Is My Dizziness / Vertigo Due To Anxiety?
Sep 21, 2015
About three months ago, I woke up with vertigo. I visited a doctor who told me there was nothing wrong with me and that the vertigo was probably due to labyrinthitis. That same night, I went to the ER due to a vertigo attack. Once again, I was told that there was nothing wrong and that I was having anxiety attacks.
In the next three months, the vertigo (spinning) stopped, but I was left with an off-balance sensation, like I was going to fall to one side. I also had a rocking/swaying feeling.
Those symptoms almost went away completely for a week. However, the vertigo suddenly came back a few days ago. I am feeling off-balance again. I have not visited the doctor, but I am extremely on edge because I am worried that there is something seriously wrong with me. I keep waking up with jaw pain and tense muscles.
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Hello, I just want some help with something that's been bugging me the last 6 months... I feel like I'm being pulled down to one side when I walk And I get light headed quite a lot.. this sparked off some serious anxiety problems (which I thought was causing the dizziness) but I've beaten the anxiety for the most part but the dizziness has remained .. I got a migraine yesterday and have been even dizzier and jolt awake quite a lot in the night .. I have no idea what could be causing this.. I can't stand for longer than 5 mins without feeling like I'm about to fall to the side .. can anyone help?
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I was diagnosed with anxiety after getting physical symptoms. My stomach was disturbed my heart beat was high and facing all physical symptoms I check all with physician and test but found nothing after eating Xanax I become normal I told my doctor and he diagnosed with anxiety due to stress . it's all started after I lost my relationship of 5 year the girl left me and marry someone else but now I forget her and move on because I love my life. I was fine for 6 months when I went to physiologist he kept me on lower dose of alp 0.125 mg per day for 5 months around and i felt great and all things gone vertigo and fear and everything. Last 3 weeks back I am feeling lightheaded vertigo dizziness and panic attack while driving and when I accelerate my car I feel like floating and fear and like I am floating in boat due to which I don't drive fast or keep the speed more than 60 km usually i feel when I am on bridges or going down on taper from bridge . please help me I went to doctor again he give me headache medicine and alp 0.125 mg per day for 30 days. Headache medicine is nimesulide when needed . please guide me i was anxious before but never feel anything while driving or any panic attack while driving or speeding my car.
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I have dizziness everyday while walking, standing as well as feeling off balance, unsteady on my feet like I am gonna fall over. I have had my ears checked by an ENT doctor in 2014 and he said I had meniere's disease so he treated it as that but medicine didn't help so went to another ENT doctor in 2015 who said I don't have meniere's disease but have hearing loss in both ears and did a test on my vestibular function which he said was normal so he referred me to a neurologist and I went and had an MRI done which was normal as well. I have had blood work done in November last year and my white blood count was a little high but not concerning and everything else was normal....no diabetes. Also had a stress test done on heart and was normal. I am at my wits end with this cause I don't know what's going on. I plan to see an eye doctor soon. Oh and I was diagnosed with anxiety 4 months ago but this dizziness and off balance feeling has been going on for 2 years now. I am on blood pressure medicine too. don't know what else to do. Does anyone have these same symptoms ?
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So I'm 8 months into my latest debilitating 24/7 dizziness. After a clear MRI, a neurologist suggested my imbalance might have a migrainous element to it. There is such a thing as vestibular migraine.
At this point, I'm willing to try anything, so the Dr has out me on Amitriptyline as a migraine preventative. I've been taking 10mg per night for the last 5 days (I can go up as high as 60mg by gradually dosing up).
I know it can have side effects that take a while to wear off and that it might not become effective for several weeks. But honestly, it's making me feel much worse already. I wake up every morning with a pounding head as if I'd drank a bottle of vodka, which is worse than the cannonball-head feeling I had already. Plus, I think it's making me woozier and dizzier than before (which was already so bad I've been off work for 3 months).
Has anyone tried it? Does it get better? I'm finding it really hard to cope with the side effects on top of how I'm already feeling. Many thanks.
