Constant dizziness

[AmandaB]

Hi

I've suffered from anxiety for many years and I have had many different debilitating symptoms but by far dizziness is one of the worst. When I say dizziness I mean more of a vertigo feeling. I've felt this way on and off for so long I don't think I know what it would be like to feel normal any more.

The dizziness has been worse since last year when I supposedly had labyrinthitis - which I am still unsure I had. All I know is I woke up in the middle of the night and any slight movement was horrific. I went to A&E and they diagnosed labyrinthitis though I didn't have any ear pain or flu etc.

The problem is everyday I feel "off" for example today I woke up feeling really anxious and at work all day I felt strange. It's like I'm moving when I'm not, like I am going to fall off my chair and other weird vertigo feelings: it is awful and I feel like I just want to burst into tears. I cannot believe that it's just anxiety making me feel like this. I've had blood tests, an MRI scan a few years back, I've tried Citalopram (which made me feel even worse unbelievably) and I just don't know what to do next. Even now while typing I feel if I move a certain way I'll bring the dizziness on. Does anyone else have a vertigo-like dizziness virtually every day?

[Just Some Guy]

I had it every day for about three weeks after developing GAD, I too thought it was something like Labyrinthitis but it turns out it was caused by problems with my neck muscles. One night, similar to what you describe, I woke up in terrible neck pain and couldn't move my head, I massaged the neck until the pain went away and each day after that the pain got less and less until it went away.

Have you tried getting your neck muscles massaged? They could be contributing, if not the cause.

[AmandaB]

I always thought my neck may be part of the problem but every doctor I have been to have said that it is definitely not neck related. My symptoms are so weird and have been going on for a long time.

There is not a day that goes by when I don't feel dizzy/vertiginous. But it seems to be worse if for example I sit a certain way if I lay my head back or to the side. Sometimes I could be sitting at my desk and all of a sudden ill feel everything moving and I have to quickly get up or I'll feel like I will fall on to the floor.

I also have tinnitus in one ear and a few years back I had a hearing test/mri scan to rule anything out. but i still have no idea what to do next. I just want to feel normal especially as I have always been so anxious and have numerous other symptoms such as palpitations, feelings of dread, etc it feels like the symptoms will never go away.

[nataliewoods88]

hi there i has very similar symptoms and they are very horrible/scary/annoying. It could be you have uncompensated labyrthitis, which is where its not the usual virus, its the longer standing illness which you need corrective therapy to retrain your brain and inner ear to match and work together, this was why i got so dizzy. My dizziness has passed with time, although i was on meds for a spell. Anxiety defo creates and maintains dizziness aswell. hope your okay! x

[countrygirl]

This may help you to understand why you get dizzy. I have severe neck problems ( bad arthritis and prolapsed disc) and have had constant varying levels of unsteadiness dizziness and true spinning vertigo for over 15 years. My neursurgeon told me that all his neck patients have balance problems as the bones and muscles in your neck have balance receptors in them that send messages to your inner ear. anything that affects your neck affects your balance so in my case I have structural neck problems that affect these receptors but anything that tenses your neck muscles up and anxiety is a biggie will have exact same effect even if you have no stuctural problems with neck.

HOpe this makes sense!

[AmandaB]

Well last night I went to sleep a little stressed but okay, and this morning I woke up again with severe vertigo. My mum phoned the doctor (as I could not even get out of bed) and I have some pills which I took for a previous attack. The doctor said the pills were all that I could take and just to rest.

I have been dreading this coming back and now it has I feel like it will never end. I am sitting here feeling dizzy and fed up to be honest. I still dont feel like it has anything to do with my ears. (the doctor sort of said it could be BPPV). As a life long anxiety sufferer I always think the worse. The dizziness lasts for hours and is when I change position and is so disabling.

I sometimes do feel like it stems from my neck but I'm not sure if the neck would cause such extreme vertigo upon waking.

[TheScript]

I feel dizzy alot too. It's common in anxiety. Hope you're feeling a little better.

[ddonaghey1989]

ive been suffering since january. constant dizziness that never leaves me its gottten slowly better over the past 8 months bt its still there and my anxiety is through the roof. when it first started i couldnt get out of bed for over a week and then i stayed on the sofa for another few weeks. i still dont no if its labs or anxiety. iv always suffered with anxiety bt not too bad no panic attacks or anything. bt all i no is now my anxietys horrible i feel weak, shaky and nervous and it makes my dizziness worse. im even worse at night for some reason. did your dizziness ever go away? x

[AmandaB]

Vertigo is truly awful. I am taking Stemetil and the vertigo eased off after about 4 hours. However, i'm not sure whether the pills helped or not. I still feel slightly unbalanced and I dread the mornings as both attacks have happened when waking up. I work as well so I don't want to take too much time off as I haven't worked there long.

It's as though once the attack has peaked the vertigo is still present in the background and if I lean slightly or move my head back for example, the dizziness will start again by this I mean I feel like I'm going to fall of my surroundings spin.

My main worry is that it is something serious. The last attack before Fridays was almost a year ago but throughout the whole time my life has been affected as I have felt degrees of imbalance/dizziness the whole time, however the attacks are the worst! I know there are vestibular rehabilitation exercises but I think I would be way too anxious to try them as they are meant to induce the dizziness to work and that sounds terrible.

[ddonaghey1989]

i feel the same about the exercises.the thought of making my dizziness worse freaks me out. ive never had spinning vertigo which im so glad of. have u had any testing done? my symptoms seemed to be like vestibular neuritis as i had a vomiting bug and that triggered the dizziness. i seen an ent who wasnt convinced it was inner ear as my dizziness was gradual and wasnt spinning. i seen a neurologist who said nothing neurological there so im just left now not knowinh if ill ever feel normal again :,( so depressing

[AmandaB]

Well I tried to get into work today, which I did and immediately felt so ill I had to go home (which was a feat in itself!). I practically collapsed. I felt lightheaded and like everything was moving. Anyway I am at a loss at what to do next. I feel this will never end. I know my anxiety makes it worse but the vertigo is a separate issue and I need to find out what is causing it. My doctor just seems to thing it is BPPV, however I think I read that only lasts a few minutes. I am so fed up of feeling ill.

[ddonaghey1989]

i can so sympathise with you :( have you seen an ent or neurologist yet they can do vestibular testing to see if its inner ear. normally vertigo is an inner ear thing but others with anxiety suffer. im trying to find out whats causing mine too. it started after a virus which is making me think it cudnt be anxiety. i just want to feel normal again im fed up feeling ill. ive been like this constantly since january x

[gareth700]

I also feel dizzy quite often, but then I go for a long walk and then feel much better.

[AmandaB]

My doctor has diagnosed me with Meniere's Disease. I am not sure this is correct. I have never noticed hearing changes or fullness in my ear. Anyway I have been given other medication. I am really scared I will lose my job due to this. It is all so depressing and being anxious anyway certainly does not help.

[ddonaghey1989]

i dont think that diagnosis is correct either. go onto www.dizzytimes.com its great for people who have inner ear problems theres some people who could help you.
ino how you feel anxiety makes things worse for me too i think about being dizzy nearly every minute of everyday its horrible