1. Community
  2. Ears, nose, throat and mouth
  3. Vertigo and Dizziness

Dizziness......what's going on

Posted , 7 users are following.

michelemuffin
michelemuffin

I was diagnosed with anxiety October 2015 and was given sertraline (Zoloft) to take which I have been taking ever since and have not had any anxiety attacks but the dizziness is still affecting me on a daily basis especially when I walk. I also have high blood pressure and take medication for that but check my bp everyday at home and levels have been good. I wish I knew what was causing this dizziness. I also had an MRI on brain done august 2015 as well as seen an ent Dr and everything checked out OK with both results. I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance.

0 likes, 62 replies

62 Replies

Next
  • gillian76726
    gillian76726 michelemuffin

    Posted

    Sorry To hear youre suffering the same as us on here. The MRI isusually done  to rule ,out anything else like,tumours.it,doesnt really help,diagnose., Did,the dizziness thing begin before anything else?  have you seen a consultant specifically for the vertigo symptoms?
    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin gillian76726

      Posted

      Thanks gillian. It started 2 years ago when I was at work and felt very dizzy like I was gonna pass out so my husband took me to hospital and did blood work which was fine and referred me to see an ENT which I did and all was fine except that I have hearing loss in both my ears so I don't have vertigo and my vestibular function is normal. I was told to have my eyes checked for a condition called vertical heterophoria.
    • gillian76726
      gillian76726 michelemuffin

      Posted

      Hi, so who in Fact ld you you dont have vertigo ?  vertigo,isnt a condition btw,it ,is just a descrption of,dizziness symptoms.  iFmit was an ENT consultant the. I'm sorry to say they Re not qualified in the Vestibular,area asthey don't  study it,to become an ENT.  wHat,,or who, you need to see is a Neuro otologist.  certainly get checked for tge VH too bit get your GP to refer to,a NO.  if you google that term you will understand.  also a good,aite to, chexk,is VEDA (american based)! vestibular dis orders association (Theynhave a FB page too) ,Theynhave a lot of info and verynprofessional .
    • gillian76726
      gillian76726

      Posted

      Excuse typos, i'm no that good today myself and screens dont help!
    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin gillian76726

      Posted

      When I went to the ENT Dr last year he told me I didn't have vertigo or menieres disease and they did a vestibular test and said it was normal.
    • gillian76726
      gillian76726 michelemuffin

      Posted

      I'd,love to,know what  this  'Vestibular test, is that they did! if you go,to a Neuro,Otologist you will,have an hours worth of different tests to,assess your Vestibular system, and no ENT i have heard of can do this as they arent trained to do them. ,(ENTs only train 4 years, as opposed to,doubl ,that for a Neuro otologist )Also,to tell you you dont have Vertigo is a misnomer, as Vertigo,isnt a conditon as i said, it is just a description of all the various dizziness you can have, so you could,have BPPV, or Meniers, or Nystagmus, etc etc. these conditions all cause vertigo symptoms.  
    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin gillian76726

      Posted

      2 different ENT doctors told me I don't have menieres or BPPV. The vestibular test is where they put goggles on the eyes and measures how the brain responds to eye movement.
  • emma93780
    emma93780 michelemuffin

    Posted

    I don't have any help for you but can completely sympathise with how you are feeling, I have had ct scans, seen ent, bloods, physio, accupuncture, taken tablets, seen optician, dentist, ultra sounds in neck waiting to see neurologist etc and still no better they said vestibular neuritis but I'm not convinced, they also try to pin things on anxiety, yes of course I'm anxious but I feel terrible, I feel like my brain some days is wobbling in my head and I get terrible head pressure.

    It's a nightmare time as we are all always seeking reassurance from others, doctors etc as we are all worried it's the worst as its not normal. I for one know even after all these tests I still don't believe there is nothing amiss xx

    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin emma93780

      Posted

      I know what you mean. Everything is always pointed to anxiety but I strongly feel and believe there I something else going on that is causing all my dizziness and the off balance feeling when walking as well.
    • emma93780
      emma93780 michelemuffin

      Posted

      Me to hun, they are so quick to point it towards anxiety but your only anxious because your dizzy!

