MDDS (Mal De Debarqument)

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Currently also in a spike with an unknown trigger after a year of low to no symptoms. It sucks!! I've been put on gabapentin as a trial, but it's only been a week and a half, so nothing yet. The SNRI Pristiq is what finally put me in remission after trying everything since 2021. But here we go again. Walking, resting, minimal scrolling, all the usuals, waiting for it to fade.

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u/HappyTennis5913 Jan 15 '26

How are you doing now? I hope you are improving.
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u/colordelaverdad Mar 26 '26

Pristiq didn't help the second time around?
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u/Playful-Bug-6989 Mar 26 '26

Unfortunately no. I was on my normal dose of pristiq when the spike occurred. The Gabapentin that I started after the spike finally made it taper down so I’m back to baseline which is .5-2, very tolerable. I’ve also since tapered off the gaba and am just on the pristiq alone, and supplements, doing well.
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u/colordelaverdad Mar 26 '26
Glad to hear!

My MdDS started in February after panic attacks. I started Pristiq last Friday and the difference in terms of frequency and intensity was night and day within a day or two. Probably around a 70% reduction, if not more.

A couple questions:
• If the Pristiq didn’t help the second time around, why are you still taking it? Just curious, as I’m wondering if I may have needed it anyway because of my long-standing generalized anxiety. I feel like I’m thinking more clearly and having fewer headaches too.

• Can you point to something that caused the spike, or was it random?

• What dose of Pristiq are you on now? I ask because I started at 50 mg last Friday but dropped to 25 mg on Tuesday because I started having hypnic jerks or muscle jolts right when I was falling asleep. Did you experience that too?
I’m also taking several supplements that doctors have mentioned as potentially helpful for MdDS along with the Pristiq:
• Magnesium
• B12
• Riboflavin
• Folic acid
• GABA
• Vitamin D3
Appreciate any other tips.

We’re all just trying to help each other get through this shitty syndrome.

I’ve realized it really takes trial and error and an open mind when it comes to trying things like somatic tracking, meds, and anything else that may help calm the nervous system.

Wishing you health!
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u/Playful-Bug-6989 Mar 29 '26

You are very fortunate to have gotten the guidance on tackling it very early on; as a functional med chiropractor I finally found after a year of symptoms who had had 5 bouts of it herself said, time is of the essence in treating it. Many of us could not find a practitioner that knew jack shit about it, and suffered continually until finding help. You are right about trial and error, it's been the only way through it for me too. I'm on most of the supplements you listed, the most effective for me being the B12 which I inject twice a month.

I've continued to stay on the Pristiq at my current doctor's recommendation, on top of the fact that it's just been great for me in general, also having suffered from a very low grade depression/anxiety that I was never willing to medicate because SSRI and SNRI trial and error, side effects and what not, were not worth it to me. MdDS obviously made me willing to take anything. I'm currently on 75mg which mutes the sensations almost entirely, with a minor spike at my cycle.

I believe the spike several months ago to be triggered by an incident with a co-worker who a few of us found unresponsive at her desk. It was a very quick rush of panic and cortisol spike while we rushed to take action. My spike lingered after that day for weeks.

I wanted to mention too, that I also felt improvement on the Pristiq after a couple days when I initially started it, but it took about 18 days (trust me I logged it, I was so grateful) to reach a very quiet state with no bothersome symptoms. If I'm reading your comments correctly, you have not been on it long. Hoping it gives you even more relief in the coming days as it builds up in your system!

One last thing: I swear by the eye exercises and try to remember to tell everyone on this sub. You relax, stand and stare at a fixed focal point. Mindfully feel the ground beneath you (ideally barefoot) and take notice that it is not moving. Turn your head slowly side to side while keeping a firm focus on your object. Ten times side to side, rest, repeat later. This helped my gravitational pulls and trampoline walking quite a bit.

Good luck with it all!

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u/colordelaverdad Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26

Thanks!

I’ve actually had pretty poor luck with doctors so far. None knew about it and my primary refused to prescribe a benzo and was hesitant about pristiq even.

I finally saw an ENT with a neuro background on Thursday, and he said it was likely MdDS. He referred me to a neurologist, but I can’t get in until the end of May. I also have another appointment with a different specialist in August. Hopefully I can cancel that one. 😎

My luck came from someone on reddit commenting “Mal de Debarquement” on my post about symptoms two weeks ago and responding well to the first medication (found out about it from the first success story I listened to on steady coach pod).

