Are these anxiety/panic attack symptoms too?
61'st day sober as of:12/18/07
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Casper, Wyoming U.S.
Posts: 241
Are these anxiety/panic attack symptoms too?
Hi there 
I am a middle-aged male with a history of GAD, Panic attacks, Hypochondria, depression, various phobias, Tourette's, OCD and all the "usual" maladies that come with the whole anxiety disorder spectrum.
I have been on various benzos, SSRI's, etc over the years and have suffered from a variety of anxiety-related symptoms. Anyway, over the years and especially within the last four days, I have been experiencing shortness of breath, dizziness, lightheadedness and frrom time to time, heart palps (A-fibs).
Now the A-Fibs and shortness of breath are supposed to all be "normal" for someone suffering from anxiety but how about the dizziness and lightheadedness?. Are these normal?. Sometimes they come in waves and sometimes they are constant. Sometimes they really frighten me and I think there must be something terribly wrong with me (rabies, mad cow disease, brain tumor, etc). I was also drinking about 10 beers every other day and I did this for over a year (I'm an alcoholic) however, I quit 13 days ago with the help of God/prayer, meds and the help of my doctor. I also have shoeboxes worth of tests I've had over the last decade or more and of course, everything always comes back "normal" so how do you explain the dizziness and lightheadedness?.
Thanks again and please pardon the length of this post but I wanted to include some history and such.
Need4Change
I am a middle-aged male with a history of GAD, Panic attacks, Hypochondria, depression, various phobias, Tourette's, OCD and all the "usual" maladies that come with the whole anxiety disorder spectrum.
I have been on various benzos, SSRI's, etc over the years and have suffered from a variety of anxiety-related symptoms. Anyway, over the years and especially within the last four days, I have been experiencing shortness of breath, dizziness, lightheadedness and frrom time to time, heart palps (A-fibs).
Now the A-Fibs and shortness of breath are supposed to all be "normal" for someone suffering from anxiety but how about the dizziness and lightheadedness?. Are these normal?. Sometimes they come in waves and sometimes they are constant. Sometimes they really frighten me and I think there must be something terribly wrong with me (rabies, mad cow disease, brain tumor, etc). I was also drinking about 10 beers every other day and I did this for over a year (I'm an alcoholic) however, I quit 13 days ago with the help of God/prayer, meds and the help of my doctor. I also have shoeboxes worth of tests I've had over the last decade or more and of course, everything always comes back "normal" so how do you explain the dizziness and lightheadedness?.
Thanks again and please pardon the length of this post but I wanted to include some history and such.
Need4Change
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ft Worth, TX
Posts: 174
For me dizziness is a side effect of anxiety. When it hits I get short of breath, feel dizzy and numbness and tingling throughout my body. I'm on lexapro for it now, though, so these aren't nearly as bad as they used to be. Some of your problems could also just be withdrawal. If you've been sober for a couple weeks now your brain is still trying to learn how to function without alcohol. Google Post Acute Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome. Some of the side effects of sobriety can last for months.
I'm not a doctor, though, so if you're worried about your symptoms you should see a doctor. If they say there's nothing medically wrong with you don't panic cause it's probably related to anxiety or withdrawal.
I'm not a doctor, though, so if you're worried about your symptoms you should see a doctor. If they say there's nothing medically wrong with you don't panic cause it's probably related to anxiety or withdrawal.
Life the gift of recovery!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Home is where the heart is
Posts: 7,061
I would suggest discussing it with your doctor as each person's symptoms are somewhat different.
For me though, I do have lightheadedness and dizzyness with many of my anxiety attacks.
For me though, I do have lightheadedness and dizzyness with many of my anxiety attacks.
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