Floor moving feeling again. Anyone else?

[Bonnibelle]

Sorry to post again. For a few weeks now when I walk around I feel unsteady in my legs like I am walking on a boat. It makes me feel very unsteady and my head feels dizzy.

My gp came to see me 2 weeks ago..I was so terrified that week I lay in bed crying scared to walk round my house. He did a full check, looked in my eyes and assured me it wasn't what I was scared it was. I was scared it was brain related. He then spoke to me on he Thursday a few days later and I asked him to check me again but he said there was no need and that it was all anxiety and immense stress I have been under.

I did improve last week. I still had it but it was much better. Yesterday I suddenly felt the floor move quite badly and I panicked. My throat goes tight and anxiety races through me making my legs weak. It's a symptom that terrifies me. Well after that it was constant again, I was thinking oh no its back as bad as 2 weeks ago, what I'd it's a tumour, oh no christmas will be ruined if this doesn't stop....

I've woken up scared about the day ahead. I've been facing this daily walking around the house and over time my fear dropped alot but the moment it hits again strong I panic.

Can anyone relate and reassure me this is normal with anxiety? I have no idea how to tackle this :weep:

[Movielife]

Dizziness is horrid, but it is very often just caused by things that are not going to affect your health.





EG – ear infection(s), vestibular migraines, migraines in general (if you feel pain), too much stress and super high anxiety, things like nervous breakdowns. There are other inner ear mishaps that can occur that are completely harmless, like extremely small particles getting trapped in the inner ear system.





I’ve since met quite a few people with similar conditions to me. Even people younger (in their early 20s) or older (40s) have similar types of dizzziness. They don’t have anxiety (or if they do it is at a low level like mine used to be) so they get on with it.





I’ve since spoken to an old contact who said he had dizziness which stopped once his anxiety stopped. Completely. He did have a rough year of anxiety and depression but he said he got through it.





Mine comes and goes. I’ve been informed by specialists that they think it is vestibular migraines. At the moment I barely have any dizziness. Barely anything. It stopped 4 weeks ago. I’ve had tests, and they’ve also ruled out menieres disease (which affects your hearing as well but again isn’t life threatening or serious, just not very nice).





I was in Florida about 5-6 weeks ago for 2 weeks and I was having a bad time with dizziness in the parks which was exacerbated by worry, anxiety and the sheer heat and humidity.





I have no idea why it is better now, but the fact it does come and go, and NEVER gets really bad (I can drive/do normal things) to the point where I am sick or can’t walk thankfully. I’ve heard of others who have to have a day in bed with it.





Don’t google your symptoms. Ever. The GP is an expert and will refer you if he needs to.

[Bonnibelle]

A couple of weeks ago it affected me so bad I was in bed for a week. That's when the gp came out to see me. I couldn't drive but my head wasnt dizzy it was all in my legs. I felt ill though, weak, heavy headed... my gp said it was all the high anxiety. That has calmed now and those physical symptoms have subsided alot but now I am left with this dizziness that just feels like the ground moves as I walk or like I am heavy and going to fall through it. It's horrible. It keeps causing me to panic something serious us wrong.

I won't Google. I never do that.

Thanks.

[Movielife]

A couple of weeks ago it affected me so bad I was in bed for a week. That's when the gp came out to see me. I couldn't drive but my head wasnt dizzy it was all in my legs. I felt ill though, weak, heavy headed... my gp said it was all the high anxiety. That has calmed now and those physical symptoms have subsided alot but now I am left with this dizziness that just feels like the ground moves as I walk or like I am heavy and going to fall through it. It's horrible. It keeps causing me to panic something serious us wrong.

I won't Google. I never do that.

Thanks.


Sorry to hear that. I'm glad its not as bad as it was. I have heard other who have inner ear conditions (that aren't serious) have re-balancing exercises given by ENT to try and balance out the inner ear issue. They also have to spend time in bed with it and sometimes vomit as their heads are literally spinning. I feel lucky not to have that.


It will make you panic, and I'm sorry to hear it affects you like that. Some people walk through life thinking 'ah, it won't kill me, I'll be fine', whilst others like us panic and think the absolute worst scenario and make it so much more intense.


I know the ground moving feeling....not nice.


My GP told me the issue with dizziness is that it does cause panic, but it is hard to pin down a cause of it. Anxiety and stress (once it has hit your threshold) will cause it.


Reading about vestibular migraines - it says the condition goes misdiagnosed for years with some people, and it causes a lot of worry, upset, and leads to some getting very anxious. It is treatable. This is hopefully what I have....and I'll be happy to just deal with it and take meds when needed.

