can anyone who has or has had dizziness please read

[miss sparkle]

Hi again.
Here is the thing, as anyone who has seen any of my posts May know my main problem is dizziness.
My question is, how do i know its anxiety related, and not something with my inner ear or something.
I went doctors 2 weeks ago and had blood tests-clear and she looked in my ears, and i have had a eye test which was ok. I don't really feel that anxious, so not convinced its all from that. I feel like i have constantly got that drunken feeling. Not to the extent i can't stand still or fall over, but sometimes i have to we down if its really bad.
I also get cracking in my ears when i open my mouth wide and stuff, so wondering if it is my ears. Sorry for long post, i am just fed up, and would like some advice before i decide to go back doctors. Thanks

[jarmummy123]

I get the cracking as well in my right ear. Do you have ear pain? I have pain in my right ear, right side jaw and cracking in same ear and I think its TMJ. Dr hasn't said that but I think it is. I also had dizzyness until I started citalopram. It was everyday but now its only briefly which I think may be the drugs but no where as bad as it was. Do you get headaches?

[miss sparkle]

Hiya. I have actually just msg you jakesmummy! I wouldn't say Its ear ache, just a cracking popping round in both ears. Yep, get headaches pretty much everyday, and generally a thick head feeling!

[Jamesk]

I ger really really bad dizziness - so bad I find it really hard to believe it is anxiety, but I can come up with no otehr explanation.

[miss sparkle]

Have you been doctors Jamesk, what did they say, i have told my doctors time and time again, but they look at me as if they dont know what to say!

[angel wings]

i have had dizzyness problems for a long time ever since i had my ear syringed i had a problem with my balance but docs still think it is anxiety i have had alot of tests done at ent and all come back fine so i have to just go with that it is anxiety i know it is very scary and frustrating feel i am always looking for answers.
i too have be put on citapram and am i the hope it will help as i have lots of other weird symptoms but dizzness is the worst if you havent seen ent i would ask the doctor to refer you

[ncfcfan85]

I also have dizziness, along with other symptoms as I have put in my post today, and it is the most horrible feeling. Walking down the street feeling like you will fall over, or waking up in the night and the room is spinning. It is a nightmare and like you say, the doctors just do not know what to say, so they just say the same old "Come back in 4-6 weeks if it's not improved" - surely they should notice that I am a regular visitor on an almost 2 or 3 times a month basis, but no!

Are your headaches really painful, or just dull? My head also feels very heavy, and my forehead feels very tight.

[jarmummy123]

My headaches are a band across the forehead and my temples feel sore along with my neck and shoulder muscles feeling sore. Its there pretty much as soon as I wake up.

[Jamesk]

Have you been doctors Jamesk, what did they say, i have told my doctors time and time again, but they look at me as if they dont know what to say!

Yup they put it down to anxiety :(

[miss sparkle]

My headaches vary, around my head, temples and sometimes at back of eyes. Not really painful, just coming and sometimes make me feel bit sickly,but not actually sick. Im not disregarding anyone who suffersother symptoms, but the dizziness really is starting to get me down now, i feel constantly fuzzy and light headed. Will the doctor refer me to ENT if i just ask?

---------- Post added at 16:17 ---------- Previous post was at 16:15 ----------

And yes angel wings, i was prescribed that, but haven't started taking it, not sure weather to start though, as getting desperate.

[jarmummy123]

Are your headaches daily?

Its worth asking for a referral especially as its getting you down and could be making anxiety worse.

[miss sparkle]

Yeah, pretty much daily. Sometimes i wake up with one, sometimes it takes until lunch, but at some point usually end up with one! I will go doctors Monday i think and ask to be referred. They have never given me that option.

[angel wings]

I had to ask to be referred as i was so worried and he did
just say how concerned you are and would like a referral i hate it when everything is blamed on anxiety and even if is it is better to check it is not a inner ear problem first

[miss sparkle]

Yeah, better to rule it out isn't it, though i get so worried waiting for tests results etc, it makes me feel worst ! Can't please some people! Lol

[angel wings]

I Know how you feel if you are reffered there is usally a long wait to get an appointment which is really annoying but i think it will help they do a hearing test and other balance related tests and will usally tell you there and then if they think you have a problem.
i also had my meds sat in the cupboard a few months before i took them didnt want to but couldnt carry on feeling pants all the time.
i hope all goes well at the doctors.:flowers:

[miss sparkle]

Thankyou. I am the sort of person who goes in to the docs and puts on bit of a show and does up playing down how bad i feel, so May take husband in with me! Lol.
Hope your meds work for you, keep me posted how you get on x

---------- Post added at 17:12 ---------- Previous post was at 17:11 ----------

*ends not does

[ncfcfan85]

Thankyou. I am the sort of person who goes in to the docs and puts on bit of a show and does up playing down how bad i feel, so May take husband in with me! Lol.
Hope your meds work for you, keep me posted how you get on x

---------- Post added at 17:12 ---------- Previous post was at 17:11 ----------

*ends not does

This is why I would like somebody to come to the doctors with me, someone who will put up a fuss, cos I am not good at it and I usually end up getting fobbed off :(

[jarmummy123]

My headaches are the same either from waking or start at lunchtimes. Sometimes they are bands across forehead, other times they seem all around.

