Confusing symptoms
Hi all: What a great forum! I'm a 28 year old male, and have suffered from headaches (migraines?) intermittently for the past 1.5 years. I will get a 2-3 week period of chronic daily headaches which will then go away for a month until it comes back. The headaches began as tension-type (like a band), but now really have no pattern. Recently, I had a near fainting experience which drove me to the ER. The CT was clear (as one had been a year before), and I've made an appointment with a neurologist (none available until mid-May). It's thrown me into this anxiety feedback loop, which just makes the headaches more pronounced (even when the pain number doesn't exceed 4, as is often the case). Now, I'm feeling daily dizziness; it's not that I'm about to fall over but the reality around me seems very light, if that makes sense. This has been a confusing change in my symptoms, as I'm having this dizziness without headaches.
Perhaps they're two separate incidents, but I can't help seeing them as intertwined and dangerous, even if the CT showed they're not.
Any thoughts of relief?
Can you determine if it is dizziness or lightheadedness? Is the room spinning or are you spinning vs. do you feel like you might black out? Have they done any further tests since you posted this?
Thanks for your reply! The room doesn't spin (and I don't spin)--it's really hard to explain. It's a sense of dread, panic, and my visual focus is off so that I feel lightheaded, but it's not like the world is upside down or anything like that. It somewhat matches the description of depersonalization.
I'm awaiting a neurology appointment (2 weeks away unfortunately). Since I posted this, my headache symptoms have decreased, but I've still been getting the lightheadedness and what feels like a tingling on my nose. What seems to help is taking a walk or exercise. I'm wondering if I'm experiencing panic attacks mixed with the tension headaches I've always had.
Have you researched migraines with aura? It kind of sounds like it could be similar. I'm having similar symptoms & mine have lasted over two months now. They have ruled out major things like brain tumors, heart disease, & seizures. With your lightheadedness, you may want to have your primary doctor check out the easy stuff, if he/she hasn't yet like: blood tests, EKG, glucose, blood pressure. It could be something simple. It does sound like some symptoms of an aura. Maybe google it & see what you think. Hope you feel better soon!
It's interesting because my headaches or migraines are rarely ever super painful (although one yesterday hit about a 7 for me). Recently, I've had some of these odd sensations without headaches ( the tingling). I have suffered from some lower neck pain for a decent portion of my life.
Doctor is currently targeting this as anxiety, and doesn't feel the need for an MRI. I am going to a neurologist in two weeks, but for now, I'm anxious that it is something more nefarious even though the CT Scans came out clear (no bleeds, masses, etc)---that's the anxiety part that is playing a feedback into this.
My BP has always ranged from 128-133/80---again, I suppose I always am a bit anxious. I had an EKG during an ER visit--clear
It's an uncomfortable feedback loop, and I wish my doctor would just agree to the MRI but understand his role in trying to calm me down from future anxiety issues in general.
