Spaced out, high, Drunk Feeling. Please help me. (5 MONTHS)

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Hi everyone.

My name is Erik. I am a 20 year old male, thin build. 6' 2'' at 170 lbs. I have had really debilitating issues for the last 5 months. The issue is that I feel drunk, spacey, loopy, high and dizzy all the time. It basically feels the same as if you were tipsy or the high feeling you can get. I also have visual disturbances. My vision has become blurry and I have somewhat tunnel vision. I just feel all around out of it. I find myself daydream, when I say this I mean my eyes don't focus on anything (go blurry) and just look at nothing. I think it might be slight double vision. Sounds are also very werid and it takes alot of energy to focus on visual and audio stimulants. Additionally, I am tired all the time. Extremely tired. Some days I will sleep very well for 10-11 hours and still be tired when I wake up and exercise will not wake me up. It is like the type of good solid sleep you have when your body is sick.. My memory has gotten really bad as well as my ability to process thoughts and engage in conversation. Imagine being drunk all the time...first I have been reading on boards like this for a long time now and have seen some people with these symptoms but no answers!! People seem to disappear. I hope hey have solved this problem but please let me know how!

Let me start by giving some background information. In August 2015 I was in an indoor rock climbing gym and fell from 15 feet straight onto my back. I could not move for a good 15 minutes because it hurt so bad. I wasn't able to do anything athletic after that day for at least a month. However, I did not have my current symptoms after this fall. 

Fast forward to December 15th 2015. I got really sick, was in bed for 4 days. Sore throat, eyes hurt like crazy, and super tired. It was during and after these 4 days that I developed a headache. This headache causes a pressure/dull/sharp pain behind my eyes, the upper bridge of my nose and right in between my eyes on my forehead. This headache lasted for about 4 months. 

At about 3 weeks into the headache I went and saw an ENT as I thought it was a sinus infection. i took multiple sets of antibiotics over the course of the next month to no avail. I got blood tests and liver test at around 2 months into the headache and nothing showed abnormal. I then was able to get into a nuerologist. They were unable to find anything after taking an MRI of my head with a barium contrast. 

Since the beginning of my headache I have been seeing a (PT) physical therapist mostly for my neck and back since after the fall my back is sore constantly. I had a neck injury about 5 years ago on a trampoline so I have a sore neck, tight muscles alot from that. 

At about 3 months into the headache (3/15/2015) I developed a new symptom, the drunk/high, dizziness, loopiness. I had the headache at the same time at this point. My PT suggested that I may have a blood vessel being pinched in my neck or a nerve being pinched in my mid back area where my rock climbing fall pain is mostly at.

I have been to 3 different chiropractors since this has occured about 5 times to each one. It has not helped so far. My PT gave me massages in my affected back and neck areas. 

Also a new thing I've noticed recently is that when I look up (bend my neck to look at the sky) I seem to get some sort of relief? Also ever since the loopy part started (this did not happen when I just had the headache) any amount of alcohol at all will make me SUPER DRUNK, literally like 2 sips. I used to be able to drink 3 full beers before getting buzzed.

I am thinking I want my doctor to give me a full head (brain/upper atlas) to lower back (tailbone) MRI so that my nerves and blood vessels going to my brain can be evaluated. Do you think this is a good idea? Has anyone had these symptoms before? I am now 5 months into this and it is debilitating. 

No doctor is taking me seriously because I am so young and the chances of having a serious problem are supposedly slim because of my age. PLEASE HELP!!! I feel like I'm caught in a dream and losing my awareness and my IQ. I am afraid something is damaging my brain and this is going to be permanent.

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  • Posted

    I have the same problems and i think its a very light form of the disease Neuromyelitis Optica. It attacks yours eyes, spinal cord and brainstem. I had symptoms from slurred speech, drunkeness, muscle weakness, fatique, blurred vision, light sensivity, visual snow, problem to see in the dark, spasms, headaches, back pain, tingling in hands and feet, light numbness on my skin, eye pain and balance problems. It increases with heat or stress. It may appear after an infection when your immune system attacks your nerve cells. Some of the symptoms went away for me after time though. Try to get testet for the MOG/AQP4 antibody.

