Has my anxiety manifested itself differently?

[cnote]

28 Male. Not a stranger to anxiety. But havent had it in a long time!

About a week ago, I felt my lower lip tingle, and my thumb. Just that small sensation sent me into a panic attack, then down a downward spiral of anxiety... even after those sensations left.

Ever since then, I have had heart palpitations like crazy, nervous stomach, and my biggest fear symptom is this feeling of off balance/light headedness. It's pretty much constant when I'm walking around, or if I look down then up.

It doesnt seem to effect me too much while sitting on the computer, or laying in bed.

I can manage my anxiety during the day pretty well, but at night for the past week I've been taking a .5mg to a 1mg pill of ativan just to help knock the edge off.

My question is...

Q: Is this lightheadedness a common symptom of anxiety? I called my Dr. today, which I even saw last week, he said it was more than likely anxiety related. he said it could be something not serious, and my anxiety is making it worse. he said to see him in a month... he must not be that concerned. hes an awesome dr. he said if i had a brain tumor id be having WAY more symptoms than that

Your thoughts? just need some encouragement and some extra reassurance. thanks guys.

[cnote]

Yesterday 8-12-11 and today 8-13-11 have been way better days! Big improvements on the lightheadedness/off balance issues. My anxiety is extremely low today too. I can say I actually have ZERO anxiety today.

YAY!

I took 1mg of klonopin lastnight before bed, and was CHILLED out. =) help knock the edge off and helped get an incredible sleep.

[vpkwriter]

I have dealt with panic attacks for a good fifteen years now (they started when I was 17), and this has always been one of my main symptoms. In fact, a tingling lip was the first sign that I was having a panic attack the very first time it happened to me. For some reason, just like you, the tingling sensations are a major panic trigger for me (so are ringing ears, oddly enough). Anyway, what has helped me is just allowing the tingling feeling to happen and immediately doing something to take my mind off of it. Maybe when you are at work and it happens you could make a phone call or make a quick trip to the bathroom and wash your face. Just suggestions.

[cnote]

feeling a little better. ive been researching labyrinthitis, and listening to peoples youtube blogs about their experience with it. I'm learning to just accept it, and roll with it.

Says it could take 3-4 weeks to full recover.

I guess you can have labyrinthitis without experiencing any ear pain? or cloggage? etc.?

[cnote]

I havent had any ear problems at all. The only thing I can think of is that I've been swimming a lot this summer, and have had water in my ears several times, but I have used Swimmers Ear immediately when I got home to get the water out.

Other than that I have NO CLUE why I would have Labyrinthitis. Today I'm still off balance. Andy my anxiety is still kind of high. I took a Klonopin lastnight to help take the edge off, it helped.. and I seemed to sleep pretty well.

I took the anti-dizzy med and I don't think it's helping too much this morning.

The reason he gave me paxil is b/c my insurance wont cover lexapro anymore... its like $125.00 per bottle! screw that! lol.

I explained how I hated the lexapro, and he said I don't have to take that or the Paxil if I don't want too.

I'm just still having a HARD time dealing with this b/c he didnt do any tests! He just looked in my ears and said, "well it's hard for me to tell b/c you have lots of wax at the bottom of your ears by your ear drum... but I bet it's labyrinitis."

Part of me is still just so fearful it's something worse.

[CanuckGuy42]

Sounds like that is prob what I had too.... my ears felt blocked as well but when my doc looked inside everything looked clear.... but im not as dizzy anymore so perhaps its almost cleared.... well you can breathe a sigh of relief.....curious as to why he offered up Paxil instead of Lexapro again which you said you had already taken....

[cnote]

So got back from the Dr., my wife came with me. I was a wreck.

He told me I probably had Labyrinthitis. He said it happens to lots of people, and it can be cause by many things, a virus, bacteria, or even just allergies can cause it.

He said that the off balance feeling was making my anxiety BAD.

He said a normal person with labyrinthitis will typically get a little anxious, but he said since I already have an anxiety disorder, my anxiety is like 100x a normal person would react.

He just prescribed me some over the counter anti-nausea/anti-dizziness pills. He also wrote a script for generic Paxil if I want to take it.

I told him how I HATE anti-depressants, and he said that I don't have to take the Paxil if I dont want too.

I picked it up, but I may or may not take it. We'll see.

He said theres really not a 100% way he can look at the other side of my eardrum, but he's more than likely certain thats what it is. He said it's inner ear probably for sure.

He REASSURED ME, IT'S NOTHING SERIOUS, NOTHING LIFE THREATENING, AND DEF. NOT A TUMOR.

