Dizzy, lightheaded, anxiety like attacks, nausea...6 months plus!

Treatment and medication
1

Hi,

So I read these threads and they can be quite reassuring knowing other people feel like me.

I started back in August with dizzy spells, went to the drs and they did bloods and prescribed me iron tablets as my Ferratin was low. After the tablets still know improvement so they gave me middle ear antibiotics. The dizziness has now got worse, at one point I even questioned carbon monoxide poisoning. Then after walking quite a distance one day in November and then stopping I went really lightheaded and my legs went weak and I had to phone my mum to pick me up as I felt like I was going to faint.

Since Christmas these dizzy spells have got worse Prob having one every fortnight but now when I get them I have an urgency to wee so end up running towards the nearest toilet in a blind panic, uncontrollably shaking.

The last 4 weeks everything has got worse with these attacks almost daily and it doesn't matter if I am alone or with someone. I'm having to get up in the night for a wee, my brain feels constantly switched on but eating helps temporarily.

The Dr put me on beta blockers as they have put it down to anxiety although I felt perfectly happy and the only thing making me anxious is these attacks.

I have constant brain fog now and am living in a daze. I started on citalopram 10 days ago and they have given me nausea which is wearing off now.

I presently have constant dizziness, anxiety and don't want to leave the house although symptoms are very much present even when I'm home I just feel more secure in case anything does happen.

I have been back to the drs as refuse to accept its all anxiety when it seems to be getting worse. I have asked for blood tests for which I get the results tomorrow.

Does anyone else experience this? Could it diabetes as type 1 is in my family? I just want to feel me again as at the moment I literally feel like something serious is going on in my body and I have no control. I was really happy so am very confused by whatever is going on.

Any advice I will be grateful for.

2

Hi it's hard to accept that anxiety can make you feel so bad.I ended up in A&E many times had blood tests x-ray ecg,all came normal.I couldn't understand why I feel so ill.Doctor said is anxiety but I  still think it might be something wrong with me

3

If my blood tests come back one then I will accept its anxiety but really don't know what I am going to do as although I have had the easiest year and a half I have had worse experiences previous to that and was on fluoxetine for depression so recognise how depression feels and that's not how I feel.

My friends and family all think there is an underlying reason as this just isn't me and who I am x

4

Try to talk to a psychologist

5

I am on medication for anxiety and I do CBT aswell.I am on Citalopram day5.Still fighting with side effects,

6

I am on 10mg, side effects are awful! The first five days I had nausea and just slept all day and was awake from 2am at night and I never sleep in the day. I started taking them in the evenings instead and sleep pretty well now. I feel fine when I wake up apart from the foggy head but once I'm up I just feel awful again. I feel my anxiety increase when I'm in places where ive had my attacks but im battling threw it armed with headphones and lucozade as a distraction. I had an awful cold which is clearing up and now feels like sinisitus rather than a cold as the pressure in my head is yuk.

On fluoxetine 20mg I had a period where I existed so am wondering if this is that period on the citalopram as im on a lower dose (10mg). I'm just trying to get on with it but at times I wonder if I'm going to make it through the day. My palpitations have calmed down tho x

7

I am on 10mg. I try very hard to stay on it as I have nausea and lost appetite

8

Just keep telling yourself it will pass. Most people say 2 weeks and everything subsides. Ive been told by people that take it that one morning I just wake up and everything will feel great...still waiting for that day lol.

Just eat little and often and I'm finding drinking water really helps x

9

Let me know when that day came to you

10

Hi Jess,

I had two bouts of dizzy spells last year before I, eventually, went to the Doctor with palpitations and shortness of breath. The first was in June and had two weeks sick leave, it was like my feet were on two different levels when walking and that I had had a "smoke" (which I hadn't. I had to hold on to things in the office to walk through and on the way home one night an elderly lady of about 90 asked me if I needed a hand as I was supporting myself against a wall!

In August I went on holiday with my 12 year old daughter and we had a fantastic, relaxing time touring north Wales in a camper. Whithin a couple of hours of returning to work I had the exact same dizziness and feelings again!

In November I finally saw the Doctor and she put me on sick leave, stated it was work related stress and eventually convinced me to go on cita.

My symtoms are these, I have had nausea, a slight drop in appetite, feeling spaced, freaky, buzzing in the ears, raised anxiety, multiple dreams (some dark and vivid), overactive thoughts (some bad). Had aches and pains in various places. Citalopram apparantly causes anxiety to then treat it as part of the overall repair as a "plaster for the brain". I also have only been out on my own, 4 times since November, all within the passed 7 weeks, otherwise my partnet accompanies me. It was very difficult at first as if was very anxious and me a ruftytufty ex-serviceman!

The "ups" are getting more often as now in 4th month and on 30mg however, each "down" is accompanied with being lethargic and wanting to go to sleep, I went to bed the other night at 8pm and woke at 06:45.

