Giddy, Lopsided, horrible feeling

[judipat]

Hi everyone

Hav'nt posted for a while, but have been reading a lot - I find this site so reassurring.
Life is pretty stressful at home at present and I've been suffering with my anxiety really bad. I have had a couple a really bad attacks of giddy, lightheaded, lopsided, "not quite in this world". This is new for me and they are so frightening. Of course, I panic more when I have them and that makes things ten times worse - I cant help it, they make me feel so ill. I've had to come home from work a couple of times.
I went to the docs and he thought it may be labrynthitis - gave me some tablets, but they gave me terrible side affects.
I keep thinking the worst - is it a brain tumour or am I going to have a stroke???? How ever much I tell myself its anxiety - I still panic. I cant stop thinking about things - my mind seems to be going a million miles an hour all the time.
As you can tell by this thread, which is very disjointed - I am just not functioning very well at all.

[Shiloh]

Hi Judipat

Like you I find this site invaluable, it has me helped so much.

Hope I can reassure you that the giddy, lopsided, not quite there in this world feelings are quite common and won't harm you, or are they indicative of anything else but anxiety. I get them regularly and not just when you would expect them either. They seem to come out of the blue and for no good reason.

My strategy is a few good deep breaths, try and breathe from your stomach, and breathe slowly. Count 4 breathing in and 3 or so breathing out. I read this on this forum and it works for me. You mileage may vary, but it's worth a try.

Also look at these, these people have more knowledge/experience than me


How Do You Do The Breathing (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4042)

Breathing.. wow (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4037)

Breathing Techniques (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4044)

READ THIS!!! Proper breathing technique! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8044)




Doctor's sometimes try various drugs cos they can't pin down exactly what the problem is and trying to describe these anxious feelings/symptoms to them is very difficult sometimes.

Hope you feel better soon

[nomorepanic]

A lot of it is incorrect breathing so try and get on top of that as well.

Practice this and it may help.

[mirry]

if your gp suggest an inner ear disorder like he has , then if things dont improve you need to be seen by your local audiology department.
I have had these feeling for about 5 years now and have only just been told it is my inner ear, I am still having tests because I failed 2 of them .

still doesnt help my panic attacks tho :weep: .

[ladygrom]

i have them they are frightinin think it is unreality and depersonlization i stopped going out cus of them its as tho you arnt connected to this world i also feel spaced oout .its as tho the pavement not solid like walking on sponge or air very frightening its very hard explaining to doctors i have had it 4 4 months had it 13 years ago aswll you are not alone tc elaine