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Dizziness & floating

Kimbad1990 profile image
38 Replies

Hi all,

Does anyone else experience daily “dizziness”. It’s a hard one to explain because it’s not like the world is spinning but more that I’m not really on the planet and I’m floating. Occasionally, my toes feel like jelly and that I’m walking on cushions. Gosh it sounds so strange when you write it out but this happens to me daily and I’m just reaching out to see if this is anyone else’s experience with anxiety ? I am now anxious about this sensation so feel I bring it on myself a lot too.

Thanks 🙏

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Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990
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38 Replies
Gillyflower18 profile image
Gillyflower18

Hi! I used to feel like my leg’s weren’t my own and I was listing to one side! So yes this kind of stuff happens🤣. Hang in there!

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply toGillyflower18

ahh how did it become a thing of the past for you!? It’s all I think about… probably doesn’t help lol

Gillyflower18 profile image
Gillyflower18 in reply toKimbad1990

It will pass. Sometimes you need a little help tho. I’m not a medicine freak but I have found breaking the cycle of anxiety for a few days with anti anxiety meds very helpful. When they work you know for sure that’s what’s going on and you can work on it better in therapy. CBT works for a lot of people. With me EMDR helped a lot because I’m working my way out of cptsd. If you don’t have a therapist to help you maybe you can get one. They can be a big help.

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply toGillyflower18

I do have a therapist and actually she has just mentioned moving on to emdr which I’m currently researching. It’s nice to hear from someone who is finding this effective.

happysadd profile image
happysadd

hi,

I experience this too! It’s making me feel crazy. It’s not like spinning but more like getting off a boat feeling. Or feeling like my legs are separate from my head. This feeling in turn causes more anxiety. I’m not sure what is causing what. Is the anxiety causing the dizziness or dizziness causing anxiety. I totally feel for you but I’m not sure what to do about it. Sometimes I take an Ativan, low does like .5 or .25, but I’m trying to get off the Ativan so not sure what to do. The psychiatrist says it’s anxiety, the neurologist says it’s vestibular migraine, whatever it is, it’s debilitating…

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply tohappysadd

Thank you for your response! Yes, it feels like a vicious circle because if we didn’t feel the odd sensation then would we still be anxious? I feel like it’s my trigger. I’m a school teacher and standing in front of a class feeling this way is not at all good. Hopefully we find a way through this x

happysadd profile image
happysadd in reply toKimbad1990

Sometimes what helps me is to take a walk and look at things from a wide angle lens. It seems counter-intuitive because you are moving in space, but something about looking at trees and houses and moving my body takes my mind off of it.

Junella profile image
Junella in reply toKimbad1990

I had these kinds of strange sensations in my teens; kind of like depersonalization or walking around in a dream. I was frightened by every kind of bodily sensation and later had panic spells. In those days I couldn't have gotten help as very little was known about mental health. After making friends (I was an only child in a rural area) and going to a boarding school I got over these things and felt good for many years. Then after marriage at 25 and an event at a medical office where I worked (it turned out to be migraine episodes with the eye spots that lasted 15 mins each time), it triggered an ongoing 10-year spell of anxiety and panic attacks. Finding a good doctor who did thorough exam I was found to be hypothyroid and in two weeks was normal again. This didn't mean I was anxiety free because triggers could bring it on but no more panic attacks. Now 80 I have accepted my weakness and found help in being vegan, exercising and need regular sleeping hours. Lifestyle and faith practiced daily goes a long way (meditation, prayer, study, having a purpose). If you can practice these things while young, you will find a cure.

GreyWolf001 profile image
GreyWolf001

Hi! Not sure if we experience the same thing but I often get a similar feeling in public places, such as hypermarkets. I feel like I'm not fully present in the surrounding, it is hard to focus with surrounding and while my head is not really spinning, for me the feeling is in my head not in my legs.

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply toGreyWolf001

Yes I get this feeling when I am in shops and places with strange lighting too?

hannah1987b profile image
hannah1987b

hello,

I hope this helps and is reassuring.

