Daily Dizziness and Anxiety IBS

[Health_Anxiety_Gal]

Hey everyone,

Just reaching out to the community to see who else suffers with the same symptoms to know I'm not alone in this struggle.

I have been struggling with IBS for a few years now and it really took a toll late last year. I started getting dizzy every day and really bad headaches and neck pain. I visited my GP multiple times and was referred to many specialists to figure out what the issue was with no one being able to tell me what was causing my dizziness. During this time my IBS was so bad that I was convinced I was dying. I eventually went in for an MRI to find that I didn't have a tumour (which helped a little, but still needed to know what was causing my dizziness) and found an amazing physio who helped relieve my neck pain and eventually my dizziness. During this time anxiety was never discussed with my GP as I didn't even really know what that was or that these issues could even be related.

Then one day at work I had a sip of water and was convinced I had drunk poison and was dying (I know.. sounds so ridiculous). I couldn't shake this thought from my mind and found myself having a panic attack (without knowing). I was fortunate enough that my husband knew about anxiety and managed to calm me down telling me I was having a panic attack and not dying.

The next day I went to the doctor and asked for help. She put me on a mental health plan so I could see a psychologist and suggested medication. I was so hesitant to go on the medication but felt I needed some further help.

Going on the medication was the best thing I ever did - my IBS completely went away. I could eat anything I wanted and enjoyed this so much. Eventually I knew I had to come off it as we are planning to have a baby in the near future. It took me months to come off the medication, a small reduction every month.

I have now been off the meds for 3 weeks and boom... my dizziness is back and my IBS is too. But because my anxiety is health related I just can't seem to be able to shake the thought that it's something more serious. I know it has to be anxiety as it disappeared on medication. It's depressing trying to live my life while I feel like i'm on a rocky boat and it something makes me nauseous. I'm booked in to see my doctor, naturopath, psychologist and physio for help but wanted to know who else out there has these same symptoms??

[quirkywords]

Health anxiety girl,

Welcome to the forum. This a kind, friendly and supportive place.

You have been through a lot of health symptoms and I am pleased that you received help and the medication helped.

It must be so frustrating to go off the medication only to find the symptoms return. Hopefully your doctor, psychologist , naturopath and physio will be able to help you.

While I don't have IBS , I have had gastric problems . I wanted to bump up your thread by answering it.

Hopefully people who have similar symptoms will be able to help.

It is so exhausting when your body seems to be unable to function.

Feel free to post here when you want to.

Quirky

[azarrah]

Hi HA Girl,

I'm really sorry you've experienced all of that. I have not had IBS, but my anxiety almost always causes dizziness, very tight neck/shoulders, and just feeling weird in my head, so I would like to assure you that you're not alone. I also know how scary it can be. I too was convinced that I had a tumour or something seriously wrong with me, though now I have accepted that anxiety is the cause. It's tough to be logical about it because the point of health anxiety is that it isn't logical, right? You know that the reason you are experiencing these feelings is because you are not taking medication, but there can still be a part of you that doesn't believe it.

I can tell you for sure that dizziness, tight muscles, and gastric complaints are some of the most common anxiety symptoms. Even scrolling through the threads in this forum, many of them mention those same feelings and you can see how many people feel the same way. That may settle your mind a little.

What may also settle your mind is knowing that even if you feel these sensations, you don't have to be terrified of them. As time went on, I accepted what the underlying cause was, rather than just knowing it academically. It doesn't make the feelings themselves less unpleasant, but properly taking in their origins means that I am not convinced they will kill me anymore.

Best of luck not only with your mental health journey, but also to you and your partner in beginning parenthood 🙂

[Health_Anxiety_Gal]

Thank you for your kind response - this forum has definitely helped a lot so far.

[Health_Anxiety_Gal]

Thanks Azarrah.

I can completely relate to the 'weird feeling' in your head. Sometimes it feels like it's just up in the clouds!

Thank you for sharing your experience, it helps to know I'm not alone in this but it's hard to stay positive when I'm having a particularly bad dizzy day. I'm sure you know the feeling.

Last time this happened to me I visited this incredible physio who specialises in these issues and she was able to resolve it (booked in again on Thursday afternoon) but it's just amazing how my brain can't tell itself everything will be ok again. The joys of anxiety hey!

Have you ever visited a physio for your symptoms?

[Jermimah]

Hi There,

I can relate. I have IBS and have my whole life and really bad anxiety which causes dizziness and feeling lightheaded all the time. Im still trying to get rid of this anxiety as that's what will stop the dizzy feeling.

i found it hard to walk much or go out because of this feeling.

Never give up. Im still trying to get help and workout how to stop the dizziness

xx

[Stanlee14]

Hello Health Anxiety Gall

Im new to the forum I just wanted to share my experiences and let you know your not alone. I too have suffered from IBS all my life mine comes from the fact I lost a large portion of small bowel when I was a child. I too have general Anxiety dissorder with some ptsd thrown in. For the most of my life I have learnt to live with it however In the last 8 months my Anxiety has started to morph into physical symptoms.

Strangly enough my symptoms started with the sudden increase of my antidepressant. After which my GP cut it back that then triggered my first ever panic attack( yay) unfortunatly it would be the first of many.

Each time since my pulse races I cant breathe I get pain in my chest head and neck and i start shaking. Even now my Hands are a bit shakey trying to write this and since lunch my legs have been like jelly. This has been happening on and off since i had my first panic attack in late October. My phycologist believes my Anxiety has turned into panic dissorder and quite often im experiencing these symptoms before i even notice it.But its the periodic dizziness that has spooked me the most and I have seen a few doctors about it who have run various tests and so far they have found nothing. I am booked in to see multible specialists and whilst Iam terrified it could be somthing serious so far my doctors have found me to be in remarkably good health apart from the runs and my crippling Anxiety.

After reading your story and many like it iam more convinced it is stress related. I hope you are Feeling better and wanted to let you know i am feeling exactly as you described right now. Thanks for sharing and hope this helps in some way.