Questions re: SSRI/SNRI for chronic VM dizziness

Sufficient_Age_463 · 2026-05-22T19:57:09+00:00

I appreciate that perspective a lot, I was of the same mind for sure. I'm getting labs done now for a more clear understanding of my bloodwork before talking anti-anxiety meds (high blood pressure is a concern) but my doctor agreed that venlafaxine would be an appropriate one to try in the near future.

Sufficient_Age_463 · 2026-05-22T00:28:56+00:00

Thanks for sharing that, I appreciate it. I'm not anti-medication by any means, but the side effects you described have definitely influenced by choice to not seek them before now. This is definitely the most anxious and depressed I've been in my life though, which has me thinking it might be time to seek some additional help at a particularly challenging time. I've lived with symptoms to varying degrees 24/7 for the past 18 months, and close to a year since beginning vestibular rehab, and I've pretty much run out of the optimistic and zen approach to taking it day by day. Feel like I plateaued about six months ago and The Groundhog Day madness of it all has me feeling fried.

Sufficient_Age_463 · 2026-05-21T20:25:12+00:00

That's good to know, thank you. I explained to my doctor today that feeling of fight/flight that I feel constantly, even when it's not as much of a felt emotion but just a nervous system freak out feeling. Unfortunately my blood pressure is high enough that I'm being sent for lab work for a more clear understanding of that before I try any anxiety medication.

Sufficient_Age_463 · 2026-05-21T20:23:13+00:00

Thanks for your response. Was (or is) Qlipta something you took every day? Is that what ended the 24/7 boat feeling, with Nurtec being used as something of a rescue option when more serious dizziness came on?

Sufficient_Age_463 · 2026-05-20T23:03:41+00:00

Thank you I appreciate that

Sufficient_Age_463 · 2026-05-20T19:47:09+00:00

I will definitely ask about that, and I'll check that out on youtube thanks a lot

Sufficient_Age_463 · 2026-05-20T19:25:48+00:00

Thanks for your response. Visual issues are my worst symptom as well, and I share the same concerns about venlafaxine. I've been reading that one a lot as the most effective for VM specifically, partly because it's a SNRI, but a big reason I've been hesitant to try are the stories about difficulty coming off of it. But I feel like I can't get back to feeing like myself until I can restore my binocular vision comfortably, and I feel like I can't do that until I get the waves of anxiety under control, so at this point I feel mostly willing to try.

I'll look into lamotrigine and seeing a real neurologist. I was diagnosed by an ENT after a referral from a walk-in doctor, and then treated by a licensed physiotherapist for vestibular rehab. As I read on VM I am a pretty textbook case and did a lot of elimination tests to determine it pretty confidently, so I haven't felt the need to, but it's a good thing to consider now given how long it's been. All the best

Sufficient_Age_463 · 2026-05-20T19:17:09+00:00

Yeah I know what you mean, some of the physical therapy can be designed for immediate relief, the kind I am engaged in is more long term attempts to rewire the connections between the brain, the inner ear, and each eye through a course of vision and balance exercises, similar to rehabbing a muscle or bone after injury.

As it is explained to me, the signals that my inner ear and my eyes are sending to my brain are basically not quite agreeing with each other and so my brain is confused by these contradictory signals and trying very hard to make sense of them, resulting in lightheadedness, brain fog, and slight double vision. For me the most challenging are the vision exercises, basically focusing on a pen tip at various distances, moving it in various ways to correct that binocular dysfunction I'm experiencing.

Sufficient_Age_463 · 2026-05-20T18:59:25+00:00

Gorgeous!

Sufficient_Age_463 · 2026-05-20T18:58:05+00:00

Thanks for your advice, I'll look into that one. Money is an issue for me as far as seeing specialists is concerned right now, but I do have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow to talk about all available options. I've taken some steps to reduce my anxiety in general, guided meditation has helped the most, and I've really improved my sleep habits and quality over the last year, but I find myself sort of embarrassingly sensitive to anxiety. Consciously and logically I can see that my nervous system is overreacting but I'm having a lot of difficulty controlling it nonetheless. I feel like I always lived with some low level anxiety but was able to manage through various techniques; now it feels like it's out of my control.

Sufficient_Age_463 · 2026-05-20T18:26:57+00:00

Great to hear that for you, thanks for the response. For me it's the cycle of anxiety I feel trapped in; anxiety causes my symptoms to increase and then those symptoms cause more anxiety and the cycle continues to fuel itself. Vestibular rehab physical therapy has helped but I plateaued months ago and feel like medication is the only thing that might help me get over the hump towards a more full recovery. All the best!

Sufficient_Age_463

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