Anxiety after bad Vertigo Attack

[Orias]

Hi all,

I think I'm basically here for some peace of mind, or to see if there are any kindred spirits out there who have had a similar situation to mine!
I'm generally healthy, like to exercise (tennis & squash mainly), walk a lot (at least 10,000 steps a day) etc. I'm quite thin, but never really had any problems. For quite some time now (6+ years), I've been having the odd dizzy spell, maybe once a day, where everything starts to spin .. but then it fades and goes away. Initially I thought it was a symptom of PTSD after my dog bit off 2 of my fingers a few years ago (long story, they got put back on, and everything is fine).

Fast-forward to February this year, where I woke up at 7am and the room was spinning uncontrollably. My eyes were also darting all over the place and I couldn't get it to stop. Clearly, this was terrifying, but getting up and focusing on the TV made it subside. Went to bed that night, hoping to sleep it off ... but woke up at 3am and it was even worse. I had NO IDEA which way was up and which way was down. I went to the A&E (ER) where they pumped me full of Valium and who knows what else, and that seemed to solve the problem.

Things seemed to be ok after that. I had an MRI on my head, and that was fine. The ENT doctor checked me out and confirmed positional vertigo, so I was happy to know what it was, and expected it to go away.

Fast-Forward another 2 months, and suddenly I am light-headed and dizzy almost 24/7. I can be at my desk at work, when my heart starts racing, everything starts spinning, and I just get a sense of "dread", for want of a better word. The slightest thing seems to make these symptoms worse, and I really don't know what to do about it.

I went and had a full blood exam done, and everything there checked out fine. That's obviously a relief, as it rules out any sinister underlying condition, but it doesn't help me out of this permanent dream-like state that I am in.
I am a very calm and easy-going person. People always comment on how they have never seen me angry or stressed. I never shout, and I avoid confrontation at all times. But internally I know I am going through a pretty stressful period, both at work and in my personal life. Silly things like giving a speech at a wedding in 2 weeks have me filled with dread ... but I've been giving speeches and presentations for years at work, and it's never bothered me. I am terrified that something will happen, or I will just pass-out in front of all these people!

The doctor has told me to go back to the ENT again, and this light-headed sensation can easily be caused by ear, or even upper-back problems, but I am fairly convinced that this is an anxiety thing! It seems to have all of the hallmarks, and the more I think about it, the worse it gets .. the classic catch .22.

I want to do some sport, or some exercise, but each time I do, I get so lightheaded that I think I am going to pass out. And afterwards, I am pretty much on the sofa for the rest of the day, trying to recover and get my head to settle down. Again, that just makes me feel worse about myself and wonder if I will ever be back to normal again.

I don't know where this came from, and I always thought I would be the last person to suffer from something like this. But I think I just feel like talking about it and seeing if anyone else can relate and provide advice?

The biggest problem right now is that I am working out in Spain, so it's very hard to find anyone to talk to in English about this. It makes me feel a bit lost and alone, which obviously doesn't help!

I'm sorry for the long post, I just wanted to get as much of this written down as I can to see if it rings any bells with anyone!

Thanks

[mike83]

It sounds like the doctor thinks you have Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), but I thought that was only triggered when lying down? You seem to be having it more often. I actually had the same thing as a teenager and went to the doctor and he said it was a migraine (I had no head pain before, during or after so not a usual type of migraine?) and gave me some tablets but the tablets gave me the odd side effect of shoulder and neck ache (don't think they worked either), I was always able to sleep it off or it would eventually stop. I talked to someone online who told me about migraine associated vertigo (MAV) the full name for it. It happens now sometimes but usually only lasts 30 seconds or so, so not too bad. You need to talk to a doctor about MAV maybe, there may be some medication or treatments for it. I nearly forgot but I had some back + neck treatment (for this problem I believe - can't think why else I would have had it!), I remember him cracking my neck and back and thinking he was going to paralyze me! It might have helped actually.

[Orias]

Thanks Mike,

I'll give that a shot (if I can figure out how to say it in Spanish) and see if that rings any bells. My Father also had Meniere's disease when he was young, and they had to remove everything inside his left ear ... thinking of that doesn't help things.

If it is still related to vertigo, then at least I know what it is and I can control it. But I think the vertigo feeling, which was so unpleasant, has caused me to be very anxious about it ever happening again. And, ironically, that anxiousness is causing me to have the same dizzy/dreamlike sensations as the vertigo did anyway.

I am taking SERC 3 times a day (which I think it basically a sea-sickness pill), but the doctors also gave me Dogmatil (Sulpiride) tablets, and Valium. I still haven't taken a Valium, as I want to try to avoid that if I can. But the Sulpiride seems to be something that people take for anxiety? I've only taken about 3 of them in 3 months, but I am wondering if taking 1 a day might help with some of these symptoms, they are only 50mg.

In the meantime, I am just shouting at myself internally (and sometimes externally) to ignore this, and make it go away!!

[mike83]

Were you getting this dream like state before you were taking SERC? Have the doctors tested your blood pressure? I expect the Dogmatil would have to be taken regularly to have any effect, I've not heard of it before but apparently it can be used for anxiety.

You may need some treatment for the anxiety, try reading some books about anxiety etc. Have you ever passed out from the vertigo before? Try not to worry about something that might happen. Try and see an a doctor that can speak English too!

[Orias]

Hey Mike,

Every once in a while, I would get a brief "burst" of dizziness and light-headedness during the day. But it would just last 30 seconds or so, and that would be it. I can't really tell if the SERC is helping or not, as I've been taking it ever since the dreamlike state started. I take it either way, just for the placebo effect!

Since the vertigo attack, I now get that same feeling almost all the time. Having said that, I went for about 2 months after the vertigo where I was fine. This more permanent state is something recent that's come in the last month or so.

Blood pressure was spot-on when I had it tested, as were all of my other blood results. I haven't passed out from the vertigo/dizziness, no ... despite the fact I was convinced I was going to!

I do have an English-speaking doctor but, being August in Madrid, EVERYONE goes to the coast on holiday ... doctors included! It's ridiculous out here. If you get sick in August, you're basically screwed!

Thanks again for the advice, appreciate it.
Cheers