All the topics describe my condition.

[Krissy820]

So, i have been suffering with vertigo, dizziness, fuzziness, fullness of ears, ringing, nausea, GI problems, i had a sinus infection, and double ear infection, i was on antibiotics, and now im on meclizine, and zofran, which none seem to work. I notice that i have been suffering from severe anxiety attacks since the upbringing of all this with my ears. Im unable to get into an ENT until Feb. 26th, even though i was hospitalized for a week for the anxiety being so bad. The reason i get anxious sometimes is because i cannot get relief from the feeling of being disoriented, or like on drugs feeling. Ive tried exercising to reduce the stress and anxiety, but its not helping, half the time nor the meclizine or the zofran help either. The doctors have tried putting me on buspar, which made anxiety worse, and then paxil, which made me end up in the ER because i felt sooooo disoriented. The only thing that seems to work when the anixiety attack gets beyond controlling, is valium, or ativan. both of which my doctor wont prescribe me because he told me to just "deal with it", which any person who has severe anxiety attacks will tell you thats beyond dealing with when your 18, married, with a child going to school full-time, and sick like hell. soooo, i guess my question is, i know i have fluid in my ears, and i have fluid in my sinuses, and i have irits, so my question is, is there any diseases directly linked to anxiety and all the inflammation i have going on? also, im thinking that after i see the ENT he is going to decide to put tubes in my ears, will that relieve some of the anxiety? also, just so you know, i already had an allergy screening which came back fine, and i was also on a steroid pack to rid of any allergic reation. any useful information, or advice would be excellent! thanks again.

[Laura770]

I can relate to this!!!  In November I was suddenly hit with servere dizziness (labyrinthitis - a virus that attacks the inner ear).  It came on like you wouldnt believe and I was extremely dizzy for 2 weeks (bed ridden).  I could finally go back to work but was in and out of work.  I walked like I was drunk and it was hard to function.  Things were getting better (sort of) and then I ended up with a bad cold which then led to a double ear infection and a sinus infection.  They put me on amoxicillan and I had a bad reaction to it.  So that made the dizziness worse again and then I started having anxiety and panic attacks (remember that I have been dizzy since Nov, it got better and then came back strong because of the cold)  So when I had the bad reaction to the meds I just used my nettipot and finally the infections went away on their own (netti pot is the greatest invention by the way... get one!!!)  Then I went to the doctor because I was having anxiety and panic and I think their answer to everything is to prescribe pills... I was desperate so I took the Paxil... well that sent me over the top!  It was like I was on Vallum and Speed at the same time (only 10mg) and it was WAY too much!  I stopped taking it after 2 doses.  I have been listening to some CDs about Panic attacks... they are great... They tell you how to talk your way out of it...
You tell yourself these things....
I am not going to pass out (or whatever you think is going to happen to you)
I am not going to die
It's just anxiety
Think of it as a wave going over you and you don't want to give it power... so when you feel that wave coming of anxiety or panic tell it you will not give it strength....
I hope this helps...
My anxiety came from not being able to leave the house and always leaving work and feeling to isolated and feeling so lousy.... the panic and anxiety were making the dizziness worse.
Good Luck   (also stay away from caffiene because that can make the dizziness worse and the panic!)

[tomsant]

I will try to make this reply brief and to the point.

1. Nausea and blood tests: Just to make sure if there is a cause for the nausea. If not, only symptomatic treatment will do. If something is amiss, one follows it up. Though it will not suffice to rule out all causes, it will work as a cheap and easily done first test. Like you do for any symptom, for ex. fever. So, it might tell why you are nauseated. If no clue, they will wait and do further tests only if your nausea persist.

2. Even if there is a reason for the anxiety, if it is blown out of proportion, it is better to take an anxiolytic. (Your guess is as good as mine) It should bring the 'heat' down a lot and you / the doctor will be in a better position to deal with yourself ;-)

So, even if there is a risk of addiction (sometimes doctors themselves take this) it may be better to take Alprazolam for a few days and see. The risk of addiction is there, but a doctor may have to advise this if he wants his patient to get/ feel better.