Yes- I have experiences what you describe many times and it’s very scary and not a nice sensation.

I used to think I was loosing my mind when this happened however, it’s been confirmed many times to me by professionals that is actually it’s either one or a combination or two things. 1) if we are extremely stressed our brains dissociate (cut off) from our bodies in order to protect us. Hence the floating feeling you describe. 2) could also be if you are experiencing extreme stress- could be your brain producing ing too much adrenalin that has no where to go- especially in people diagnosed with PTSD. Therefore, the jelly like feeling in limbs happen from the hormone not having any where to go especially if there is no “real” threat to life where fight, flight, freeze is needed at that time.

Sorry, I’m not great at explaining things.

get some grounding techniques- keep practicing them and over time it should help with the floating and dizziness your experiencing x

I hope you feel

Some relief soon x

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply tohannah1987b

This a really great explanation- thank you for taking the time. I think I am definitely causing the sensation too because I wake up and it’s the first thing I think about- not helpful! Would you say you are over these feelings now? C

Teaching profile image
Teaching

It happens to me daily too. Very hard to explain but I experience it on daily basis.

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply toTeaching

It’s awful isn’t it and the causes even more anxiety?

Teaching profile image
Teaching in reply toKimbad1990

Exactly, even as I'm typing, I feel dizzy. I pray we get over it.

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply toTeaching

Are you in therapy or anything?

Beevee profile image
Beevee in reply toKimbad1990

If you learn to accept all symptoms of anxiety, you stop adding more anxiety to the situation and those symptoms fade away. They only stick around because you fear or hate them.

If you are familiar with the teachings of Dr Claire Weekes, it is the "second fear" that the sufferer adds after the first fear flash (Oh dear, I hate this feeling, why am I feeling like this, what is happening to me 😱😱😱) that fuels the symptoms they hate so much.

Acceptance is key to recovery because you stop adding second fear.

Dizziness can have several causal reasons… here are some often not considered.

The eyes and ears work in partnership to tell the brain where the body is in relation to space.

Closing the eyes often causes anyone with dizziness to lose control of balance.. ear infections sinus infections teeth infection too.

If this is coming from the ear canals .. try the Epley manoeuvre test… can be found via YouTube… your ear canals have crystals that often fail to return to the reservoirs.. after long bed rest.. or viral illnesses… there are epley exercises to restore the crystals back in the rightful place.

Neck tension can cause the longer muscle to affect the nerves that retain blood pressure to the head.. often suddenly tightening and relaxing without reason… but stress.. get yourself a neck massager with heat pads. (Amazon).. often brings good results.

The vagus nerve is the longest in the body .. it often responds undesirably during situations of stress like standing in front of a lot of people.. giving a talk… muscle groups over tighten then relax without you even thinking about them.. messages from the brain are either over the top or suddenly switch off.. your leg muscles feel they are about to give way.. chest muscles make it hard to take a deep breath…etc.

Breathing exercises.. relaxation therapy .. slow exercise movements like tai chi will retrain an overtense body… and brain.

Magnesium therapy can help .

Low blood pressure and poor eyesight can be part of the mix.. I hope you find these suggestions of help… best wishes.

Pitalife profile image
Pitalife

Sounds like you have to be checked for vertigo..I have it when eyes closed I fall to one side, you can get referred to a specific dr for this...

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply toPitalife

I have seen an ENT and he has now discharged me and has recommended mindfulness and possibly anti anxiety mediation

Heloise profile image
Heloise

Both symptoms could be due to a b12 deficiency. Do you also have difficulty when chewing, especially meat which can be another signal. Taking b12 in a sublingual tablet may help if that's the case.

punkster profile image
punkster

Be sure to see a neurologist to get medical causes ruled out. Don't assume that it is anxiety.

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply topunkster

Thanks but I have seen my doctor and an ENT and had scans. All seems to point to anxiety

punkster profile image
punkster in reply toKimbad1990

I'm glad to hear that you have already been to an ENT. I hope you find relief from your symptoms soon.