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I'll start at the beginning last December I woke to go to the toilet and the next thing I new was my husband asking me if I was ok ( I had fainted) . Passed no remarks thought I had stood up to quickly, went to work the next day and felt lightheaded and even though my colleagues were talking to me I couldn't process what the were saying. I went to the doctor and explained what happened and she said it was vertigo. At this stage it was xmas week and I started taking serc but the didn't seem to be working. Went back to work in the new year and after 1 hour I was totally disoriented so I went back to the doctor and she sent me to a neurologists who said I had migraine. He prescribed me with amitriptyline starting at 10mg and I have slowly worked up to 40 mg but still not feeling right in the last few months I have facial numbness. My neuro is sending me to see a a neurophysiologist but my appointment isn't until February of next year and that's going private.
symptoms:-
Lightheaded /dizzy
Stiff neck
Blurred vision
Extremely tired
Stiff ankles and hip joints in the morning
Facial numbness
Pain in my head sometimes like ice cream headache but only a few times a day. Have had mri which was clear and all my bloods are normal
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I have just had my first ever vertigo experience, wow, hope it never happens again. Two days later and I'm foggy headed and a bit wobbly still. It woke me up at 5am and whenever I tilted my head left or right the room spun . I've just started with an osteopath for neck issues and it's been going well. Though this time my neck was really sore and developed a bad headache, this got worse for two days, then got the vertigo . The dr thinks it's from the manipulation as opposed to my ears, I do also have tinnitus which developed similar time of my mayor neck issues. All the info I look at points to ears, is anyone heard of vertigo caused by neck issues.
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I went to see my GP this week because over the last couple of weeks I was getting bouts of dizziness while resting (I can describe them as a swaying sensation) which comes and goes. I also have frontal headaches with this, the sort that you get when you are subject to bright light. I have been prescribed some tablets which I have to take 3 times a day so I hope that these tablets will clear the problem. I am also going to the opticians on thursday just to double check it's nothing to do with vision problems. I have scared myself today as I have googled frontal headaches and it comes up with brain tumour.
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Back in February I experienced an odd episode while driving down a bright highway where the light flashed between the trees constantly. I started seeing aura and it developed into a major migraine (I've had a handful of migraines in my lifetime only, not chronic ones- I've also been chronically congested for about 2-3 years). It seemed like after this that I started having headaches mostly on the left side of my head based mostly around the ear and neck area. My vision blurred and then fixed itself, but then I started having this odd sensation while driving, like my eyes didn't know where to focus. My head was really foggy like I couldn't think, and when I shook it it almost felt sloshy,like my brain was sloshing in a fish bowl. The dizziness then began to get worse while looking at any type of technology or tv. The headaches weren't that bad (except for that first one in February), but my anxiety quickly took over. I had an MRI without contrast just before Easter,and it was fine. At this point they made me appointments with a neurologist, but not until April 28. The more I started researching, I also made appts with an ENT on April 27. I was miserable for about 3 weeks, until my antidepressant began to calm me down. AT this point I could watch TV and look at a computer again, as well as drive, but was still plagued with this disequilibrium. On another of my ER visits, the doctor said my neck was extremely stiff and to do PT or chiropractor. I went to PT and she asked if I'd had any illnesses around the time this started. I'd had a very bad sinus infection and was put on 12 days of steroids, and it was about 2-3 weeks later that all this started. She mentioned Vestibular Neuritis, and I've been doing the vestibular PT ever since April 1.
Fast forward to now, my disequilibrium is somewhat better, but not 100%. I still feel funny when driving or riding in the car, and I'm terrified to go on any amusement park rides with my family. I finally saw the ENT last week, with the hopes that she'd be the missing piece. Well, she said she bet it was migraines and told me to go to the neuro. She did however, scope my sinuses and they were extremely swollen and told me to use saline and a steroid nose spray daily or I'd be needing surgery in 10 years. I went and bought the sprays, but was really sad after hearing the 4th person tell me this was migraines when I feel like this isn't. The next day I saw the Neurologist expecting to hear the same thing, but she told me she thought it was my sinuses. She wants me to continue the nose sprays and come back in 2 weeks, as well as continue the vestibular PT. I asked her about the Vestibular Neuritis, and she said people have extreme vertigo with it, and I haven't had that.
My question is those of you who have been diagnosed with VN, was your dizziness vertigo? Or did some of you just have a feeling of disequilibrium,like not knowing what to look at? Also, how long has it taken you to regain 100% function? I'm going on week 12 of this, and am starting to doubt if I'll ever be back to 100%.
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I am hoping to hear from people who are recovering from labrynthitis. I had my first episode of vertigo a month ago and am struggling to feel balanced again. The difficult part of it for me is knowing when to push and exercise my brain and when to rest. I have been going to work, but am finding that by about 2:00 p.m., I am spinning and very uncomfortable. If I work the whole day, my evening is totally awful - very very dizzy. Any suggestions?
