Dizziness and blurred vision

[Andrew.T]

Hi all, my name is Andrew, and i am 25 years old from spain. Before this summer just gone i knew nothing of anxiety, nervousness, stress, etc. They were happier times. In June i went to the doctors cos i had headaches, slightly blurred vision and felt generally off. he said i might be dehidrated as i told him i had done 2 or 3 weeks of intense excercise. I went back 5 days later with dizziness and was diagnosed with vertigo, for which i took dogmatil for about a week and was better. went back to tennis and lasted 35 minutes then had to sit down, i thought i was going to faint, it came on all of a sudden. As i look back, i realise this was a panic attack. i went back to doctors and in the weeks that followed i had all sorts of tests including ears, eyes, CT scan, blood, thyroid etc. all clear. However i have convinced myself there is something wrong, something they are missing. but on the other hand, my symptoms come on stronger when in stressful situations, and my hands, feet and brow start sweating, and i have now been told i have anxiety and there is nothing wrong with me. Now all i have to do is lose the anxiety and i will be ok. Easy no? Ha ha. I feel like i am not myself anymore, i feel like someone else. and also i can be working or watching tv or driving and its like im not really there, like its a dream or something. I used to be someone who was on the ball with everything all the time, everything under control and in order. and now i dont know what im doing. im completely lost and things just pass me by. I need to get back to normal but i dont know how. i dont even know where to start. Hope this site helps, so pleased i found it. regards, Andrew.

[House fan]

Hi Andrew,

So sorry to hear that you are going through a hard time right now. You may be thinking the MD's are missing something, that is extremely common with sufferers, but I can assure you they have not!

It's a classic case of anxiety, and I can just imagine how scary it is for you because it has only started to raise it's ugly head recently, up until then you took 'good health' for granted, and had your whole life in front of you, right?

Well here's the good news, you still have your whole life ahead of you, you just need to learn how to manage anxiety properly. I can imagine you trying to fight it, which is exactly what most sufferers do in the begining, until they quickly realise that fighting it is the absolute wrong way to handle the problem, in fact, it only makes things worse.

This 'affliction' you have received recently can be brought under control only by truly accepting that your nerves have you 'duped' at the moment, and that with true acceptance, and a bit of time, every one of your symptoms will lessen, and then disappear altogether. I would strongly advise you to buy Dr Claire Weekes book, 'self help for your nerves', and read it cover to cover. I think you will find all the answers in that little book, my friend.

Take care

House.

[LeeBee]

Hey Andrew

I agree with House that "fighting" anxiety only leads to more of the same. Anxiety is like quicksand - the more you fight and struggle the deeper you get sucked down. Acceptance and learning to deal is the way to go.

It needn't necessarily be all bad, either. I know it seems that way now, but working through your anxiety could be a way for you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself, of others and of life. If that's not too hippy :).

Leebee x

[marlou]

without a doubt, house is right, stay strong!

[Andrew.T]

Thanks for your replies, i agree, fighting it isnt helping at all. so im just gonna take it day by day and just accept what is happening and let it flow. But at the same time i have to try and distract myself and go back to normal everyday actions that seem so long ago now. Last night for example i watched "Die hard with a vengeance" and completely forgot about everything!!! i must have enjoyed it!! when it finished i had a shower and went to bed. And i slept pretty well!!! and this morning hasnt gone too badly either. i suppose i will have some low moments during the day but at least its not all bad. thanks again. regards, Andrew

[LeeBee]

Distraction can be really useful. When I'm feeling my most anxious and slipping into panic attack, distraction can stop it going any further and bring me out of it. Watching a light movie is a good one, like a comedy or an action film like you did. It sounds like you're finding strategies for dealing with your anxiety, which is brilliant :).

[Adam Thompson]

i hate that feelin of feeling like your not there.
its awfull, hard to explain how it feels, i get it in supermarkets too, start sweating , dizzy..feelin detached, sometimes feel like im floating when im driving not in full control.

[panic123321]

This is me in a nutshell pretty much. It's mad reading you story again and again on this site. Not that I'd wish these feelings on anyone else but it's nice to know I'm not alone. The thing about me is that I've stopped having panic attacks but I'm still getting the symptoms. My stress has lessened a lot but it's still not going away. What else can I do to help it?

[alan09344]

I get the same thing I have since Jan this year.

It all started for me when i fainted on the train twice ina few minutes. It gave me a fear of the train as i though I would faint on the train all the time. I can say I have come along way in a 9 months or so. But I am far from feeling the way I used to. It is something that still has a major impact in my life and for the past year I have been purposely putting myself in situation that make me feel uncomfortable to try and fix the issue. I find that I can eventually see past the feelings of faint etc. when i have been in a place for an amount of time, ie a supermarket.

For people who have just come down with the condition. I kid you not, it is a living hell but it does get alot better. It can sometimes even for me be upsetting that I no longer feel comfortable going for meal, or the movies. If I can help it i like to stay home as I will always feel ok at home

Excluding yourself from the outside world was the biggest mistake I made in the first 3 months. I wouldnt even go to work or the shops for milk.

It does improve and it will improve over time.

Knowledge is power with this condition, drugs just hide the fact you have an issue