Tulip2407 profile image
Tulip2407

I get that to for me it's because of hearing loss I had 2 years ago my one ear as 80 while other had 50 percent hearing which is a huge difference and my body started vertigo(dizziness and floating). I also hear radio noise in my ears. Consulted doctors and various ENT. Got test like MRI, hearing VAG and other but there is no solution to this. All u have to do is exercise and control ur salt, alcohol intake. You can always check with ENT to know the root cause. But sorry to say u have to adapt living with this.

Kinlay profile image
Kinlay

That definitely sounds like a side effect from a medication. I have experienced that and something that it sounds like you are on the edge of, dissociation (where you feel like you are outside of your self and your body), as side effects of antidepressants. I would reach out to your doctor and see if you need a dose adjustment or to switch to a different med.

Suspect dislodged crystals in the ear canals (there are six of them) once you have ruled out the usual suspects.. I spent two years being told it was anxiety.. then did the Epley manoeuvre and within 24 hours the dizziness went.. so did the anxiety which often comes after a new health issue states.. it’s a bit rich to blame everything on anxiety..when that is often what follows an event.

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply to

I’m going to google this and have a go… If it’s something I can try at home?

yes you could try this at home.. I use a bed because you will increase the dizziness if the crystals are still out in the canal.. the dizziness should stop after each position change..about 40 seconds.but once you follow this procedure you need to remain still for at least 45 minutes.. just rest on the bed.

You may repeat this should your dizziness still continues.. so you can perfect the timing and position changes.work on one side at a time.. so if you choose left then you need to repeat for the right hand side an hour later…

youtu.be/9SLm76jQg3g?si=ucF...

Jax279 profile image
Jax279

YES, dizziness has been a daily issue for many months now during my prolonged period of anxiety. I don't know 100 percent if something else could be causing it, but it is REALLY annoying. I'm not on any medications at all so the dizziness so it not due to those. The only suggestion I have is to make sure you are drinking plenty of water...if you are dehydrated you can get even more dizziness. I also have reduced hearing, and sometimes ringing in the ears - and have read anxiety can even cause THAT.

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply toJax279

Thank you. I follow someone on Instagram called honestlyholistic and there’s lots of posts on there about how normal it is. I just need to know how to get rid!!! Lol

Jax279 profile image
Jax279 in reply toKimbad1990

Thanks for the share...I checked out her Instagram and feel better now about the whole 24/7 dizziness, that anxiety could be the cause of it.

in reply toJax279

Have you tried nicotine patches?… if you have been on certain medications… they contain peptides that hijack the nicotinic receptors.. which are part of the body by design… using a small 2mg per day patch can throw these peptides off and stop the cns disruption which often cause tinnitus and dizziness along with altered taste and smell issues.. it is not addictive and to be honest .. no different to using foods with nicotine in them.. such as any food associated with nightshade family..potatoes and tomatoes.. they too contain nicotine.

Jax279 profile image
Jax279 in reply to

That is very interesting, thank you! I will research it more.

Bekindtoyou profile image
Bekindtoyou

Have you considered that there may be a medical reason for this such as a side effect of medication, meniers syndrome - this causes dizziness sometimes described the way you have expressed it.Low blood pressure can make you dizzy too.

Kimbad1990 profile image
Kimbad1990 in reply toBekindtoyou

I’ve had my blood pressure taken numerous times and also had CT scan and checks. The consultant has discharged me and basically told me to meditate or take anti anxiety medication

Mrspjsmom profile image
Mrspjsmom

When I am dizzy I feel off balance. No spinning or floating. You can try moving slowly especially when you get up. Also there's something called inner ear stones that cause dizziness and require specialized therapy. Medicine also known as non dowsy Dramamine helps to and is available by prescription. Try calling your doctor as it may be a side effect of another medication.

jonnylongton profile image
jonnylongton

Hi Kimbad, I'm in uk same as you and both in my daughter suffer the same. Don't know if it's the anxiety or the other underlying things I have, buy if you want message me we could talk more about the problems. I hope you are a little better seeing the replies the kind users have put. I know it's Very hard. I send my best wishes and prayers 🙏 to you Jon

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