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About 7 months ago my right ear started making a bubbling sound which was annoying but went away the next day a few days later my ear became plugged with pressure, tinnitus, and dizziness the next day. Doctor gave me medrol and the symptoms went away within a few days. While the ear problems were going on doctor thought I may have meinera since I lost hearing in that ear. Went back after medrol was finished and hearing back to normal. No hearing loss. I have been having dizziness since then and sometimes bubbling sound in right ear. Lately sometimes when I try to fall asleep my ear move back and forth and I feel tired but I can't sleep no matter what I do. The first time this happened my right leg twitched too causing my foot to be pulled outward. Not sure if this is connected or not. Last few days dizziness intensified and having a hard time with sleeping every night. Eye movements almost every night. Can't work. Anyone have any ideas. No fullness, tinnitus, or ear pain.. No loss of hearing. MD thought maybe I had inner ear infection but not sure why I still have dizziness. MRI clear. Ct done a year ago before this was clear. He tested me for bppv but no eye twitching with movement.
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Last year during a 3 month period I had a few specific dizzy spells one where I had to lean on a wall for support. All lasted less than a minute. I also experienced mild hangover feeling in the morning usually clearing by lunchtime. Then it all went away until July this year when after getting up I frequently have mild travel sickness feeling which mostly clears by midday. No specific dizzy spells yet only feint background dizzy with the other symptoms. I went for a hearing test but ears blocked so went through a clearing period and another test which concluded hearing is GOOD. Then Tinnitus started and now it is constant 8Khz both ears but morning problems still carry on as normal. Dr. gave me series of medicines presumably suspected inner ear infection but did not work.
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After a few months of feeling dizzy and wobbly, (I'm thinking mine started after this horrid virus going around) I read that ginger tea is very good, I started drinking it about 1 week ago and can honestly say the symptoms have improved.. I also use peppermint and lavender oil behind the ears.. Just thought I would share this, as so many people suffering at the moment.. Definitely helping and feel much better now.. It's worth a go
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For 3 days now, I have been experiencing spells where I feel like the floor suddenly drops, like I'm on a lift. They only last for a second but make me feel very unbalanced and confused. Nothing triggers them, they can happen when I am doing the most simple activity. The only cause I have found on the internet is anxiety, but I have not had any other symptoms and do not feel anxious at all or have a reason to be. Does anyone know why I could be feeling like this?
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I've been dealing with a VN diagnosis since Christmas. I've had blood work and a MRI, met with an ENT and a neurologist. Everything came back normal. I started twice weekly acupuncture in January and have since reduced that to once every two weeks. I did VRT exercises for several months. I am getting better. I highly recommend anyone suffering with VN to get acupuncture! I'm pretty sure it saved me.
That being said, I still have good times and not so good times (no longer called bad times. For the last few days I've been feeling more dizzy and this morning I woke up with a heavy feeling in my stomach/chest area. It almost felt as though my torso was numb. I regained feeling a few minutes after getting up. I've had a lot of chest/stomach area related feelings with my VN. Has anyone else had this? I'm wondering if my doctors missed something.
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I had Labs but it was kindly pointed out it may be VN as I didn't experience hearing loss. Anyway, I am nearly on week 5 of it now but I am a lot better. I'm not dizzy anymore but when I wake in the morning I feel quite unsteady on my feet. As the day progresses I am doing a lot better but once it's the evening I feel quite sluggish and nauseous. I can only stomach one meal a day and that's lunch. I feel way too sick to eat dinner. I am also still dealing with anxiety, mostly when I'm driving and I'm stuck at traffic lights. I think it's because I had a bad panic attack at the lights when my VN first started, and now I have in the back of my mind that if I have another panic attack at the lights I'm stuck! I am back at work, and I can do most things ok. I find supermarkets a bit tough, and loud busy places but I'm working thru it. I have a doctors appointment on Wednesday as my GP had spoken about referring me on for balance therapy. My question is, can these sorts of "after effects" be quite common? Can they take awhile to completely disappear? Is there anyone else who also had anxiety with VN, but found it went away once they were 100%? I'm so grateful I'm no longer dizzy but I just wish I were 100% again! What's the typical time frame for VN? Sorry for all the questions, I felt quite alone until I found this site.
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Has anybody ever had a VN relapse as it seems i have after a year is it possible or have i just picked up another virus?
