Feeling dizzy all the time and meds don't help - except Diazepam

[flimbo]

Hi.

First post here, so hi to everyone.
I wonder if anyone else has experieced anything like me and what kind of help they managed to get? Or any ideas that might help?

I am constantly feeling light-headed, dizzy, agitated and shaky. This has been going on for about 9 months now and I have been to my GP so many times it's really embarrasing to go back or phone them.
At first they thought it was labyrinthitis and prescribed meds for that, two different types, both didn't do anything.
Then they thought it could be anxiety and put me on Prozac. That did nothing either. So they put me on Escitalopram.
A couple of weeks later I went on holiday and felt so dizzy and awful I had to see the doctor where I was staying. He gave me some Diazepam which I took and within an hour I was feeling back to normal... The Diazepam enabled me to enjoy the rest of my holiday.

Back home I told my GP about this and they said that it confirms it is anxiety but can't prescribe Diazepam long term.
They then added Buspirone to my prescription and told me to take that with the Escitalopram.
I gave it some weeks and these meds are doing nothing just like the rest of the stuff they tried me on.
Now they want me to taper down the Escitalpram over three weeks and start Venlafaxine. I really don't want to be doing this. These are anti-depressants and I'm not depressed. I don't even know why I'm apparantely anxious but supposedly that's what it is.

I am so utterly frustrated with this I feel I can't go on. I have told my GP I can't go on like this, trying med after med that does nothing but Diazepam makes me feel normal but they won't prescribe the thing that makes me feel better.

I've had my blood pressure checked, several blood tests (all normal), ears and eyes checked too. All fine apart from this crippling light-headedness, dizziness, tense etc.
Also should mention I do have social anxiety but I have this dizzy feeling all the time. Maybe it lessens towards bedtime but that's about it.
Am trying some Kalms with Valerian root for a couple of days but no effect so far.

Thanks for any ideas.

[Jon644]

Hi. I have had the dizzy light headedness before. Sometimes i could feel fine then it would just come on out of the blue. Do you often get panic attacks because i put my dizziness down to my energy being drained by my nervous system.

Kalms contain valerian root but it's actually quite a small amount. The bulking powder and other additives are in a higher quantity than the root.
There is valerian tablets in Boots under the sleep and wellbeing section which are quite well priced and more affective.

[flimbo]

I have the dizziness all day from shortly after waking up until bedtime. Don't think it's panic attacks. I can't think of anything that would make me anxious apart from constantly feeling like this.

[Bueller3]

Hi Flimbo.... I know EXACTLY how you are feeling. Your story mirror's mine re. the advice/checks/drugs you've been given to a tee.
To give you a quick summary, I'm a 41 year old female - if you met me you would say I'm confident and happy, however, what people don't see is, probably very similar to yourself, I suffer with GAD and SAD. I think it stems from having low self esteem... I would imagine you may be similar? I won't bore you with my 'story', what I will give you is (and this is after spending huge amounts of money on all the checks etc/reading all the self help books/counselling/hypnotherapy/herbal medicines.. the list goes on) the best bit of reading for someone who is suffering with what you describe. I can't post the actual link as I haven't posted enough on this website but Google -' nothingworks.weebly and it will come up.

Don't let the title put you off! It's about a guy called Chris (he's the author) who has suffered really badly with anxiety and what he did about it. You might even laugh when he describes some of it as you'll know what he's talking about!

The other book (which coincidentally is mentioned in the above) is by Dr. Claire Weekes. I think it's called Essential Help for your Nerves or similar. Again, really useful advice.

Hope this helps you. In my experience, I have good and bad 'patches' depending on what is happening in my life.

I hope this helps you and also, again in my experience, make you feel like you're not the only person in the world with it as I know it can make you feel like that!

[flimbo]

Thanks for that. I will check out the website and book.