I'm on day 42 of not drinking and I am having some pretty bad issues with hyperventilating. When you hyperventilate you get light headed and stay that way for quite a while. I would also lay off the coffee and Mountain Dews. Caffeine can exacerbate the light headedness and anxiety. Alcohol withdrawal leaves the brain in a very excitable state with the result being anxiety and light headedness. Your brain was used to the depressant effects of alcohol. Alcohol was attaching itself to your GABA receptors which caused you to relax with alcohol. Now, there is no alcohol and your brain is trying to adjust. It will take time.