Lighthedadedness and Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

[scott208]

Sorry for the long question. Two months ago I went to Asia for work. I was sick before I left (head cold). About halfway through the trip I was in a meeting drinking cup after cup of some incredibly strong tea and all of a sudden I nearly fainted and my heart started racing. I went to my room and lay down and felt better, but woke up later feeling awful and eventually forced myself to vomit. The next morning (after a sweaty sleep) I felt fine and went to my next meeting, but throughout the day I would have waves of lightheadedness and nausea. Of course I was freaked out that I had some kind of Asian flu and I was on the other side of the world and wouldn't be able to get treatment, etc. Anyway, for the next few days it was like that. These waves of near-fainting, nausea, but periods of feeling fine. When I got home, I thought I felt better, but it continued like that (some days better than others). My travel increased and work was stressfull, and I thought I simply had a virus because each day I'd wake up okay but it would happen again periodically. Other symptoms started showing up, like I didn't like to be around people and was nervous being in public. One day I had my wife's Xmas party, and interview and my annual review and I had a horrible episode. A doctor had prescribed Ativan (when he thought I had an inner ear infection), and I took it that night (and every day since for four weeks). My wife is a psychologist and she said it sounded like Generalized Anxiety Disorder. That sounded odd to me because these symptoms were occurring with and without any anxiety (and I would normally feel anxious anyway since I didn't know what the hell was wrong with me). Since then I have had more depression and anxiety (with no real cause, in cirumstances where I wouldn't normally be anxious), and when I do my ears feel full and I don't know which is causing which.

Anyway, since taking Ativan, it's been better (though I feel like it's wearing off) and I haven't had any real epsiodes where I feel like I'm about to faint, although close. I do keep getting these modest (but very real) lightheaded spells, even when I'm not feeling anxious.

My question is twofold, I guess: does this sound liek GAD to you, and more importantly, is lightheadedness without anxiety a symptom of GAD? When you have GAD can you have the physical symptoms without actual anxiety (feelings of dread, smothering, etc)?

[fastasian79]

Which medicine would be best to treat this lightheadedness symptom?  

[jess990]

I too have GAD, have ruled out everything else with doctors. I am generally anxious all day, very low level but get heightened when I drive or go into crowded places. How do you begin to cure this? I am losing my life! I have always had panic attacks here and there and developed GAD pretty bad over the last year.

[johanni]

This is the problem with GAD,it is very insidious!You can have all the symptoms of anxiety without actually feeling anxious.I am living proof of this.I have days when I dont really feel anxious but the symtoms of anxiety present themselves.The thing with GAD is that it always lurks in the background,and the symptoms associated with it can strike at any time without an initial anxiety trigger,or a feeling of being anxious.The lightheadedness without the anxiety can definitely be GAD.I have always felt a bit lightheaded ever since my GAD developed.And I feel lightheaded even when I am not anxious.As always,to rule anything else out,see your doctor first.
Best,
Dimi.