Dizzy
Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:51 pm
I'm sick of this. For months now I've been having dizzy fits, sometimes lasting for a couple of seconds and sometimes lasting minutes. I've been to the doctor before about this and each time the same results come back - there's nothing wrong with me at all. So is it normal to have continual dizzy fits and also headaches? Is it normal to keep losing your balance all the time? The day before yesterday I nearly had two accidents. The first time I nearly fell down the stairs because I lost my balance and the second time I was at work and lost my balance and almost fell over by the till. Heh, I've been having dizzy fits for the past ten minutes now, maybe longer than that. I'm not going back to the doctor because there will be nothing wrong with me. And if there is then it's hiding itself well because the doctor can't see it. I'm a hypochondriac I'll admit, but I see it as just being very cautious and open-minded about any illnesses that I could have. I mean, it's better to worry about illnesses and be cautious of them than to than to ignore them and pass them off as 'just a bug'.
Also, I'm tired all the time. A few weeks ago I had 15 hours sleep and for the entire day when I woke I was still tired. I've also told this to my doctor and he gave me a blood test to test for any bugs and my thyroid glands as well as a few other things like glucose levels and stuff like that. So why does it keep coming up that there's nothing wrong with me? Does anyone else have dizzy fits, headaches, loss of balance and fatigue like me? Did your doctor diagnose anything?
My mom told me it was because I didn't get out the house but that's changed now. I've changed my lifestyle since March when I started to work as a volunteer at a local charity shop. She also said I didn't get enough excersise but working at the charity shop has proved otherwise now. Ugh, listen to me rambling on...
Also, I'm tired all the time. A few weeks ago I had 15 hours sleep and for the entire day when I woke I was still tired. I've also told this to my doctor and he gave me a blood test to test for any bugs and my thyroid glands as well as a few other things like glucose levels and stuff like that. So why does it keep coming up that there's nothing wrong with me? Does anyone else have dizzy fits, headaches, loss of balance and fatigue like me? Did your doctor diagnose anything?
My mom told me it was because I didn't get out the house but that's changed now. I've changed my lifestyle since March when I started to work as a volunteer at a local charity shop. She also said I didn't get enough excersise but working at the charity shop has proved otherwise now. Ugh, listen to me rambling on...
Sat Aug 13, 2005 12:21 am
Well you could have an inner ear problem. That is all I can think of. An ear infection or something can effect your balance, which is controlled by something in your ear. Anyway, you could go to an ear doctor or just go the cheap route and go get yourself some ear drops and try that first. As for the sleeping thing, it could be several things, like cronic fatigue syndrome or even sleep apnea. If you have sleep apnea you think you sleep but you stop breathing off and own during the night which messes you up and you will wake up temporarily and then go back to sleep. So you never get fully asleep for long. They can do several things about that, like surgery to remove that dangly thing from the back of your throut, to giving you some kind of thing you wear at night to keep your airway more open. I should know about that as my grandpa has it, and I Think I might have it too, because I wake myself up snoring a lot.
Sat Aug 13, 2005 12:31 am
i have no idea what smudgoffudge just said.. sometimes i'll have a short dizzy fit, but it only happens once every like couple of hours or so, i just got used to them, and the headache thing, i've had so many in the last monthyou eventually just get used to it...ow...i have a headach right now...most of them are migraines tho so i dont know if its the same or what...
Sat Aug 13, 2005 12:35 am
Well, it's not just the dizziness actually. I've had a sore throat for months and months now. Sometimes it's not present but sometimes it's really bad and it feels like my throat has been starved of liquid because it's so dry. And the glands in my neck are up a lot too. I've had an upset stomach for about three weeks, maybe a month. My joints are achy - mainly my knees and the very top of my legs. Sometime it feels like someone heavy has sat on the top of my legs it's that painful. I have loads of other stuff too. My body feels like it's 70 years old. Not that I know what it feels like but that's the impression I get.
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I think I might have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). I just looked it up and have all the symptoms. I don't like self-diagnosis but what else am I supposed to do? I have EVERY single symptom, I even have bad digestive problems and upset stomach. It comes and goes but at the moment I've had an upset stomach for three weeks now.
