Strange day - but survived! - Inner Ear Disorders Message Board

studyin · 04-21-2004, 02:03 AM

Hi All,

Well I made it through the presentation today (had to talk in front of some senior academics) despite some nerves that crept in even though I tried hard not to get worked up. But I was pleased nonetheless. Two months ago this would have been impossible. As expected the nerves revved up the lab symptoms to some degree but here's the weird part and I'm wondering if any of you have had this one happen: Last night I didn't sleep well probably because of what was on today and was feeling more vertigo than normal. I woke up feeling really *low*. Not crash and burn stuff but low-level depression stuff....lots of negative emotional thoughts. I've been great for weeks as well. Anyway this feeling has stuck with me the entire day but is now easing off. Here's my take on this - when anxiety levels move up to the annoying level for whatever reason, it seems to include low-level depression as well with this monster. I know tomorrow I'll wake up and it will be gone again provided I sleep well and remain calm. BTW, prior to lab I had never had any sort of depression happening at all....ever!...I really hate it. Does this sound familiar to any of you guys? The off and on nature of feeling low with this bug? In the past if I felt anxious about stuff I never felt low as well. Maybe I'm still balancing on the very edge of slipping down a hole with this thing still. Geez...I really want to get off the meds too but maybe it's too soon considering how I felt today. Thoughts?

Thanks....Scott

Lizbef · 04-21-2004, 03:02 AM

Hi Scott

I too find the negative feelings slipping in – quite often when I least expect them and often for no apparent reason. I have been really positive recently – you know that cos you replied to my “thanks folks” post. But last night when I got home from work, out of the blue the blues hit…..this morning I’m back to feeling positive. Mind you in my case it may be nothing to do with my BPPV……….perhaps I’m just weird!!!

Glad the presentation went well…………….when do you get any feedback on how it went?

madjane · 04-21-2004, 05:13 AM

Hi Scott,
Good about the presentation, but quite understandable about the anxiety. Even without all this dizzy stuff, a bad night's sleep can make the world seem grim. Factor in the dizzies and you have anxiety, aggrevated dizziness and then that awful feeling "what if it doesn't go away?' or "how bad is it going to be this time?" It's one hell of a depressing and panicky feeling. I think if you can get a good night's sleep the anxiety will go away and the depression with it. Here's hoping.

Madeleine

Barnsley · 04-21-2004, 08:29 AM

Scott,

Congrats on getting through it relatively unscathed!! No one there probably had any clue how difficult and important that was for you to be standing up there giving that presentation. Bravo!!

I'm not so sure the anxiety/depression/dizziness connection isn't tied up with brain chemistry. I've felt the way you described before (and like you, I NEVER had any probs with feeling low when I was nervous or anxious until the vestib stuff happened), but I've noticed that I don't really feel negative unless it's somehow coupled with vestib symptoms. Then, as Madjane says, you start wondering if this is it, or how bad it's going to be, etc. I think the whole monster starts a chemical reaction in the brain that feeds upon itself. You know the catch-22: anxiety makes symptoms worse and symptoms make you anxious, and round and round you go. I think there's been research about the connection between vestib disorders and the release of cortisol. Your world is unsteady and so the brain lets loose with the "fight or flight" response, hence anxiety.

Hope you feel better soon.

Terri

Emsybobs · 04-21-2004, 12:41 PM

Agree with above, yes scott I do find the low feelings come along with a decline in dizzy symptoms and like you before this was a very happy person...the chronic nature has got me as has the strange "invisible" (to others) symptoms xxx