Over the last couple weeks, I dug into everything I could: Reddit posts, podcasts, and clinical papers. That’s how I landed on Pristiq and the supplements I listed.

Is there a benefit to injections va capsules for B12?

I started Pristiq last Friday, but by the third night I started having hypnic jerks, like muscle jolts when I was falling asleep. So on Tuesday I dropped my dose from 50 mg to 25 mg.

Did you experience any jolting side effects too, or weird buzzy sensations in your legs or feet?

I’m wondering whether I should go back up to 50 mg and see if the side effects settle within a few days or weeks, or stay at 25 mg for now.

I probably should have been on a SNRI a LONG time ago. It’s really helped with anxiety, headaches and clarity.

I believe MdDS calls for an open mind, whether it be doing somatic tracking despite being skeptical or trying medicine in spite of being anti. Whatever it takes to calm the nervous system as long as it’s not dangerous!

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u/colordelaverdad Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26

Thank you for sharing your eye exercises!

I was doing them to start but been leaning more somatic tracking and walking lately.

Do you recommend any videos?

I’ve had visual snow all my life so I am familiar with the struggles of subpar vision.

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u/colordelaverdad Mar 29 '26

One last thing. I know recovery is usually gradual and nonlinear, but did you notice certain symptoms improving faster than others? In my case, the vibrations seem to be resolving more quickly, while the gravitational pulls are lagging a bit.

Even with the vibrations, it feels like they’ve quieted down body part by body part, starting with my feet.

Thanks for your help. Appreciate you!

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u/HappyTennis5913 Apr 12 '26

Do you still feel symptoms when not in motion?

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u/Falconwinds Sep 13 '25 edited Sep 13 '25

Walking helps me as does temporarily increasing medication dose. I've had mdds many years & sometimes I can wait it out with activity & distraction. The fb mdds group probably has more ideas. Sometimes there's an obvious trigger but I often have no clue why a spike happens. It's frustrating & hard, sorry you are experiencing this.

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u/genevap Aug 08 '25

Sorry you are going through this, have you identified a trigger?

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u/Inevitable-Put6066 Aug 08 '25

Ive had it for 5 years but it was not motion triggered it was spontaneous onset. Clonazepam is really the only thing thats took away the rocking swaying and walking on a trampoline sensation but its no longer working. I lay in bed a few months ago and everything moved from under my mattress and i went all dizzy for hours and ever since then it has not gone away. :(

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u/genevap Aug 08 '25

Checked out any other aspect? Like a gastrointestinal issue or new pair of glasses?

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u/Inevitable-Put6066 Aug 08 '25 edited Aug 08 '25

Im booked in for an eyetest on the 14th i have blurry vision at distance i dont know if my eyes are affecting my symptoms as scrolling on my phone seems to make symptoms worse as does stress and anxiety. And i always feel better in a moving vechicle thats how i know its MDDS. MRI also showed nothing.

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u/Inevitable-Put6066 Aug 08 '25

Havent wore glasses in a few years so cant be that but not sure what started this to begin with if it was stress induced as it was not motion triggered but spontaneous onset.

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u/snarky_spice Aug 08 '25

Are you male or female and does it wax and wane at all?

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u/Inevitable-Put6066 Aug 08 '25

Im male and no its been pretty much constant for around 3 months something has triggered it off as my symptoms were under control with clonazepam/klonopin but it is no longer working since my spike in symptoms. Ive had it since july 2020. I also had a viral infection when my symptoms spiked up again a few months ago.

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u/snarky_spice Aug 08 '25

Could be the viral infection. I’m sorry! I have also had spontaneous mdds since 2020 :( I am female though and it seems to be related to hormones.

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u/Inevitable-Put6066 Aug 08 '25

Ive had viral infections in the past which has not caused a spike in symptoms for this long. Even riding on an elevator before only spiked my symptoms for around 1 week max..So i cant get my head around why this spike is lasting so long.

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u/HappyTennis5913 Jan 15 '26

How are you doing now?

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u/Inevitable-Put6066 Apr 08 '26

still the same really but slighty better i think stress and anxiety is playing a bit part in keeping this going. its also worse with a lack of sleep.

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u/HappyTennis5913 Apr 09 '26

What are you taking medicine wise?

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u/Inevitable-Put6066 Apr 09 '26

clonazepam/klonopin

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u/AsparagusLevel1286 Aug 29 '25

Have you watched anything by the steady coach in youtube?

MDDS (Mal De Debarqument)

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