Last night at 1:30 in the morning I awoke feeling really spaced out. My arms and back felt really warm then a cold sensation went from my neck through my shoulders down my arms and down my back. A tingly numb sensation rushed from the center of my back through my shoulders to my bicepts. Then I felt heavy and dizzy, all of this hapened several times, in waves, before I fell back to sleep.

Since June 24 I have been out of work due to my mystery illness witch I thought was going away till last night and today. All of this started with vertigo and depersonilization 24/7, then the vertigo turned to dizziness and then lightheadedness. I also have a full feeling in my ears, they feel poped. Whenever I have spells like the one last night I feel tired, spaced out with a bad headache in my neck and temples.

My first diagnosis was eustacian tube dysfunction. They put me on prednisone, zyrtec and nasonix, the nine days that I was on this medication I felt worse. My next diagnosis was anxiety so I was put on paxill, and even though I have had several attacks like the one last night my dizziness seems to be going away. I dont think the paxil has anything to do with that, I am still wondering,after 48 days, what good it is doing at all.

Im only 34, I have a wife and two kids that I love very much and I am scared that whatever is happening to me is going to kill me. I would also like to add that all of this started 2 days after stoping a drug called protonix and acephix for heartburn.

Will anxiety cause all of these problems and if it is anxiety why hasnt the paxil started to work. Have any of you ever had problems like this. Could the protonix have put me over the edge, I have heard that a side effect is deppresion and I have been deppresed and anxious since 12 years of age. Are there any ways to treat without these bad drugs.

Thanks to all for reading and to any responses.

Derek

I had a similar experience after 4 days on paxil. Woke up in the middle of the night feeling like I was burning up. I also have a eustachean tube dysfunction that has been going on for the last 4 yrs. This spring it started to get really bad and soon after I started having panic attacks, gastro problems, headaches, shoulder and neck pains. I was convinced that death was imminant. Had all kinds of tests done like bloodwork, thyroid check, even an mRI of brain showing nothing. Doc said it was all anxiety and put me on paxil. Like I said, I lasted 4 days before I started really losing it, thought I was going crazy so I called a shrink. He too said anxiety and gave me xanax which helps calm me down somewhat and also Effexor, an SNRI anti-depressant. Like you, I am still wondering if it is doing anything for me. I am more and more convinced that the eustachean tube problem is the root of all this. I have fullness, clicking noises when I swallow, hear my breathing like someone is blowing on my eardrum, and most annoying constantly hear the sound of blood rushing to the rythm of my heartbeat. I am going next week to get a tube put in my eardrum to see if it helps eliminate these symptoms. I think if I can get rid of this problem my anxiety/depression will go away or at least ease up. The good news is that I havent died yet (although at times it sounds like an attractive option), and you probably wont either. I think it most likely that the ear problems are causing the anxiety, which in turn can cause all sorts of the most unlikely sounding symptoms. In any case, you are not alone, so hang in there.
P.S. - If the tube doesn't help I am going to Boston to see Dr. Dennis Poe, who is the preemminant experton ET disorders, you might consider calling him, just type his name and Boston in google or something and you will find his number. Good luck
DT

hmm, sounds fairly simialr. When My anxiety started the first real problem I had was dizzyness, lightheaded feelings and feeling spaced out all the time.

I'm 33, male with a wife and 3 kids aswell, and I have to say last year I thought I wouldn't make it to 34... I was convinced I had every illness that I heard about, if any of the symptoms matched I would worry even more. I had loads of tests done, even had such a bad PA at one point they thought I was having a heart attack! I was in hospital 4 days on monitors etc...

Anyway, the anxiety has gradually eased although I'm not sure it will ever go away now. My ability to manage stress seems to to become minimal. I'd had about 4 months of stable anxiety, just the odd days when I'd feel panic or stressed.

Unfortunately last week I started with a 4 day long headache and ended up with dizzyness and spaced out feelings again. Weird thing is that my hearing went dull and it did feel a bit like they needed popping and I really started to panic a bit.

I've now had dizzyness for about 3 days, I'm fine at home, still spaced out a bit and occassional lightheaded moments which seem to pop out of the blue.

When I go out I can sometimes be OK, then out of the blue I start feeling dizzy and faint. Makes life very tricky! Seem to have a twitch in my left eyelid aswell which has been there for about 3 weeks...

I just want to feel normal again, like I did about 1.5 yrs ago!

You might check out these books, "From Panic to Power" by Lucinda Bassett, "Hope and Help for Your Nerves" and "Peace From Nervous Suffering" by Claire Weekes. Also, these sites: www.stresscenter.com (http://www.stresscenter.com) , www.audiowisdom.com (http://www.audiowisdom.com) , www.claireweekes.com (http://www.claireweekes.com) .

I have a question for ya....what or who exactly is normal?? Sounds like we all are just anxiety ridden. Maybe we are normal and do not know it. I have battled with anxiety and panic disorder for 2 years now. I am very happy to say that this year I am much better, I can actually drive across town now without thinking I am going to die somehow. I was agoraphobic, stayed in the house for a year, gained a bit of weight. I began to realize that I wasn't dead yet, why act like it? The best way to cure these problems is just do it! I know, I know, easier said than done. Trust me, I do know. I am still "just doing" it too to face my fears and knock this anxiety out of my way. You guys sound perfectly normal to me. This is just an obstacle in our life and I know what you mean about feeling like you can't handle stress anymore because I am that way too. I am just now wising up to things and feeling again. Everytime I get upset or mad, my chest hurts. I may have to hold my chest and have a few bad thoughts, but once I get it out, I feel better! I am on Lexapro and it helps. I really wish you guys the best!! We are all gonna be ok! We all have our own issues that we are dealing with, but I am so glad that I found this board, because I do not feel alone. I don't think that it is good that any of us have these problems, but I must admit, when having a scary thought or a bad moment, it makes it easier to say "other people are going through this as well." Anyway, hope this helps in some way!! Let us know how your doing k!!
Good Luck!!

Oh and I wanted to mention one more thing. Last year, every little thing that hurt, ached or anything, I felt. I talked to my doctor and therapist about it. When your anxiety is high, you feel every thing. You become so intune to your body. Every thing you feel you think is a symtom of something and for sure something is wrong with you. I know it all too familiar. Try and desensitize yourself. I am still working on it myself. It does help alot once you realize how fine tuned you are into your body. Look it up, see if it might help!
Good Luck!

I just wanted to thank everyone for the responses it is very helpfull, again thank you.

Derek