharing which lenses you prefer? I see that there are two types. The Everyday Lens and the Episodic Lens. I appreciate all you do for the Vestibular Migraine community! Thanks to all of your valuable wisdom, knowledge, and recommendations I now have an appointment with Dr. Beh on March 29! I can not wait to get some further treatment, as I have been dealing with VM now for almost 3 years!
Alicia says
Hey Faith - it really just depends on what you're looking for. I think this article on the differences between migraine glasses will help you out. I personally wear the everyday, but I'm also feeling much better now!! 🙂 Good luck with your Dr. Beh appt. He is the best!
Carolyn Eisenberg says
Hi. As I fine tune my diet I continue to come across little things I question. I believe that I am garlic sensitive. If so are shallots allowed? I don't know what I would do without them. Also what I thought was a clean chicken bone broth just came to my attention as having natural organic chicken flavoring. Is that another no no? It claims no artificial anything.I know MSG is not artificial but natural organic flavoring? I'm sorry to say I am eagerly awaiting to turn the tide but not happening. Start of 3 years with symptoms and 11 months eating clean.Also do you know or have heard of a Dr. in Las Vegas who could assist me? There doesn't seem to be any help here that I know of. Thanks again for your time and knowledge.
Katie says
Hi- how did you realize you were garlic sensitive... now that I think of it I may try eliminating that because I typically use it a lot and haven’t seen consistent changes in my symptoms within the past 2 months. Thanks!
Carolyn Eisenberg says
Hi Katie, It was by chance. I used garlic alot when everything else was clean. My tinnitus and neuropathy surged. Then on a no garlic day things would calm down a little. I went back and forth as alot of my meals I made in bulk had garlic then on days I made a new food I left it out. Same results. Now I want to know about shallots as a bag with them said a blend of onion and garlic flavor. I still use them but not every day. Somewhat same results. Alicia hasn't gotten back to me about them yet. I don't understand with as clean as I do eat that I haven't made much progress. Thanks for getting in touch. I hope I was able to answer your question. Writ me again anytime.
Alicia says
Hi Carolyn,
Yes, shallots are allowed, but if you're sensitive as an individual then feel free to eliminate them and see if it helps. Natural chicken flavoring is not. Many brands will claim nothing is added as a sales tactic. I encourage you to review my cookbook and this post for the "hidden names" here.
I do not know a Dr in Las Vegas, but have recommendations here if you'd like to check any of these doctors to see if they'll do teleconference with you right now. Would be worth a try if you're not having success. Relying on diet changes alone can be difficult.
Yessi says
Hi Alicia
Now that you don’t have daily dizziness, do you wear your MigraineShield glasses all day and everywhere? You mentioned you wear them for computer use but what about daily life, driving at night etc ?
Mary V says
Good day!
I was diagnosed with Meniere's Rt ear (Sept 1, 2020) and had a bad attack which lead to an additional diagnosis of Vestibular Migraine (Oct 21, 2020). I've been trying to do my own elimination diet based on HYH diet but I always get 2 steps back whenever I get an attack. Since I've been on LOA from work since Sept 29, 2020, I really need to get back to work soon. I've decided to to MRT test and speak to a RDN. Since 3 major Holidays are coming up, you think it will derail me from elimination diet if I eat thanksgiving, christmas and New Year's meal? Also, did u do MRT test as well?
Alicia says
Hey Mary,
It won't completely derail you, but I'd try to keep any cheats within moderation to avoid big attacks, especially if you feel like you're taking 2 steps back with every attack. I have a lot of holiday migraine-friendly recipes here you can make to try to stick with it. I did not do an MRT test as I got great results from this diet within a few months and it's pretty expensive. If I didn't see results within a year I might have pursued it. Wishing you all the best.
Carolyn Eisenberg says
Hi Alicia. Could you please reprint the recipe for your Chex mix treat. I seem to have erased before printing. A quick update on my progress. Starting my 3rd year with VM. In my 9th month of eating clean with only one slip up. Had a pita with barley malt and suffered gut renching pain for a day. All of my triggers, going out, loud noise, light and more can still put me down. Sometimes a day, sometimes longer. My neuropathy and tinnitus never go away but can be less or more fore any given day. Rarely a headache
Wish there was a support system in Las Vegas. But no one here I know of. Have been to multiple ENT'S and Neiurologists. If you know anyone here would appreciate a name. Once again, thank you for being a lifeline from feeling totally alone. I also watch your podcasts. I can't help thinking this is my reality. Carolyn
Holly says
Hi Alicia
Have you or any of your followers had any success with Joey Remenyi and her neuroplasticity approach? It feels a bit too ‘woo woo’ for me, and expensive but anyone who has any thoughts on this would be great.