[Abarth]

Hey Miss Sparkle, i'm right where you're at. It's less dizziness, but more a light headed vague feeling. By way of example, if I turn my head quickly, it takes my brain a second or so to catch up with my eyeballs. If I shake my head, it feels horrible. Does that sound familiar? My GP suggests that my body is so tense, esp around my shoulders, neck and scalp, that it is no surprise that I feel as I do. This is also the reason for the headaches. The trick is allowing yourself to believe that. When you do, you may well find that the symptoms desist. Your comment about headaches is interesting. I bet you occassionally go through a day without a headache, then as soon as you realise you have not had one, one appears!! Instant tension, instant headache!
A nightmare I know, and you have my sympathy. Keep with the positive thinking and tell your GP as it is. I think many of us sell it light at appointments in avoidance of a scary diagnosis! They can only treat what you tell them!
Take care
Ant

[angel wings]

Me too..... doctors say well you look alright and i usually walk out with my tail between my legs or i go in knowing what im going to say and the forget what i want to say when i get in to see them .....so i have to write down my symptoms so i dont forget or take someone in with me :ohmy:

[miss sparkle]

Yeah, i think you May have a point about the headaches ant, and yes spot on with why we try and play it down at the doctors. I give a slightly diluted version, because my actual worst nightmare would be if they took my symptoms serious, yet Im convinced its not caused by anxiety! HELP! lol
yes angel, Im useless once Im in there, i walk in all jolly and say 'hi how are you' the last time i went the doctors didn't speak for about 2 minutes, she just looked at me with a puzzled look, so i startedblahblahblah and practically told her it was anxiety!
Give me strength! Lol

[Abarth]

That's a brill impression of me at the docs too lol, so funny! It's mad how genius we all are in this forum, then like schoolchildren at the docs! Write it down in future, that's what I did. Stick with it Miss Sparkle, you'll be fine I'm sure. I'm still laughing at your last post, brilliant, I can just imagine it 'blah, blah, blah, I know it's just in my head, goodbye!' then have a good cry in the car. We shouldnt laugh, but we all do it!
All the best
Ant

[AngelHeart]

Hiya , you sound very much like me and I've been diagnosed with labyrinthitis . Its an inner ear infection which causes dizzyness and all the other symptoms you describe and unfortunatly can leave you feeling like this for weeks even months ( I'm at 20 weeks with mine :( ) although it does get better , I've only recently been able to a referal to ENT which is next month, I had to see 3 Drs to get this as they really don't undertsand this condition at all. Look at this website www.labyrinthitis.org (http://www.labyrinthitis.org/) its absolutly fantastic and will explain your symptoms. If you go on the guest page they're so many supportive people who are more than willing to help you, hope you get sorted soon, just want you to know your not alone xxx

[miss sparkle]

Ah Thankyou Pauline. I was looking at that myself when i made the mistake of Googling! I have had the dizziness since beginning of December, but the ear problems for the past month or so. Its so coming and starting to get right on my nerves. I am trying to work up some wrath to go doctors with tomorrow! Is there anything that can be done for this(if it is)
I sometimes get like a whoosh feeling in my ears which feels like all the has whooshed out if that makessense!?

[AngelHeart]

Ah Thankyou Pauline. I was looking at that myself when i made the mistake of Googling! I have had the dizziness since beginning of December, but the ear problems for the past month or so. Its so coming and starting to get right on my nerves. I am trying to work up some wrath to go doctors with tomorrow! Is there anything that can be done for this(if it is)
I sometimes get like a whoosh feeling in my ears which feels like all the has whooshed out if that makessense!?


