Artaud!!!

[sugarpea013]

I just wanted to thank you SO much for your comment where you referred to "psycogenic vertigo". I have been driving myself batty trying to figure out what is wrong with me. I have at times convinced myself have a brain tumor or SOMETHING horribly wrong. I am dizzy for days and weeks at a time, and it's always when I am frazzled. I feel SO much better after finding out that this is linked with anxiety/stress.

You are SUCH an angel!!!!!

BIGHUGS TO YOU!!!!


...Off to dance a jig I'm so happy ;-)

[PVC man]

My periods of mild dizziness was about 4-5 years ago; at that time of my life, I was on no meds and was getting ZERO PVCs--Oh to go back to those days again--lol!!

[dolfnlvr]

I've had issues with "buzziness" too.  And have gone through the MRI, CAT scans etc. to rule out any "real" reason for it.  Know what?  I think it might have a lot to do with the meds.  I take a form of Prozac and Metoprolol to help keep these PVC's/SVT to a minimum.  Turns out that one of the big side effects of BOTH SSRI's AND Beta Blockers is dizziness.  I've looked at forums and discussion boards for people on SSRI's and trying to come off of SSRI's and MANY, MANY people describe the weird "buzz like" feelings that I have had.  

PVCman--funny you should say that the "dizziness" did not correspond to the PVC's.  Any chance that the PVC's were dampened by meds that you were taking and the "dizziness" was the trade-off?

I don't know, maybe it's all just a coincidence, but honestly, to have so many people with similar arhythmetic difficulties AND dizziness helps, yet again, to make me feel like maybe I'm not so crazy after all!!!

Thanks all!

[PVC man]

Yes, well, the dizziness WAS for me just like that after having one too many, so I think after awhile I did equate it to a good buzz...then it stopped...lol!!!

[sugarpea013]

That is so funny you said that "enjoy" the dizziness. I tried to do that more than once, and tried to compare it to the "good" dizzy you get after a couple drinks. lol. I haven't drank in a lonnnnng time due to my IST. Anyways, it wasn't successful. ;)

[PVC man]

Intresting, I never heard of psychogenic vertigo.  I have had bouts in the past of mild dizziness which would fluctuate in intensity but be ever present for months at a time--this would not coincide with PVCs however.

I always assumed it was a minor middle inner ear disturbance and so did my doctors.  

Intrestingly, when I made up my mind that I would "enjoy" the mild dizziness it pretty much faded out.

Artaud, do you think this type of thing might also be linked to a dysautonia? (which I think a lot of us suffer from.)

Thanks guys and be well.

[Artaud]

Hi,

I was not trying to alarm you, just mention it to your Doctor the next time you visit. Your Family Doctor may be the best place to start. It may be psychogenic, especially since you said that it is worse when you are tense. The benefit of the Family Doctor is that he/she won't try to pigeon hole the symptoms into their specialty. If not Psychogenic, it could be something to do with the inner ear. Interestingly enough, according to my reading tonight, if it is Psychogenic, it may respond to tranquilizer treatments. Have you ever been prescribed a low dose of a tranquilizer? The article recommends benzodiazepines, such as Valium (diazepam) or Ativan (lorazepam) and I am sure others may be appropriate as well.

Just keep your Doctors apprised of your symptoms when visiting. Much to the dread of my Doctors, I often make a basic list before I visit. I can’t tell you how many times I have gone with a concern, and was sidetracked by my Doctor and missed asking about a symptom. With the list you can address basic items.

Good Doctors are very perceptive about making a correlation between symptoms and disease. Being fair complected, I have small rose colored marks on the underside of my forearms. Being at the Doctors one day, for an unrelated issue, she took my arms and looked at both of them, examining the marks. Strangely enough, based on the marks alone, she ordered a blood test. She was looking for Lupus, which, thankfully, I don’t have. But just seeing the marks, without me even complaining about them, were enough for her to be concerned. She was being thorough. You need to be open with your Doctor about your symptoms so that they may be thorough as well.

Be well (but not alarmed).

[sugarpea013]

I actually haven't really mentioned it to my doctor...at least I don't think I have. I am in a constant state of dizziness. It's either there or it's not, and when I do have it, it's for weeks to months at a time. In fact I'm not sure it ever really goes away, the intensity just fluctuates. I'm not sure. I know right before I get a panic attack I REALLY start whirling. Hmmm. I dunno. Now I feel like I need to see my doc...

[Artaud]

Hi,

I spent a little time after you made this post reading more about Psychogenic Vertigo. It's more prevalent than I thought.

I hope you have mentioned your concerns about the dizziness to your Doctor? I do notice that I can get some bad episodes when I am very tense. Oddly enough, it often occurs with a perverse (not perverted) thought, memory, or sensation (try thinking about infinity for awhile, I get short circuits in my head ;-)

Fortunately my episodes are acute, with my head whirling for a few minutes after the episode starts and with my mind desperately trying to convince myself that my body is indeed stationary, sometimes I instinctively splay my arms and legs out to stabilize myself (wasted effort but it is somehow reassuring). Of course, having an arrhythmia, I usually take the time to take my pulse. As expected with the adrenaline flowing from being extremely startled by the episode, my heart rate is usually very fast, strong, and regular (I  begin throwing PVCs as the rate drops), and breathing is normal, so I am fairly sure of no cardiac involvement in the episode. (Plus I’ve received a work-up for the dizziness and have had numerous cardiac evaluations).

I never cease to amaze at the information that is available for learning. Whether Psychogenic Vertigo or a Wandering Pacemaker (Someone mentioned it on the forum a while ago), the Internet Serves as an instant encyclopedia with an ever increasing database.

Thanks for the post.

Be healthy and happy.