I researched Labyrinthitis and it said it can take 3-4 weeks to leave. Hopefully it will sooner. It also said, it can be brought on my Stress!!? Crazy!

[cnote]

Hey, My thoughts are too, if It will help me feel better... I'm gonna go see the Dr!

About 3 years ago when this 1st started I saw my Dr. too about 8 times in a month. I've gotten way better. lol.

These 3 times im seeing him the the past 2.5 weeks is the 1st time ive seen him in like 7-8 months!

So I don't feel bad. Universal healthcare sounds awesome.

[CanuckGuy42]

Don't worry... in the beginning I saw my doctor 3 days in one week.... we have universal health care up here in Canada so I don't feel guilty about expensing it to the governement to whom I have been paying for it to for all my life!!

[cnote]

I think we are starting on 5mg to see how I feel in the next few weeks. I'm pretty med sensitive. I already felt some side effects from the Lexapro lastnight. The nightsweats. lol. That's something I totally remember it giving me at 1st. And lastnight was just my 2nd night on it.

Lastnight was HELL.

Today is I called in at work, taking the day off, made another Dr. appt.

Why am i feeling so bad? Why so constantly off balance? And everything just seems to feel weird.

I'm a mess.... to be honest with you. But I'll keep you all up to date on my Dr's visit today.

I can't believe I'm seeing him AGAIN! This is like the 3rd time in 2.5 weeks!

[CanuckGuy42]

5mg of Lexapro is a very low dose.... what is your target dose? I'm at 15 mg a day now and finally starting to feel really good... but it took 4 weeks for me cause i was sensitive to the side effects... but I DO NOT regret going on this med... it has calmed my thought processes considerably....

[cnote]

It's 5:30am... Just woke up in panic in bed. It's like I woke up with my eyes still closed but felt like I was moving or spinning!! I opened my eyes, felt this overwhelming feeling of dread all over me... Took a deep breath got up to go pee. Kept thinking if I felt off balance or not. Then I felt the urge to have diarrhea ... And sure enough I did have some diarrhea. My mouth is dry.. I feel terrible. I went outside for a cigarette came back in, woke my wife up to tell her what happened. She said its okay it's all anxiety but pretty severe. I think I'm going to take the day off today and get in quick to see my Dr. I can't just keep popping ativan.

I took my 1st Ativan at 6pm then another at like 10:20pm right before bed... Then I'm up at 5am and just took one.

The suns coming up... I'm gonna try and let this Ativan do it's thing... And try and get a little more sleep.

[cnote]

Tonight I came home from work, felt off balance, my anxiety was up a bit. I was on the deck with my kids trying to play with them, but i couldnt even focus... i was focusing on my off balance feeling and lightheadedness...

I then all of a sudden was stricken with FEAR and PANIC.. and BAD anxiety and bad lightheadedness. I held my composure infront of my kids, told them to come inside for a moment.

I talked to my wife for a moment, she said I was fine.

I broke down and called nurses hotline... can you believe it? My own freakin Dr. told me on the phone lastnight I was FINE 100%... Yet I still needed REASSURANCE AGAIN from another person in the medical field.

Anyways, the lady reassured me if I had something seriously wrong with my brain like a tumor or cancer, I'd be having WAY MORE SYMPTOMS... She said I'd be having HEADACHES LIKE CRAZY to where I couldnt stand them... blurred vision or even vision loss.

I have had NO headaches with this. And no visual issues. SO IM FINE.

I popped an ativan, started crying after I got off the phone with her.. and my wife and I just talked for a while.

I'm feeling better now.. still a little off balance feeling.. BUT IM THINKIN ABOUT IT WAY TOO MUCH.

This 5mg of Lexapro better start working in the next 3 weeks or so. lol.

God Bless. This sure does stink.

What helps me get through this honestly is the ativan, and just being with my family.

I LOVE to snuggle in bed with my wife and 4 year old daughter and watch movies at night. It's relaxing and I feel good and safe with them. One thing I will never do is show my anxiety around my children. They don't need to see me like this. Love them.

[cnote]

Thanks for writing.

I'm no stranger to anxiety. I've had it off and on for 3 years or more now.

I know not to GOOGLE symptoms lol. My Dr. used to get onto me for doing that b/c it would make things 100X Worse.

Instead if I do ANY sort of googling of symptoms... I GOOGLE "ANXIETY" LIGHT HEADEDNESS" B/c  more than likely it is just an anxiety symptom I'm having.

I do need to get back into the gym. Exercise is something that has helped me in the past LOTS! It's just hard to get back in there. But I need too! And I will!

I do trust in my Dr. I really do. He's known me for 3+ years and has helped me through all this anxiety stuff several times. I've tried Lexapro in the past, and it has worked some times, and others it has not. He's thinking we can try the Lexapro again for just a while, and see if it helps me get through this funk.

