Dizzy

[Anna655]

I have been having dizziness spells probably for about 15 years, maybe more, since I was a child.  There are many symptoms that come with it.  It's a light-headed, not spinning.  I get nauseous; sometimes I throw up, sometimes I don't.  Sometimes I won't throw up if I can lay down right away.  But, if it gets really bad, I could be throwing up violently to where I'm choking and can't breathe.  When I get this, I get really hot, sweaty and feel clammy.  I can't see straight, like maybe blurry; I also sometimes will have black go over my eyes as if I'm about to pass out.  Actually, I usually feel like I'm about to pass out, but I have never actually passed out before.  I also can't walk straight, sometimes get slurred speech, start shaking.  Sometimes I will feel anxious and my heart beat will start racing (but not always).  I think a lot of times I feel anxious when I get like that because it can be really scary. On occasion I will get shortness of breath (kind of like a panic attack).  On average, I would get this dizziness once every 2 weeks; sometimes it would more often that that, sometimes it would be less often than that.  Sometimes it does seem like it could be brought on by stress, nerves and anxiety.  Also, recently, probably about the last year, I will get shaky almost every morning.  Usually it will go away within an hour whether I've eaten anything or not and whether I've drank anything or not.  I don't know if this has any connection to the dizziness issue I have being that this as only been happening for the past year or so.

I have been to so many doctors, gone through so many different tests and been on so many medications in the past 11 years.  I had inner ear tests and hearing tests, which was fine, so it's not an inner ear problem.  I had balancing tests done, which were fine, so it's not vertigo.  I had vision tests done, which were fine.  I had a few MRI's done in the past 11 years, which all came back fine.  I got tested for diabetes, hypoglecimia, anemia years ago and all came back fine, as well as many other blood test for many different things; I can't remember all of them.  I went to a neurologist in high school and through college and was diagnosed with migraines and was told that I would get dizzy instead of getting the headaches.  But, I was on the top 2 medications for migraines and it wasn't helping, so the doctor said he miss-diagnosed me and pretty much said there was nothing he can do, so I stopped going to him.  But, just a year ago, I started going to a different neurologist by suggestion of my physician.  He did a bunch of blood work and found out my hemoglobin was elevated (meaning too many red blood cells, which can lead to abnormal clotting), so because of this I was sent to a hematologist and diagnosed with hypercoagulable syndrome (means tendency to form blood clots, however I have minor condition, which probably pretty much means my blood gets thicker and runs slower).  The neurologist also found that I have a folic acid deficiency, B 12 and B 6 deficiencies as well.  So, I was put on plavix, folic acid, B 6 pills and B 12 injections.  He thought that the B 12 deficiency and the hypercoagulable syndrome could be causing me to get dizzy.  However, I was on medication for all of that and am still getting dizzy.  Over a month ago he sent me for an EEG, to see if there is any seizure activity (mostly for the shakiness that I get in the morning), but that was normal.  So, then just last week he sent me for a Video EEG (I have not been informed of the results for this test yet).  One more thing, a couple years my physician mentioned that it possibly can be anxiety disorder.  So, she gave me some stuff to read about it and never mentioned it again.  At the time, I didn't really think it could be this because even though at times it seemed like stress would bring it on, but then there would be times where I would be really stressed and I wouldn't get dizzy.  But, now I may be leaning towards the anxiety disorder, so next week when I go my doctor, I'm going to mention it and see if he thinks we should look into that.

I'm to the point where I'm getting desperate for answers.  it has been such a mystery for so many answers.  And, I'm getting to the point where I just want it to be gone already.  Please help, anybody.

So, does anybody, have any idea of what this can be or have any idea what can be going on with me?

Thanks to everyone who responds with hopefully helpful information.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
You have had extensive testing. A few things need to be looked into still. One is sleep disorder. The other is GERD or acidity to be treated with antacids and proton pump inhibitors. The third thing is insulinomas that result in hypoglycemia. Since you have it for 15 years a disturbed sleep pattern or an anxiety attack should be seriously considered. Please get a sleep study done. Another possibility is a pinched cervical spinal nerve. MRI of the cervical spine may be required.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[LivingInHope]

Have they checked your orthostatic blood pressures?  What about a 24 hour urine for sodium to see if you might have hypovolemia?  

You may want to take a look at the dysautonomia forum on medhelp and see if you find some fellow symptom sufferers because I believe you will find a lot of common ground with people posting on that forum.  Have you ever had a tilt table test conducted by an electrophysiologist or general cardiologist to see if you might be suffering from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome or POTS, which is a form of dysautonomia?  

I have this disorder abbreviated P.O.T.S., and standing, especially in the middle of hours of sleep or in the mornings after sleeping can be some of the worst times for the tachycardia that comes with standing.  The fact that you feel better when you lay down and light headed when standing strengthens in my mind the possibility that you have a form of dysautonomia, because this is what happens with me.  I can get hot from the rapid heartbeat that comes with standing.  My vision also can go gray with standing or white after a shower when raising my arms.  

If you get an omron blood pressure cuff that checks pulse (better if you can also take a radial pulse, as the omron doesn't always measure pulse correctly, though it's supposed to be one of the best BP machines), you can do a little test at home to see if you might have POTS.  Have your blood pressure cuff at your bedside so that when you awaken in the middle of the night or the morning, you can take your blood pressure & pulse while still laying down.  Then stand up in one place for two minutes & take your blood pressure and pulse again.  If your pulse has jumped by 30 plus beats per minute with standing, you likely DO have postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and should get it confirmed via tilt table test.

Also, have you ever had an early morning fasting blood sugar level taken?  Because I tend to get shaky when my blood sugar goes low.

[Anna655]

I'm commenting on my own post because there is one thing that I forgot to mention.  The only thing that seems to make the dizziness go away is sleep.  So, when I get dizzy I usually have to go to sleep and when I wake up, I feel a lot better.  I don't understand why sleep would make it go away and make me feel better.  Any ideas, anybody?