Fatigue – This can be both physical and mental fatigue. It is a pronounced fatigue that leads to a significant reduction in ability to carry out normal tasks and live your usual lifestyle. The fatigue is usually ever present to some degree and is not relieved by sleep; in fact it may be a lot worse upon waking, especially after a lot of activity the previous day.
That is exactly how I feel. They have it spot on.
Exercise Intolerance - I thought I was just too weak and a wuss.
Severe Malaise – A general feeling of being ill. It can be described as a “flu-like” or “hangover” feeling. Yes, I have that. Just a couple of days ago I felt like I had a hangover even though I hadn't touched any alcohol.
Muscle and Joint Aches – These can occur anywhere in the body but the most common sites are the lower back and legs. The aching can be severe and is aggravated substantially by any exertion, physical or mental. There is significant overlap here with Fibromyalgia and many patients are diagnosed with both CFS and Fibromyalgia. - Hehe, guess where I get the most pain? In my upper legs. I've got it right now and it really hurts.
Cognitive Dysfunction – Symptoms of cognitive dysfunction are a prominent problem in CFS. They include poor concentration, memory loss (constantly forgetting simple information like names and numbers), inability to take in information (having to read the same thing over and over) and a general reduction in cognitive ability and IQ. - I have that and it drives me mad.
Chronic Headache – As would be expected in someone who feels “ill all over” and achy in general, headaches are a common complaint in CFS. They are different to headaches experienced before the onset of CFS and their severity usually varies inline with other aches and symptoms. - Don't get me started on headaches. I don't know how many pain killers I've taken for headaches in the past. Have one now.
Balance Disturbance – An unusual but common symptom is a loss of balance or sensation of dizziness. This most often occurs upon standing up and the sufferer may feel faint and even black out. This is often referred to as ‘Orthostatic Intolerance’ and is most likely due to low blood pressure or abnormal blood flow to the brain.
Recurrent Sore Throat – A persistent sore throat and/or swollen glands commonly precedes the onset of CFS and may continue as the illness progresses. This is felt to be an indicator that a viral infection plays a major role in cause of the illness.
Mood and Sleep Disturbances – Depression, anxiety and irritability are often present which frequently leads to misdiagnosis by doctors. Sleep disturbances are common and may present as hypersomnolence (sleeping more than normal), sleep reversal i.e. sleeping all day and awake at night, or insomnia (inability to sleep). Sleep apnea and Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) are also common.. - Yes, I have this and thought I was suffering from a mental illness. I even talked to a psychiatric nurse about things like this.
Abdominal Pain/Digestive Disturbances – These are symptoms similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome and, as with Fibromyalgia, CFS sufferers are often diagnosed with IBS. - I've suffered from a dodgy stomach for God knows how long.
Nausea – Particularly apparent when other symptoms feeling particularly ill in general. - Yep, have that.
Heightened Sensitivity to Light and/or Sound – Normal everyday levels of sound and light can seem overwhelming to a CFS sufferer. A busy place like a large shop will leave a sufferer totally exhausted very rapidly - I'm not too sure about this because I do have this but it's usual for people who have Asperger Syndrome to have this symptom so I'm not sure.
Visual Disturbances – These may include a blurring of vision, especially when reading, and eye pain. - Don't get blurring of vision but I get eye pain.
Skin Sensitivity – This is another unusual symptom. Some CFS sufferers experience a sensation where patches of skin become very sensitive to touch and may feel like they are burning. Some people describe this as a “crawling sensation”. - I have that now. My left arm is sore and burning. Have had this for as long as I can remember.
Coincidence or an accurate self-diagnosis? Should I take this to my doctor?
DiscordantEdit: Please don't double post. Next time, use the Edit button.
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I think I might have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). I just looked it up and have all the symptoms. I don't like self-diagnosis but what else am I supposed to do? I have EVERY single symptom, I even have bad digestive problems and upset stomach. It comes and goes but at the moment I've had an upset stomach for three weeks now.