I know how it is still hard to trust their diagnosis without any tests... but I have to remember HE'S A DOCTOR! HE KNOWS WHAT TO LOOK FOR! Plus he's been right every time with me in the past about symptoms that ended up just being brought on by anxiety. It's crazy how anxiety can make us feel.

I'm okay to try the anti-depressants again. I take ativan here and there for anxiety, but not a lot. I know it's a fast acting, but since this episode is lasting longer than 1 week, im going to go with the anti-depressant.

Will keep you guys up to date on my progress through this one. I KNOW I will get over these symptoms.

Today I haven't been too nervous... I know I'm a little anxious b/c as I sit at my desk all day my legs are tapping 100mph. I've felt kind of down in the dumps, and theres been a couple times where I have felt off balance today but not much.

My lips went tingly for about 20 minutes today... I just kept telling myself "It's just anxiety." And it finally left after I quit thinking about it. I was "THIS CLOSE" to going into a slight panic attack, but didn't and managed.

God Bless.

[CanuckGuy42]

Hey bud sorry to hear what you have been going through. Let me tell you from personal experience Health Anxiety is a bugger and it creates an anxiety loop that continually increases because your symptoms are feeding the anxiety and each time it loops you get worse. I was like you and didn't want to go on antidepressants... finally I gave in and decided to try it and I am only one month into it and I can tell you, after crappy side effects for about the first 3 weeks I am beginning to realize just how much the Lexapro has "calmed" my thought process. Before I was panicking thinking all the same things as you... I have a brain tumour, and getting angry that everyone was "looking in the wrong place" to find out what was wrong with me... I FORCED my GP to order a CT scan, xrays and a barrage of blood tests and ALL came back normal. Now.. I still have some symptoms albeit they are not as strong as before and I have finally realized there is nothing life threatening going on here... its just the power of the brain on the body acting up.....

A couple of tricks I will pass on if I may

1) DO NOT try to self diagnose your symptoms on the Internet. Remember if you dig far enough on medical sites - a runny nose can be a sympton of a brain tumour.

2) Try some exercise - even light exercise... I was feeling really lightheaded before but since I have been getting back to the gym everyday it has gone down. It was tough cause I didn't feel like going and then when I went I was scared I would get all dizzy but it didn't happen and today I feel much better for it.

3) Trust in your doctor is crucial.... sounds like you trust yours so that's good but you also have to trust in his diagnosis. I didn't have this trust at first and I kept saying "How do you know i'm ok if you have not done any tests???"  and sure enough after she did the tests i had to admit she was right.

4) I have accepted that its ok to be on meds to help improve my quality of life. If you have an allergy you wouldnt "tough it out" cause you don't like taking antihistamines right? So if meds end up being a good route for you to go.... I wouldn't sweat it.

Keep us posted

[Matthew1986]

thats a good name for them!, i'll have to rememember that one, a funk, it sure feels like them!
keep up the positive thoughts :)

[cnote]

Sorry your going through a "funk" too. That's what I call them. Funks. lol. My anxiety spells are more "episodic" rather than some people who have it 365 days a year. =/

So I'm thankful for that... and I'm positive this will leave soon too.

I really havent felt that anxious today at all! But I'm still feeling the off balance/light headed feeling here and there. But it's all good.

Thanks for writing!

[Matthew1986]

Your case here sounds way too like mine its scarey!, i have never been able to Suss' out why after a good period of feeling better do you suddenly just.....crash?, it almost feels like your system reminding you in some...annoying way! lol.

I'm in my own panic at the moment, I've had a good few days being calm and relaxed and only very little have i felt anxiety creep me up, but here it comes rearing its head!

That tumor thinking phase you mention?, that plagues my mind a hell of a lot, even after being told i don't have one. you arnt alone Cnote and i really hope this gets better for you!!
Stay safe!

[cnote]

So I called my Dr. with the BP numbers lastnight, he said those numbers were normal.

He then asked what my heart rate was while laying down and standing up.

My heart rate was 94 laying down, and standing up 118. lol. I told him I know that's anxiety.

He said, he wanted me to go back on an anti-depressant.. like Lexapro again for a while.

I asked him "Are you positive it couldnt be anything else? like a tumor or anything?"

He replied "NO! 100% Positive there is nothing wrong with you, no tumor, nothing. All anxiety!"

When I got off the phone with him, I broke down crying... I think part of it was disappointment b/c I've gone so long without anxiety and I've hit the bottom again. And I think another part of me was crying in a bit of relief that it wasn't anything serious causing my almost constant lightheadedness.