Another thing cita has done is to inhibit my emotions which means I do not cry! I get a small wave of emotion which has gone as soon as it starts, whereas before I would have cried e.g. like watching "It's a Wonderful Life!" at Christmas and sat through it the first time in decades without a single tear drop! Libido is affected too (happens to women as well sometimes), which I am told will return (hopefully!)

I started on 10mg and have raised each month by 10 and now on 30mg heading, I feel toward 40mg. Funny, I didn't want to start taking any drug and I was in denial, but after hearing and then experiencing the good it can do I am ready to up it one more time. Then, after the usual side effects of raising, followed by the odd downs I think I shall be way on the road to recovery!

The Doctor I am seeing is fantastic, she knows so much about "plasters for the brain" I am very lucky that, my regular Doctor was unavailable at the time and I got to see this one.

We are all different, it effects us all differently and recovery takes as long as it takes, but keep in touch here and posting questions they certainly do help!

Regards,

David

11

Oops! Did you spot the deliberate mistake? Or was it? That being "partnet" I meant to type partner although thinking about it she has been a safety net. So, it could be an amalgam of partner safety net! LOL!

Cheers!

12

Thanks for your reply :-)

Before I started the Cita I wasn't as agrophobic as I am at the moment. I felt quite comfortable going to town or to the school to get my children but since I've been taken them I can barely leave the house. So what u r saying about hem causing anxiety to treat anxiety makes perfect sense to me.

X

13

Hi Jess,

That is the great thing about this site! It does make sense of the things we are not use to experiencing and when yer a little spaced, anxious etc., you get the support we all need here.

It is like a crutch that someone lends you and then when you've been here a while you feel strong enough to loan it to someone else when you caand when you need it, you can always get another in its place too! Wow! I am feeling good today!

Returning, seriously, to going out on me own, it was not like the two previous ones, just to the local store (about a minute away) it was a 12 round trip!

My partner Ann (short for angel) had bad flu and I had to make this trip to spend the day with my daughter. Charlotte was fantastic, holding my hand and reminding me she was there the whole time, even though I was putting a brave face on the whole time too. The out and return journeys are a blurr, but the time with her I remember well. I am glad I had no choice and the strength to do it as it has helped as I went to the Doctors (about 8 minutes walk away) for a full health check with the nurse two weeks ago on my own, mind you I took some deep breaths when I got there and had time to relax. After I was very glad to be back home safe indoors! I look at it as a positive for the next solo expedition!

Regards,

David

 

14

May be the brain ain't working so well I meant to say "12 mile round trip"

15

Hi Jess, what you're going through is almost identical to me. I fainted last year due to dizziness and haven't been right since! Had numerous tests and currently awaiting MRI results back from my head but the doctors are convinced it's to do with anxiety as all my bloods have been fine so I'm on 20mg cit... Only day 5 on 20mg so no improvements as yet, just feeling knackered and more anxious than normal! I understand what you mean about thinking there's something more in it than anxiety as I too have had harder times in my life than this but yet seem to be going through these feelings/sensations! hope your situation improves with the cit - keep us updated! smile x

16

The dizziness could be caused by any number of things but if diabetes runs in the family it could easily be that. Did the doctor test you for that?  Could also be a problem with your thyroid which could be under active.  But it could just be anxiety. Ask your doctor what alternatives there are to citalopram as it doesn't suit everyone. Good Luck.

17

Thanks everyone for your input. It just helps to know I'm not the only one feeling slightly crazy at the moment.

The PA tend to come on after ive walked long distances and stop but I don't struggle to breathe.

Blood results tomorrow and I would like them to find something but at the same time Id rather it was anxiety :-/

18

Evening Jess,

It is a normal human trait to want to see or if hidden to be told, something is wrong when we can't see it or explain what is wrong with us. The age old understanding is if we had a plaster cast on our leg or arm everyone would go, ah! right I see!

The fact we don't have any obvious outward symptoms most of the time, does not mean we haven't got "something" wrong.

I have, myself questioned everything (aches, pains the lot) like do I need a colonoscopy, had an ECG for the palpitations, blood tests for everything, part of which was a health check. I asked for an x-ray for a pain in the elbow from an injury 11 years ago, only to find out it is tennis elbow! Down to decorating to take me mind of the elbow I guess! LOL!

Try not to imagine or worry (and be thankful when they can't find anything) because that's what they call anxiety!

David

19

Right blood tests cause back fine which is a relief really as it means it's nothing more serious than anxiety. Ive asked for CBT.

Christina 87613 I woke up this morning Day 11 on Cita and I felt great! I slept all night and actually felt confident enough to go out worry free. By this afternoon it had worn off but at day 11 I am chuffed, in 4 weeks the Cita will b in my system properly so hopefully the confidence won't wear off x

20

Hi Jess, I am glad that  DAY came for you.I hope  will last forever.CBT IS perfect  at the moment because you are more relaxed and you can concentrate better and feel the benefit of terapy