Looking for some reassurance please :(

[nhf]

I've had quite a good handle on my anxiety and panic attacks the last couple of weeks. I felt really good about how well i was doing.

I had my first CBT session this morning - told my counsellor i felt i was doing well with distraction and self talk and felt it was really helping me. He advised me to carry out an experiment the next two weeks where if i get anxious feelings to just accept them and let them happen as the only way to get rid of them is to accept them otherwise he said i'm just masking the anxiety and never really recovering from it. This makes sense to me and im willing to give anything a try to recover from this.

I was in work earlier and all of a sudden it felt like the room shifted (like a dizzy spell) it only lasted about 10-15 seconds but it has sent me into a bit of a panic / anxiety attack!! (not as bad as my previous ones, i am getting better at getting them under control - no ambulance this time!)

Does anyone else get these dizzy spells out of nowhere???? I have a fear of feinting so when they happen my mind automatically thinks uh-oh!!!!

[FeatherHead]

Hi nhf, I get those weird spells sometimes. I get them just before a migraine sometimes. I'm not sure but I think it happens more often when I've been taking propranolol for anxiety and migraine tablets. It happened recently when just walking through a shop, also get a strange spongey head feeling with it. I usually just stop and take a few deep breaths until I feel better. It is scary but I've never actually fainted.

[nhf]

Hi Featherhead - thankyou for the reply

I can cope with most of the other anxiety symtoms now (its taken time tho) its just the dizziness that makes me panic! I'm not taking any medication....

As soon as i feel that dizziness my mind completely overeacts and jumps straight to the thought of fainting. I really need to try and break this thought but it just frightens me so much :scared15:

[FeatherHead]

Have you had your blood pressure checked lately? It might be worth seeing your doctor just incase there is a reason other than anxiety. They checked for thyroid problems when I went with my dizziness, my blood pressure was low too + that turned out to be because I was recovering from a viral infection.

[nhf]

I am a regular visitor to my doctor since my anxiety began!! my blood pressure is checked evertime, if anything its usually on the higher side.

Have had lots of tests done too. ECG, bloods, echocardiogram. Bloods have confirmed thyroid function is normal as is liver and kidney function. Only thing blood did show is a high platelet count (416) so i have to have them redone in a months time. Doctor said they could be on the high side due to an infection but i havent really been feeling ill?! (well appart from anxiety lol)

I also had a fasting blood test to check for diabetes. all fine. echo confirmed my heart is fine too. I did have inflamtion of the ears about a month ago for which the doctor prescribed drops. My ears are feeling a little full again tho - like a bit of pressure in there..... really hoping this could be the cause!

[FeatherHead]

It sertainly could be your ear inflamation that's causing the dizziness. My husband has a blocked ear that he refuses to have operated on, that used to cause him so much dizziness and virtigo type symptoms, I guess he's just got used to the inbalance now, he'd rather put up with it than go to hospital.
I always feel more dizzy and unbalanced when I have a head cold and everything is blocked. Hope you get some joy soon, I know it's a horrible scary feeling but most likely nothing to worry about. :)

[nhf]

Thankyou so much for the replies :flowers:

This site has been a great help - its so reassuring to know other people have the same or similar symptoms and feelings xx

[mabel]

I get those weird feelings out of nowhere! They are not nice but not dangerous either. I get them from time to time! They get less and less.

They used to freak me out! These days I have learnt to take a deep breath and carry on. And they disappear quite quickly.

I then try not to think about it and when it does pop into my mind I distract myself or tell myself its just my crazy brain/anxiety and its not real!

Seems to work for me!

I was reading a story to my class this week (I am a teacher!) and had a dizzy thing! But had no choice but to carry on reading! Felt weird for about 20 seconds but it passed!