Today I woke up got out of bed, feeling lightheaded and off balance as heck. Then tired at work.. but not as light headed.

My anxiety is down a lot today, but I do still feel a bit lightheaded... but I'm NOT WORRYING ABOUT IT.

I bet the less I worry about it now, it will slowly dissipate hopefully.

[nursegirl6572]

Yes, those numbers are just fine.  With orthostatic hypotension, you'd see quite a drmatic drop...for example...120/80 lying and 90/60 sitting/standing.  It usually has to be dramatic to cause vertigo.

And, yes!  That IS good if it isn't your BP!  As bad as anxiety stinks...it's always better than actually HAVING a medical problem!!

[cnote]

I sure do love you nursegirl6572 lol.

I know that's what he was looking for.. just didnt remember the long name. lol.

I took it laying down and it was 127/70 and my heart rate was 94 lol

I stood up and then took it again and it was 131/84 and heart rate was 118!!! LOL. Talk about heart palpitations.

I did it one more time to see.. and the 2nd time around:

laying down - - 127/71 and standing up 116/85

My sister is a nurse, and she said those numbers seemed to be quite normal. I'm gonna call him tonight to give him the data. =)

Hopefully he'll just tell me, okay, its not your blood pressure, that's great! it's probably just anxiety chris! =)

[nursegirl6572]

What he wants to rule out is something called "Orthostatic Hypotension".  It's where your BP drops significantly with position changes (ie lying to sitting and sitting to standing).  It's a fairly benign condition that's easily managed with measures such as taking your time during position changes (getting up slowly) and avoiding sudden rapid jerking motions.

If you had a brain tumor, you most definitely would have more symptoms.  That, of course, is your anxiety talking.  You know the wicked cycle....scary sensation...trigger panic/anxiety....trigger increase in scary symptom....back to more panic.

You're on the right track.  Keep following doctor's orders and start to put in place your coping techniques for anxiety.  That will help even IF this was a medical issue, as the anxiety is certainly exacerbating the sensations, and vice versa.

I know this is discouraging with as well as you've been doing, but remember what I've always told you...for most of us with anxiety/panic...we will always have it to some degree or another.  Most commonly, you'll have periods of "anxiety remission" where you experience no anxiety and other times when your anxiety will peak...often times without an obvious reason.  It stinks. I know.  It's very disheartening.

We're here for you as always...keep us updated!

[cnote]

I have been a wreck at work today. I took 2 atvian as soon as I got into the office today to help calm my anxiety, and it did help! but of course if made me feel extra off balance. lol. but i work at a desk, so its okay.

after the ativan wore off, for about 20 minutes or more I felt pretty good. I was walking tall, had energy, and felt normal! no off balance.

Then it came back! My stomach is nervous again... i feel off balance, my head feels tight kinda, heart palpitations for sure, my eyes feel tired and heavy... grrrrrr... and im kinda trembling.

My Dr. said he wanted me to take my blood pressure laying down tonight, and then stand up and take it to rule out something. I'm going to do that and then call him with the numbers.

He's so cool.

Don't you guys think if I had a brain tumor or something, I'd be having LOTS more symptoms than just some off balance feeling? Don't you think I'd have headaches and blurred vision and more dizziness?

Thanks.

[cnote]

I know... what ***** is, really truly honestly, the lightheaded feeling isnt BAD.

What's the WORST is the ANXIETY it is producing for me. I woke up this morning with a nervous stomach b/c of it. Just constantly thinking about it,  and I'm all tense now, and like I said a nervous stomach.

I have to get to the point in this one, where either the lightheaded feeling will just leave.
OR... I just need to have reassurance it's JUST a SYMPTOM of anxiety from my Dr.

I think once I have that reassurance... I will calm down... then the lightheaded feeling will probably dissipate. Or I just wont be afraid of it anymore.

My sister said it could also be my allergies/sinuses doing stuff, even if im not having bad symptoms of allergies. And I've been swimming a lot this summer... but I dont feel like my ears hurt or anything?

[nursegirl6572]

Hey there cnote!  Hope the family is well!

Anxiety can change the way it presents itself frequently.  For some people, the same symptoms emerge time and again, and for still others, they experience anxiety in new ways every time it rears its ugly head.

The telling thing for me is how you described feeling fine when busy and occupied (out with your family), and as soon as you had a moment to think, the symptoms were right there.  That screams anxiety, as you know.

Use your Ativan when you have to, and put those coping mechanisms you have such great practice with to work!  In the meantime, we're here for you.  That's such a frustrating aspect of anxiety...that it keeps coming back here and there despite how good we think we're doing.  Ugh!