Fatigue – This can be both physical and mental fatigue. It is a pronounced fatigue that leads to a significant reduction in ability to carry out normal tasks and live your usual lifestyle. The fatigue is usually ever present to some degree and is not relieved by sleep; in fact it may be a lot worse upon waking, especially after a lot of activity the previous day.
That is exactly how I feel. They have it spot on.
Exercise Intolerance - I thought I was just too weak and a wuss.
Severe Malaise – A general feeling of being ill. It can be described as a “flu-like” or “hangover” feeling. Yes, I have that. Just a couple of days ago I felt like I had a hangover even though I hadn't touched any alcohol.
Muscle and Joint Aches – These can occur anywhere in the body but the most common sites are the lower back and legs. The aching can be severe and is aggravated substantially by any exertion, physical or mental. There is significant overlap here with Fibromyalgia and many patients are diagnosed with both CFS and Fibromyalgia. - Hehe, guess where I get the most pain? In my upper legs. I've got it right now and it really hurts.
Cognitive Dysfunction – Symptoms of cognitive dysfunction are a prominent problem in CFS. They include poor concentration, memory loss (constantly forgetting simple information like names and numbers), inability to take in information (having to read the same thing over and over) and a general reduction in cognitive ability and IQ. - I have that and it drives me mad.
Chronic Headache – As would be expected in someone who feels “ill all over” and achy in general, headaches are a common complaint in CFS. They are different to headaches experienced before the onset of CFS and their severity usually varies inline with other aches and symptoms. - Don't get me started on headaches. I don't know how many pain killers I've taken for headaches in the past. Have one now.
Balance Disturbance – An unusual but common symptom is a loss of balance or sensation of dizziness. This most often occurs upon standing up and the sufferer may feel faint and even black out. This is often referred to as ‘Orthostatic Intolerance’ and is most likely due to low blood pressure or abnormal blood flow to the brain.
Recurrent Sore Throat – A persistent sore throat and/or swollen glands commonly precedes the onset of CFS and may continue as the illness progresses. This is felt to be an indicator that a viral infection plays a major role in cause of the illness.
Mood and Sleep Disturbances – Depression, anxiety and irritability are often present which frequently leads to misdiagnosis by doctors. Sleep disturbances are common and may present as hypersomnolence (sleeping more than normal), sleep reversal i.e. sleeping all day and awake at night, or insomnia (inability to sleep). Sleep apnea and Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) are also common.. - Yes, I have this and thought I was suffering from a mental illness. I even talked to a psychiatric nurse about things like this.
Abdominal Pain/Digestive Disturbances – These are symptoms similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome and, as with Fibromyalgia, CFS sufferers are often diagnosed with IBS. - I've suffered from a dodgy stomach for God knows how long.
Nausea – Particularly apparent when other symptoms feeling particularly ill in general. - Yep, have that.
Heightened Sensitivity to Light and/or Sound – Normal everyday levels of sound and light can seem overwhelming to a CFS sufferer. A busy place like a large shop will leave a sufferer totally exhausted very rapidly - I'm not too sure about this because I do have this but it's usual for people who have Asperger Syndrome to have this symptom so I'm not sure.
Visual Disturbances – These may include a blurring of vision, especially when reading, and eye pain. - Don't get blurring of vision but I get eye pain.
Skin Sensitivity – This is another unusual symptom. Some CFS sufferers experience a sensation where patches of skin become very sensitive to touch and may feel like they are burning. Some people describe this as a “crawling sensation”. - I have that now. My left arm is sore and burning. Have had this for as long as I can remember.
Coincidence or an accurate self-diagnosis? Should I take this to my doctor?
DiscordantEdit: Please don't double post. Next time, use the Edit button.
