I posted last month and got some lovely replies that comforted me. Thank you.
2 months ago I started suffering from extreme stress. My son was very ill with panic attacks and anxiety, he had been bullied and was struggling to go to school. Every day was a battle, he just seemed to get worse and worse. In the end he told us he felt suicidal. We took him to our GP who referred him to CAMHS who refused to help, saying I'd be the best person for the job. Well things then got worse and he refused to go to school. It was so hard on me every day trying to get him there, I feel I broke down. I spent all day crying, exhausted, weak.... my daughter then fell ill and was in hospital with a bowel infection for 2 nights. It was so much stress. I became drained and my anxiety flared up. I suddenly noticed one day that when I walked it felt like the ground moved as I walked, it terrified me and within 2 weeks it became constant and I was bed bound, truly terrified.
My GP came out to see me. I told him I was struggling with fatigue every day, i had been since the summer. I'd had blood tests and other than my thyroid being almost borderline hypo I was ok. My GP did lots of tests, muscle strength, co ordination, checked my eyes, relfexes, checked i could feel his hands on my arms and legs, balance checks, BP.... I passed them all and he said it was all the extreme stress and I needed rest and to lower this stress. He was disgusted CAMHS had put so much pressure on me and so he helped me get CAMHS to re assess my son and thankfully after a months battle with them they agreed, he is now on a long waiting list.
Well 2 weeks later the dizziness was not going, I'd had a better week then wham it hit again when I was walking. My GP came out again and did a whole host of blood tests, all normal. FBC was perfect aswell as liver, kidneys etc... He again said this has to be stress and you need rest. You do not have any symptoms of a brain tumour. I then believed him and took 2 weeks over Christmas to rest and the symptom 90% cleared up, i realised then it had all been stress.
Well last week was tough, my son developed sickness with his anxiety and every morning before school he was sick 6 times with nerves, it was awful. He had a good day friday as i gave him a good CBT session the night before teaching him about anxiety and how to cope with it better. He said it really helped. I woke Saturday morning and felt awfully tired, I mean really drained. All day I sat up on the sofa feeling sedated. My fatigue is never that bad. That evening i went to bed and I lay down flat and felt like I was dizzy lying flat. I sat up and as i moved i felt my head was swaying and rocking front and back, once sat up straight a few seconds it eased and stopped. It terrified me I have never had that before. I am now afraid that, that feeling is a brain tumour. I am ok walking, it's now just this on movement when I sit up or turn over on my bed or floor. I do yoga and now can't even do that. I have tried and i get the same feeling.
I am worrying myself sick it's a brain tumour. My husband said I am just exhausted after another tough week and to rest. I am feeling so tired, brain fog, weak in legs which I guess is the anxiety, woozy head when I move. I am worried as I don't usually have this. My husband said give it a few days and if you want to call your GP then but he said it wouldn't bother him at all if it was just when he sat or lay down in bed. He said it's probably your anxiety again caused by all the stress that returned once our son was back in school.
My BP is normal and again my GP and hubby said that's great as it would be high if anything was happening like I am fearing.
Can anyone relate to this I am feeling? any reassurance? I feel I need it right now. I don't usually have health anxiety but this dizziness has really flared it up.
Hello. I am sorry that you are having such a hard time on so many fronts at the same time. It must be very frustrating ans scary for you.
In many ways you have provided the solution to your problem - at least in the short term. You mention that the various tests have not shown anything dreadful happening with you. So your doctor is right to say it is extreme anxiety brought on by all the things you are having to deal with.
You mentioned that after a good period of rest you felt much better over Christmas. That in itself should tell you where the problem lies. You are a parent who has a child who needs a lot of care and support. I am not surprised you are having these problems with your own health. You are constantly worried about your son - I know that will not change for you as a parent who loves their child. But you can try to balance that by going to therapy yourself. That is a safe space where you can open up allow yourself to be healed.
It may be that you yourself are ill - in the sense that you have anxiety disorder. The idea you keep having concerning a brain tumour, despite all the negative tests, would indicate this is the case. So again, therapy for you is indicated as a treatment.
You are a mother - you are going to worry about your child whatever the cost to yourself. But you also need to look after your own health so that you are able to take care of your son. A all of the tests have been negative for physical illness, the symptoms you mentioned in your post indicate anxiety disorder. The sooner you start treatment the better it will be. But part of that treatment will include you taking proper breaks from the stresses and strains. I hope that you and your son will be able to feel better soon.
