vicious circle .

[craiglc36]

3 yrs ago I had my first ""episode" . It was while sat in my parents living room one evening . I suddenly felt lightheaded and thought i was going to fall off the chair , I was left with a headache and a fuzzy feeling in my head . 3 yrs later I still have the fuzzy feeling constantly . It affects my concentration greatly . I get lightheaded and dizzy everyday .
And I think I am on the verge of passing out when this happens .
I have been to the docs about ten times with this . They sent me for a head scan and blood tests which turned out fine . And each time I see the docs they say it sounds like Anxiety/ panic attacks . The symptoms are worse when I am in a public place like a barbers or the cinema , or a parents evening etc..
But I cannot stop thinking that it is more than Anxiety attacks , and is more a physical thing . I am always thinking that the docs have missed something . It seems like a viscious circle I can,t get out of .
I am half way through Anxiety councelling which is of great help ,but still in the back of my head I am thinking that It could all be a waste if there is really something wrong with me physically .

[sal]

Hi Craig

Welcome to the forum. You have had lots of tests and it really sounds to me like it is anxiety and i do know how hard that is to accept when it starts. You will get loads of help and support here and we all understand.

Ive faced parents evening when felt like i was going to die because suddenly it wasnt my choice when i walked out it was down to the teacher to stop discussing my daughter then i was free to go. So i do understand how you feel.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.


"Life is a distance and to travel that distance you were given the strength and guidance to do so".

[Angelcake]

Hi,

I get lightheaded and fuzzyness almost everyday too! Ive had anxiety problems for about 20 years now and it is definately one of the more common symptoms. I find that i get lightheaded even when I'm not feeling too anxious - always worse at work or in situations I'm not keen on (like shopping, meetings etc) - funny that!!

I do sometimes worry that it may be a sign of something more sinister - but i think that after 20 years, I would know by now (...wouldn't I?!?!?! ).

Good luck,


Sarahx

[Joe1981]

Hang in there bud.. I too suffer from the same thing, going on 4 months for me now.. I had all the test and i thought i almost beat it at one point.. was clear for 3 weeks without it until it cam back hard.. You're right with the vicious circle thing tho.. Wehn it came back i was right back at it.. "Theres got to be something the doctors didnt see". It's like you can't stop thinking about it even tho you know thinking about it is making it worse...

I know what its like and i'm trying to beat this myself.. Stay positive.. Pm me is you have any questions

[AHRW]

same here...dizzy every day - got it under control then today it's back with a vengence. My take on it is this. We all get dizzy for whatever reason, what I try and do is put that down to standing up to quick or whatever. The trouble is that first sensation sets of the panic attack and that brings back the dizzy feeling but you are getting that feeling becuase of a diffrerent reason - anxiety. So it is a vicious circle of fear. Try and accept you WILL be light headed and then put your mind in a place to accept that fact. Then as the days pass the sensation will ease. I have had so many tests like others here. My latest blood test showed a virus, now that really has set me off big time. The virus could be a cold or anything but I have made a rod for my own back. I need another test in a month to check on the virus and that it has gone!

When I think back I can remember these feelings of light head etc from 15 years ago, I have to keep reminding myself that this is nothing new.

Alistair

[craiglc36]

I have been having these attacks for three years now , and it is only now that It is slowly started to dawn on me that if there was the horrible things wrong with me that I think there are then I would have died ages ago . Although I do struggle to accept it still .

A reality check came whem my daughter was admitted to hospital last week for low blood pressure . A young girl in the same room kept having fits . Most of the day she was so happy and normal , and then bang ! she would pass out and start fitting . I felt so sorry for her , the docs had done loads of tests and could find nothing . It was so frustrating for her and her family that The docs couldn't give her a cure . The only thing they did for her was get her to listen to relaxing music ! can you believe it ?
It made me think that although for years I had been having anxiety/panic attacks , There are many people in the world who really are very ill .
It made me feel that I really do start to fight whatever has a grip on me .

[AHRW]

I agree - get a grip get a grip - I tell myself this most days! It's hard to do.....just been down the shops, felt it full on then it subsided then back again!! Oh what fun.

I know drinking is not the answer but two pints of beer makes it all go away.

Alistair

[jo61]

Hi Alistair, a couple of pints can't do much harm I think. It's 2 pints an hour that would cause you a bit of a problem lol


Jo

[nomorepanic]

Dizziness or light-headedness
The sensation:
You feel suddenly light-headed, woozy or dizzy. This is sometimes accompanied by a feeling that you might faint or pass out. It also may feel as though you are walking on a boat, or that the floor seems to move up and down and it's hard to balance. You may also have difficulty placing your feet because your perception of the ground or floor may be wrong. In some cases it may seem that even though you are standing on a firm floor, the floor may be vibrating or moving.
The reason:
This symptom has a few variations. Some people may experience a sudden head rush feeling, which goes almost as quickly as it comes. As long as the individual doesn’t react with more fear, the symptom will come and go and will vary in frequency from a number of times per day, to a few times a month.
Another variation includes a constant state of unbalance, spinning, wooziness, fogginess and so on. Often it is accompanied by a feeling that you may pass out (some people do, however, that’s not common).
This symptom has a few causes. It could be from a blood sugar imbalance, hyperventilation (not getting enough oxygen) or an inner ear or ear pressure condition.
This is a common symptom and sometimes an individual can experience both forms, and at different times. I did.
There are tests available that can accurately identify a blood sugar imbalance, however, most often this isn’t the main cause. Typically, those with anxiety disorder have their blood sugar levels within the safe range when tested. However, long periods without eating may aggravate the condition because blood sugar levels may drop too low because of not eating. It’s important to eat regular wholesome and natural food so that the fluctuations in blood sugar remain in the normal range.
If you are experiencing this symptom, having medical tests may be beneficial. Certainly, to rule out any other cause.
If your symptom is a result of hyperventilation, deliberately deep slow breathing will reduce and even eliminate this symptom.
While deep relaxation will help to diminish and eliminate most symptoms, I’ve personally found that this symptom is one that hangs on the longest, and is the least responsive to immediate counter action. However, a regular deep relaxation routine provided me with results… it just took awhile.
As with all symptoms, when the nervous system gets sufficient rest, this symptom will diminish and eventually subside.


Nicola

People will forget what you said
People will forget what you did
But people will never forget how you made them feel