all anxiety or something else?

Mental health
1

I'll be as breif as i can with this story on my problem here....

Around 9 years ago I went out drinking, had a great night came home went to bed, before i fell asleep I felt a "physical" head/brain shift, like something swept through my brain and changed something. I didn't feel anxious. The next day i woke up with dizziness that didnt go away. No vertigo, no nausea, no balance issues whatsoever. i practically ignored it for a while then started to worry but it started to dissapate after around 4-6 weeks and over trhe space of say 3-4 days it comepletely vanished!

Fast forward 9 years to Janurary 5th 2015, I ended my long term relationship, then on March 26th I went out drinking and returned home, went to bed and the very same thing happend in my head and then the constant perpetual dizziness for just under 2 weeks and it started to go! I was almost 100% normal and went out drinking again......(yes I know, i know) But this time it has stayed to the present day with extra symptoms, ever so slight fulness in my left ear, fulness/pressure in my head and eyes not bad though. No bad headaches if at all. and worst of all I have terrible anxiety on top as it hasnt gone away. But the anxiety was there pretty much from the start. During this period i gave my dog to my ex. I felt I had no choice and the dog needed stability. I mention this becasue i wonder it has effected what has happened. I.e is this all anxiety?

I dont know anything anymore, but i do know that i cannot live with this dizziness for the rest of my life. My doctor prescribed my prozac which i have not taken, but i have started taking Mirtazapine, which has helped me to be able to eat and sleep as i wasnt much and lost lots of weight which i cant afford.

I also have decided seeing as the wait is two months or so for an appintment with an ENT to go private initally which is this coming thrusday 21st may. I'm hoping if he doesnt see/find anything that he will be able to refer me to an neuro-otologist? for further testing. But I have no idea if it is related to my ears as have no balance issues, tinnitus, pain or anything from my ears.

Is there anyone out there that can shed any light wehatsoever on these symptoms, Ive read so much lately, menieres, labrynth, auto immune, anxiety etc etc etc, the list goes on. But becasue I do not have an balance issues im sooooo confused. Also read confusing contradictions to wether my anti anxiety will help or not.

I leave this post open to whomever is willing to talk to me.....I have also posted this in an ear forum just incase.

Many thanks in advance......x

2

Hi Crest, I've had off balance dizzy sensation since 27th March, thats about 7 weeks now, doctor has given me all the usual tabs, serc, stematil & Cinnarizine, all ineffective, some days worse than others.

I've been in despair crying my eyes out sometimes as I can't bare it it's so debilitating.

It's hard to guess what has caused your problem as I don't know anything about your health history, age, etc.

My guess is it could be middle ear inflammation, hormonal, chronic anxiety or vestibular migraine, all btw which are treatable.

Try & not get yourself in a state.... I know easier said than done, but it just makes the problem worse.

I hope you get an answer soon and if you do share it with me PLEASE.

Good luck x

3

Thankyou to you all so far. Brenda I am so sorry to hear you have been suffering too. Yours sounds the same although you have off balance and I do not. My doc gave me stemitil too which did absolutely nothing.

I did find out however that if in the UK as I am, that the wait to see ent consultant is around 2 months where I am, BUT if you pay for a one off private consultation as I am, (your doc still has to refer you by sending them a letter) if you then need further tests you get referred from there quicker on the NHS. Worth pointing out. That is what someone in the system told me. So for me the initial 150 pound fee to see ent consultant this coming week and then see others quicker is way worth it. No way could wait 2 months with this.

Perhaps we have the same thing but I'm hoping in a small way that this is all anxiety and depression. But I have to tick all the boxes.

Please keep me informed ok? Stay in touch.

By the way I'm female and 40 years old. Lots of Anxiety history, usually always circumstancial when it occurred. Tonsils removed. Nothing else to mention I can think of.

4

Hi Crest, I'm also in UK, Scotland to be exact.  It's a nightmare waiting, I am also considering going private.

I am age 51 and in peri menopause so I've kinda been blaming that.  When I said balance problem I'm not actually falling over, I just feel nothings balanced, hard to explain.

I was sitting in hairdressers when this came on and never went away.

I also have chronic anxiety and have suffered with ME, just went back to work and had started driving again after 3 years of burnout, so it may well be anxiety based.

I've had problems with dizzinees on and off over the years but don't remember it being as chronic as this bout.

I had also been taking propanalol for a few days and had stopped it when this started so thought at first it was related to this.

Keep in touch and maybe we could help and support one another.

I'm going on holiday on 9th June to spain so hoping My dizziness has cleared up by then.

BTW, I don't have vertigo or any ear pressure and can lay down in bed, these are all things that are usually associated with middle ear dizziness. I think what ever we have may be primarily caused, in part, by high anxiety

Take care x 

 

5

Hi brenda,

Just an update, ent consultant couldn't find any issues with balance or infections, he sending me for an mri and sound tests and physiotherapy to be sure. Well that was 150 well spent eh!

Anyway, I got so far into anxuety with it all I started to take an anti depressant for it. Citalopram. (celexa) I'm on day 7. The anxiety went through the roof and gave me other sode effects. I have to wait in this state for up to six weeks but I shall try anything. I have also started to see a doctor for clinical psychology. Another 80 quod for each 50 minute session but I cannot tell you how positive I felt leaving her room yesterday. It was only an assessment session but it was dynamic and fast paced. She kinda said she thinks at this point it is psycho sosomatic. And that I'm fighting that point. But she needs more time etc.

I will do anything to kick this.

I hope You are doing well.

X

6

Hi Crest, I still have dizziness and balance problem, some days worse than others.  I've still been going to my p/t job, dread going but sometimes I feel better when I'm there than when I'm sitting at home dwelling on it.

Anxiety defo makes it worse, I'm in peri menopause at the moment which is causing me to suffer from extreme anxiety, agitation, insomina, terrible low mood and tearfullness.

Surely it can't be coincidence that each time you have been out drinking that this has happened, could be anything thats causing it, i.e low blood sugar, anxiety, constant negative thinking, complex migraine

Have you ever tried low dose propanalol? I've started taking them, they are good for preventing migraine and also for helping calm the symtoms of anxiety.

Hopefully your therapy sessions will help you to look deep into your life and find anything which is causing you stress/anxiety, see if there's anything you can let go off and also to try and think differently about your dizziness, don't let it overwhelm you.  It will eventually burn it's self out whatever it is and then you can look forward again to the good times.

I have an appointment with my gyno tomorrow, depending on what he says I may book private consultation with neurologist.

I'm going on holiday to spain on 9th June so hoping I feel a bit better by then.

Take care & keep in touch x