<a href="http://migraine-treatment.typepad.com/alfa_pxp_gave_me_my_life_/" accesskey="1">Alfa PXP Cures Migraines

Alice-in-Wonderland-Syndrome

Jun 30, 2009 7:10:10 PM | Health

June 20, 2009

An Alice-in-Wonderland Story...

My auras recently started to include micropsia and macropsia (sometimes simultaneously!) as well as real weird effects with faces. Especially my own in a mirror where it would turn into a dark egg on my body.

Others people's faces would fracture into many parts that reversed orientation while they spoke. Eyes and mouths become distorted and scary. I now know that Picasso's portrait work was not symbolic but literal.

Trying to get down a hallway during an episode was problematic. Although I was moving forward normally, parts of the walls kept reversing direction next to me. It was completely disorienting and I had to wait for someone to walk by so I could follow them to my office doorway.

This is real people! People with this syndrome are not crazy! It's a neurologic disorder and, although conventional medical practitioners will tell their patients there is no treatment, Alfa PXP took care of all of my symptoms.

If anybody out there has any weird symtpoms, please visit my Squidoo lens:

As well, go to my forum for support:

MAV-forum

Food-For-Cells.com

Jun 20, 2009 9:14:09 PM | Health

May 08, 2009

And the strangest migraine manifestations of all - Alice-in-Wonderland Syndrome.

A woman ran across this blog from awhile back - it actually helped diagnose a child who nobody knew what the heck was going on with! So I'd like to share it again, just in case there is somebody else out there suffering with this incredible illness.

This has got to be one of the strangest feeling illnesses God ever thought up and my hat off to Lewis Carroll for giving it a name and a face. My hat equally off to the genius of Enzacta, the makers of Alfa PXP, or I would still be in this God-awful condition, but more about that later.

The migraine process alone, to me, is interesting as well as complex. Even more interesting is the migraine process called Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, which I will devote this mini-blog to. I would love to hear from others who have suffered with this strange constellation of symptoms, including hallucinations of all kinds: out-of-body experiences, time distortions, body size distortions, hearing things, smelling things, seeing things, along with your more run-of-the-mill visual aura, all, of course, sometimes, but not necessarily, followed by excruciating pain, and then the famous hangover. Mostly, I would like to be able to help anyone suffering from these symptoms for what they really are. Most likely fear they may be going crazy. I know I did!

More about this tomorrow! But please, chime in if you're familiar with this crazy illness.

FOR SUPPORT:

May 8, 2009 9:30:43 PM | Health

May 04, 2009

What's the alternative?

Yep, Alfa PXP by Enzacta!

It is my belief that conventional medicine is often doing more harm than good. Too many tests are done, which lead to more unnecessary tests being done, which lead to decisions about whether a procedure should be done about something which would have been better left alone.

Medications and their side effects are only growing more powerful. It takes years to grow the list of serious reactions to medications. I remember an old doctor saying to me the only medications worth using were castor oil, digitalis and insulin.

But science is the world we live in, so it's all we've got, and God bless it. Those preventatives helped me cope for quite awhile.

I believe, however, that the team at Enzacta stumbled upon and/or had a flash of intuitive insight on the level of genius. And from what I've seen this product can do, I have no doubt that it will be the future of health care.

It's too good to believe, but so was electricity, which we now take for granted...

FOR SUPPORT:

MAV-Forum.com

May 4, 2009 9:26:12 PM | Health

May 03, 2009

The preventative merry-go-round

TREATMENT

Abortive Medications

Triptans, such as DHE, ergotamine, isometheptene (Midrin), rizatriptan (Maxalt), eletriptan (Relpax), sumatriptan (Imitrex), zolmitriptan (Zomig), and naratriptan (Amerge) bind to serotonin receptors, reducing pain by blocking TNC and reducing secondary sensitization. [8] They are highly effective with minimal side effects. However, they are highly addictive and cause rebound.

Prophylactic Approach

First line prophylactic approach is strict adherence to the “migraine diet.” David Buchholz, M.D., formerly of Johns Hopkins, in his Book, Heal Your Headache, [10] gives a comprehensive version of the diet. In short, it is recommended to quit all food triggers for three months, in order to rid the body of all metabolites. These foods include, in general, caffeine, chocolate, MSG, processed meats and fish, fermented dairy products, nuts, alcohol and vinegar, citrus fruits, dried fruits along with some other fruits, some vegetables, especially onions, yeast, and aspartame. The three major substances thought to be causative triggers are histamines, phenylethylamine, and tyramine.

If after three months, there is no clear difference, the patient will move onto prophylactic medications. If, however, there is significant help with the removal of trigger foods, the job is to add back foods, one at a time, to find out which food is the culprit.

