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Brain fog, dizziness, vision problems, head pressure, headache PLEASE HELP

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Elise93
Elise93

Hi everyone!

I don't know where else to go, and was hoping someone could please help me. I'll start off by saying I'm a 23 year old Caucasian female. Going on 5 months now, I have had absolutely debilitating symptoms which have hindered my daily life. I feel these symptoms every moment of every day.

It started with dizziness and a persistent brain fog. I just thought I had a bug, and tried to go on about my life. However, my symptoms have never gone away. This "brain fog" I am talking about is a feeling of complete mental confusion, I have no memory, I cannot concentrate on anything, it feels like there's a dark blanket on my brain clouding all my thoughts. I have extreme disorientation and haziness. I feel like I'm always in a dream like state.

I am constantly dizzy and feel a pulling sensation, as if I'm ready to fall over at any moment. It feels like there's air inside my head, and I'm always very lightheaded. Whenever I try to drive I feel this pulling sensation pulling me down.

Another problem I have is with my vision. I am having very blurred vision and have double vision. Everytime I look at something up close it is extremely blurry and I cannot see at all. My perception on things has completely changed. I feel like everything looks very odd and strange and I don't have the right depth perception. It's like I'm in a horrible dream like state all the time.

I have been having headaches and head pressure as well, and having horrible pains behind my eyes. The pin starts from the back of my head close to my neck and continues up my head and the sides of my temples. My eyes hurt so bad, and it feels like knives are jabbing my eyes. My head also feels extremely heavy all the time.

All these symptoms have been causing me severe anxiety, and I have been having panic attacks from them and feel like I'm dying. It is causing a strange disrespity sensation, where I feel like I'm not even here anymore and there's a detachment from myself and my body. I have had to drop all my classes at college and quit my job because these symptoms make me lay in bed all day long. I have been unable to drive for months and can barely get up to walk around. If anyone could please help me or know anything as a suggestion to try.

I have been to my general doctor, 2 ENTs, 1 neurologist, have had 2 MRIs, a hearing test, VNG, multiple blood tests, and no one knows what is wrong. I can't live like this anymore. Any help is greatly appreciated.

-Elise

14 likes, 1771 replies

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  • michelemuffin
    michelemuffin Elise93

    Posted

    Hello Elise...I can really relate to what you are going through. I too have dizziness on a daily basis, along with headaches, eye strain, ringing in the ear, brain fog. I have been to 2 ENT's, a neurologist, had lots of blood tests done and all normal so I am in the same boat as you cause no doctor knows what is causing all this and it has been going on for almost 3 years. My primary doctor did say it could be anxiety but I just don't see how anxiety can make someone feel this way. When I sit at a computer at work my eyes hurt and I get dizzy. When I am walking I get dizzy and feel off balance like I am gonna fall over. My ears ring and buzz constantly. When I am standing at the sink washing dishes , doing house cleaning or even taking a shower I feel like I am gonna fall over. I stay hot all the time and get jittery, heart beats fast, blood pressure gets a little high. I feel weak all the time as well. Idk what else to do myself. I want to get back to normal but not sure how to do that. I guess I may as well accept this and just learn to live with it even though I know something is causing all this just wish I knew what it was.

    • Elise93
      Elise93 michelemuffin

      Posted

      Hi Michele!

      I literally have every single symptom you just listed additionally: ears ringing with a buzzing sound, always feeling like I'm going to fall over, jittery, weakness, complete exhaustion all the time, feeling hot and my heart is always beating fast. I too was told this was anxiety, but I've dealt with anxiety in the past and I know my body well enough to know something is actually wrong and going on here. Please don't give up in finding an answer! Although I know anxiety didn't cause this, I have been having horrible anxiety from not knowing what's wrong with me which is making everything worse and causing severe panic attacks. My brain fog is so bad I am unable to think or concentrate at all and had to drop my college classes. I really hope you eventually find what is wrong. Have you tried any medication? How do you get by with everyday life? I can't manage to do anything and barely get by everyday, and just look forward to nighttime to when I can finally just sleep and get away from life for a bit.

    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin Elise93

      Posted

      I am sorry that we both are dealing with this cause it makes everyday almost impossible to deal with and a lot of times I say I will just have to deal with it but I really do wanna find out what's going on. I agree with you, we know our bodies so we know when something is not right so I am almost 100% sure all this what we experience is not anxiety related . I see a psychiatrist for my anxiety and take Zoloft and klonopin which helps with the dizziness sometimes. I still work and some days I am so dizzy I wanna leave and go home but I don't . I was out of work for 2 years cause of this but decided to go back cause needed the extra money so I can keep trying to find out what is wrong with me. I read what Paul said in his message to you and it makes sense to see a chiropractor so I am gonna make an appt and I suggest you do the same. Have you ever smoked and quit cold turkey ?

