Dizziness linked to anxiety?

[pugeebunnie]

Hey, I've had OCD all my life and for the last year, I've suffered chronic dizziness.  It will come and go...recently, I've been doing great.  Then, all of a sudden, I start my period and it's back, full swing.  My period is almost over but the anxiety remains and I'm scared this dizziness will never leave.  I've been to many docs, had an MRI, etc. and my dad, a doc, thinks it's the anxiety.  My therapist agrees...but I'm terrified that it's not...I want it to be because then I can get over it someday...do you all think it's anxiety???

[pugeebunnie]

Any other thoughts??

[pugeebunnie]

Bump...

[pugeebunnie]

Thank you for your response, Greenlydia.  I have been to an ENT in the last year and he couldn't find anything definitely "wrong" with my ears (which I've always had some difficulty with - he supposes it's an anatomical thing, unique to me as each person's body is to him/her).  The MRI didn't show any problems with my inner ear whatsoever.  I've had some problems with my thyroid, which began last year, and started all of this - I felt "spacey" and tired, went in and was diagnosed as hyperthyroid.  After medication, I was then stable for awhile and switched to hypothyroid, went off the med, and am now stable (the doctors believe that the condition may have been related to multiple pregnancies in a five-year span).  The endocrinologist couldn't explain my spaciness and dizziness other than to say he felt that increased anxiety and sleep deprivation could cause it.  An intern and a general practitioner agreed.  No one plausible cause for spaciness and dizziness other than these....I've been checked for Lyme's, diabetes and hypoglycemic tendencies, ear problems, thyroid issues, etc, etc.  I believe that my thyroid remains stable, but if not, the doctors still don't attribute my dizziness to it.  I have a feeling, perhaps, it's anxiety-related.  I haven't experienced this sort of thing with my anxiety before, except once, as a teen, and it was fairly short-lived.  I have, however, had episodes of other issues - severe OCD as a youth, some postpartum depression (also short-lived), etc.  So, I think everyone is just taking all of these things into account and pointing to the obvious.  I want it to be anxiety because then I won't have to worry about some random, mysterious physical problem that no one (five doctors, a therapist, and my dad) cannot seem to find...what kind of life would that be?  This scares me to death.  I don't want to live a half-life!  I had a great month last month - felt great, no dizziness, no spaciness, and only a little perceieved anxiety...it comes and goes, which is also suspicious...I have three young children that are wonderful, but exhausting, so I don't know...I just want to feel normal and have some damn energy.  Do I give up the fight and accept that this could be anxiety?  But then, what if I put all of this energy and time into therapy and it's something else no one can find?  The therapist, by the way, says THAT sound like anxiety....OY!!!

[RubyWitch]

Has the dizziness always been associated with the time of your periods, or just this one time you spoke of? If it DOES corresponde to your cycle, I'd suggest seeing your OB/GYN who may or may not also have you see an endochronologist to see if it's related to a hormone problem.

Perhaps I should have started off with the "chicken or the egg" question. Do you get anxious and THEN get dizzy, or does the dizziness CAUSE the anxiety? That both your therapist and father, (a doctor) have somehow concluded that this is "just" anxiety has me hoisting a red flag. A diagnosis of anxiety should ONLY be reached when nothing organically wrong can be found.

Since you've had this dizziness for an entire year, I find it difficult to understand why your father would not have recommended you see an EENT to rule out any problems in those areas. Which ARE frequently the source of dizziness. You don't say how old you are, so I don't know if you need to ask your parents if you can go see a specialist, but I think you should. If you're an adult, just do it.

This is really none of my business, but why are you seeing a therapist? I ask only because it could have some bearing on what's going on. Are you being treated for anxiety? Is that why your therapist could be a little quick off the mark to say your dizziness is just anxiety? If you DO have anxiety, is dizziness one of the symptoms you experience?
Even if your therapist HAS heard you talk about dizziness as part of your anxiety, prudence would dictate he have it ruled out as a physical issue.

But, you've been to "many" doctors and you've had an MRI, so it sounds like they have tried to find a cause for the dizziness.
None of us on this forum can tell you with any degree of certainty if your dizziness is caused soley by anxiety. It is definitely a common symptom. If one of the "many" doctor's you've seen WAS an EENT, then perhaps it's time to begin considering anxiety as the root cause of the dizziness.

I'm feeling a bit like I've switched horses mid-stream here. First I think your father and your therapist are being too hasty in declaring anxiety as the problem and now I'm saying maybe they're right.

If YOU feel as if enough has been done to rule out another cause for the dizziness, then perhaps your hope that it's the anxiety is true.
I would suggest talking to both your father and your therapist about all your concerns regarding this.......just get everything out on the table. Keeping fears and worries to yourself negates the entire purpose of therapy.

I wish you the best of luck finding your answers.
Peace
Greenlydia