      Have you been through any tests at all?

      I know I clench and grind my teeth at night and during the day so I've got a lot of tension but there has to be a reason so many of us feel this way? I keep getting headaches to x

    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin emma93780

      Posted

      I had an MRI done on my brain, seen 2 ENT doctors for my ears, also had a stress test done and all was normal so now just trying to get down to the bottom of where my dizziness is coming from.
  • rita52071
    rita52071 michelemuffin

    Posted

    Is the dizziness causing anxiety or do you get anxiety attacks regardless of the dizziness????   Have you gottten your eyes checked????  What tests have you gone for relating to ear???  Not going to kid you its a long process but you need to keep a positive outlook.......Its hard  I know believe me...........
    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin rita52071

      Posted

      Hello Rita....I have dizziness when I don't have an anxiety attacks. The medicine I have been taking seems to have helped with the attacks cause I have not had many I just still have the dizziness everyday especially when I am walking. I seen the first ENT Dr who said I had menieres disease then when it never went away I went and seen another ENT Dr who did more tests than the first one and said I don't have menieres disease and that my vestibular function is normal and the only the wrong with my ears is that I have hearing loss in both ears. I have not had my eyes checked yet.
    • rita52071
      rita52071 michelemuffin

      Posted

      did he say the hearing loss could be causing this dizziness???   What did he suggest you do???  Where do you live???  I am in the US
    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin rita52071

      Posted

      Hello Rita. He said he didn't know where the dizziness was coming from and said nothing about that it could be coming from my hearing loss so I don't know. He referred me to see a neurologist which I did and had a brain MRI done which was normal. I am in the US as well.
    • rita52071
      rita52071 michelemuffin

      Posted

      so sorry you are going through this.....Dont you have any health insurance???  Lately, I have been going to drs that dont accept my plan....not pleasant
    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin rita52071

      Posted

      Thanks. Yes I have health insurance but its not that good of insurance and my husband is the only one working so there is only so much we can afford so don't go to doctors very often. I want to get the dizziness under control so I can go back to work. Do you work ?
    • rita52071
      rita52071 michelemuffin

      Posted

      I had to stop working dec 23 2014 because the vertigo was so bad.......couldnt drive for 5 months at all....the 6th month about 10 minutes from house ..........I want to do something even 20 hours a week but with this dizziness I cant.......as I said I am paying for a dr off my plan who helped alot  at least I am functioning to a degree but she thinks its MAV too........I am coming off of Gabapentin...still on Depoke for 5 months now...Someone on this forum suggest vertical heterophoria  has to do with eyes
    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin rita52071

      Posted

      Hello Rita. I have looked into vertical heterophoria and plan to make an appt to check for that as well as see a psychiatrist so I can keep my medication going for the anxiety.
    • rita52071
      rita52071 michelemuffin

      Posted

      good   I was just about to call the opthamologist I saw to see if he checked for that when I went to see him.....My headache specialist who I saw today didnt know about it.......the neuro ent docter feels its also MAV  My situation is money right now  if I knew this was a sure thing I would jump to it.....going to give it one more month  My headache specialist says she thinks one more month and I should see a little more improvement..................
    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin rita52071

      Posted

      The thing with me is money too because my husband is the only one working and paying everything. I really hope you see some improvement soon cause I know you as well as everyone who suffers with this wants to see a light at the end of the tunnel and get back to living again. The best of luck to you.
    • rita52071
      rita52071 michelemuffin

      Posted

      wishing the same to you to and everyone else....I think I am giving this one more month....then I may need to spend the money.....
    • michelemuffin
      michelemuffin rita52071

      Posted

      Thank you. I got an appt with a psychiatrist at the end of this month so will see what they can do for me. I wonder if there is any anxiety medicine out there that can be taken 2-3 times a day instead of just once a day with Zoloft.
Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.