Sat Aug 13, 2005 1:24 am
I don't know if it is good to self diagnose, but you might try going to a sleep clinic. I don't know how anyone sleeps in those places anyway but I wouldn't know never having gone to one. But there is nothing like my own bed, that is all I know. If you wake with dry mouth, it is sure to be because you are breathing through your mouth. And if you are breathing through your mouth and waking tired then it very well could be apnea causing you to feel so tired. And well, lack of quality sleep could be causing all those other symtoms instead of cronic fatigue. The cheapest thing you might try to do for now is to get yourself a tape recorder and a tape and just record the sounds of breathing you make at night. It will be a long boring process playing it back and listening to it, but if you hear any irregular breathing or snorts or sudden gasps for air on there, you'll know you aren't breathing right at night.
Sat Aug 13, 2005 11:36 am
You probably just have a slight cold or sinus infection. I have one right now, and it's not even a very bad cold, but I still feel dizzy at times and very drowsy. You may just need a little Tylenol to solve your problems. After reading the CFS niformation, however, it sounds like you could have a migrane instead, and those are no fun (it's a lot more than a bad headache, that's for sure).
About how much sleep do you usually get? Sometime if you get too little or too much sleep you'll feel tired right after waking up, but it'll eventually fade away.
About how much sleep do you usually get? Sometime if you get too little or too much sleep you'll feel tired right after waking up, but it'll eventually fade away.
Sat Aug 13, 2005 12:01 pm
Hm.
Well, I've been having short periods of dizziness at times when I'm walking in my apartment. They're only a few seconds long, and my vision blurs and everything seems to float and waver around me. I get them every few days or so, and I remember getting one today. I really don't know what causes them, though it may have something to do with the heat (because I don't seem to remember getting them much in the winter.) Either that, or tiredness.
Anyhow, I've been getting them since I was pretty young (about 7 or 8 years old,) and I've never been really bothered about them. In fact, I'm so accustomed to them I just keep on walking when they occur and I don't even think about them after the dizziness has passed o.O
Every time I go to for a health checkup, the doctor says I'm perfectly healthy ^^; I don't know, but I don't really think you should worry *too* much about it ...
Well, I've been having short periods of dizziness at times when I'm walking in my apartment. They're only a few seconds long, and my vision blurs and everything seems to float and waver around me. I get them every few days or so, and I remember getting one today. I really don't know what causes them, though it may have something to do with the heat (because I don't seem to remember getting them much in the winter.) Either that, or tiredness.
Anyhow, I've been getting them since I was pretty young (about 7 or 8 years old,) and I've never been really bothered about them. In fact, I'm so accustomed to them I just keep on walking when they occur and I don't even think about them after the dizziness has passed o.O
Every time I go to for a health checkup, the doctor says I'm perfectly healthy ^^; I don't know, but I don't really think you should worry *too* much about it ...
Sat Aug 13, 2005 12:31 pm
Perhaps you should have a look at your diet? I used to have several smaller health problems as well as some bigger ones and though they were all symptoms of actual conditions and I ate perfectly healthily I tweaked my diet to be even more balanced and to make sure I was getting all the right stuff (stopped drinking all fizzy stuff was the main thing [apart from ginger beer which for some reason seems fine, weirdness]) and I went from being ill most of the time to now having not been ill for months. Depression, even light depression can also make you feel ill a lot more of the time with headaches and all sorts. Change in diet if it's not too serious can knock that kind of thing on the head too or at least make it a lot better. My step dad used to get awful migraines and dizzy spells until he did the obvious and stopped drinking coffee and other caffeine stuff - he used to get a migraine every fortnight and now he hasn't had one in 6 months.
Also excercise has to be the right kind of exercise, exercise purely for exercises sake rather than just when you're working (unless you work as a labourer, heh). Long walks, cycling and swimming can all get rid of many ailments. A lifestyle change can sort many things or at least narrow down what is causing the problems.
Remember too that if you are a hypochondriac then you can actually make yourself ill. When I was younger and went through a period of hating school for example I would concentrate on the slightest dry throat or stomach cramp and by the end of the day I would feel terrible with an upset stomach, terrible headache or cough - just from thinking (or maybe even hoping) I was ill >_<
Also excercise has to be the right kind of exercise, exercise purely for exercises sake rather than just when you're working (unless you work as a labourer, heh). Long walks, cycling and swimming can all get rid of many ailments. A lifestyle change can sort many things or at least narrow down what is causing the problems.