[Leslie735]

I have had that before, 3 times actually. The first time was after I rode the Dumbo ride at Disney in Orlando, Florida. I felt like I was walking around on a bounce house and my head felt heavy and strange. It lasted about a week then went away. Then the 2nd time was after a plane ride to go see family, that time it lasted about 3 weeks. Then the most recent time was after a road trip to go camping and it lasted 2 weeks. The first two times I had a cold and the doctor thinks it was sinus infection causing it but the most recent time I wasn't sick but went to see my doctor and again he said it was a sinus infection. Honestly, I think most of it was high anxiety because all 3 times I was having a lot of anxiety.

[debs71]

Sorry, but as much as ear problems. vestibular migraines, etc, etc. can indeed cause balance issues and dizziness, I think that Bonnibelle's cause is anxiety, just going by the posts I have read.

The problem sometimes with anxiety is that we find it hard to believe that is IS anxiety creating such horrendous physical effects, and we look for any other reason for it, mostly that there is a physical problem going on.

I just don't see this from what Bonnibelle describes.

There are too many other obvious anxiety issues happening at the same time - tight throat, weakness, racing brain/thoughts.

The fact that Bonnibelle's dizziness comes and goes also indicates fluctuating anxiety....a physical issue would not just come and go willy-nilly.

I really do think that your anxiety needs to be heavily addressed, Bonnibelle. I am not sure how active your GP is being with that right now, but it sounds like not much at all. x

[pulisa]

I agree with Debs71. It's your anxiety which needs addressing and checking and your GP should be referring you for therapy as opposed to continually reassuring you regarding your fears that you have a brain tumour.

I'm not sure that you believe that anxiety is causing these symptoms? Believe me it can and does but until you believe this you're just going to continue fearing far worse. Therapy would be able to help you rationalise your fears and deal with uncertainty as regards horrible physical symptoms. I'm going through a health scare at the moment and have decided to try 1-1 CBT again. Being a Mum to children with difficulties brings a tremendous sense of responsibility to us .Please consider some therapy for your HA?

[Bonnibelle]

Thank you very much.

My gp suggested increasing my meds and having my cbt again. I had to go private all last year and it helped the intrusive thoughts I was having but it's not helped since the physical symptoms and at £60 a session I can't afford to throw money away. The NHS wait here for cbt is 18 months and that's why I went private.

I just need to help myself I guess. I got well before when my anxiety affected me in a different way. I'm just overwhelmed by this scary physical symptom.

It we've went completely last week but it was alot better.

Thank you for your reply.

B


Sorry, but as much as ear problems. vestibular migraines, etc, etc. can indeed cause balance issues and dizziness, I think that Bonnibelle's cause is anxiety, just going by the posts I have read.

The problem sometimes with anxiety is that we find it hard to believe that is IS anxiety creating such horrendous physical effects, and we look for any other reason for it, mostly that there is a physical problem going on.

I just don't see this from what Bonnibelle describes.

There are too many other obvious anxiety issues happening at the same time - tight throat, weakness, racing brain/thoughts.

The fact that Bonnibelle's dizziness comes and goes also indicates fluctuating anxiety....a physical issue would not just come and go willy-nilly.

I really do think that your anxiety needs to be heavily addressed, Bonnibelle. I am not sure how active your GP is being with that right now, but it sounds like not much at all. x

---------- Post added at 13:51 ---------- Previous post was at 13:50 ----------

Thank you Leslie.

I appreciate your reply


I have had that before, 3 times actually. The first time was after I rode the Dumbo ride at Disney in Orlando, Florida. I felt like I was walking around on a bounce house and my head felt heavy and strange. It lasted about a week then went away. Then the 2nd time was after a plane ride to go see family, that time it lasted about 3 weeks. Then the most recent time was after a road trip to go camping and it lasted 2 weeks. The first two times I had a cold and the doctor thinks it was sinus infection causing it but the most recent time I wasn't sick but went to see my doctor and again he said it was a sinus infection. Honestly, I think most of it was high anxiety because all 3 times I was having a lot of anxiety.

---------- Post added at 14:02 ---------- Previous post was at 13:51 ----------

Thank you

This is the first time I've been to my gp for reassurance. Usually I see my gp maybe once or twice a year. He jokes how he never sees me now. He's very supportive with my anxiety and 3 years ago did refer me for cbt but the wait was 18 months. I went private and had therapy for 18 months to help my intrusive thoughts and agoraphobia. It helped alot along with self help books.

I re started my cbt again 2 months ago. My gp said that was exactly what I needed to do but I haven't found it at all helpful this time. A little maybe but not enough to spend £60 a week! Honestly I learn more from Claire weekes. Shes a good therapist, very good but I've just not found it helpful as such with health anxiety. She has told me about living in the now, doing mindfulness, refocusing on my hobbies, bringing on the dizziness by spinning round and feeling it, teaching me to face my fear and avoid sitting around to avoid the dizziness, talked about rationalising fears, call out what I feel and fear. .... so I have been taught alot but it's very similar to what the cbt 4 Panic workbooks teach that I have used in the past.

