anxiety and dizziness

[MummytoM]

hi just looking to see if anyone has experienced similar as I’m at a loss now really don’t know what else I can do😞 last year end of august I got lightheaded one night and thought I was going to pass out and the rest of that night I was constantly panicked eventually I started experiencing dizziness that would come and go and a bunch of other symptoms came along , extreme fatigue, ringing kinda noise in my left ear, leg weakness/ jelly legs, waves of feeling ill throughout the day like drained when you’re not well, headaches the lot it left me bedbound at times as I was struggling to stand up without feeling dizzy it feels like I’m drunk when I walk and rocking when I’m standing still fast forward after having ct scans and mris of my brain and them being all clear my dr referred me for urgent neurologist appointment well I went today and he literally rushed me through my appointment telling me we only have 10 mins he said that everything was fine nothing was wrong with me and guess what blamed it on anxiety just like another doctor has done before I’ve dealt with anxiety and depression since I was a teenager and it has never ever caused me dizziness I guess maybe that night with the lightheadedness could’ve triggered it but even when I’m not anxious I have constant dizziness everyday trying to do basic household chores is difficult as walking about is horrible and my dizziness is triggered by looking up sometimes too the only time I feel alright is when I’m laying down but as soon as I sit up or stand it’s back to feeling dizzy😩 I’m considering starting the citalopram the dr prescribed me a couple months ago because all of this is really depressing me I’ve missed out on so much barely leaving the house because how horrible I feel😭 I get so scared to try new medication because I’ve had some that didn’t agree with me but I feel I need to do something I feel myself getting worse and I really don’t want to end up like I was years ago I managed to get back to some sort of normal but recently I’m feeling so alone and tired of it all I just want my life back😔

[GhostRobin]

Hey sorry you are dealing with this, but you are not alone. I have had similar experience. Your description is very similar to what I experience during a panic attack, but I also get rapid heart palpitations, racing thoughts, etc. Starting SSRIs ( I ended up on Lexapro) made a big difference for me, and I know it has helped plenty of other people as well. I am glad you have been cleared of anything physical so far. There a several different types of medicine available for this, so if the citalopram don't lose hope!

[AnimalLovers]

Hi, I am actually going through the exact same thing at the moment, getting some tests done to rule out any physical problems but it was the strangest thing ever, I felt sick and dizzy out of nowhere one day and had a full blown panic attack after. Since then I am getting the dizzy spells all the time and they just come out of nowhere, I am so weak, heavy legs, chest pains and lots of other symptoms. Can’t have a drink any more, it makes me so sick and dizzy, had to reduce coffee also.

I am on Lexapro for years and it was working fine till this happened. Had to take Xanax every day in the past couple of weeks to stop more panic attacks coming back.

My doctor actually asked me if I maybe had Covid before this started but I cannot tell, maybe I did and didn’t know. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Covid would trigger something like this. My brother developed major depression and really bad anxiety after getting Covid last year (and he never struggled with anxiety before).

I will post again once I have any more updates. Hope things get better for you soon.

[Kinlay]

Quick question: did you have Covid? Those symptoms sound like they could be from long Covid, a very diverse and hard to diagnose condition. I am in two FB groups that is really helpful. You can search for your symptoms and find others and what has/has not helped them.

facebook.com/groups/4980005...

facebook.com/groups/3739209...

That being said, I would try the citalopram if it were me, both because you are feeling depressed and anxious (citalopram can help with both) and because antidepressants often help with long Covid symptoms.

The truth, though, is that depression and anxiety CAN cause a lot of physical symptoms, and when tests come back normal, doctors do tend to push the symptoms off on that. I'd give the new med 4-6 weeks and then see how you are doing. Just be sure to start with the lowest recommended dose and don't let them increase it faster than every 4-6 weeks so you can really monitor for side effects as well as finding the lowest effective dose for you.

Also, have ANY of your doctors considered migraine? That can cause dizziness and debilitating headaches. And it's not unusual to feel weak and ill both during and after. I'd reach back out to that neurologist you paid for 10 minutes and ask if the problem could be migraines if s/he did not address that possibility.

And you should also look at any prescription and OTC meds or supplements you are taking, as a lot of them can cause dizziness and other symptoms as a side effect. Don't assume your doctors did that - I have caught a LOT of side effects from meds that my doctors were clueless about. You can check them here, but I also search for the side effect and the name of the med/supplement, because no one source has EVERYTHING.

medlineplus.gov/druginforma...

If you are taking and OTC or supplement that might be causing your symptoms, I'd try going off it. If it is a prescription med, I'd reach out to your doctor, explain the symptoms, and ask if it's safe to go off it to see if the symptoms clear up.

If the dizziness and other symptoms are still there (or sooner if you can't wait, they interfere with daily life, or they get worse), I'd try seeing an otolaryngologist, as dizziness can stem from ear issues, even without pain or other outward ear-related symptoms.

And that's another thing to look for when it comes to medications and supplements: merckmanuals.com/home/ear,-...

Good luck, and know that you are not alone!