Scary Vertigo Today

Hi to all my friends. I'm not saing that what happened to me today was my heart. I don't think it was. It is just that this is mostly where I post and have my friends. So this is where I come for support or when something really scares me.

 

I was at the mall walking with my mom today as we do most days. Nothing special going on. When suddenly I experienced vertigo and nearsyncope. It probably lasted around 6-8 seconds total. It was sudden and out-of-the-blue, no warning signs at ALL. It was terribly frightening, a horrible experience and I am at a total lose as to why. ?????

 

I have been experiencing nauseau and lightheadedness as of late. I had one episode a couple of weeks ago where I was walking across my kitchen and felt as if everything disappeared for a split-second and I was free-falling into space. I felt like I was going to faint then also but I didn't. It scared me and I actually called my doctor. It was a Saturday and she didn't have a clue.

 

I recently started back with my biofeedback therapist thinking I was experiencing anxiety again. However, honestly, this was NOT anxiety today. I was really strange. It did cause me to be frightened and anxious afterwards, but it was not caused by anxiety.

 

If any of you have any ideas or words of support or encouragement, I could use them!

 

I did call my doctor's office again. She didn't seems concerned and referred me to an ENT over the phone who cannot see me until Nov. 27th. So I guess it is no big deal but I would sure hate to have this when I was driving my daughter somewhere. ?????

hello. sounds like what i have had for many years. although it took the docs 3 years to diagnose me. there is something called a migraine equivalent. it is an actual migraine headache without the pain. when you have a headache do you get nauseous? lightheaded? spacey? when this happens without the head pain this is called migraine equivalent. however this is only true for people that have migraines. if you dont have migraines, then you could have whats called free floating anxiety or G.A.D (general anxiety disorder). this disorder has caused many arguments between therapists and patients (lol). with gad, many times you would swear nothing is wrong in you life so there is no cause for this anxiety and it needs to just leave you alone. well thats how i felt anyway. with this free floating anxiety you could be even playing a friendly game of cards and all of a sudden you will be grabbing on to the edge of the table feeling like you are going to faint or fall off the chair! many people with this disorder hold their breath without knowing it and this will cause them to hyperventilate. once my therapist told me of this i actually found myself off and on holding my breath and then breathing . if you have ever been diagnosed with this.....it can come back. good news is there is meds out there for this condition as well as the migraines if that is the problem. i take two ibuprofen (i have migraine equivalent) when i am nauseous and lightheaded even though i have no headache. it all usually goes away in about 1/2 hour. for my g.a.d. if i drink something hot it usually makes me feel better. remember meds help too . ok so i have rambled on. hope this helped. look these up on the internet for more info.
candi

For me, vertigo means that the room begins to spin around.

It has been a long time since I've posted. I finally got answers on all the tests that ENT ran on me because of those episodes. He said the tests did reveal it is an inner ear problems. It is called Benign Positional Vertigo, BVP. It causes a spinning sensation or lightheadedness, sometimes associated with nausea, which are brought on by changes in heae and body position. It can last days to weeks, sometimes months or years, but resolves on its own mostly.  He did give me physical therapy exercises to do to try to help. He said that some people get it and some don't. They do not know what causes it in most cases. Once you've had a bout of it, it is more likely that you will have it again, but nothing life-threatening. So I'll just have to live with it and not get freaked out by it.

I'm really not sure what you call the testing that they did. It was a series of tests done at a research center in San Antonio, Tx., although I'm sure that they do it other places too. The tests lasted for several hours over a couple of days. The results where sent to my ENT after they were analyzed and the ENT said it showed that the problems did come from a problem with my inner ear. I'd say start by seeing an ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat specialist) that is where my primary doctor sent me when she couldn't figure out what was going on. Good Luck!

Hope...and others with vertigo. This is about two years after your post.  It's July, 2008, but your symptoms are very much like mine and I do believe it is whats called BPPV.  Your right.  It happens mostly to older folks and mostly when getting into bed or out of bed.  Looking up and reaching will also do it.  Looking down or under something can do it.  Getting in and out of a dentist chair will do it to you.  There is a sensation that you have completely lost your ability to walk or stand up, usually for at least 10 or so seconds.   I have to sit on the side of the bed, or dentist chair for just a little bit, about 15 or so seconds before I can get up.  That give the brain time enough to let it level out.  It is just for a few moments.  The main thing is to keep the head level most of the time as moving the head up or down ..or sideways can cause the imbalance.  This is the most probable cause, even though tumors and a stroke could do the same thing.  But I dont think it would be ongoing if it were those two things.  But only a neurologist can be sure.  I do advise for you our anyone to let a doctor check you out.  I have an appointment next month to verify this to me.  Also I have MS, which could have triggered mine also.  Hope this helps.