  • Posted

    Hey Eric, i know exactly how you feel. has any progress been made since this post or nah.

    like it was maybe 5 months now when i started to feel this same feeling, i was playing basketball and i went for a layup when i hit my head really hard along this metal beam, ever since then i have been having trouble thinking and talking to people because I stutter my words, and when I try to think and I can't. I'm really bad at my maths now and i get drunk really quick now. I can't drink heaps of alcohol I mean what you said I used to be able to drink heaps but now that I've got this condition I drink less because I get drunk quicker. my doctor doesn't seem to be saying anything about it because he thinks that it's not important because I'm young and healthy. I've had a ct scan on my head but my brain is normal so i don't know what it could be. I'm worried because it might be permanent but I hope not because I'm only 18 years old

  • Posted

    I'm so sorry everyone is feeling this way. I'm right there with you!! I'm almost 29 years old and after brain MRI 4 years ago I was diagnosed with complex neurological migraines. My symptoms started with:

    severe headaches on left side

    left side of face and lips numb

    ear, face and eye pressure

    blurred vision

    tunnel vision

    feeling like everything was closing in on me

    neck and shoulder pain and stiffness

    jaw pain

    ear ringing

    sensitive to light especially driving at night

    spaced feeling and loopy

    general discomfort and feeling just crummy

    I was driving from seattle to snoqualmie 5 days a week for work which takes over an hour. The doctor recommended getting glasses thinking my eye strain was triggering the migraines. I have had my eyes check every year and the perscription is basically nothing.. Migraines have been frequent and uncomfortable but ive learned to live through it which has been miserable. Starting in July, everything got so much worse. Nothing helps the "complex migraines". I went to get blood tests to check for thyroid issues and mono because I have been SO tired. Everything was normal. A month I got hit hard with all the symptoms and it HASN'T stopped. 100% of the time I'm uncomfortable and in pain. The symptoms have gotten much worse and it is causing anxiety worse than I have ever experienced. I panic when people approach me and things are loud. Two days ago I started getting vertigo so bad that I felt like I was rocking on a boat for hours. nothing motion related triggered it. I was just at work, on my computer. Laying down didn't help it stop but I felt more comfortable knowing I wouldnt fall. I feel mentally and physical depleted. My body feels like breeze is flowing through it in the most uncomfortable way. I'm the general manager of a hotel and restaurant and I feel like I can't talk to people without sounding like I'm on drugs. SO awkward. I decided it was time for a second opinion. I went in to see a family practitioner to get a referral since it's been 4 years. He immediately said meneires disease but is requesting a full work up with neurology and ENT.

    After thinking back to July, a recent trip a month ago and my previous work commute, air pressure changes have been the common factor triggering every episode so whether its menieres or not, I'm thinking it must be something with my inner ear.

    If anyone else can relate specifically to these symptoms, please share!!! Lets all be cured for the sake of comfort and sanity!!!

  • Edited

    I'm so sorry everyone is feeling this way. I'm right there with you!! I'm almost 29 years old and after brain MRI 4 years ago I was diagnosed with complex neurological migraines. My symptoms started with:

