It’s crazy to think that four years ago, I would first experience the dizzy symptoms of a life-changing disorder. Life how I knew it was about to change forever. I would have to leave my job, reevaluate friendships, see several doctors. All this while trying to tell myself I wasn’t crazy, undergo extensive testing, and be handed a treatment plan to help me feel “normal.”

In four years, I’ve been through quite the ringer. I’ve tried various pill cocktails that either had crazy side-effects for me or didn’t work. However, on that journey, I also discovered a treatment plan that helped me feel like my best self. It has also evolved as I’ve gone through new stages of life such as pregnancy and postpartum. So, what better time to share my “Current Vestibular Migraine Treatment Plan” than on the anniversary of my beloved (insert sarcasm here) vestibular disorder.

So, what is in my current treatment plan?

Still Taking Vitamins

That’s right. I’m still taking vitamins – mainly 500mg of Magnesium. I’ve been on a prenatal since last year for my pregnancy and postpartum which has a lot of the vitamins I was taking previously. To me, it seemed to be enough.

I will say, in the 4 years I’ve been dealing with this, I can definitely notice if I forget to take my Magnesium, so I know it will definitely be part of my long-standing treatment plan indefinitely.

Prescribed Medications

As I said before, I’ve tried a lot of different medications from Amitriptyline to beta-blockers. I had horrible reactions to both and was nervous to try anything else while actively trying to get pregnant. Now that I’ve had my baby and my VM flare-up postpartum, I have a few new medications that I am taking to combat my symptoms. Those include…

Preventative: AJOVY

My doctor, Dr. Beh, thought that the AJOVY injection would be a great medication for me to try while I was still breastfeeding. It’s once a month and a shot that I administer myself. I’ve been on it for 3 months now and have been feeling better for the most part. However, I’ve started to wean on breastfeeding so my VM has been rearing its ugly head as my hormones fluctuate. Hopefully, the AJOVY keeps more attacks at bay.

Preventative: Timolol Eye Drops

I have been taking Timolol since before I was pregnant. It’s one of the few drugs that I haven’t experienced any crazy side-effects with and was safe during pregnancy. I feel like they tend to help with my light sensitivity symptom.

Rescue Med: Ativan

Prior to Ativan, I was taking Valium when I had really bad dizzy days. Valium has a long half-life which wasn’t great for breastfeeding- not so with Ativan. However, to be honest, this is my backup drug. I rarely take it and only usually take the Ativan if I am having a HORRIBLE attack.

Rescue Med: Zofran

Awe, Zofran. Zofran and I were buddies during pregnancy when I had HG. Once in a while, I will have nausea with my VM, and that’s when the Zofran comes back into play.

Migraine Glasses

If you’ve followed my journey in the last few years, you know that I’m a HUGE advocate of migraine glasses. I am VERY light-sensitive and was in search of the perfect pair of lenses. I’ve tried them all, but Migraine Shields has been the best solution for me. They don’t distort color, are easier to wear for longer stretches of time (especially when I work on my computer,) but most of all, they don’t scream that I have an illness.

I know that rose-tinted lenses help a lot of people, but I felt dizzier when I tried FL-41 lenses. Plus, let’s face it, I’m basic. I wanted to find the most “fashionable” glasses I could while still feeling the benefits from blocking the light.

Try a pair for yourself! (You have a 45-day trial period to see if they work for you.) You can also receive 20% off with code TRUEKAYLAISMS. (They will be 25% off through October 30th.)

Self-Care

Prioritizing my self-care hasn’t changed either. Yes, I have a 7-month-old now, but I still work to make time for myself. If I am not feeling my best, my whole family will suffer. During COVID I have had to change that plan a little bit, but I still work to include massages into my routine monthly, taking bubble baths, making sure I’m getting enough sleep, meditation, and doing yoga online.

Being Mindful Of What I Put Into My Body

I am not going to lie. Being a new mom is exhausting, and I definitely tried to sneak in some caffeine. THAT WAS A BAD IDEA! Seriously, I felt the effects immediately. If you’ve tried the Heal Your Headache diet and learned what triggers you, stay away from those foods if possible. For me, caffeine has always been a trigger along with some aged meats and cheeses. Once in a while, I get brave and try them, but always feel it the next day. It’s just better to forgo those foods altogether.

So, there you have it. It’s been 4 years; a lot of life changes and I’m still hanging in there. It feels like just yesterday when I was researching vestibular migraine and scared the crap out of myself that I would have this for the rest of my life.

But truthfully, I’m so used to my new way of life, I can’t really remember life before VM. I’m not sure if that’s sad or if that just shows that if you work to find a treatment plan that works for you, you can resume your life as normal as possible.

So, uh, happy anniversary to me?

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