dizzy

[Monkeyfeet1]

hi all

I hope you’re as well as you can be. I have a question about dizziness. I would consider this my worse symptom at the moment. I Do not have OH or blood pressure problems. I am looking for medication recommendations please.

[Gill-C]

I know how debilitating dizziness can be. Have you had any recent change in medication (dose or type)? Co-careldopa had that effect on me.

I’m afraid I don’t know of a remedy, but I’m sure that others will have some good advice or perhaps the MSA nurses? In my case (other than the usual postural dizziness) it resolved once my meds were changed. Good luck!

[Paul_and_Sue_Wood]

HiThis was one of my wife's first real symptoms near 10 years ago and she has medication prescribed for her that worked. She uses prochlorperazine. Speak to your GP of course to ensure this would suit.

Paul

[Monkeyfeet1 in reply to Paul_and_Sue_Wood]

thank you Paul. One of my first symptoms too. My GP prescribed something that didn’t work and is not very proactive, I’m afraid x

[SamanthaMSAT Moderator Staff in reply to Paul_and_Sue_Wood]

Hi Everyone,

Prochlorperazine (Stemetil) and Metclopramide (Maxalon) are contraindicated in MSA. Most anti-emetics cause MSA symptoms to become worse. Please discuss with your Neurologist rather than your GP. We usually use Domperidone for nausea and you will need an ECG before commencing it as it can ocassionally cause an irregular heart rhythm.

We do have a factsheet on Parkinson's medications which includes drugs to be avoided, on our website.

Kind regards,

Samantha. MSAT nurse specialist.

[Monkeyfeet1 in reply to SamanthaMSAT]

thank you. Thank fully I don’t feel nauseous now that was simply a lack of folate.

[J0nstandard]

This is interesting. My sister would agree that dizziness is too if the list of symptoms that make her feel unwell. Her GP and consultant have all suggested OH as the cause and prescribed cortisone type meds as the fix. So far (after 2 years!) these do not work for her.

Can I ask, how was OH ruled out in your case? Good BP readings?

[Monkeyfeet1 in reply to J0nstandard]

Thank you for that. GP conducted good blood pressure readings numerous times and I did them at home too. Two neurologists put it down to OH without testing and haven’t suggested anything. It’s really debilitating x

[PaulaG3 in reply to J0nstandard]

could you get a GP appointment to monitor her blood pressure? And before you go get a monitor and take in readings?

[TK-67]

my mum had dizzy spells - BP taken at hospital appointments all looked fine. It was only when she was in hospital after a fall and hip op, that constant BP monitoring picked up how much her BP was fluctuating all the time. She was put onto Midodrine as the low spells were most concerning but over time this had to be stopped as she also got increasingly high spells. With MSA how the various work or don't work is very challenging. Co-careldopa just stops working how it should, we found it needed to be reduced through mum's progression and timings altered to have the 'right' benefit for mum. Our aim was always to prevent falls and injury.

[Monkeyfeet1]

I understand that. I hope she is okay. I’m only 53, was a runner and , as I’ve taken blood pressure readings at various times, am sure it’s not that. Both neurologists have not taken readings… but there must be another reason…

[Polesden11 in reply to Monkeyfeet1]

Mididrone made mmee feel awful. When ii read the list of side effect one was 'MAY CAUSE GIDDINESS'!!!it makes you wonder doesn't it

Doctors don't have all the answers which doesn't help us much

Suex

[Monkeyfeet1 in reply to Polesden11]

thank you Sue. Those side effects are sure interesting! 🤔

[J0nstandard in reply to Monkeyfeet1]

Really appreciate all the comments on here.

I suppose the constant changes brought about by MSA make it a prescribing nightmare. There is definitely some OH when she moves from sitting to upright - or in the shower for example. But - she says it does also seem/feel like something to do with balance rather than BP. It’s an autonomic function like lots of others and could be affected by cerebral atrophy…

[Monkeyfeet1 in reply to J0nstandard]

thank you 🙏🏼 I hope the super comments have helped.

I now have a way abead. I’m going to take the MSA Trust’s OH info and ask my GP to monitor my blood pressure again. I agree that i feel off balance when moving. I’ve had my eye checked and have now a prescription…simply perhaps just getting older? No need to be referred to the neuro ophthalmologist- so I’ll see if specs make a difference- perhaps something you can look at too?

[Yanno]

Hi there. My Jackie's first symptoms some years ago was nausea and dizziness. She found it hard to walk in a straight line and the nausea caused her to eat less and less. Over the course of a year Jax was put on more and more medication to try and solve the issue and in the end came back to the one she had tried right at the start, prochlorperazine. Like Sue, see Paul & Sue's post, it did the trick and continues to do so.

Unfortunately as with so much with MSA, there's no one size fits all. So much is about trying what you can, keeping good notes and being bloody minded about pushing doctor/neurologist for them to find a solution.

Good luck, Take care, Ian

[Monkeyfeet1 in reply to Yanno]

Thank you Ian. I’m hoping to go armed with information next week. X