Unfortunatly theres not much can be done, you usually have to wait it out I've been told. I've had it 20 weeks now but everyone is diff as to when you recover. I am much better than what I was ! Getting there slowly xx They may give you anti dizzy pills but been told that these can hinder the compensation to you're brain and its best not to take them. Took me to see 3 Drs before they would refer me to ENT ( and I wear hearing aids !! ) but ENT can give you VRT which is balance training exercises and most people have donw really well with these. Whoosing ot tinnitus is a very commen condition of labs too. Look on that website I've given you at the symptoms. Hope you're Dr is more understanding that what mine was, inbox me and let me know how you get on. xxx

[miss sparkle]

Thankyou. I have my appointment booked this afternoon, so i am going armed with my list of symptoms. I am not very optimistic as i am seeing the doc who prescribed me both depressions without even looking up from his computer!
Bloody dread going :-(
will let you know my i get on x

[paula lynne]

There is a good write up about dizzyness under Problems/Issues (Symptoms) in the left hand column. Good luck at the doctors today Miss Sparkle.
Paula x

[angel wings]

goodluck miss sparkle :)

[JoC93]

i get this too :( it feels as if your head is really foggy and heavy. like being drunk but without the fun! i find drinking water and keeping myself cool can help sometimes, like if im in college. that all the advice i have to offer though :( it is a horrible, annoying thing! x

[miss sparkle]

Hi Jo. Yes, its such a horrible feeling isn't it. I have been trying to drink loads of water, but i can't stand the stuff, so have switched to fruit tea instead of so much coffee instead!
So i went doctors last night and . . . . Da Da Daaaa (dramatic pause)
He gave me a nasal spray!
Eh? What- no running to the batphone to prepare a&e for my arrival!
No apparently he think i either have allergies, or a sinus something or other.
I gave him my list of symptoms
dizzy
light headed drunk feeling
cracking ears
fuzzy full head
unbalanced when laying down
headaches
sore eyes
spots in vision
tired no energy

He congratulated me on doing a list-and said everything would be consistent with sinus problem. I said i don't usually suffer with stuff like that-not even hay fever? Anyway i got a spray to try for a month.
I didn't ask about ent as he seemed quite sure that's what it was!
I saw him write that labyrthingy thing on my notes, but he didn't mention it to me .
Do i believe it will be cured with a spray. NO
Am i going to give it my best shot and try and trust the doctors because i am so pick and tired of feeling this way.YES.
wish me luck!
Hope your all ok, keep me posted x
MS

[angel wings]

they palmed the spray off to me too keep persisting and you will get there but they like too try the less expensive options first.....just to drag it out a bit more:)

[miss sparkle]

Did the spray help at all angel?
Where are you at with diagnoses and treatment atm?x

[angel wings]

no unfortunatly it didnt work for me athough i do actually get sinus problems also have tryed anti sickness tablets and other tablets to help with dizzyness for menires but they did not do much for me i was then told to try amitrypline at a low dose 10mg and that did help it is an anti depressent but can help with other things but i did have balance tests and saw an ent consultant who said i had no problems with my ears ,before i went down that route.it does take ages to get to that point , i also had some physio which did help a bit

---------- Post added at 11:10 ---------- Previous post was at 11:02 ----------

although its always worth giving the spray a go as it may work for you :)

[niky257]

Hi

just wanted to say re: dizziness that I had exact symptoms that you have described, doc put it down to virus this went on for about a year - by which time the symptoms had morphed into panic attacks because I was always terrified I was going to faint because of how I felt. I had never suffered panic attacks before. Anyway, I then self diagnosed the panic attacks and the doc (and by this time myself) put all symptoms from the start down to panic and anxiety. It wasnt until about 8 years later I was talking to a neurologist after an MRI scan (unrelated) and we talked about panic attacks and he asked me to describe the symptoms and he said he was 99.9% sure that I had inner ear problems originally and not anxiety. I now live with panic and anxiety as it got so bad before diagnosis, that it has never really left me. Anyway I wonder if it had been diagnosed earlier if I would have got so bad with the panic attacks - my point is, be realistic but don't let them fob you off :)

[angel wings]

hi
yes thats what happened to me was left waiting so long to get appointments that what im sure was an inner ear problem turned into anxiety and panic which i cant get rid of:mad:

---------- Post added at 11:42 ---------- Previous post was at 11:16 ----------

its really hard to advice as we are all different and waiting for results and appointments can make you even more anxious which causes dizziness seems like a never ending circle at times but i can tell you my dizziness has improved i hope yours does too :)

[miss sparkle]

Thanks for that niky and angel wings. I am not convinced about the spray, but i don.t know what to do regarding appointments now. If i do eventually do manage to get refered , is there anything that can be done about it? Or if its inner ear, does it just sort itself?
Its difficult to know when Im giving in to my anxiety by demanding more appointments, or if its simply that Im not happy with diagnosis!

[angel wings]

thats the thing im not sure what they can do for inner ear problems even if diagnosed

[niky257]

Thanks for that niky and angel wings. I am not convinced about the spray, but i don.t know what to do regarding appointments now. If i do eventually do manage to get refered , is there anything that can be done about it? Or if its inner ear, does it just sort itself?
Its difficult to know when Im giving in to my anxiety by demanding more appointments, or if its simply that Im not happy with diagnosis!

- Hi again! can I just say how sensible and realistic you sound about your anxiety - not sure if that's the right way to word it, but you sound in control - what I mean is good for you - in a completely non patronising admiring kind of way ! - blimey, I do waffle.....