    severe headaches on left side

    left side of face and lips numb

    ear, face and eye pressure

    blurred vision

    tunnel vision

    feeling like everything was closing in on me

    neck and shoulder pain and stiffness

    jaw pain

    ear ringing

    sensitive to light especially driving at night

    spaced feeling and loopy

    general discomfort and feeling just crummy

    I was driving from seattle to snoqualmie 5 days a week for work which takes over an hour. The doctor recommended getting glasses thinking my eye strain was triggering the migraines. I have had my eyes check every year and the perscription is basically nothing.. Migraines have been frequent and uncomfortable but ive learned to live through it which has been miserable. Starting in July, everything got so much worse. Nothing helps the "complex migraines". I went to get blood tests to check for thyroid issues and mono because I have been SO tired. Everything was normal. A month I got hit hard with all the symptoms and it HASN'T stopped. 100% of the time I'm uncomfortable and in pain. The symptoms have gotten much worse and it is causing anxiety worse than I have ever experienced. I panic when people approach me and things are loud. Two days ago I started getting vertigo so bad that I felt like I was rocking on a boat for hours. nothing motion related triggered it. I was just at work, on my computer. Laying down didn't help it stop but I felt more comfortable knowing I wouldnt fall. I feel mentally and physical depleted. My body feels like breeze is flowing through it in the most uncomfortable way. I'm the general manager of a hotel and restaurant and I feel like I can't talk to people without sounding like I'm on drugs. SO awkward. I decided it was time for a second opinion. I went in to see a family practitioner to get a referral since it's been 4 years. He immediately said meneires disease but is requesting a full work up with neurology and ENT.

    After thinking back to July, a recent trip a month ago and my previous work commute, air pressure changes have been the common factor triggering every episode so whether its menieres or not, I'm thinking it must be something with my inner ear.

    If anyone else can relate specifically to these symptoms, please share!!! Lets all be cured for the sake of comfort and sanity!!!

  • Posted

    I am so sorryi do understand. Have you ever just a suggestion checked for Giant Cell Artritis ? I would look into this. Look up symptoms and see if this might be a possibility Prayers for you .,I understand the spinning awful feeling as i have had it for over 30 years I am now 66 Shopping is awful with this.

    • Posted

      **thank uyes i have that along with polymyalgia i was diag three years sgo however not on sing person on this huge forum Of GAC have these constant symptoms drunk feeling i have had this drunk like feeling for over 30 years It has occurred to me that it could be GAC however like I said I see no symptoms like this that would last for 30 years ** thank u fir your time the very best to u

  • Edited

    hey everyone! i just came across this forum post after searxhing on google and it looks like some of you are still active! did anyone get answers? i have been feeling crappy for almost a year now. doctors blame it on anxiety but im confident its not that! has anyone made a group on FB where we can post ipdates easier and help each other!? these problems are destroying my life! spacy, headache, neck pain, forehead pressure, laying down obly thing that seems o help, eyes fatigued, heavy head, top of head dull pressure. bending over it gets worse! CT scan came back normal too this is ruining my life! lightheaded and dizzy also horrible

    • Edited

      probably my weirdest symptom is my vision sometimes gets darker no one seems to understand this at all

  • Posted

    I get the same woozy feeling that increases if i lie down. i also get motion sickness so feeling like im rocking on a boat whilst lying has already led to me vomiting once. this all started a week ago with bacterial gastro that lasted 24hrs. post gastro my muscles and bones were all very painful for a couple days. i get the pressure in my sinuses between my eyes in the bridge of my nose and behind my eyes and have post nasal drip and migranes. i dont have any history of migranes or headaches. i haven't tried alcohol and frankly dont want to after reading this.

    using this terrible text entry on

  • Posted

    hey!

    I have been feeling the same thing and no one took me seriously. I'm 22 and finally had someone help me. I was diagnosed with something called meniere's disease. It's and inner ear issue which will definitely mess with you and make you feel drunk all the time. I matched symptom for symptom with you. It finally took an ENT for some results and at least a name. Hope this helps!

    • Posted

      hey i looked that ip many times but just didnt seem to match me can you tell me all the symptoms you personally have? how did they help you?

    • Posted

      i had the constant drunk feeling and the slightest movement would make me dizzy. The scariest part is what the call drop attacks, its like my hands forgot how to hand and i would let go of things or just fall over without and explaination. Menieres is also connected to something called vestibular migraines which accounted for my blurred vision and the tunnel vision type things. The thing i started to do was to watch my salt intake based on ENT recommendations. It helped but now I am on a diuretic to help with the fluid imbalance. The thing to remember is there is not a known reason why this disease happens and there isnt a cure only ways to make it bearable.

    • Posted

      thanks for replyingthat is very interesting that doesnt sound wuite like mjne but close....

      top of my head hurts often, dizzy, nauseous, neck pain, laying doen is the only way i feel better. eye pressure and dimming of vision and light headed

    • Posted

      thsnksthat was ruled out years ago for methe very best to u thanks fir imput

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