Briefly, because I need to get to bed, Love had his tilt table test. I thought it was going to be multiple movements, crazy angles, etc., but it was just them strapping him to a table then tilting it to 90 degrees to simulate standing. The idea is that people tend to lock their knees when they stand at attention and this can cause people to pass out as blood pools in the legs. They try to force this to see how the body responds.
He did perfect. “Rock solid” the nurse said. The cardiologist said he was 100% normal. Which is good news because apparently had that been a problem, it’s hard to treat, lifelong problem with little successful medication options.
The cardiologist was literally in the same parking lot as the neurologist and it’s about 30 minutes away from the house. I said, we’re here so let’s walk over and see if we can save you a trip (and another day leaving early from work) and pick up the referral for the vestibular physical therapy now. (The neuro said if we got a no on the tilt test that would be the next thing he wanted to try.)
Turns out we totally lucked out and there was a cancellation so not only did we not just get a referral, the neurologist met with him to go over the results! The neuro also did some fast movement tests with Love to see if it triggered any attacks. It didn’t so the neuro feels that the physical therapy really won’t help since it’s specifically designed for countering movement-based vertigo.
In fact, the results of both the tilt table test and the exam today furthered his opinion that we’re still dealing with migraines. So he gave a new prescription to try: Amitriptyline. This is a tricyclic antidepressant which apparently does crap for depression but works well for migraines (and also chronic pain.) He’s starting at 25mg 1/day.
He started it tonight. The neuro said it causes drowsiness so take it at bedtime. He’s got the long, holiday weekend to see how it does on it and if he has any problems. Fingers crossed that third time’s the charm.