Lightheaded

Hi @shaleta30 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. We’re an online community forum where members come together to use our experiences and valuable insights gathered along our life journies to help each other. We’re not medical professionals so we can’t diagnose but we can offer suggestions and help find answers.

You’re nauseated and lightheaded daily? I’m so sorry, that has to be miserable for you and I’m sure it really has a negative impact on your life! Is this all day long or do you have periods where you feel ok? Does it come on after eating, exercising, sitting?

I’m just going to toss out a bunch of questions to you so we can gather a little more information about what’s going on.

May I ask how long you’ve been experiencing the nausea? Has it always been accompanied with the lightheadedness? Are you exeriencing that first and then the nausea comes on?

Do you have seasonal allergies? That can impact your ears and sinuses causing dizziness as fluids build up in the inner ear.
Have you tried anything like Benadryl to see if the symptoms subside?
There are also SeaBands which can be worn on the wrists to minimize nausea...just something to try.

There is a difference in light-headedness and dizziness. Does the feeling happen when you get up from lying down or sitting for long periods of time? Or is it more of a room spinning, disoriented feeling?

How’s your blood pressure?
Do you have normal bowel activity? Because from experience that can really mess up the entire body with nausea, dizziness, etc. if things are out of balance.

What tests has your doctor run to try and diagnose or treat your symptoms?

Sorry if I sound nosy but the more information you share can help point to the direction we need to follow...like clues in a mystery. ☺️

Hello thank you so much for responding, I’ve been dealing with this for over 10 years now. I’ve had every test you can think of ran on me and they can never find anything wrong. My doctor has summed it up as anxiety and depression, I have a lot of anxiety do to things I’ve experienced in my life, my doctor has tried to put me on medication 💊 for it but I’m scared to take anxiety medication, because in my head it’ll just make it worst. This lightheadedness has completely took over my life. I’m also a shallow breather like chest breather. I’m just convinced they are missing something, I also have heart Palpitations, I’ve just had a ekg and chest X-ray done it was normal, I’ve also worn a heart monitor, it was normal as well.

@shaleta30- I'd also like to welcome you to Mayo Clinic Connect. That's a long time to feel light-headed. Have you been tested for any type of Vertigo? I have Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). It's a horrible feeling!
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vertigo/symptoms-causes/syc-20370055
Also, do you know what your Oxygen levels are since you shallow breathe? It should be above 90. You can get a pulse oximeter at any drugstore or even Amazon. They aren't expensive at all. The reason that I ask is that shallow breathing can cause this. There are exercises to learn to take a deep breath so that you use all of your available lung tissue. It's called pursed-lip breathing:

https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/copd/patient-resources-and-videos/pursed-lip-breathing-video. It made a big difference to me.

I take anti-anxiety medication and it's made a world of difference to me. Why not try one and if you don't like how it makes you feel then stop it?

Thank you,
I just asked my doctor yesterday to check me for vertigo, she just over looked it because she’s convinced it’s anxiety and me holding my breath. Yes this has been a long on going problem, I have more bad days than good, I’m lightheaded off and on daily, I have high blood pressure but it’s controlled with meds. I want to try the anxiety meds so bad, but I’m scared, my anxiety will not allow me to take them, I keep thinking they’ll make me feel worst.

@shaleta30- It's very possible that your doctor is correct and that you need help with anxiety, be it with medication, counseling, or something else entirely. Shaleta it's not your anxiety that prevents anything- it's a symptom, it doesn't have a mind or will, it's not a living thing. It's you who are in charge of your mind and body and what you do with it and what you put in it. It's you, yourself who are preventing yourself from the possibility of helping yourself to feel better.

Firstly, any medication can make you feel better or feel worse, or not work at all. And what's the worst thing that can happen? And if that thing happens what can you do? You can choose to stop taking it! No damage done and you have made a great strive to help yourself. Then try another.

If you aren't happy or trust your doctor then I suggest that you change to someone else. It sounds as if you don't trust her. So why go to her? She's spent a lot of years becoming a doctor. Would she prescribe something that is bad for you?

You have to make up your mind what kind of life that you want to live, one filled with anxiety because you don't want to feel better or one that you control and feel better?