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Mine started with buzzing in my left ear, flickering in the left eye. I've had numerous exercises which worked at first but not any more. I feel like I'm walking on sponges and had went to see a physio and she is referring me to a specialist in Birmingham. She said it's the signals in my brain and a lot of things going on. Apparently its trying to compensate for my weak balance system. No one can give me a definite answer and its been going on for 7 years now! Anyone else out there who can relate?
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Ok I saw a million posts about these generalized symptoms so don't want to repeat the stories. However, after thousands of dollars and visit to every possible doctors in existence I still have these symptoms daily. Some days worse than others. Can someone please tell me how they were diagnosed and with what? Also did it ever go away alone and after how long?
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I am getting to be concerned now of my symptoms. I have a pressure feeling in my head with frontal headaches and ear pressure (left ear) and i often feel unsteady on my feet. I have been to my GP and she gave me some antibiotics and nasal spray. I have finished the antibiotics but still using the nasal spray but i don't feel any different. I went to an opticians about a month ago just to rule out anything serious and she ruled out a tumour because she said opticians can pick these up as they can tell by the pressure but i am getting worried again because i just don't feel right - my head doesn't feel clear, it always feel full and blocked. I want to ask for a scan when i next visit my GP in a couple of weeks as i can't help thinking there is something serious going on.
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Condition: Most likely labyrinthitis (In my 7th week now)
Background info:
2 months ago at uni when I was in the gym, I was exerting myself doing weights and felt something pop in my left ear. I felt really faint and headed back...over the next few days I had severe vertigo/dizziness/nausea. I also experienced my first anxiety/panic attack when i felt these symptoms, which to be honest felt worse than the actual symptoms. I went to the uni GP and she said I had labyrinthitis (though she did no tests). I also recall not having any flu like symptoms so I'm not sure how it could be viral labyrinthitis. Thankfully all symptoms vanished within 1 week.
Life was back to normal. However 3 weeks later, I was back home for the summer and had been back in the gym for a week or 2 when I felt really lightheaded and faint again. Sometimes I feel like this in the gym when I exert myself so didn't think much of it. I came home however and experienced another anxiety attack. The dizziness/vertigo etc was MUCH LESS severe than the initial attack 3 weeks ago at uni, however it has persisted for coming up to 7 WEEKS now.
Currently:
Over the past 7 weeks, I have had good days and bad days...good hours and bad hours. I went to the local GP who once again said the symptoms matched labyrinthitis without doing any tests. He prescribed some stemetil (which I took only twice as it didn't help and also because I have read everywhere online that it only slows down the recovery from labyrinthitis).
I tried just walking around, passing the ball about with a friend to 'retrain' my brain. However, the symptoms were still in the background and didn't really seem to disappear. But I did feel much better then than I do now.
For the past week, everything seems to have gotten worse. I have spent more time in bed than normal as my friends are on holiday at the moment and I'm not sure if this is the cause? As I'm no longer carrying on with things as normal.
Other info:
Since day 1, I have also had a popping sensation in my left ear every time I swallow.
Head feels heavy. Neck aches. Feel a pressure within my head/ear.
Though I have had anxiety attacks a few times, lately it feels like I'm on the verge of one all the time.
I also have other normal symptoms such as feeling nauseous, tiredness etc.
Very recently, it feels like my vision is a part of the problem too. My eyes feel very heavy and like I cant focus on things. Also, the last few days, I see little flashes of lights which aren't actually there (this has only happened about 3 times in as many days)
Note: I have finally managed to get a specialist ENT appointment, which isnt for another 5 weeks unfortunately, but better than nothing. I'm sure at that point, they will confirm it to be labyrinthitis or something similar as the symptoms all match.
Questions:
Is there anyone else in a similar situation as me? How are you dealing with it?
I have done some generic VRT exercises, but it doesn't seem to help too much. Thoughts about VRT?
What triggers your symptoms? For me it's been hot weather, shower, loud noises, bright lights, dim lights and more (nothing specific).
My anxiety seems to be triggered by anything that I think is abnormal, e.g. sudden tingling somewhere on my body, sudden temporary noise in my ears, sudden temporary dizziness etc etc. All of which is probably normal, but they seem to trigger anxiety when I feel like this. Does this also happen to anyone else?
Are there any tips to control the anxiety? I swear its a lot worse than actual dizziness.
Are there any tips to control the dizziness? Such as VRT or others. Is it better to stay active and feel worse for a short while or should I just stay in bed?
Any other useful information?
WILL THIS EVER END?? I have read some success stories, but will it really take months to years??
Is it also true that even if it goes away, it can come back any time in the future? This is what scares me the most as it seems there is no permanent cure.
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