I have considered re doing the CBT 4 PANIC course.

I also agree I don't believe anxiety can cause how I feel. When I walk around I feel I'm swaying inside, like the ground is moving and like my legs are falling through it. I feel it mainly in my lower body but it also makes me feel woozy in my head. It's very scary and I feel I need something to hold onto. Just standing still I feel I'm falling through the floor. It's very strange. It had improved a little last week. I am now feeling it quite strong again.

I have been under a period of high stress with my son unwell and my daughter has had illness after illness recently. The main stressor has been my son plague by panic attacks since being bullied and then he told us he had felt suicidal all year. Camhs refused to help so for a month things got worse and I was left seeing my son deteriorate.it was awful. Camhs have now agreed to help and my stress has started to fall a little.

Thank you for replying to me. I know if I could stop adding this second fear I would be OK. It's my fear of it being serious causing me to panic.

B x

Thanks for your reply.
I agree with Debs71. It's your anxiety which needs addressing and checking and your GP should be referring you for therapy as opposed to continually reassuring you regarding your fears that you have a brain tumour.

I'm not sure that you believe that anxiety is causing these symptoms? Believe me it can and does but until you believe this you're just going to continue fearing far worse. Therapy would be able to help you rationalise your fears and deal with uncertainty as regards horrible physical symptoms. I'm going through a health scare at the moment and have decided to try 1-1 CBT again. Being a Mum to children with difficulties brings a tremendous sense of responsibility to us .Please consider some therapy for your HA?

[matrix123]

It's very very likely anxiety. I was having it every day several episodes. In my case I had the sensation of floor moving and not feeling stable for 1-2 seconds. Always worried I would fall, but never did.

Now that I'm worried about something else, don't have this issue anymore...

[Bonnibelle]

Thank you Matrix.

Did you ever see your doctor about it? Did you have it a long period of time? It's been about 4 weeks now.

[matrix123]

Yes I had it for months... Tried to convince myself it was anxiety... And it did go away

[Bonnibelle]

What tests did your gp do if you don't mind me asking? Wasn't your gp concerned?


Yes I had it for months... Tried to convince myself it was anxiety... And it did go away

[Movielife]

Sorry, but as much as ear problems. vestibular migraines, etc, etc. can indeed cause balance issues and dizziness, I think that Bonnibelle's cause is anxiety, just going by the posts I have read.

The problem sometimes with anxiety is that we find it hard to believe that is IS anxiety creating such horrendous physical effects, and we look for any other reason for it, mostly that there is a physical problem going on.

I just don't see this from what Bonnibelle describes.

There are too many other obvious anxiety issues happening at the same time - tight throat, weakness, racing brain/thoughts.

The fact that Bonnibelle's dizziness comes and goes also indicates fluctuating anxiety....a physical issue would not just come and go willy-nilly.

I really do think that your anxiety needs to be heavily addressed, Bonnibelle. I am not sure how active your GP is being with that right now, but it sounds like not much at all. x



No I agree, I just wanted to reassure people that there are many causes of dizziness, not just those that come up when you are worried about it (eg the frightening ones!). I agree that this sounds like acute anxiety.


I am no GP but I have heard SO many anxiety sufferers say dizziness is one of the worst physical symptoms they get, which in turn makes them more anxious.

[helenclaire]

I have being having this for some time.

It's really getting me down, just don't know how anxiety can cause such awful symptoms.

I feel like I need to hold on to things when I walk around, I also feel very tearful as I can't find anything that helps, its there nearly all the time.
It's making me agoraphobic as I fear going out in case I collapse.

Its a vicious circle because the dizziness is making the anxiety worse, but I am told the anxiety makes the dizziness worse, but I can't stop feeling anxious when I feel so bad.
:weep:

[Bonnibelle]

Helen

That's exactly how I feel and it's really flared up my agoraphobia. I feel so low because of it and find I spend a lot of my day just stuck at home.dreading walking round.

Private message me if you'd like to chat.

B x

(QUOTE=helenclaire;1499451]I have being having this for some time.

It's really getting me down, just don't know how anxiety can cause such awful symptoms.

I feel like I need to hold on to things when I walk around, I also feel very tearful as I can't find anything that helps, its there nearly all the time.
It's making me agoraphobic as I fear going out in case I collapse.

Its a vicious circle because the dizziness is making the anxiety worse, but I am told the anxiety makes the dizziness worse, but I can't stop feeling anxious when I feel so bad.
:weep:[/QUOTE]

[matrix123]

Basically dismissed it as anxiety...and he was right


What tests did your gp do if you don't mind me asking? Wasn't your gp concerned?

[Bonnibelle]

That's reassuring. Thank you.


Basically dismissed it as anxiety...and he was right