Karl
in reply to
Thank you Karl
I'm currently having a lie down and a cry. I just took my son to gymnastics and was anxious driving as I felt scared what if I faint. I've a huge fear this weakness in my legs, fatigue and dizziness will make me faint. I then picture myself in hospital and I'm scared stiff of that having agoraphobia. I'd not cope. So feat of fainting is rife right now
I had cbt for 18 months and it ended in the summer last year. It helped but it'd not helped this time applying techniques I learnt.
I think it's because of how fatigued I am and this dizziness is scaring me silly that it will be something serious.
I'm having to give my son so much support it'd been tough and every morning for 2 months seeing him anxious and being sick before school has been awful. I'm traumatised seeing him in school having a panic attack begging me not to go. I cry just typing that. It's been truly awful. Things are slowly getting better but it's still really hard on me and there is little help from the childrens mental health team. I rang them desperate for advice last week to help my son in school and left 4 messages and noone returned my call. It's all on me and it's been so hard.
Sorry to have rambled there.
Thanks for replying to me.
Julie
in reply to
Hi Julie - no need to apologise for anything. It is very understandable that you are having some difficulty in dealing with all the stuff going on around you. As a therapist myself for many years I have a deep belief in psychotherapy. I wonder if you might be able to get back into therapy again - I think you would benefit from it.
The health service is large, unwieldy and sometimes fails its clients/patients. But you are right to persist in seeking help for you and your son. You are being a good mother. I had a similar issue when trying to find help for my nephew some time ago. I was a bit luckier in that I knew who to bombard with communications to get what I wanted. But you can win by sheer persistence. Just remember that you are entitled to effective and appropriate health care for you and your son. And dont neglect the 'yourself' part of that last sentence
Omg Julie I am going through the exact same thing as u....same exact constant symptoms ingot checked and everything just like u n and Dr saids its Gad...I'm glad I'm not alonenin these symptoms tell me more please
I been like this for a couple months and its horrible I cry everyday I feel like I'm losing it I always feel anxious cause of it I don't sleep I have a 5 year old..my Dr n physiciatrist test me n say I'm good its anxiety how do u deal with it
It's horrible isn't it! I get dizziness, out of the blue, can be like it when I'm sat down, like my head spins for a minute, I'm usually left worrying and feeling rubbish for the rest of the day.This morning when I was walking back from school run I thought I was going to pass out, my vision was blurred. I'm waiting for my results back for my bloods but doctors don't seem to want to do any other tests.i do have anxiety and worry a lot about mine and my family's health.
I've had cbt in the past, I've got an iapt appointment at the end of the week so I will probably be referred to cbt again, I hope it helps, I'm fed up of living like this. I also see myself fainting and ending up in hospital etc, makes you feel worse. I get all kinds of other symptoms too, but every time I think 'this feels different' I'm a busy mum myself and I don't no how I find chance to worry, I do it automatically, usually as soon as I get up. I get scared to go out places, I just take my kids to school and go back home, or go to shop when it's less busy, I hate it! I really want to go out and do things too. Sorry to hear about your soon also, go back to your gp and get some more help, tell them that you didn't feel it helped and maybe they could try something different X
Same here, that's my big fear with all this weakness, tiredness and dizzy spells. What if I end up in hospital and I have agoraphobia.
Like you I take the kids to school then come home, I do little else. I was out and about again on my own. No chance now like this. I used to go anywhere with hubby but now I am struggling even with him to go places thanks to this dizziness knocking my confidence.
Mine too, I prefer to go places with my mum or partner, but if I'm honest it doesn't keep me as calm as it used to. I'm fed up of feeling ill, I've been to doctors numerous times, and I might feel a little better for a few hours then I'm worried again and I think why didn't they do tests. One of my bloods has come back for borderline b12 so they want that repeating in a month. But no meds and didn't say anything else other than that. It's so draining! I just want to feel 'normal' again X x
I'm not sure how low it is, all the receptionist said was that it is borderline and the doctor wants it testing again in a months time. I've had it tested before and it's usually been fine. The only thing I've had in the past is iron tablets. X
I'm with u totally understand how your feeling it's hard for any one to understand how u are who hasn't got anxiety it's like talking to a brick wall. I hate it h also fern as if I'm just going to fall when I'm walking I feel jelly legged and head feels light nothing seems real to me does it u ? Xx
I have the same symptoms. My balance is off all the time. At times I experience the floor moving, dipping, etc, the severity of dizziness varies with how stressed I am. I believe that secondary fear (fear of the symptom itself) aggravates the situation, as it does the general anxiety. If you can accept it as being harmless - which it is, it might settle down. Your mind and body are exhausted, both need rest which means giving the brain time to recover without added stress of worrying about the symptoms. I relate to your situation about your son. I took my son out of school aged 14 because he became very stressed (he has Asberger's Syndrome/autism.) We just went on with home education - he's 25 now. I have an appointment with Ear, Nose and Throat clinic, this month, but I feel the dizziness is from tension in my back, shoulders and neck. I tend to clench my jaw, too. I have a few stressors going on at the moment, so not surprising my level of anxiety is high. Please be assured that there is nothing physically wrong with you, it's down to stress.