Thanks
Holly
Alicia says
I haven't personally tried and have not heard any feedback from readers (i'm guessing cause of the expense), but I am familiar with her through VEDA. Neuroplasticity is definitely a factor in healing for a lot of people so it's not as "woo" as you might think! Dr. Beh, my neurologist, speaks about this in his book. Personally I went through him and saw a therapist at UTSW as well as a licensed counselor to help with other techniques like CBT and DBT. This way it was covered by insurance. It is a very expensive program and I'm not sure how personal it is to specific patients. If you can find a good vestibular therapist, that might be a good way to approach it if this is out of your budget. I can give you some VEDA recommended ones as well.
Carolyn Eisenberg says
Have you looked at the ingredients of the Trader Joe Pitas you said were clean? They list yeast and barley malt. Are those still considered clean? It's important to me as I have been eating clean for 9 months. Thanks
Alicia says
Hi Carolyn,
I must have put that in a different old post but ingredients are always subject to change and I haven't been able to go to a grocery store because of my high risk pregnancy. The yeast would be allowed but anything with malted barley is not so keep up the search for another brand, or just use their frozen naan, which I believe is still ok according to group members.
Michele Denny says
Hello Alicia-I am a bit confused about how you take magnesium. Do you take Magnesium cognimag Pure Encapsulation with threonate as one capsule and Magnesium glycinate Pure encapsulation as another capsule? Also, does this product cause a difference in your bowel movements (sorry), but that is a problem I had with regular magnesium. Thank you for all that you do.
Alicia says
Hi Michele, yes I take them separately - I have a breakdown of how I take them here which I think might help you. I also think you'll appreciate this post as well which explains how they are absorbed differently than other types of magnesium, which can cause bowel issues. Of course everyone is different, but these typically are tolerated better.
Kristen Higgins says
Hi Alicia! i am recently diagosed with VM and trying to figure out what works to mitigate my symptoms... your blog is a bible for me! I do a lot of computer work and was going to get a pair of Migraine Shields... do you use the Everyday or Episodic?
Alicia says
Hey Kristen - I prefer my Everyday Lenses over the Episodic for computer work and honestly think they're the best ones to go with to get started. I've heard some feedback the episodic are a little too intense for some people. I have both and don't personally find that, but better to be on the safe side! They'll also let you return within 45 days.
Here's 20% off - code is THEDIZZYCOOK.
Carolyn Eisenberg says
Hi Alicia, is the meeting with Dr. Buchholz still on for next week. I'm really intetested in being a part of.
Alicia says
Unfortunately we had to cancel due to COVID. We will reschedule at some point but it wont be till this clears up.
Kelsey says
Love this new article! It's just as important for us fellow VM sufferers to read what didn’t work as is it for us to know what did. You’ve been such a great resource for me during my migraine journey. Thanks for everything! (Now I just need to figure out how to get an appointment with Dr Beh without a referral ????????)
Alicia says
Hey Kelsey - have you emailed me? Send me one at alicia@thedizzycook.com and I'll give you some options.
Carolyn Eisenberg says
Never received questions. Got your private email back about Dr. Beh and insurance coverage or not. Would you please email questions you asked and I will be patient. Also calling Dr. directly. Thanks
Maureen says
Thank you for sharing what has worked , or what hasn’t worked. Your site has been extremely helpful. My doctor wants me to try Botox injections. I’m so reluctant, but I’m feeling that as a single parent pressure to “ get on with things “, especially to get back to work. I wonder if you had any personal knowledge of people getting Botox injections for migraines?
Lindsey says
Thank you for this post Alicia! I needed to hear something hopeful today. I am currently on leave from work and feel like the clock is ticking to “get well and get on with it.” So I feel you Maureen, though I’m very impressed that your handling this all as a single parent! My neurologist has also suggested Botox (as I think I’ve tried every other drug on the list over the years) BUT said it only has a 50% chance of working! And I’d have to stop taking Emgality which has provided some relief, enough to take care of my kids and do some daily chores (but not to also work.) And you get Botox injections every 3 months so it’s a while before you know if it works. I’m also curious to know if anyone has had any VM experience with Botox
Alicia says
I have a few friends who do really well with Botox for VM. I've asked Dr. Beh about it before and he says he tends to see more improvement in patients who also have head pain vs. just dizzy symptoms. But it's definitely one of those treatments that they only try after you've not done well with other medications so maybe it will work out! Have you tried any of the neuromodulation devices?
Lindsey says
I haven't tried a Cephaly device. I had one neurologist recommend it and another say he didn't think it would help. But now I'm seeing a third neurologist so I'm going to get his take as well. Your post also gave me the idea to write out a better list of everything I've ever tried and what I haven't. It was helpful to look at what things I could maybe give another chance, what things I NEVER want to try again and what I could research and/or ask my neurologist about. Even though I often feel like I've tried everything it revealed there's still more-so thanks for the inspiration!
Carolyn Eisenberg says
Hi Alicia. You asked me to contact you at your private email address and I did. I have been looking daily for a response about contacting Dr Beh but none has come. I know it was sent as I can find it and see it was delivered. Please get back to me when you read it. Thanks, Carolyn
Alicia says
Hey Carolyn, I emailed you back some questions. I get quite a few emails a day so please be patient with me as I sort through. 🙂