Unsteady falling feeling walking and sitting

[TheWolf]

I have had panic attacks for about half a year. The panic attacks have stopped about three months ago but it has transformed to some sort of general disorder.

Anyways I have always been experiencing this constant unsteadiness and lately when standing up it feels like I'm falling downwards.

Perhaps once a day when concentrating on a computer screen or something, I get this sudden jerk of falling feeling that feels like it's gonna take me out before recovering. This only takes about two seconds.

Anyone experienced this?

[shoegal]

Yes, I feel dizzy when I stand up or turn my head suddenly. I also get the sudden 'jerk' feeling you described sometimes (which is almost like suddenly losing your balance for no reason, and the room spinning for a few seconds).

[jothenurse]

I get this, but I think it may have more to do with my inner ear problem. I'm sure the anxiety makes it worse.

[TheWolf]

I get this, but I think it may have more to do with my inner ear problem. I'm sure the anxiety makes it worse.

Have you found any ways to make it better? I have found that it's worse when I don't get enough sleep.

[Reggie256]

Its all a side effect of anxiety, when your heart speeds up and your breathing changes, not enough oxygen goes to your brain and u feel dizzy.
Alot of medication removes side effects like these, which is helpful in helping you deal with underlying probs of why your anxious in the first place.

[Sezit]

Hi The Wolf

I get this all the time. I am sitting at my computer or sometimes stood up in a cue and all of a sudden its like a feeling like a sudden jolt of falling for a few seconds. Its horrible and I get exactly what you describe. I also get like a motion feeling after being on the treadmill or a boat etc like I am still moving when I am just walking normally. What on earth is it! I have posted this on here and had some replies saying that cos we are anxious our body is oversensitive to feelings and so we notice it more. But I just hate it I know as soon as I sit down at my computer its going to start happening and I usually feel really rubbish for a short time after. By the end of the day I am totally wiped out! how can we get rid of it!

[meggyjo]

I get this too, it is really strange, I dont worry too much if it happens at home, but if I am out, I find it happens in crowded places and I worry that I am going to pass out which then makes everything else, the sweating, pounding heart etc, all kick off. I have often wondered what the "jerky" feeling was and thought it was just me. Nice to know others experience that feeling too.

[Gareth]

Hi there,

Now that my period of "mental" anxiety is over (July 2009 to around May 2010) what I am left with is wide array of physical symptoms, the most troubling being a constant feeling of being off balance, unsteady.

I have to concentrate really really hard on walking and not stumbling and staying in a straight line, I find getting up from a seated position quite hard as I have to work my muscles quite hard to get my balance.

I also get very bizarre sensations throughout what you might call my "nervous system", twitches, energy rushes, a feeling of my muscles not responding when my brain asks them to, twitching, tingling, numbness, cramps. There isn't a moment of any day when I am feeling well or unaware of some troubling sensation.

I inevitably worry about MS but actually have an inkling feeling that this is WORSE than MS! Some people with MS experience some relief from their symptoms for periods of time, for me this is constant and debilitating.

My doctor has mentioned CFS and I think she wants to pursue this route to explain what is wrong with me.

Hope you're feeling better today,

Gareth

[timmy3]

Hi Gareth,
I don't think this is anything worse than MS or MS in fact. I have the same symptom.. Before I had different ones..instead of on walking I was concentrting on breathing..before that on brain fog..and before that on light headedness..they all go with time..you just have to ignore them.

[Sezit]

I would like some ideas of how you can ignore these things. I also do not have a day where I feel perfectly well. I am in constant brain fog and feel detached and lightheaded. This falling sensations happens a lot throughout the day. The doctor has put me on sertraline 50mg and I have been on that for the last 7 weeks. I too am a wreck when I go in a supermarket with the glare of the flourescent lights and the falling sensation I just get in a right state. I am sick of not just being able to feel normal and it affects EVERYTHING I do on a daily basis.:weep: i also get numbness in the right hand side of my face not so its totally numb but just so I am aware of it. I get panicked that I am having a stroke or something!

[timmy3]

well now, ignoring this is a tricky bit..its more like not being afraid of it..it will pass I think. If it makes you feel better I feel shit almost everyday as well...I managed to cure 90% of this shit but then something nasty happened to my father and it all back...bu I managed to recover once so it is possible

[mrjacko]

Hi, did any of you find out the reason behind this falling feeling ?

