A timeline of my medical journey - interesting cognitive exercise, as well as visual -
Early Sept., 2011 - wake up multiple times one night with terrible VERTIGO
End Nov. 2011 - brain MRI - results normal
See various doctors, work with PT, some testing winter 2011/12 with no follow up consultation - nothing's really helping.
Spring 2012 - ear specialist tells me I might have vertiginous migraine, tells me to go to Chicago Dizziness Clinic. Get appt. for summer.
May 2012, referred from a friend,
start with Joyce - OT/Feldenkrais practitioner
July 2012 - see neurologist at Clinic, more tests to rule out other possibilities, get diagnosis of Migraine Associated Vertigo
Sept. 2012 - with help from my mom,
I figure out all my food migraine triggers & change diet, also find vestibular
disorders Association website - a whole page devoted to MAV!
April 2013 - referred by Joyce to
Dr. Neil Margolis (developmental optometrist) all kinds of visual tests, get diagnosis
of convergence insufficiency (CI) - probably undiagnosed childhood condition
which got MUCH worse due to illness, my vestibular ocular reflex (VOR) also
impaired
May 2013 - start Vision Therapy with
Ann
June 2017 - see gastroenterologist,
get diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome - IBS, apparently a common combination with
MAV
End of Nov. 2018 - start working with
my psychiatrist - Dr. Mirsky - treating PTSD Anxiety as a result of sudden onset of
illness, and the depression I have fallen into
March 2018 - start doing PTSD reflex work, combined with Feldenkaris, with Joyce
March 2018 - on recommendation of
Dr. Mirsky, start cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with Christina
April 2018 - adjust to special glasses
Summer 2018 - going out more
Oct. 2018 - appt with Dr. Mirsky - pleased with my progress - I tell him I'm avoiding less (doing Worry
Exposure). Christina says I'm doing the work,
she's just the coach.
Spring of 2019 - adjust to prescription sunglasses
March 2019 - hearing test - normal for my age - my window from too soft to acceptable loudness is very narrow.
May 2nd 2019 - begin adjustment to prism as part of my reading/near glasses prescription
Summer 2019 - start doing home work for vision therapy. Already doing Feldenkrais & reflex work at home.
Early Oct. 2019 - IBS flare up - setback. Problem solving, learning, managing recovery. Still showing up for therapies, when able.
January 2020 - complete gradually getting off of one of my meds (which was creating problems for me)
January 2020 - Dr. Margolis says I no longer have convergence insufficiency diagnosis. Still have visual motor sensitivity - difficult to work on, especially due to my IBS problems.
Going out less due to sensitivity to sensory overload which is tied in to IBS.
Schedule appt with GI specialist for early May for more help with IBS. Call regularly to try to get in earlier. Get help from Joyce/Feldenkrais for sensory overload. Also help from Christina - CBT.
Doing what I can to keep
going, not let anxiety/rumination/depression rule my days.
Feb 2020 - Thankful I got in to GI doc early.
March 2020 - no longer doing vision therapy or Feldenkrais, occasional touch base with CBT therapist - due to COVID 19 Pandemic.
December 2020 - resumed Feldenkrais a couple months ago, doing via Zoom. It's different, but still worthwhile.
June 2021 - My convergence insufficiency is fixed, according to Dr. Margolis (developmental optometrist). I still have visual/vestibular integration dysfunction.
No more vision therapy. I am doing Feldenkrais now about every 3 - 4 weeks, for maintenance, to check in with Joyce and go over issues, or questions.
Still talking with Christina (cognitive behavioral therapy specialist) monthly.
Have a new psychiatrist, whom I like. She allows me to do phone sessions, which I appreciate.
My goal now - to focus on the positive, on what abilities I DO have.
