light headed, dizziness? - Anxiety Message Board

maili · 09-26-2006, 08:20 PM

Hey everyone,

If you get a second please respond to this message. I just joined the message board but I have been reading the various postings for the past week or so. I have noticed that a large percentage of anxiety suffers seem to share the common physical symptom of dizziness. I too get dizziness but really never thought much about it until I began reading this message board.
So, if you are an anxiety sufferer and also have bouts of dizziness or lightheadness please respond to this message.

Thanks everyone.

feel_bad_2_much · 09-27-2006, 09:16 AM

hi maili........
i too suffer from dizziness/lightheadedness.........i also have an inner ear disorder, which i think causes my anxiety. i was put on zoloft a couple of weeks ago, but haven't noticed any changes yet. My Dr. started me on a very low dose.....12.5mg, but now am up to 50. Do you have any other symptoms, other than these???

eloise_girl24 · 09-27-2006, 10:26 AM

ill put my hand up for this one! i am ALWAYS dizzy and often feel lightheaded. it was so bad the past two nights that i couldnt sleep. i felt sick to my stomach from being so dizzy. i hate this. i dont know why its a symptom of anxiety but i know a lot of people have it. even people who have never said anything about it. ive had two friends recently mention to me that they were ALWAYS dizzy. i felt so bad for them but at the same time it was kind of reassuring to me that i wasnt dying. a lot of people have dizziness. also when i am really stressed or freaked out about something it can cause me to be lightheaded. even days later. ive talked to doctors about it and they all say it's anxiety. i want to get my inner ear checked out though too. dont worry you are not alone on this. my dizziness is so bad that im constantly leaning on things like when im doing my makeup in the morning i lean on my sink to steady me.

maili · 09-27-2006, 10:53 AM

Thank you for the responses. I just find it strange that a large majority of anxiety suffers seem to share dizziness as a symptom.

I do have another question regarding meds if anyone cares to weigh in on it. For whatever reason my dr. is giving me discretion about my meds. I have an unfilled perscription for Zoloft but I cannot decide between Zoloft and Paxil. I'm not sure what the difference is and if they have different indictions for the many disorders..i.e. Zoloft for social anxiety, paxil for GAD,ect.
Does anyone have any advice or knowledge about the two meds? I would really appreciate some guidance.

Thank you

boxerlover227 · 09-27-2006, 01:35 PM

VERY INTERESTING!!! I don't know if what you are saying is the sensations I myself have been struggling with for "years".. Here is what it is like for myself, I get a floating feeling, intense Falling to the side & backwards sensation, sinking to the ground feeling, a motion sensation as if I am swaying on a boat, and my favorite the good old dropping feeling you get on an elevator.. The "elevator sensation" I also feel like my head is very heavy
foggy and swimmy and some days just have trouble holding it up! All these sensations I experience on a daily basis mostly 24/7 The only time I don't feel this way is if I am laying down, it seems to subside then. I have gotten many eye rolls

from the Doctor's I have seen in the past.. As if these feelings were being made up in my head.. These daily sensations have caused me more anxiety and intense panic attacks.. It seems as soon as I experience any one of these sensations my panic attacks kick in full force..
Inner ear, maybe at one time in my life yes but years later to still be feeling this way I doubt it, allergies hhuuumm Dr. gave me the nasal sprays on every visit and did nothing, neurological disorder thought about it but there would be so many other symptoms, TMJD possibility being that I do clench my teeth with all this anxiety and have developed tmj along the way, Headaches/Migraine's yup have them everyday so that could be a possibility as well.. Anxiety yup I have that but what came first the chicken or the egg.. Seems the anxiety is triggered by these sensations so I just don't know! But I do know this if this is what you are feeling, what I described I can guarantee you that you are by no means alone.... I feel like this every single DAY!!! It's horrible Any thoughts or questions let me know!
Boxerlover