what causes dizziness

I went to see my doctor today because about 4 months ago I was feeling dizzy out of the blue. So he gave me "Meclizine" 25 mg. Well they seemed to work then because my dizziness went away. But now 4 months later I  got the dizziness back. I went to see my doctor today. He did an EKG and he said it looked fine, but he is going to put a 24 hour holter just to double check. Has anybody had wierd dizzy spells? Well I'm just freaked out. Im hoping I don't get a stroke or something. I don't have any chest pains, headaches, numbness. I do suffer from alot of anxiety and depression and having these symptoms make me stress out alot so therefore I panick. I 'am over weight and have a little high cholesterol. Please if anybody is experiencing this symptom and have been diagnosed with something regarding dizziness please let me know. Thank you.


This discussion is related to Reliability of EKG?.

[Encephalomalcia]

I have been dizzy for about 30 years now.  Sometimes I lose my balance and start tipping over to the side, half to catch a wall to balance myself.  This is embarrassing when it happens at work.  My dizziness is most likely caused from sinus problems, but middle ear problems and low back problems can also cause this.  I have schuermanns disease which a curved spine to one side. When a person has a stroke there are usually symptoms of numbness or speech that does not make sense.  Do you get motion sickness?  If so, it is probably due to the sinus, ears, head, or spine.  

[Pointman]

Jess,  my wife had same prpblem as  you had ekg stress test and other test, al shoed ok she fianly found out she had a Bad mitro valve, about three years alter had simila symtons, and found out she had a problem from medication, that was causing her blood pressur to get two loe, yuo dont get ddissy for no reason, and dont let any one tell yuoit yor neves. the event mointer is a good start, if its one of the newer modles.I question aDr giving meds and not telling or knowing what yuor problem is, and i am not aDR, But sure ahve seen plenty and a lot of tehm shouldnt have a lic.
pointman

[polockmom]

If you find the answer would love to hear it.  I have similiar problem.  Does get frustrating when no one can tell you anything.  I agree with Pointman, I don't like taking medicine unless they can show me a reason for taking it.  

[ireneo]

First - are you feeling dizzy or light-headed? Some people use the terms interchangeably. Dizzy is feeling off balance like encephalo described. Light-headed feels like you might pass out.

Are you still taking the meclizine or did you stop after you felt better? A friend of mine has positional vertigo (can't bend over or look up without getting dizzy). She keeps the med on hand so if she begins to feel dizzy again, she'll take one of her pills. It's an ongoing thing for her.

I get light-headed sometimes with my heart - certain arrhythmias cause it.

I hope your heart turns out healthy and happy.

[ladyjake]

Hi, I too have had dizzy spells, they are not fun.  I went through so many tests, too many times feeling like a fool and was diagonosed with an Anxiety disorder (I might mention that I also have PVC's and PAC's along with this) then I found a 'specialized chiroprator'.  I went in on a lark, he did a manuever which necessitated he and his wife driving me home as I was totally out of it with vertigo.  Anyway, I went back almost daily for over a month, was finally accepted as a 'model patient' to STAR at a convention of chiroprators.  By then I could hardly stand, had palpitations, fast heart rate over 100, if I closed my eyes, my body would do a BIG circle and then fall over.  Long and short of it, after 'performing' in front of an auditorium of doctors, the lecturer, told them to figure out what the problem was and then took me in the back room, did two manuevers and asked me how I felt.  My heart rate had dropped into the 80's, the PVC's had stopped and I wasn't dizzy for the first time in years.  I was told I was lucky that it hadn't gone on any longer or I'd no longer be in this world. There was a physical explination for what I went through.  Stress had tightened my spinal column, The tightness caused the arteries to be compressed by the swelling muscles and were pushed against the spinal cord, making them bulge out, causing limited blood flow. Went back home and continued with the treatments and was able to go shopping by myself, without dizziness, weird vision or anxiety over the heart and vertigo for the first time in years.  NOW I really need to go back, but haven't been to afford it.  This was a last ditch resort and it did pay off.  Of course I had every test (blood, ears, heart, brain) out there first.  Funny thing is, when I told my doctor, neurologist and cardiologist this, I was told "IMPOSSIBLE".  But there I was standing upright and still with no PVC's for the first time in years....go figure!  Anyway, these are specially trained chiroprators (rare to find), they received their diplomas in **Applied Chiropractic Neurology** and we only had two in the state of Washington. I was lucky. As soon as I can, I'm going back and then heading to the naturopaths to see about cleaning out the arteries.

I will admit that anxiety disorders can cause dizzy spells and now use Alprazolam only as needed, which helps to calm that down--sometimes, but does nothing for the fast HR or the thumps, bumps and skipped heart beats.

Also, there is a book out there called "coping with Anxiety by Edmund Bourne, PH.D. that is good for techiques on what to do with anxiety problems.  I'm going to pull it out and re-read it.  Hope this helps, good luck.  I know how life limiting this can be.

[tnhillbilly]

I suffer from dizziness and was diagnosed with Minere's disease. Unfortunately, I also have a constant ringing in my ear. I saw an eye/ear/nose specialist that diagnosed my problem. I take a diuretic daily to keep the fluid off my brain, which was causing my vertigo. Until I started the medication, I would have a spell about every 6 weeks and would have about 45 min's to get to where I could lay down when I felt the signs. Since taking the med's I haven't had a spell in about 6 years. Worth a shot. Hope it helps.