Dizziness/foggy feeling

[Just concerned...]

Hello.  For a few months now, I have been having this somewhat bizarre feeling in my head.  It comes and goes - sometimes lasts a while - sometimes goes away for a week or so.  It's almost like I'm dizzy, but not like I'm about to pass out.  It's almost a similar sensation to motion sickness where I feel like what I'm focusing on with my eyes suddenly makes me kind of nauseous.  I feel kind of "foggy-headed" - kind of like when you have a bad head cold and you're "disconnected", so to speak.  I had been given a new type of contact lenses by my eye doctor, so he switched me to another kind, thinking that these may have been drying out too much and re-shaping on my eye to cause focusing problems.  I'm not sure if this is related to my eyes or something in my head or something else!  It scares me when it happens and it can sometimes last for a few hours where I'm incredibly aware of my head feeling foggy - probably causes me to worry about it more than I should.  I do work most of my day on a computer.  Is this something I should look into?  I was told it could be related to allergies?  Is this something to be concerned about?  I am scheduled for my annual physical with my doctor at the beginning of January - would this warrant seeing him sooner?  Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer.

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Mike:

I am sorry to hear about your dizziness and headaches.  I would initially tell you to get a good neurological exam.  It is difficult to give you anything over the internet as your symptoms can be the result of alot of etiologies.  The headaches after exertion can be a common entity of exertional headaches.  We usually prescribe a good dose of Ibuprofen 20 - 30 minutes before exercise or sex.  If that helps then one of your problems may be fixed.  As far as the dizziness, maybe the neurological exam might help find an etiology for this symptom.  

Sorry, I'm not much help.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[Mike]

P.S. I am 25 years old

[Mike]

Hello,my name is Mike. about six months ago I started getting the same dizzy/foggy feeling that others here have described along with headaches and blurred vision,I thought it was from working on a computer all day so I had my supervisor change me to another position. but it didnt go away,I tried eating when it would happen,that didnt work. When this happened I didnt have a primary care phys. When I went to a walk in clinic doctor he checked my eyes,better than 20/20 vision,blood work CBC and other levels KCl etc. all came out fine.he suggested an MRI but by then I found a P.C.P who was still with my plan.When I went to him he ran more blood tests,and those came out fine.I was then told it was stress and given midrin and indocin (which was changed to naproxen after abdominal pain) the midrin only helped the headaches and the indocin and naproxen did nothing.On my next appointment my Dr. was,out one of his partners filled in and he also suggested I have an MRI.but he couldnt approve it. On my next visit to my Dr. I was given a script for xanax,he said I was still to stressed,and even the xanax did nothing for me. So I quit my job because of this and other reasons. then symptoms slowed but never stopped and when I started working again they were even more apparent,NOW i've started getting very severe pains in the front right side of my head when I exert myself like durring workouts and even sex,it calms after about 10 mins. and totally subsides in about 3hrs.,as of right now I have no ins. and don't have a clue as to what it could be,can you please tell me what this might be,any info is better than none.           P.S. I dont do drugs or drink ,I smoke about 1/2 a pack of cigs. per day and I'm not over weight

[david]

Thank you for your comment doctor. What does a drug induced phychosis mean though?  Is this cureible? Is their any other way of handling this? I cannot afford a phyciatrist.....David

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear David:

I would see a psychologist or psychiatrist.  It sounds like you have had a drug induced psychosis.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[Wendy]

David, have you tried a psychologist?  I know it's probably not what you want to hear, but your drug event could have spurred a psychological problem that was lying in ambush.  Ya know,  kind of how sometimes a traumatic event starts something?  For example, if you were paranoid, even just a bit, before you took the drug, and it was, as you described, a bad experience, paranoia in general could have begun there.  I am sorry you feel so awful.  I feel awful too.  I am apparently suffering from anxiety or panic or something.  It sure takes a lot of the pleasure out of living.  But maybe we will both be lucky, and this will all eventually pass.  Good luck, and try to get better insurance or go to a doctor school or participate in a study where you get free medical treatment.  Such studies are advertised in the classified ads.