Did you ever have the dizziness though when lying down and moving position? I get the floor moving but that eased a lot and I felt reassured maybe it was all a stress response. Then at the weekend I woke with awful fatigue, I noticed throughout the day when I moved position on the sofa I felt like I was woozy in my head. I went to lie on my bed that night and when I lay flat I felt dizzy in my head, once lying in that position a minute it eased. Then I went to sit up or turn over onto my side then push up and I felt like my head was thrown back and forth. Weird and very scary. Once upright a few seconds it eased again. Anxiety really? I am finding that terrifying and since then the dizziness when i walk returned where I feel the ground moving.
I daily feel weak and fatigued, no matter how much I sleep.
Thanks for your reply. Sorry to hear about your son, it's so hard seeing them struggle isn't it. I've had to let my son have today off as his nerves are making him violently sick every morning, off to the GP later to hopefully get some tablets to ease his tummy as he can't carry on being sick every day.
I had a couple of bouts of vertigo - even before my anxiety kicked in permanently. I turned over in bed one night and felt as though someone hd thrown me across the room! I sleep on my right side now and never turn over to left. I once consulted an alternative therapist for EFT, he also check for allergy. When I left his house I was spinning - drove home, although probably shouldn't have. It was awful had to go slowly (especially at roundabouts). When I got home, got out car, I was afraid the neighbours would think I was drunk my balance was so bad walking to the door. It subsided after some rest. I've never been that bad, again, since. I am going to this clinic after I suggested to the doctor about having the Epley manouver done. Have you heard of this. It's a proceedure used to 'tip out' granules in the ear canal. These granules bounce about when you move your head about and confuse the balance system in the ear. There are videos online showing how it's done. The thought of it makes me feel sick, but it's worth a try. I actually believe it's the tension in my neck muscles affecting my balance system. Regarding your son, it's hard thing to send them away knowing they're anxious and suffering. I will only say that I felt my son's health was more inportant than his education, at that time. There is a very supportive home education community around. My son 's health and well-being improved after I took him out. His education and learning have not suffered. Learning is a lifetimes work. We just focussed on his natural strengths and interests.
Thank you. I just found those videos funnily enough and had just finished the exrecise when i saw your reply. I hope it helps. Weirdly though I don't feel sick with it so could it still be vertigo?
My son is doing amazing and going to school like this he is my hero. He is being so violently sick with nerves each day so I am getting him to the GP later for a check up.
Hello I was reading your story and I suffer the same thing my balance is off balance all the time I often feel dizzy. I've gotten checked also n it goes down yo Anxiety its just so hard to believe it can physi ally make u I'll from head to toe please get back to me
I'm with you I was bed bound for five days with the dizziness it was horrendous every time I moved a started panicking had to stay in same position propped up could t even go the toilet my head was spinning I was so weak it was awful that was four year ago I. Always of balance and dizzy but I think I'm learning to live with it even though I shouldn't I'm sick to be honest x
My GP said it was like vertigo caused by the high stress i was under last month. It was so bad, I had to see my son in distress every day, begging for help from camhs. It took it's toll and thats when all this dizziness and weakness began but it eased off for 2 weeks and now it's back but slightly different as it's when I rise from lying down or sometimes when lying flat. I feel such awful fatigue every day too, so tired even after 8 hours sleep.
It sounds like you have a very caring doctor and husband who don't put you down.
That awful feeling of the ground under our feet feeling like it's moving is an anxiety
symptom that I have as well. Those few moments or days when it doesn't happen, I realize I am stress free. Mostly I live in a high stress daily life with an anorexic daughter. It started back in high school when she refused to go to school and now she is 26. When that stress is all around you day in and day out, your body and emotional status react to what is happening. I've been through the "what ifs" with my health.
As for the dizziness, spacy liteheaded feeling, it usually means I need to hydrate.
I monitor my b/p and it doesn't seem to have any correlation with how I feel. Then I truly know it's the "Anxiety Bully" trying to take over. Besides hydrating, I also use
relaxation and meditation tapes which also help. So it's basically, been there, done that, it's just a part of living with anxiety. Good Luck
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