Prophylactic medications - these may work for many people, but in my experience, there are many people they do not work for, or not for long. I ended up on 4 prophylactics at once. My hair fell out. I was severely constipated. One was an addictive benzo and the other had a severe withdrawal syndrome. Plus, though they got me out of bed, I still couldn't get out of the house. Give them a try, but keep in mind they are serious meds with serious side effects. As well, know that there is a natural alternative with absolutely no side effects, just a return to health.

According to Dr. Hain, the mechanisms of most of the prophylactic medications are not well understood, but they all work about 75% of the time and take weeks to months to work. According to Dr. Rauch’s Online Mass Eye and Ear Otology Clinic, a patient with migraine-associated vertigo will always need a vestibular suppressant to lead a full life free of symptoms. [9]

Dr. Hain categorizes prophylactic medications as follows: [8]

CSD blockers: Anticonvulsants

These probably raise the threshold for CSD and include the following:

topiramate (Topamax)

Topiramate is about 75% effective. The starting dose is 25 mg and the recommendation is to titrate as needed, in weekly 25 increments, up to 150 mg. Side effects include, but are not limited to, weight loss, hair loss, speech disturbance, difficulty in word-finding and tingling in the hands and feet. Toprimate is $1 a dose.

Other anticonvulsants used include: gabapentin (Neurontin), sodium valproate (Depakote) and levetiracetam (Keppra).

Mysterious mechanism agents: Beta blockers and L-channel calcium channel blockers

Beta blockers are 75% effective. The mechanism is unclear:

Any beta blocker will work: propranolol 60 LA, metoprolol 50 XL, or atenolol 50-100 mg a day. Side effects include fatigue, slow pulse and hypotension. It takes one month for them to work.

L-channel calcium channel blockers including:

Verapamil which is 75% effective. The mechanism is not well understood, although it possibly blocks TNC or possibly relates to the calcium channel gene. The therapeutic dose is 120-240 mg SR. It takes two weeks to work. The main side effect is constipation. If the patient is not constipated after two weeks, he/she may increase the dose.

Neurochemical modulators: Antidepressants

Venlafaxine (Effexor) is 80% effective. Mechanism is not very clear. Effexor is an SNRI and SSRI. It is very useful in managing the sensory amplifications seen in migraine. It is inexpensive. The starting dose is 12.5 mg, increasing slowly to a maximum of 75 mg. Side effects are minor. However, high doses have a difficult withdrawal syndrome.

Tricyclics – amitriptyline/nortriptyline. Dr. Hain calls these “messy agents.” They work as central antihistamines, and on norepinephrine and serotonin receptors. They accumulate in the body. A weight gain of 25 pounds is not unusual when using these medications.

Supplements

A handful of supplements are regularly taken by migraineurs. Riboflavin has been rigorously studied [11] and has demonstrated a reduction of migraine days and hours by 44%, although no reduction in intensity in headache.

SUPPORT:

May 3, 2009 8:55:36 PM | Health

May 01, 2009

Diagnosing migraine-associated vertigo

Yes, you'll find all of this, and the previous information on MAV, in an article on Wikipedia - that's because I wrote it.

No diagnostic tests specific for migraine-associated vertigo exist. Careful history-taking is essential. Headache is not required.

Lembert and Neuhauser propose criteria for definite and probable migraine-associated vertigo:

Definite migraine-associated vertigo

A. Episodic vestibular symptoms of at least moderate severity

B. Current or previous history of migraine according to the 2004 criteria of the HIS

C. One of the following migrainous symptoms during ≥ 2 attacks of vertigo: migrainous headache, photophobia, phonophobia, visual or other auras

D. Other causes ruled out by appropriate investigations

Probable migraine-associated vertigo

A. Episodic vestibular symptoms of at least moderate severity

B. One of the following: 1) Current or previous history of migraine according to the 2004 criteria of HIS. 2) Migrainous symptoms during vestibular symptoms. 3) Migraine precipitants of vertigo in more than 50% of attacks: food triggers, sleep irregularities, hormonal change. 4) Response to migraine medications in more than 50% of attacks.

C. Other causes ruled out by appropriate investigations.

They add, in patients with a clear-cut history, no vestibular tests are required.

Other historical criteria which are helpful in making the diagnosis of migraine-associated vertigo are vertiginous symptoms throughout the patient’s entire life, a long history of motion in intolerance, sensitivity to environmental stimuli, illusions of motion of the environment, and vertigo which awakens the patient.

FOR SUPPORT:

May 1, 2009 10:00:00 PM | Health

April 29, 2009

Vertigo Syndromes Associated with Migraine

BPPV

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common vestibular disorder in patients presenting with dizziness and migraine is commonly associated. Proposed mechanisms linking the two are genetic factors and vascular damage to the labyrinth.