Remember too that if you are a hypochondriac then you can actually make yourself ill. When I was younger and went through a period of hating school for example I would concentrate on the slightest dry throat or stomach cramp and by the end of the day I would feel terrible with an upset stomach, terrible headache or cough - just from thinking (or maybe even hoping) I was ill >_<
Sat Aug 13, 2005 12:58 pm
Yeah, I was going to suggest what Trick said - although it's not like I can say whether something is wrong or not, a healthy diet and exercise can change how you're feeling so much. A lack of certain vitamins could make you feel really tired or out of sorts, and make you susceptible to illnesses too. I feel extra tired if I haven't been exercising much, and rather more energised if I have...
I feel a bit woozy if I haven't had enough water sometimes, too... and fainted once (and almost again on another occassion) because I skipped breakfast!
I feel a bit woozy if I haven't had enough water sometimes, too... and fainted once (and almost again on another occassion) because I skipped breakfast!
Sat Aug 13, 2005 2:32 pm
Firstly, make sure you are drinking plenty of water, not drinking enough water can cause dehydration which may bring on dizziness and I don't doubt that lack of water could lead to a sore throat and perhaps even digestion problems if you're system is not being "flushed" out by the water.
I used to have major headaches and dizziness when I was much younger, sometimes it got so bad that I basically lost contact with everything around me when it occured and people would have to repeat things to me several times before even getting the slightest response. Sometimes the headaches used to get so bad that I'd just have to sit down and cry because I felt like my head was about to explode. I went to heaps of doctors about it, had heaps of tests done and they found nothing. I eventually ended up going to a chiropractor and found out that my neck was out, my chiropractor fixed that and I go back to him regularly for realignments but I can't say I've had anything as bad as what I used to since then and on the rare occassion that I do its much milder than what it used to be years and years ago.
I also have a number of friends who suffer from it and on occassion it happens to be too, getting dizzy when you standup or move around too quickly. Apparently some of that sort of dizziness can be brought on by low blood pressure although I assume your Doctor probably already checked that.
My Mum gets vertigo which also causes dizziness, its got something to do with something breaking away in the inner ear or something and can be aggravated by heights.
Yup. I think to some extent dizziness is a pretty regular thing.
I'd suggest just trying to up your water intake (a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day) and maybe consider seeing a chiropractor. That worked for me, sure, I still get the odd dizzy spell (had one the other day when cleaning the shower but that could have been from the chemicals and/or steam off the hot water) but I'm much better than what I used to be.
I used to have major headaches and dizziness when I was much younger, sometimes it got so bad that I basically lost contact with everything around me when it occured and people would have to repeat things to me several times before even getting the slightest response. Sometimes the headaches used to get so bad that I'd just have to sit down and cry because I felt like my head was about to explode. I went to heaps of doctors about it, had heaps of tests done and they found nothing. I eventually ended up going to a chiropractor and found out that my neck was out, my chiropractor fixed that and I go back to him regularly for realignments but I can't say I've had anything as bad as what I used to since then and on the rare occassion that I do its much milder than what it used to be years and years ago.
I also have a number of friends who suffer from it and on occassion it happens to be too, getting dizzy when you standup or move around too quickly. Apparently some of that sort of dizziness can be brought on by low blood pressure although I assume your Doctor probably already checked that.
My Mum gets vertigo which also causes dizziness, its got something to do with something breaking away in the inner ear or something and can be aggravated by heights.
Yup. I think to some extent dizziness is a pretty regular thing.
I'd suggest just trying to up your water intake (a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day) and maybe consider seeing a chiropractor. That worked for me, sure, I still get the odd dizzy spell (had one the other day when cleaning the shower but that could have been from the chemicals and/or steam off the hot water) but I'm much better than what I used to be.
Sat Aug 13, 2005 2:36 pm
I was going to suggest Chronic Fatigue too..but I fear self diagnosis.