You’re absolutely right, thank you so much for taking the time out to chat with me, I do trust my doctor, I’m just truly scared of medication, my anxiety leads me to believe that it will permanently make matters worse, but I’m definitely going to give it a try. Thank you 😊

@shaleta30 Oh golly, you’ve really been held captive by your anxiety way too long. I’m so sorry for the good years you’ve lost because of your symptoms. From experience, I can tell you, we can be our worst enemies. We’re good at telling ourselves stories and filling our heads with negative “what ifs”, when most often those scenarios never come to fruition! Anxiety and depression can rule our lives. They can also cause a host of symptoms in our bodies from heart palpitations, stomach and bowel issues, headaches, chronic pain...the list goes on!

As I’m reading your reply, the first thing that popped into my head was that you’ve had every test the doctors tossed at you and the results show normal. For 10 years your body has been continuing to function properly, no other serious health situations have arisen but you’re worried something will. This fear has you in its clutches with worrying about the future and denying you the present.

Let’s try a new approach with positive “What Ifs”. What if your medical tests are correct and nothing has been discovered because you are of sound mind and body. What if, events from the past have triggered this anxiety and depression. What if you have the means in you to regain the power over these disruptive patterns? You have! The mind is incredibly powerful...like a super power! In your case it’s working for bad. It can work for good too! ☺️

Have you considered talking with a therapist to help you discover the root problem of your anxiety? There are wonderful mindfulness tools and therapies available to help change behavioral patterns and negative thoughts. Often this can be done without any medications. I know it sounds like ‘woo woo’ therapy but I’m a bi-product of this and it works. Also my daughter became terribly anxiety ridden which led to deep depression after some damaging life events when she was in her early 20s. Therapy gave her the tools to overcome her debilitating anxiety and she’s now free from anxiety and depression. It took work and time but she was motivated. I think you are too!

I’m going to bring in some Connect members who have shared their stories and are working daily to change their lives for the better. We are all on this forum to “connect”, support and encourage each other. They are membersin the depression and anxiety group. @hearttoheart @stsopoci
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/importance-of-focusing-on-positive-with-depression-anxiety/?pg=45#comment-263571

Thank you so much for taking the time out to chat with me, yes I’ve tried therapy before and I plan to try it again. Thank you for adding me to the other group, I find that it helps when I talk with others that going through this or experienced it before

That’s the beauty of Connect and our goal...to bring people together who can share their experiences, their stories, their journeys to help each other and offer encouragement...and hope.

You’ve been under the thumb of this anxiety for 10 years and it’s time you kick it out the door and down the street. Working with another therapist will be a good place to start. There are different types of therapy tools which can be really beneficial. Take your time to find what feels comfortable for you.
@hearttoheart has used Reflexology which she found really helpful.
My daughter used two techniques:
EMDR-eye movement desensitization & reprocessing.
MBRS-mindfulness based stress reduction.
Both amazing tools were practiced with her through a therapist which specialized in those techniques. And, for a while initially, she was on a Prozac. Because she’s very slight, she was started out on liquid Prozac as 10mg, which is the standard dose was way too strong for her. With the liquid she could at 2.5 ml and work up to 10 mg capsules. Her life has turned around!! We have our daughter back.

You are strong and ready take control! ☺️
Sending you vibes of peace today! Lori

A few links for you. I know this can’t be licked with just reading articles. But it never hurts to have good resource material.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356
https://www.mayoclinic.org/to-manage-anxiety-start-with-the-way-you-think/art-20390069
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/generalized-anxiety-disorder/expert-answers/coping-with-anxiety/faq-20057987
https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/

Hi @hearttoheart1 & @shaleta30 Thought I’d drop in to say hello and see how you’re both doing. Knowing you’re not alone while trying to beat anxiety and depression can be a godsend.

Hearttoheart, I know you’re making great strides in your journey by walking your 5k daily, making blankets, busy with gardening... Shaleta30 is eager and willing to push all of this behind her too. It would be great if you share could some of your other successful tips with Shaleta30 to help her get on the road to recovery.

Wishing you both peace...Lori