I feel like i'm losing myself

[markw2211]

Hi guys,

First time poster having recently joined. Here is my story (I will keep it as brief as possible).

About 2 months ago in the gym on the treadmill during warm up I started to feel a little off balance. This feeling gradually worsened to the point of me stopping the treadmill and reaching out for my personal trainer. His face was one of fear. I went pale, numb face, tunnel/blurry vision & feeling like i was going to pass out and die on the spot.

Trainer thought I was having a minor stroke but i was coherent and managed to get home in a taxi where symptoms lasted about an hour before subsiding.

I visited the docs the next day to which he immediately said he felt I had a major panic attack and prescribed me clonazepam, very small dose and don't really seem to work.

To get to the point I have now got re-occurring dizziness to the point of it is becoming overwhelming. It's only when I walk, it feels like i'm walking outside my body it then makes me feel scared and I begin to panic.

Thus far I have had ecg (fine) eeg (fine) vng (some abmormality) so going to see an ent specialist.

However although I know ears can be sensitive when it comes to balance I know anxiety is playing a big part here and its spiralling out of control. Only time the dizziness goes if after a few beers but the hangovers would make the panic 10 times as bad.

I'm a 32 year old male with no previous health issues. Always been an over thinker but this is getting the better of me. Leaving my apartment to go to the shops is now like an ordeal and i haven't been the gym since a second episode happened there about 2 weeks ago (after that first event I always felt like I was fighting off the dizziness in the gym)

Is anyone else living with constant dizziness? It bought me to tears today so decided to post and try and gain perspective. It's really taking over my life. Partly I feel I may be suffering PTSD from that happening in the gym, it's like I refuse to accept anxiety could cause that as it honestly felt like I was going to die, was absolutely terrifying.

Anyone that can share their thoughts or best ways to cope would be great as I'm really suffering.

[ratladder]

I promise you're not losing it! I have experienced the dizziness and numbness in some of my more severe panic attacks (the first few times I had one and when I was outside in the heat for a long time) and it's really scary but it doesn't stay that way forever.

It's defiantly a scary feeling and I'm sorry you're going through it, I'd suggest that the best thing to do at this point is to try to find a psychiatrist who you're comfortable with to discuss the possibility of a more effective medication for you and a therapist to try and work through some of the underlying stress that may be causing the panic attacks.

Other things that I have found very effective in long term help are acupuncture and regular exercise outdoors.

When I first had a panic attack I was convinced that my whole life would fall apart and I wouldn't ever be able to live "normally" again but with the help of therapy I've gotten through my fear of the anxiety itself. It's a very scary thing to experience and it takes time to work through but it doesn't last forever, hang in there!

[markw2211]

Thank you for the reply ratladder.

The dizziness though is now becoming overwhelming every single time I walk. I love the gym and exercise but anything that doesn't involve sitting or being lay down at present is a chore.

Literally to the point of finding it hard to go to the shops 50metres from my apartment because it feels like im walking outside my body and I just feel off and really not myself.

The more frequently this is happening the worse I am feeling.

[ARIES34]

I experience almost chronic dizzy sensations. In my case it feels like I'm constantly walking on a boat during a heavy storm.

[DNR]

Mark, you have described my symptoms excactly, did you get any medication to help you with the dizziness? as I am going to the GP on thursday for these reasons and I am so nervous and fed up of daily dizzy spells and the feeling of being drunk, it is scary as I fear it might be something more sinister.

[markw2211]

DNR the doctor has put me on clonazepam.

.5mg in the morning. 1mg at night, to be honest it doesn't seem to be working.

I have been for an ear test an seems there maybe physical reasons for me, going for an mri next week which will tell all healthy or not.

I still suffer anxiety regardless but since that time in the gym I have never been so fearful an the dizziness just sets it right off!

[Bigboyuk]

Hi Mark How long have you been on your meds? 1. You need to give it time to work around 6-8 weeks 2. The doses especially the night time one does seem a bit low to me, but I am not a dr So do check with your Gp first Let us know what he/she says Cheers