Some of the first things you could do is increase the amount of water you probably know all this, but you should be having 6-8 glasses (cups) a day. Also..increase intake of fruit and vegetables you are eating, they can flush out toxins in the body if thats any problem. AND the fibre from fruits and veggies can help with the digestive issues. AND they just taste good.. also try not to miss breakfast, ESPECIALLY if you've slept for 15 hours, because your body has been in fasting mode for MUCH longer than it should have been, which definitely makes you weak..
Also try to streamline sleep. Try to ONLY get 8 hours despite still feeling tired, sometimes OVERsleeping makes you feel tired-er than you actually are.
And reduce stress, I know that's hard, I've had physicians tell me to cut out my anxiety else I'd get CFS myself...try those steps before retrning to the doctor.
Trick's advice is also tops for diet
Some of the first things you could do is increase the amount of water you probably know all this, but you should be having 6-8 glasses (cups) a day. Also..increase intake of fruit and vegetables you are eating, they can flush out toxins in the body if thats any problem. AND the fibre from fruits and veggies can help with the digestive issues. AND they just taste good.. also try not to miss breakfast, ESPECIALLY if you've slept for 15 hours, because your body has been in fasting mode for MUCH longer than it should have been, which definitely makes you weak..
Also try to streamline sleep. Try to ONLY get 8 hours despite still feeling tired, sometimes OVERsleeping makes you feel tired-er than you actually are.
And reduce stress, I know that's hard, I've had physicians tell me to cut out my anxiety else I'd get CFS myself...try those steps before retrning to the doctor.
Trick's advice is also tops for diet
Sat Aug 13, 2005 4:39 pm
It might just be me, but that sounds a bit like mono. Tired, achy, sore throat, swollen glands...Although you'd hope a doctor could figure that out. My only suggestion is to try to find yourself a new doctor. Maybe ask friends, etc, if they can suggest someone in your area that's good at actually listening to their patients.
Sat Aug 13, 2005 11:40 pm
I drink nothing BUT water. I love vegatables and fruit (had vegetables for my dinner) and my diet is pretty healthy. I eat chocolate, about a bar a day, but I sometimes skip chocolate for a bit. I don't know how much water I drink because I usually top my glass up with the stuff and put ice in it too. I get enough excercise which just makes my whole body (especially my legs. hip joints and knees and also the sides of my lower back really hurt. Suffer from a bad back anyway and have taken anti-inflamatries for it) ache, that is when I'm working at the charity shop, it's more strenuous than some people would imagine.
My sleep is something that is really confusing. A few weeks ago I was going to bed at 10:00pm and waking up at 7:00am the following morning. That lasted a few weeks. Now I'm going to bed at 3:am and waking up at 1:pm the next day. Sleep is the only thing that I can think of, other than CFS which is rare, that could cause me to feel so ill.
My sleep is something that is really confusing. A few weeks ago I was going to bed at 10:00pm and waking up at 7:00am the following morning. That lasted a few weeks. Now I'm going to bed at 3:am and waking up at 1:pm the next day. Sleep is the only thing that I can think of, other than CFS which is rare, that could cause me to feel so ill.
Sun Aug 14, 2005 12:12 am
Ginger Harp Seal Pup wrote:I get enough excercise which just makes my whole body... ache, that is when I'm working at the charity shop, it's more strenuous than some people would imagine.
Hmm, I don't wanna seem to be harping down the wrong track, but ... I think there's a difference between exercise (that gets your heart rate up and promotes fitness) and day-to-day strenuous work. I've worked in a retail shop too, I know how tiring it can be... sore back's are horrible! But, I imagine it's not the type of work where you'd be running flat out, in the same way you would be if you were playing a sport or jogging, for instance.
I hope that doesn't sound too accusatory, or as I said, totally on the wrong track. It actually sounds like you have a healthier lifestyle than most other people! ... I thought it might be worth mentioning, though...
Sun Aug 14, 2005 5:50 pm
I agree with MyleneFarmer, I think you could have mono. You should get that checked out.