Brain fog, dizziness, vision problems, head pressure, headache PLEASE HELP

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1

Hi everyone!

I don't know where else to go, and was hoping someone could please help me. I'll start off by saying I'm a 23 year old Caucasian female. Going on 5 months now, I have had absolutely debilitating symptoms which have hindered my daily life. I feel these symptoms every moment of every day.

It started with dizziness and a persistent brain fog. I just thought I had a bug, and tried to go on about my life. However, my symptoms have never gone away. This "brain fog" I am talking about is a feeling of complete mental confusion, I have no memory, I cannot concentrate on anything, it feels like there's a dark blanket on my brain clouding all my thoughts. I have extreme disorientation and haziness. I feel like I'm always in a dream like state.

I am constantly dizzy and feel a pulling sensation, as if I'm ready to fall over at any moment. It feels like there's air inside my head, and I'm always very lightheaded. Whenever I try to drive I feel this pulling sensation pulling me down.

Another problem I have is with my vision. I am having very blurred vision and have double vision. Everytime I look at something up close it is extremely blurry and I cannot see at all. My perception on things has completely changed. I feel like everything looks very odd and strange and I don't have the right depth perception. It's like I'm in a horrible dream like state all the time.

I have been having headaches and head pressure as well, and having horrible pains behind my eyes. The pin starts from the back of my head close to my neck and continues up my head and the sides of my temples. My eyes hurt so bad, and it feels like knives are jabbing my eyes. My head also feels extremely heavy all the time.

All these symptoms have been causing me severe anxiety, and I have been having panic attacks from them and feel like I'm dying. It is causing a strange disrespity sensation, where I feel like I'm not even here anymore and there's a detachment from myself and my body. I have had to drop all my classes at college and quit my job because these symptoms make me lay in bed all day long. I have been unable to drive for months and can barely get up to walk around. If anyone could please help me or know anything as a suggestion to try.

I have been to my general doctor, 2 ENTs, 1 neurologist, have had 2 MRIs, a hearing test, VNG, multiple blood tests, and no one knows what is wrong. I can't live like this anymore. Any help is greatly appreciated.

-Elise

3 Mi Piace
2

Sorry to hear that but my headaches started from dizziness as well and now i have both of these every single day. 

Not to mention the brain fog which accompanies it is really a pain.

What are you taking now?

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I am currently not taking anything because every doctor has told me a different possible diagnosis, and refers me to someone else. So no one will prescribe me any medication. Is there any medication you take? How long have you had these symptoms? I went to the ER a few times and they gave me a 10 day prescription for meclazine but it didn't help at all.

4

I have daily dizziness, headaches and brain fog for almost 4 months now.

I have seen countless doctors and im now on Amitriptyline daily.

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Have any of the doctor's told you what they think you may have? Does the amitriptyline help at all? I'm sorry you're going through this too, it's horrible.

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Also, have you experienced any of the strange visual symptoms I described?

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Hi Elise,

I sometimes have pressure feeling above or behind my eyes too.

Amitriptyline has helped to a degree i think. Drinking coffee has somewhat helped too.

My neurologist says i have tension type headaches but he can't pinpoint the cause. 

8

I have the exact same issues, as do others on this board. I've been dealing with it for about 2 years. Unfortunately, I'm not really any closer to getting the cause of it. Physical therapy and counseling have helped loads though.

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Elise, what you described sounds similar to what i experienced - pulling, can't focus, can't concentrate, dizziness etc. The detachment and dream like state you refer to is called derealisation. It can be a symptom that develops. I saw many doctors and had all tests done with nothing found and was given a few different diagnosis (including vestibular migraine) for a year before an orthoptics specialist tested my EYES and referred me to an opthamologist. It was here they found a problem with my focusing mechanisms which was causing all the other symptoms. I highly recommend seeing a orthoptics specialist and opthamologist to test your eyes. Also if you go to facebook and look up vestibular migraine groups there's a lot of support there for people experiencing similar symptoms (even if you don't have VM)

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Funny enough. I recently sent to the eye doctors and he said I have similar issues, but after all the incorrect diagnosis I'm hesitant to believe that's the root cause. I'm supposed to start vision therapy. Have you done something similar?

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I believe that this condition stems from my eyes and having the doctors find evidence of that confirms it. I've been given glasses first which i will need to wear for awhile before starting eye therapy. I think the eye therapy will help. I did vestibular therapy which didn't help because it was targeting the wrong thing.

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I found out a had a hugely incorrect prescription, but I haven't started the new one yet. How has it made you feel this far?

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Hi Henry!

Physical therapy for what? Are you referring to vestibule therapy? After physical therapy and counseling are you able to function and feel a bit better and try to live a normal life? Thank you for answering, right now my life just consists of laying in my bed going on 5 months

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Thanks for the information. I do suspect it might be something to do with my eyes as well because i feel dizzy when looking at objects/people when i am out. 

However i have been to an eye specialist last month and he didn't find anything wrong with it. May i know what is this eye condition of yours called?

15

I also had an incorrect prescription given by a previous doctor (prism lens) but never wore them. It's taking awhile to adjust to the glasses (bifocals) but they have helped with the dizziness. Ps I saw three opthamologist before one of them picked up a problem, so keep on trying.

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Hi Amanda!

Thank you so much for answering. One doctor said I have vestibular migraines and another said I have vestibular neuritis while a third said it's just anxiety (this really upset me, because my anxiety is stemming from all these problems). One doctor recommended I see an ophthalmologist and I'm seeing one soon!! Have your symptoms gone away? If so, how long did it take?

-Elise

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I'm so sorry that's so frustrating you can't pinpoint the cause. Are you seeing any other specialists?

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Hi Max, if you feel it is in your eyes there's a big chance it is. For awhile i thought it was in my brain because the first opthamologist told me

my eyes were fine (which they definitely weren't). Different doctors run different tests. I would highly recommend seeing another eye specialist for a second option. What i specifically have is called accommodative esotropia.

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Thanks for the info, Amanda.

May i know when did you started to have this condition? My dizziness started following my appendectomy. 

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I will be seeing another neurologist next week to get his/her opinion.