Hope this helps.

Feel free to write.

Best,

Dr.TA

[Krissy820]

Yep, you pretty much hit it on the dot. I was only prescribed 10 ativan to keep in my purse in case i am home alone and start having a panic attack, so im not taking it daily or anything, and the valium i only recieved 5 pills and that was when i had an anxiety attack that made me lock up completely and think i was dying. The reason i have the anxiety is because of the disorientation that the vertigo brings, or when i get extremely nauseous and the zofran doesn't work. I know i have middle ear fluid from my primary care doctor who's been giving me the meclizine and zofran. He said i needed to be evaluated by an ENT. In the very beginning is when i found out i had a double ear infection, and an MRI showed a sinus infection with fluid, so i was on amoxicillian for 10 days, then augmentin for 10 days, which cleared up the infection, but not the fluid. I went to the hospital 2 weeks ago because i thought i was having an allergic reaction to paxil. (which my doctor prescribed for me to take daily, thinking my anxiety was unrelated to illness). I went to emergency room because i felt disoriented to 2 days straight, pupils dilated, rational thoughts. Sooo, after about 10 hours they decided to transfer me to another hospital with available beds in they're psych unit. I stayed there for a week and saw an ENT there, and he put me on the steroid pack, and Allegra to make sure it wasn't allergies. He did an allergy screening to check for allergies, but i don't have any significant allergies. He also did a CT scan to check for sinusitis, which i didn't have either. They discharged me from the hospital and set up an appointment for me to have and audio gram and ENG done on Feb. 26th, and then i am supposed to go back March 9th to discuss diagnoses, if any etc. I think i might have a tube dysfunction, because my whole family has problems with their ears, and i had tube placement when i was 8 months old, and the tubes stayed in until i was 16. My little sister just had tubes put in her ears as well. I don't know, I know i have alot of stress, but i was always, i mean ALWAYS a carefree, happy person who could deal with my stress, and i was always able to eat without feeling sick, and i have never suffered from anxiety, until i started getting sick. i mean i have also lost 25 pounds in the past 2 months because i have been so nauseated, bringing me to 120 lbs, and i am 5'4. It's just hard for me and my family because of frequent visits to the emergency room, because im so sick, and doctors that just assume it's my vertigo. (for example: i went to the emergency room last night because i have been constipated for 5 days, and i have been extremely nauseated, with indigestion, but NO vertigo. ((i can tell when its motion sickness and when its just nausea)), and the doctor just did preg. test,and blood work. PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW BLOOD WORK IS GOING TO TELL YOU WHY I'M NAUSEATED?) sorry, anyways, he told me just to keep my appt. with the ENT, and to pretty much deal with it, which is hard for me because it causes anxiety because i feel so sick that i can't enjoy my life, I cant be there for my daughter, husband, or family, and i cant go to school. It's pretty much just a huge snowball effect, vicious circle that's going to continue to repeat its self until doctors take me seriously. Thank you for reading, and for responding!!!! i really appreciate it.

[tomsant]

1. You say you have anxiety, vertigo, dizziness, fuzziness, fullness of ears, ringing, nausea, GI problems, i had a sinus infection, and double ear infection. But each of these, for how long?


2. Valium, Ativan etc are habit forming, and you may be an addict already. May be the doctor is cautious.

3. You had a steroid pack for allergic reaction??

4. How did you know you have fluid in ears? If so, is it in the middle ear or inner ear?? Both can cause vertigo. But that in the middle ear can occur in conjunction with allergy or sinus problem.

5. You will have to be evaluated for vertigo, sinus problems and the anxiety. The ENT will be a help definitely.

3. And did I get this right? You are 18, married and have a child going to school full-time?

Best rgds,

Dr.Thomas Antony