Dizziness & Anxiety

[Wowwweee]

I hope this finds everyone doing well.

I read many of these posts on here with interest because of my experiences with high anxiety and panic.

I am curious to know how many people on these boards experience panic or limitations over the sensation of dizziness, wooziness, or a feeling of imbalanace?

I have been experiencing wooziness since 1990. Around the same time I started to experience full-blown panic attacks.

Sometimes dizziness is not related to panic attacks at all, but a symptom of something wrong with the inner ear (your balance system).

And because of this sensation, dizziness-wooziness-feeling off balance can MAKE you scared or want to stay close to home. But the problem isn't panic, it's the dizziness. I feel like I am talking in circles here, ha ha.

After so much time being afraid to do much because of being scared of these symptoms (as well as some other issues that are going on for me), I put myself in counseling, thinking that I am turning more and more agoraphobic and fearful every year that I deal with these woozy symptoms. However, during my sessions in therapy, it came to light that I'm not so much afraid to leave my house because of agoraphobia, but rather due to the fear of falling, fainting, or tipping over because I am constantly woozy.

Because of this, I am revisiting my woozy symptoms as something other than anxiety provoked, and with the approval of my primary MD, have met with a new ENT (Ear-Nose-Throat MD) who stated that I probably am having some kind of physical issue going on with my balance system. I will be having an MRI (with contrast) to get a picture of what's going on with my inner ear system next week - and then we will go from there.

I'm not saying that everyone's dizziness is something physical - I realize that anxiety can provoke all kinds of sensations. However, I am suggesting that if your dizziness, wooziness, off balance feeling is causing you to panic or is the reason why you don't want to leave the house/drive/go to work/socialize, then a second look at that symptom might be worth it to you.

When your balance system is out of whack, it can cause you to feel faint, light headed, dizzy, floaty, spacey, foggy, disjointed, poor concentration, depression, feel like you're drunk or not walking right, feel inbalanced....and cause anxiety. I don't even like going into stores. I avoid a lot because of my wooziness.

However, on a good (woozy free) day - I do have them in spurts - I am good to do most anything. And life is good.

There are many reasons why a balance system can malfunction - from a viral infection to an inner ear condition. It just may be worth it to get a re-check!

I know how bad it is to have fear all the time and be limited by anxiety attacks - so any idea I have that may help me or someone, I want to pass on. Your thoughts are appreciated!

Take care.

[khorne]

When my dizziness started almost 3 yrs ago my dr first gave me meclazine (sp?) to see if it was my ears. That didn't work so then they did an MRI, thank God that was neg. Then I went through a series of inner ear tests (for 3 hrs)& they told me it was an ear problem. So for 1.5 yrs I did a series of exercises & physical therapy that was prescribed which did no good what so ever.As you can imagine I was very frusterated & kept going to drs. Then one day @ an appt. w/ a neurologist, he told me he thought it was stress & anxiety b/c I had all the tests possible done on me. He actually took the time to talk to me & ask me questions to help me figure out what was wrong. Sorry to make this so long, I probably got off the subject a bit, but my point being that I feel like some drs just don't feel like dealing w/ us so they figure out ways to pass us off to other drs while we may spend yrs trying to figure out what the matter is. They just don't give a damn. It took me a long time to feel ok about going out & doing things again. Just yesterday I was @ my daughters soccer practice & felt very dizzy & thought here we go again! But today I made myself go out alone & I was fine - & very proud of myself I might add! People need to find drs that they trust & are really caring, it may take a while but it's worth it to know what's really wrong w/ you.

[julia129]

hi there i too suffer from dizziness resulting from anxiety i dont like to go to far from home and when i do i always take my mobile with me or let my boyfriend know where i am going. when i take my dog for walks i often get feelings of dizziness and also feelings of unreality and when i do i usually head straight for home where i feel safe. It is the most horrible feeling you can experience i dont know what brings it on it must be my train of thought. Sometimes i feel totally agoraphobic and have to force myself to leave my flat. i have been experiencing these feelings for years now.

[Wowwweee]

I understand what you've both posted on here, and completely sympathize. I know just how it feels. I too don't enjoy much independence because I feel safer when I am doing something with someone in case my symptoms get worse. I also know the frustration of having doctors just chalk it up to anxiety.

Sometimes it takes going to a few different doctors of the same speciality to be properly diagnosed - especially since the inner ear is so small and it's sometimes hard to define exactly what causes the dizziness/wooziness. I've had all the "dizzy" tests too, and they have all stated that I am healthy, and that they make me dizzy! Go figure. But again, because the inner ear is so small, and the balance system is so sensitive, it can be challenging to figure it out.

This is why I am pursuing a diagnosis more thoroughly this time - even though it means having to have an MRI with contrast. Lying down flat is extremely scary (talk about anxiety provoking) for me because I spin - but in order to have an MRI, you have to lie down flat...for an HOUR! And having contrast injected into me is also very challenging to me because that also seems like a scary thing to do. However, the MRI is the only test that can show the workings of the inner ear in such detail because that area is so small.

Sometimes even if the inner ear is damaged (as can happen in a viral infection of the inner ear), even if the inner ear can't regain normal function, there are medications that can help. I was on Amitriptyline for my dizziness, and that took away my wooziness completely - I was able to go out and have fun - even drive! - although it took a while to realize that I didn't have to fear tipping over anymore. However, when I stopped taking this medication, my symptoms came back, so it was only a mask.

I stopped taking the medication because the side effect was a racing heartbeat, and I just didn't enjoy that sensation constantly.

I am determined to live a more fuller life - the way I want to, so, my quest for resolution begins to find out what's going on behind this constant wooziness I carry. It's only natural to feel highly anxious when you feel like you can't do much when you're spinning or tipping. It throws everything off and can cause quite a panic, I know.

I hope everyone's having a nice day.

[khorne]

When I had my MRI the dr. gave me a drug to relax me & a towel to put over my eyes so if I accidently opened them I wouldn't freak out as I am also clausterphobic. It helped a lot! I actually was able to get through it fine, much to my surprise! Of course, I had to have someone drive me home b/c of the drug (can't remember the name of it).But good luck w/ your tests, I hope everything works out for you!!!