Dizziness...

[Zero]

I feel very dizzy when I stand up or when moving... I have got a fear of HEART ATTACKS and the anxiety of the situation freaks me out. This might be partially the reason but I don't know. Can anyone help by giving me information about this?

[jeanjeannie50]

Are you taking any medication? If so this could be taking your BP or pulse down too low and making you to feel dizzy.

Jean

[howesgilly]

I agree with Jean Jeanie50. You blood pressure could be low for any AF episode, medication or fast heart rate. Need more information to help us help you.

[Dave49]

Postural hypotension, gets me too. Worse when standing or turning too fast. Medicated for hypertension, and then comes hypotension. Not a very good mixture.

My cardiologist is at his wits end trying to figure out the next steps to take

[Thomps95]

Your description above implies you think there could be an anxiety element. So from what you're saying it's either blood pressure (too low or too high) or panic attacks. Panic attack is sometimes also accompanied by a feeling of unreality (spaciness) as well as dizziness; and the fear of an immanent heart attack is obviously a hallmark symptom. If you have rational reasons for fearing a heart attack that's a different matter, so ask your cardiologist whether you have a condition that is likely to lead to heart attack. I do hope you feel better soon. If it's panic attack you need to go to a proper anxiety clinic and see a registered clinician who specializes in that condition. There are superb treatments now, but your family doctor is unlikely to know much.

[CDreamer]

Hi and welcome. Agree with all the above - a little more information about yourself would help - age, diagnosis, meds etc? Is this a new symptom?

If it is purely fear induced then please get some help for coping with anxiety, there are a huge number of coping strategies many of which have been discussed on this forum.

I have had POTS (hypotension on standing) all my life so for me your symptoms are normal, just get up very slowly and by degrees and there is a manoeuvre you can do to help raise your BP - but you need to know that is the cause first. Do you monitor your BP? When systolic goes below 90 it may cause symptoms, mine will go down to 70/30 when in AF, my daughter in laws' has been regularly at that level - it is pretty normal for her. Much better too low than too high, less risk for heart attacks!

There is a wealth of information on this site and some very informed, wonderful caring and supportive people to help you but with so little to go on, hard to find anything more useful to say other than keep reading and posting.

Very best wishes CD.

[BobD Volunteer]

Be assured that AF is extremely unlikely to cause heart attacks. It could just as easily be a balance problem such as vertigo caused by an ear infection as your heart so go and see your doctor and discuss it with them.

[cmscott]

Hi Dizziness, well, we don't know much about you other than that you are dizzy and call yourself Zero. Anyway, I am pretty sure most all of us can sympathize with you for your suffering - especially me. For some time I have had dizzy, woozy and sometimes drunk feelings. This is especially true when after I get up in the morning and begin to move around when the dizzy feelings return. I am a kinda old guy (88.5 years) and, I think, fairly healthy and live in USA. Nothing unusual has happened to me other than a severe wasp sting on my hand last week but unfortunately this has had no effect on my dizziness. Curiously enough, I foolishly thought it might since my dad, who was a bee keeper, used to claim that a bee sting once in a while was good for you.

For my regular 6 month pacemaker checkup I met with my doc on Wednesday 29th and I told him about my dizzy stuff. After tests he decided it was a BP problem and he changed my Diltiazem from 120 mg to one 30 mg twice a day. The doc also suggested I use more salt with my food and to drink plenty and more liquids. We don't know yet how this will work out but I am hoping for some quieting of my dizziness.

Zero, I hope that you too will get better.

Clay

[Kodaska]

Zero, there are many things you can do from an intellectual perspective - get more information, consult with experts, etc. But there's another perspective that's right there inside you that has more power than you might imagine.

The first thing you should do is sit down and pay attention to what's happening. Are you having severe pain in your chest? Are you having difficulty breathing? OK, so you're alive and not in immediate danger.

Now pay attention to what just happened and what's going on in the moment. Note the experience as though someone is describing it to you. Also, note the fear that rises. Don't react to the fear - i.e., don't give it more power - just note it. Ask it what it wants, what it's trying to do.

You'll see that the problem is your response to an unknown situation. You may be particularly susceptible to anxiety or panic, but that doesn't mean it has to grab you by the throat and squeeze. You always have the option of looking it in the face and telling it to sit down and shut up.

Yes, this comes with practice. And there's no time to start like 5 minutes ago.

Thanks to a military accident, I've had hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo since 1973. I assure you, vertigo will not hurt you as long as you don't fall and crack your head open. See a physical therapist and learn how to help yourself, such as performing the Epley maneuver.

Most of all, realize that you're bigger than your fear. It's an unruly child that needs a time-out when it throws a tantrum. You are the parent.