Yeah, I know about the migraines. Usually at the start of my vertigo, I'll have a headache the first day. A really really bad headache. My neuro said that it's normal to have that happen with the vertigo. Only it doesnt feel like the migraines I get. It's more of an ache-y sensation. Makes my entire body hurt.

I got checked for an ear infection tonight. My doctor's office was booked, but they just started a new emergi-care that opens right after they close. They have a group of doctors that I guess "borrows" their offices for the evenings. They're open till 1am.

So, tonight at 5pm, I went in, got checked for an infection (and checked for a UTI, just in case)

They found nothing.

I do have a small suspicion that it could be dental related. The next batch of teeth that I need to get worked on to replace my amalgam fillings (they're cracking my teeth apart) has been sore this week. I go to the dentist next week for a cleaning, so I'm trying to wait till then to get it checked. If that's infected, I'm going to get an antibiotic and have them replace the fillings after I've been on the abx's for a few days.

I had a pseudo or maybe a real exacerbation (bone-deep numbness in the right foot) immediately after having dental work done in March, so I wouldnt be surprised if it's my teeth causing me problems this time again.

I am going to go to an ENT as soon as my neuro suggests one to me next week. Just in case there's something wrong with my inner ear. (when I had mononucleosis, everything in my head closed up...deaf for about 2 or 3 weeks, so I worry that something got damaged then)

I want to figure out if my vertigo is an MS thing, or an actual non-MS related thing, or if it's a non-MS related thing that's getting triggered by some MS thing.

I've been dealing with a lot of vertigo lately too. One trick that seems to help is keeping an eye on a fixed object at a distance, not looking down, not looking at things that are close. That's what they tell you to do if you get sea sick on a boat, look at the horizon.

I hang onto something solid and look at the furthest thing in the house as I walk. And I go very slow on the stairs.

At times I have to avoid situations where there will be bad lighting )flickering or too bright), too many things moving - like in the wind lately, the trees moving around and stuff - and too many distractions in general.

I can't do shopping like this.

I hope you get your script and feel better soon.

I'm starting to think that I'm having a little flare of the optic neuritis, probably from a dental issue raising my temperature a little bit (yes, I'm taking Tylenol) and that the vision stuff is causing the vertigo crap.

It seems like it's visual things setting it off.

That doesnt quite explain why the vertigo woke me up from a dead sleep on tuesday, but I think it explains some of the vertigo.

Or, the dental issue is causing the visual issues, and as an annoying double whammy, it's ticking off my 8th cranial nerve and causing the vertigo.

I have had vertigo and dizziness from the very beginning. I used to lie on the sofa and face the cushions, hold on to the top of it and curl up so I could feel somewhat secure. It has been awful. I always described it as like the childhood game of spinning around and around and then trying to walk. I remember that was such a fun game. It's not fun with MS.

My doctor's gave me valium for dizziness and vertigo years ago. It slows the CSN down a bit and it does help. I have much more problems with dizziness now but still have vertigo so I just hold on for the ride.

I also have vertigo occasionally when I have migraines.

I hope you feel better and can find something to help you. I know how miserable it is.

My vertigo is nearly non-existant right now. It's started to feel better some since about 10pm tonight.

I need to get some sleep tho, but we just had a tornado and I'm a bit wired up right now. We didnt even lose power, so where I am is all good.

Erin, have you tried a migraine preventive or abortive medication? If those work on your vertigo attacks, that might be one way to see if migraine is the likely cause of your vertigo attacks.

Also, migraines don't have to feel the same all the time. In high school I had almost daily headaches (which I had no idea were migraine, but now I'm sure they were--as my entire family has migraine).

In 1983 I woke up one morning with very severe dizziness that lasted for many hours. Could have been migraine (could also have been the first manifestation of the dizziness that is now my worst and most constant problem among all the other symptoms). Migraine often starts in the morning or wakes you up.

In 1999 I began getting visual auras with no headache--my first migraine events since the 1970s and early 1980s, and the first ones that I recognized as migraine.

In recent years I've had many times of waking up in the early morning with nausea and sometimes diarrhea that lasts for hours, then goes away completely. I'm almost certain those are a different manifestation of migraine.

Thus, even if your headache/vertigo attacks don't feel like your regular migraines, they very well might still be migraine events

Have you talked to a neurologist specializing in migraine/headache? You might find some medication that helps. And you might get an answer as to whether your vertigo is caused by MS or migraine or something else. An ENT will likely not be much help in this matter, although they can certainly rule out inner ear problems.

Best of luck--I feel very lucky to have only mild dizziness. In the few times when I've had short-lived real vertigo, I can't imagine having it for longer periods!! It must be really awful.

Nancy T.

I do get migraines. I take Midrin for it. (a migraine med...one of the oldest ones on the market, havent felt the need to change the Rx yet)

Maybe if I wake up tomorrow with bad vertigo, or if it wakes me up, I'll try a Midrin first and see if it helps me any.

I'm really thinking tho, that this is either being triggered by a dental infection of some sort, or it's visually induced. I went to Best Buy with my dad today, and we walked around in there for about an hour or so...trying to find something to buy me for my birthday (ended up getting the 2nd box set of the Indiana Jones Chronicles on dvd)

By the time we left, I was staggering back and forth. I'm sure the Best Buy employees thought I was drunk. Next time I go into a store, I'm taking my cane (that I bought specifically for this purpose, just keep forgetting it this week) It kind of helps me keep the balance because it's just something to hold onto, it tells me that the ground isnt moving.

Hey Erin, any better today?

Vertigo has been one of my constant MS companions for decades. It's just plain MS doing it to me. My best defense is my recliner with my head stabilized by a feather pillow surrounding it. I don't move unless I have to and I sleep there too until it passes. I take high doses of meclazine to help me keep food and liquid down so I won't get dehydrated (again).

I too have battled ON, vertigo, dizziness it seems from day one. I know how frustrating it is! I hope you feel better ASAP!!

Erin, I hope your vertigo has settled. From reading this thread, it seems to have gotten better. At least, that is my hope for you.

AMN - I quoted you just because since having MS, I read things wrong. Can't quite explain it but I see a different word.

I had to say something to you on this thread because when you said "I take high doses of Meclazine," I saw the word "Mescaline." The hallucenogenic(sp) drug. I had to laugh thinking, no wonder she is dizzy!