dizziness and fatigue from sinusitis leading to anxiety attacks

[rascal1]

I am trying to clear up my "heavy" head. I have dizziness and fatigue from my sinuses being so swollen. Everything is dry though. There is no runny nose or anything. So I am using the steroidal nose spray and nasal washes to clear this up, but in the meantime I get hot flashes, anxiety and feel panicky out in public. I have my baby with me so it is nerve racking. Just being in the supermarket or any store I have the feeling that I must leave right away. Can my sinus problem lead to anxiety?

[Mati17]

A related discussion, sinusitis was started.

[lester73]

A related discussion, Anxiety, allergies, and sinusitis.... was started.

[ilongdon]

I totally sympathise with you all.  I started suffering dizziness a year ago.  Long story short...anti-depressants sorted one problem out (my mood lifted within 2 weeks of taking Sertraline - Prozac was awful!) and my anxiety attacks (part of my depression symptoms) subsided.  I was still left feeling dizzy, or not "with it" pretty much all of the time.  My doctor looked in my ears and said "nothing there" but I had a feeling of "foam" running from one ear to the other, with the occasional headache and tightness across my forehead.

An ENT specialist couldn't find anything (I had though about Meniere's at one point because all the symptoms matched).

I got a referral to a physician who did a few simple tests and a CT scan.  Guess what?  For the past year I've had a chronic sinus problem.  No discharges, no coughing...just a sinus problem.

I am due to get some medication for this in the next couple of weeks - a steroid spray I believe, but am SO annoyed that my doctor didn't believe me, and going back to him 20 times in 6 months didn't show anything.  I even told him I'd had my sinuses "flushed" when I was 7 or 8 because of problems in childhood (I used to sleep with bricks under the legs of my bed to drain everything).

It's been a year of hell - lack of concentration, not being able to drive because I don't trust my judgement, not being able to get up in the morning because of fatigue sometimes.  Eyesight affected too - not being able to focus on tv or computer screens.  Twitching eye muscles.  Oh such fun!

It's been catch 22.  Dizziness causing anxiety leading to depression, depression causing anxiety leading to different types of dizziness!

I've now put laminate flooring through my home to get rid of dust, and have been taking decongestant tablets twice a day to help clear things until I get proper medication.

If you have ANY kind of blockage in your ears, or tightness across the brow - SEE YOUR DOCTOR AND ASK FOR A CT SCAN!  Don't leave it for ages and suffer what is a disabilitating effect due to something that is, I'm quite sure, so easy to treat.

That's enough of my rambling.  Glad I got that off my chest.

Feel free to email me ian_longdon***@**** if you want sympathy or support.

[gingertea]

I know that sinusitis can cause these symptoms too, but I was experiencing terrible anxiety problems from what I thought was a sinus problem.  Ends up I had an obstruction/infection in my naso-lacrimal tear duct.  You may just want to go to an opthamalogist to get yourself checked out if you have already seen an ENT/had a CT scan and if they can't find a sinus related explanation.  Because it caused me to feel very dry and I had a lot of pressure over my eye area, concentration problems, fatigue etc.  Just a thought.

[Anna267]

Hi,  
i think you should see about having your thyroid level checked.  post-partum thyroid problems are fairly common.  

Also, if this is your first child remember that it is normal to feel anxious plus, you may also have some degree of  sleep deprivation, which can make you feel like you are crazy.  

i have two small children and a thyroid disorder, so I know  that it can make you feel nuts.

if you want to read up about thyroid , search  "post partum thyroiditis", 'hashimoto's thyroiditis'  hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.  A couple of simple blood tests can tell you what's going on.

Good luck, and congratulations on the little one.

[National Jewish]

Any chronic problem can lead to anxiety in the right person.  You should consult your doctor to evaluate you for a possible sinus infection.  It could give you the exact symptoms you are describing.  This would require a sinus CT scan.