[Amylee1982]

Wow i thought it was just me. I get the feeling im swaying or moving and sometimes like im fallin forward and my eyes fo funny its so scary. I think its a mixture of anxiety and inner ear and mayb the nervous system. Its awful and imposible to ignore x

[fedup36]

Really interesting to read this thread...

I suffer with all the above issues...

I get different types of dizziness/ jolts as below;

- Jolt/zap which feels like I'm dropping for a split second can happen sitting or standing at it freaks me out so much.. It's almost like my neck stops working and I drop for a split second... I also get tingles down my arms when it happens. It always worries me that I'm having some sort of seizure but after all the tests I've had I don't think I
Am. Also I've heard people have similar things when coming of
Medication - I have never been on medication.

- Drunk sensation, this happens randomly but more common in supermarkets, gym, trains that type of thing where I feel like I'm walking on marshmallows or that my
Feet have gone through the floor - it's really not very pleasant at all!

- Vertigo spins, I have these about once every 3 months where I will literally be spinning and it's the most vile thing ever and really scares me.

I wasn't sure if anyone else has had anything similar to the above? I also get the numb/ tingling face that people have mentioned. Apparently that's due to Hyperventilation.

The only explanation I've been given is that it's anxiety for all the above and tension in the back and neck... I just find that very difficult to believe at times!

[helenclaire]

Hi Fedup,

I can relate to everything you say,
This has been happening on and off for years so can only assume it is anxiety.
It is particularly bad at the moment but I am going through a bad patch so the two do seem to go hand in hand.
It is the one symptom that really bothers me as I am nervous to go out in case I fall or collapse.
My neck it really achy and stiff also because the muscles are so tense so I am sure this is not helping either.

If I could stop the dizziness I am sure I would feel so much better in myself but I just cannot find anything that helps.
X

[fedup36]

I have met a few people along the way that suffer the same with the dizziness but not many. Your the same as me in that I feel if I can get rid of the dizziness I wouldn't have anxiety!

Have you had any tests? I've had 2 mris, balance testing, caloric test, ECGs and they can't find anything wrong!

My biggest fear is fainting or collapsing but neither have happened!

[Libra]

Is the falling feeling some of you mention as if your falling through space..particularly if you turn your head one way or when first sitting up or rolling over in bed ?.. Ive also had this feeling and its like falling through the pillow is best I can describe it.

[fedup36]

Yes exactly that... I get it out the blue as well as when in turning my head.
When I lye down I do feel like my head is falling though the pillow though.
I also get these waves which are a really sureal feeling and think I'm about to faint :(
I'm finding it really hard to cope :(

[Libra]

Know how you feel FedUp..

It affects everything you do doesn't it. I was told that its the SCM muscles that run up to the bone behind your ear and it affects balance..Strange how it appears with anxiety though.

[chickpea]

Know how you feel FedUp..

It affects everything you do doesn't it. I was told that its the SCM muscles that run up to the bone behind your ear and it affects balance..Strange how it appears with anxiety though.

I was reading about these muscles and the scalene muscles, and their relationship with anxiety.
Not only do we tense these muscles when we're stressed, shortening them, but also they are involved in shallow chest breathing and the feeling of not being able to take a deep breath - so it's a vicious cycle.

If you Google neck pain and anxiety, you will perhaps be reassured.

[ijja]

Hi , I have been suffering from strange sensation in my body , since December 2014, i suddenly had a double vision, then i was so panicked, i was shaking, went to the doctor , he thought it's Vertigo, and gave me Medication but had bad side effects, i stopped taking them then i was in bed for 3 weeks had muscle pain, i had an MRI done, came back fine, I was diagnosed with BPPV, the ENT doctor did some maneuvering positions that helped a little bit, I have been feel unsteady when i walk, with pressure pain in the back of my head sometimes, recently i have been having bad nausea,i had blood tests yesterday, shows i am deficient in vitamin D, i've got supplement for that. I am very frustrated with this, i haven't lived one normal day for almost 4 months now! is anybody out there experiencing such thing??