[miss sparkle]

Ah bless, Thankyou :-)
I don't always feel sensible and in control i can tell you! Lol. I guess sometimes just get to the stage Im so fed up of listening to myself in my head being little miss doom and gloom, i have to give myself a stiff talking too. Doesn't work very often, hence the HA, but me,myself and I, do enjoy battling it out! Lol x

[LittleMissSleepy]

hello miss sparkle, angel wings et al. I've been following your thread with interest as I have been suffering on and off for the past 2 years with similar symptoms you've mentioned, vertigo/dizziness and long standing headaches (sometimes a month of 'brain fog'). I also occassionally have ringing ears and some balance issues.

My Dr has mentioned it maybe an inner ear thing, but he kept hoping it would clear up on its own. So no firm diagnosis yet. I have so many other symptoms I keep forgetting to mention I still get the vertigo issues to him. I have wondered if I have lab. But for 2 years, is this now an anxiety problem ? This is my newest 'fear' trying to sort out genuine health issues from anxiety symptoms. Thanks for listening. All the best.

[Worried_Male]

I had bouts of dizziness. It was so bad that at one point i was actually sick! Seems to have disappeared since i have been taking citalopram though. So it must have been anxiety related.

[AngelHeart]

I've had the anxiety / panic attacks brough on my labyrinthitis too, they are both related, the first and and second Dr I saw also tried to say that my anxiety/panic attacks were causing the balance/dizzy/eye probs which I know where untrue as they came before my panic/anxiety. I also mentioned to both Drs about labs and they fobbed me off even though I wear hearing aigs and have a condition that can atually eventually cause the symptoms I had. Took me to go to a third Dr who was really good with me and after decribing everything to him, he sent a referral to ENT. I don't know if it was because the Dr was young but he had read up about labs and had an understanding of it. as in the last 30 years or so more conditions are getting names and are more widespread most of these older Drs havent heard of these conditons and one thing that annoys me is that they put everything down to to anxiety !! Yes, I have health anxiety but I also have the right for each of my symptoms to be taken seriously. They are getting paid, that is their job !! Don't let them fob you off, stand your ground and if your not happy make a complaint ( which I did do years ago as Dr was fobbing stomach pain off which ended up being a grumbling appendix ) Go to another Dr if not happy and insist on what you want !!


Good luck to everyone :) xxx

[millie123]

hi
im not an expert but i have had ear / dizzy problems for 25 years. I believe they were triggered by pregnancy / hormones and stress.
I have seen numerous doctors over the years and finally about 8 yrs ago found a brilliant ENT doc. We have finally got to the root of the problem so my advice is to be persistent. There is light at the end of the tunnel..and even tho i still struggle with them sometimes knowing what is going on can be helpful.
My diagnosis is complex..1st i have EUSTACHIAN TUBE DYSFUNCTION...causes dizziness which makes you feel like you are walking on a boat..where the ground wobbles and is always moving. Also i get 'crackling and poppin' in my ears...sometimes my voice echoes and i feel like i am underwater when i speak. when the tube doesnt work properly it can cause fluid build up and this can make you dizzy....like on a boat.
I also have Meniers type symptoms..this is because of inner ear sensitivity and causes more of the vertigo dizziness which is when the room spins and u feel you are on a roundabout. this can make me very sick too.
I also *sigh* have sinus issues which is swelling of the sinus due to build up of mucus..it is called RHINITIS..
for all these i take tablets / sprays - SERC for the Menieres, AVAMYS for the sinus / Eustachian tube. FEROSMIDE -to drain the fluid.
I also suffer from panic / anxiety which i will be honest really increases the risk of more dizziness.
Doing Vestibular Exercises does work, and exercise..even tho its hard when you are feeling dizzy.
I have suffered so much with this and i sympathise with anyone who has it...it gets me down sometimes..but its important to keep positive..

The best advice i can give...find a fab ENT doctor..it really helped me..x

Millie x

[miss sparkle]

Hi everyone. Some new life in this thread, who would of thought debilitating dizziness would be so popular! Lol.
I honestly think i do have some ear issues going on, maybe aggravated by anxiety, but defiantly enough to be considered a problem in their own right.
Thankyou so much for the useful posts, as mentioned i got the nasal spray on Monday, which i am going to try, as i want to be fair and try the doctors suggestion, but if it hasn't worked in 3 weeks, im going back and defiantly demanding referral.
Its vicious as its making my anxiety worst constantly worrying about it, yet as mentioned it seems to 'flare up' when more anxious.
I have defiantly been feeling the brain fuzz/fog too recently!
Still keep trying to tell myself to chill out, but not easy as you all can understand Im sure. Hope your all well
take care and keep me posted
ms x