Effexor - Venlafaxine

 Hey Guys

What a crazy year 2020 has been. I will be glad to see the back of it as I'm sure you will. Nothing has really changed vestibular symptoms wise. I'm still dealing with it all on a daily basis. Since Covid appeared I have had no doctor appointments except a skype chat with a new neurologist recently. He thinks it's time I come off of my 50mg daily dose of nortriptyline ( I have been taking it daily for 8 years now) and wants me to try a different medication for my dizziness called Effexor (also called Venlafaxine here in the UK). 

I have known about this medication for probably 10 years now but have never had the chance to try it. Some of you have kindly messaged me over the years telling me to try this particular medication. I have mentioned Effexor many times to doctors in the past but for whatever reason I never was prescribed it. 

Anyway, I have been tapering down my dosage of nortriptyline these last 4 weeks and will take my last tablet tomorrow.  I think I will then give my body a rest from medication for a week or two then call my GP to start the Effexor. It is supposed to be successful for some in treating vestibular migraine and PPPD. I have had both of those diagnoses over the years so we shall see. 

I'm excited to try it and pray it helps me finally get some relief. At this point (13 years in) I reluctantly accept I probably will never feel 100% and that is fine but if this medication could just lessen the symptoms noticeably and is consistent in doing so that would be amazing. I will except that since no medication I have ever tried has really helped much at all/if at all.

I am slightly concerned about possible new side effects but that is the chance you take I guess. Right now I have been feeling nauseous for the past three days which isn't nice. I think it could be a result of tapering my Nortriptyline. It seems Nausea is a common side effect of withdrawal from this drug. 

I have also been prescribed a small amount of Cinnarizine which is another medication I never tried before.

So there you have it guys. I'm keeping my fingers crossed Effexor will help me. If that does not maybe the Cinnarizine will. 

Take care

Swimmyhead

Update 2020

Hi Guys

It's been a while since I last posted. A quick update about what is going on with me and my vertigo/dizziness. I had a coupe of appointments last year to see a neuro ophthalmologist. The reason? to find out if my now abnormal eye movements (nystagmus etc) are the reason for my ongoing chronic dizziness and vertigo or is it an underlying vestibular disorder that is causing my strange eye movements. 

The conclusion? My neuro ophthalmologist thinks it's an underlying vestibular disorder causing the nystagmus and not an eye movement problem causing my symptoms. I have often thought that whatever happened that morning in 2007 when I woke up spinning did something to my eyes. They have always felt off everyday since. I figured after all this time maybe the vestibular problem had cleared and I was perhaps left with an ocular motility issue which is now causing my dizziness tec. Well, apparently not. 

The ophthalmologist thinks I had an inner problem all those years back which has left me this way. I don't doubt him. I mean something went terribly wrong that is for sure. To this day I don't know really what happened though as I have heard inner ear and migraine and this and that over the years. 

So there you have it. No more eye doctor visits for me.

Oh, and I turned 40 this past New years day. I can't believe it, ha. Bloody 40.