Psychogenic vertigo/vertigo with anxiety cause

Hi guys,

I can see from your posts that most of you feel that anxiety exacerbates vertigo, but is not the cause.

I have had fairly severe vertigo for about six months now. It starts with double vision, then jumping eyes/nystagmus where the world is rapidly moving downwards - like a sideways film reel, and then the whole world pitches forward as well and I am sick. At this point it is severe - I can't recognise my own son, or even stand up. Sometimes it lasts the day but often it is gone by late lunch, when school run is over.

The ENT had my ears, balance, MRIs done and they're all clear. I have " undiagnosed recurrent vertigo" and there's little can be done.

It first presented itself last May at a stressful time and at the end of a mild virus which was probably the initial cause. It stayed for five weeks and drifted away over the school holidays (I'm a single mum so holidays are much lower stress). However last year was a hugely stressful one. I have Bipolar and for the first time had to go into hospital for it in late August. This was a traumatic experience and after a few days, the vertigo returned and hit me like a ton of bricks.

I have had it ever since..over six months. For me, the big trigger for it is not movement or lights - it's *having to leave the house*. It starts right before I have to go anywhere, and particularly in the mornings just before the school run. Sometimes closing my eyes helps, sometimes it doesn't.

In desperation some weeks ago I went back to a Physio specialising in vertigo, who had previously told me she couldn't help me. She listened to me and said she thought I had gotten into a vicious circle of anxiety with it. : I need to go out -> causes anxiety -> creates vertigo -> heightens anxiety. And so on.

I have to say it makes sense, and my bipolar makes me prone to anxiety anyway. Funnily enough over two weeks ago I hurt my back and while it was healing, my vertigo disappeared! It was bliss. But it came back with a vengeance last Thursday. Did it stop because my brain was diverted elsewhere?

I have booked myself in for CBT with a good practitioner starting next week, and I'm learning to meditate. If you're still reading, thank you.

Has anyone any similar stories to tell or advice to offer? I would so appreciate it. Life is on hold, my default star is frightened, and I am quietly desperate.

Aisling

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