    • Elise93
      Elise93 michelemuffin

      Posted

      I'm so sorry you feel like this and have had to stop working for so long sad I'm also going to see a counselor and psychiatrist as my panic attacks are becoming unbearable. I read Paul's message and am also definitely going to try a chiropractor! I hope everything turns out okay, please keep me updated! I wish you all the best!

  • DrewATL
    DrewATL Elise93

    Posted

    Definitely utilize this board, and others to educate yourself- but be mindful to avoid self-diagnosis/over-reaction. I was there myself, now 5+ weeks in and I'm about 50-60% better.

    A low-dose of Valium (2mg) has helped so far, I'm even tapering off 30 days in and will only use in emergencies.

    I get it, totally unnerving and scary to feel like you've lost grip on reality- but stay focused on the positive and accept their may not be a straight-line to recovery, but countless others have gotten better with time.

    Stressing is going to slow down the healing process, eat and sleep as healthy as you can- get second opinions and keep us posted on your progress.

    • Elise93
      Elise93 DrewATL

      Posted

      Hi Drew! Thanks for getting back to me. Did you have the same symptoms I described? And which doctor gave you Valium to help? This has all been causing me severe anxiety and stress and making everything worse. Like I said it's been about 5 moths now and I've had to drop all my classes in school and I've just been laying in bed everyday, so I've just been getting more anxious.

  • Guest
    Guest Elise93

    Posted

    Have they done the Epley manuaver on you at the ENT yet?
    • Elise93
      Elise93 Guest

      Posted

      They have not because they said I don't have BPPV! Did they do that for you?

    • Guest
      Guest Elise93

      Posted

      Yes I have had several and they helped me so much.  Now I do one at home called a half-somersault manuvear that's just as effective. You can find a video online showing you how to do it.

    • Elise93
      Elise93 Guest

      Posted

      Thank you Jackie!

      I didn't realize the epley maneuver helped with vestibular migraines! I thought that was specifically for bbpv?

    • Guest
      Guest Elise93

      Posted

      I'm not sure if it helps with that. I thought you didn't have a diagnosis yet so I must  have misunderstood?

    • Elise93
      Elise93 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Jackie!

      I do not have a diagnosis yet. Sorry if I confused you! When I was at the ent they said they only use the epley meaneuver with patients with BBPV. He said I definitely don't have that because my eyes aren't moving in a specific way that suggests BBPV. However, they weren't a very trustworthy ent so idk how accurate this information is. You said you have vestibular migraines, does the eply maneuver help with your migraines?? I don't know exactly what the epley maneuver treats or helps with!!!

    • leylam
      leylam Elise93

      Posted

      Hi Elise

      I too have been having all the symptoms you mentioned, been to my GP and ER many times until I was told to have a lumbar puncture which showed I had high csf pressure which means I have idiopathic intracranial hypertension. It is a rare disease that has no cure but can be treated with medicine (diamox) or if really severe with surgery.  Ask your neurologist about the lumbar puncture.

    • kirk3r
      kirk3r leylam

      Posted

      my dad has pressure on the brain and feels dizzy all the time and very tired, can any1 help? please
    • lauren80971
      lauren80971 Elise93

      Posted

      Hi Elise,

      Did you ever figure out what was wrong?  I just read this and I'm 100% going through the same thing you are.  I've been to so many doctors and they do not know what's wrong and it's costing so much money, stress & depression.  Therefore, any outcome you can tell me would help so much.

      Please and Thank you!

    • daniela53928
      daniela53928 lauren80971

      Posted

      Have had same symptoms for over 15 years , it’s generalised anxiety disorder , i havd been to 100 specialists and done more than 100 scans cause I couldn’t belive that my mind was doing this to me when i dint even feel stressed, but once I accepted it and learned to live with it it got much better, the best thing i did was go and see a psychiatrist who helped me realise that im not dying from some imaginary illness that my mind creates, don’t stop doing your everyday things cause it only makes you worse , change your diet , eat protein fish and a lot of people with anxiety lack magnesium i take supplements, when you feel down and the symptoms get to much i just yell out Stop  im stronger than you we got to start tricking our mind that we r not scared , hope it helped hun 
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