Ménière’s disease

There is an increased prevalence of migraine in patients with Ménière’s disease. As well, migraine leads to a greater susceptibility of developing Ménière’s disease. The distinction between migraine-associated vertigo and Ménière’s is that migraine-associated vertigo may go on for more than 24 hours.

Motion sickness

Motion sickness is more prevalent in patients with migraine.

Psychiatric syndromes

Dizziness and spinning vertigo are the second most commonly presented symptom of panic attacks and can present with as a symptom of major depression. Migraine is a risk factor for developing major depression and panic disorder and vice versa.

For Support:

Apr 29, 2009 9:06:29 PM | Health

April 27, 2009

Symptoms of migraine-associated vertigo

Migraine-associated vertigo may manifest as episodic rotational vertigo with or without nausea and vomiting, positional vertigo, constant imbalance, movement-associated dysequilibrium, illusory self or object motion, head motion intolerance, and/or light- headedness. Migrainous symptoms during vertigo may occur, such as photophobia, phonophobia, osmophobia, and/or visual or other auras. There is usually minimally or no nystagmus, which differentiates it from other peripheral vestibular syndromes. If nystagmus does present, it is often directed vertically. Tinnitus and hearing loss are not as common but do occur. Symptoms may appear during the prodrome, during the headache, or often during headache-free intervals. Headache is not required to make the diagnosis of migraine-associated vertigo.

Vertigo is a vestibular disturbance whereas dizziness is not. Vertigo includes a feeling of rotation and/or illusory sensations of motion. Dizziness is a feeling of light-headedness, giddiness, drowsiness, and/or impending faint.

FOR SUPPORT:

MAV-FORUM.COM

Apr 27, 2009 9:59:59 PM | Health

April 26, 2009

The Pathophysiology of Migraine

The pathophysiology of migraine is not completely understood, nor is that of migraine- associated vertigo. However, both central and peripheral defects have been observed. Timothy Hain, M.D. of Chicago Dizziness and Balance at

Northwestern U

niversity

proposed an updated theory of pathophysiology at the Spring 2008 conference for Migraine-Associated vertigo.

According to his theory, we start with a patient who has a hyperexcitable brain. Add to that, environmental events which push the individual’s brain past a threshold, leading to electrical changes (cortical spreading depression (CSD), which causes aura. CSD also stimulates the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC), as well as the release of inflammatory neuropeptides (CGRP).

CCRP cause vasodilation and sensitization (allodynia) in the trigeminal nerve circuit. Pain and sensitization lead to a positive feedback loop.

Why vertigo as a manifestation of migraine? John Carey, M.D. of John Hopkins, presented the following hypothesis at the Spring 2008 Conference on Migraine-Associated Vertigo: “The blood vessels of the cochlea and vestibular labyrinth are innervated by branches of V₁ of the trigeminal nerve.” This causes plasma extravasation with substance P in the stria vascularis and cochlear tissues.

If the neuropeptide release that Hain talks about is asymmetric, it results in the sensation of vertigo. If it is symmetric, the patient feels an increased sensitivity to motion due to an increased vestibular firing rate during head movements. It has also been suggested that CGRP and other neuropeptides produce a prolonged hormone-like effect as these diffuse into the extracellular fluid. “This may explain the prolonged symptoms in some patients with migraine-associated vertigo, as well as the typical progression of persistent spontaneous vertigo followed by benign positional vertigo and then motion sensitivity.”

Serotonin has also been found to be important in the development in migraine-associated vertigo.

Brantberg, Trees & Baloh proposed, in a study done in 2005, that there are multiple migraine-associated vertigo syndromes and multiple genes and environmental factors underlying them. Their study showed that typical migraine headaches progressed over time into attacks of vertigo and about half of the patients had visual aura. Only half of the patients had ever had a headache with at the same time as an attack of vertigo.

For support:

Apr 26, 2009 8:37:14 PM | Health

April 16, 2009

What is migraine-associated vertigo?

Let me begin with a story taken from Paul Auster’s novel, Mr. Vertigo:

I felt a little light-headed, but it seemed that the crisis had passed. But then I stood up and it was precisely then that the headache returned, ripping through me with a blast of savage, blinding pain. I tried to take a step, but the world was swimming undulating, like a belly dancer in a fun-house mirror, and I couldn’t see where I was going. By the time I took a second step, I had already lost my balance. If the master hadn’t been there to catch me I would have fallen flat on my face again.

Migraine-associated vertigo is dizziness that is associated with a migraine headache condition. Dizziness is one of the most common reasons people present to the doctor. Headaches are common as well. Dizziness presenting as part of a symptom complex, including headaches, is also common. The job of the diagnostician is to determine whether the dizziness and headache are related and then, whether the dizziness is a manifestation of migraine, or whether they co-exist by chance.

Is there a cure? yes:

If you suffer from migraines or dizziness, you can seek support at: