Faint spells/ head pressure/ dizziness/ feeling very off PLEASE HELP

Posted , 8 users are following.

I feel extremely hopeless and would appreciate any type of help I could get with my current situation.

So I guess I should start by saying I’m a 22 year old Caucasian female and am fairly healthy aside from living with anxiety/panic attacks and GERD.

This started 2 weeks ago on a Saturday when I was hungover I was out for dinner and as I was walking out of the restaurant I had this feeling in my head and felt a faint spell come on and was convinced I was going to the ground (felt like I was being pulled to the floor, lightheaded yet heavy squeezing feeling) but I didn’t faint, I just went home and slept it off .. felt fine the next day until I dinner time again when I was walking around making dinner and the exact same faint attack came on so I went and laid down for the rest of the night. 

Went to the doctors on Monday she said she believed it could be related to my GERD and also did bloodwork and some other basic tests. For the rest of the week I was fine until Friday noon time, I was sitting on the computer at work and it suddenly came on again and caused a panic attack as well. I had to get picked up from work and was super dizzy, short of breath, nauseas and sweaty. Laying down seems to make it better, so I was doing that till I got up and grabbed a shower was getting dressed then had another faint feeling in the same day (same Friday I left work) so I went to the Emergency Room. Doctor said my bloodwork, vitals and ECG was fine so I just got sent to a general internal medicine clinic for the next week. 

But things have only got worse from here sad 

The next morning I woke up with skull crushing head pressure (all over head, base of skull, top of head, temples etc.) that makes my brain feel like it’s floating around in my head and pushing into my skull.. may I add my appetite has been completely off since Friday (31st of August) so I feel weak too. The head pressure was so bad that I felt like my head was being lifted up off of my neck then being pushed from the top/back (really such an uncomfortable feeling). When I stand or sit up right/eat for too long my head starts to have the faint feelings again and I got warm flushes, my hands and feet go cold and I’m legit wet with sweat.. it feels like I’m about to drop to the floor and die (BUT I never actually end up fainting).

I started noticing other symptoms come on that are just disabling.. the pressure started going into my forehead, nose, face and really hard on my jaw and teeth (truly feels like they’re being pushed and squeezed) I just felt so disoriented like my head was going to pop and wasn’t a part of the rest of my body, the dizziness was bad, I truly have been laying down for over a week now. The worst I noticed was sometimes when I’m eating I notice my whole head face and mouth and like down to my neck would go numb and feel like I was floating and then the panick and faint would come back followed by the hot flush and sweating (so so scary).

I don’t have confusion or loss of vision or double/blurry vision.. the dizziness doesn’t necessarily feel like vertigo it feels more internal as opposed to things around me spinning. Not extremely sensitive to light.. only a little bit to noise.

I went back to the ER again and got more done (CT scan, more bloodwork and vitals) all came back perfect. 

I also saw the specialist at the GIM clinic and again didn’t know what was wrong with me but reckoned it was migraine related vertigo. So I tried Advil and the vertigo medication (neither worked) and I actually ended up really sick (dry heaving, closed my eyes and felt like I had the spins from booze) wasn’t sure if this was the medication or added symptoms to what was already going on but either way I went to see my family doctor the next day who said it could be an inner ear infection so she prescribed me a nose spray and amoxicillin (antibiotics) but it’s been like 4 days and nothing has improved which worries me!!!

I have no idea what’s going on I am crying and having anxiety everyday

Does anyone have any idea what this could be I am losing hope and worrying this won’t go away PLEASE help sad 

(Some additional symptoms- tingling in lips and face and ears. Warm sensations, dizziness, ringing in the ears)

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  • Posted

    As I'm reading your description of symptoms, I am also thinking POTS like Jack said, or some other form of dysautonomia. Have the Dr check your blood pressure and heart rate first in a sitting position, and then in a standing posotion. I believe one can have a genetic tendency for dysautonomia, and then something triggers it- like emotional and physical stressors. And yes, migraine, even vestibular migraine commonly coexists with dysautonomia.

  • Posted

    Have you had a VEMP test or VNG/ENG? Those will test the vestibular nerves/system to see if there is any weakness. The supplements that Jack recommended are good to start with so is the VRT, but when it comes to VRT, its best to have a therapist that specializes in vestibular disorders who can customize the exercises specifically for you. But, the exercises on youtube are also good to start with until then. Drink tons of water and try to keep moving. The more you stay still the longer it will take your body to compensate.

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