AN and Fainting

[Nancy Drew]

More questions, shock!

I have noticed lately that I have moments where I feel like I am going to faint.  It happens mostly in the morning.  I know anxiety can cause one to faint, and I have certainly had a lot of anxiety lately.  I haven't fainted, but I have come close a few times.  I don't really get dizzy.  More like light headed and unsteady on my feet.  Would this have anything to do with an AN?  Hope this isn't a stupid question.

Nancy

[tony]

Actually there are three possible links to AN issues
If you "nearly" lose your balance, but dont,
it might seem like a faint was coming on
So you might link impaired balance with faints
The second area is fatigue
I might expect this after a full day or much exercise
basically ANers experiance over-tired-ness
easier and more quickly than rest of the population
Third area - some have issues with eye movements
the eyes dont "switch and focus" quite as quick as before
so the world seems to spin a bit
any, and any combination of, the above three
might seem a bit like a fainting attack
There are post op therapies and exercises that
will improve the symptoms etc
I guess until your issues are resolved
- it might be best to stay clear of ladders etc ?
Best Regards
Tony

[LisaP]

HI

Not a dumb question at all.  I find that I have dizziness that is quick if I turn to the right too fast and sometimes I too feel like I could past out.  The dizziness is not all the time, comes and goes.  One question that I have is that I have been having an increase in headaches on my left side, AN is on my right?  Is this normal???

newbie

LisaP

[Nancy Drew]

Tony,

When I had my balance test, the audiologist said everything was normal except for tracking the moving dots.  I had a difficult time following them, but she said that didn't have anything to do with the AN.  A couple of doctors I saw said the tracking problems might be from the medication I take.  I do feel fatigued more than usual, but I think that could be from worrying or pobbibly the hot temps we have been having here in CO.  When I got back from my walk yesterday, I felt that faint feeling, and I couldn't find much energy to do thinks that I normally would do on a Sunday afternoon.  I'll just keep a watch on it, and yes I'll stay off of ladders!

Lisa,

How new are you to your AN?  Hopefully you are getting good medical care.  I have a history of migraines, and they particularily hit me during times of stress.  Usually a migraine hits on one side of the face and can travel down to the neck--or at least that is how it is for me.  Might want to check the migraine theory out.  I get an off balance problem when I turn to fast or if I close my eyes while walking or in the shower.  I think when you have a newly diagnosed AN or one that is starting to grow you look at every little thing physcially and wonder if it is related to the AN.  Or at least I find myself doing that and have heard others on this board having similary issues.  Hope you can figure it out and maybe talking to your doctor might help.

Thanks,

Nancy

[Jim Scott]

Nancy:

To be realistic, only a physician using various tests could accurately diagnose the cause of your near-fainting episodes.  Even then, the cause may not be found.  Knowing all the stress you've been experiencing, I would venture a guess that anxiety is the cause, but that would be pure speculation from a non-physician.  Hardly definitive. 

My wife has occasional 'lightheaded episodes' and has undergone many tests, to no avail  She does take many medications but none are narcotic or especially strong.  She doesn't much like these episodes but has learned to deal with them and feels that her meds may be the culprit.  She once feared being a candidate for stroke but her doctors have pretty much ruled that out as her heart, BP, circulation, etc are all normal.  Sometimes, there simply aren't any real answers.  Science and medicine are very advanced and enormously useful to millions but they can't always provide an answer or a cure.  I've learned to accept that.  I humbly suggest that you might wish to try doing the same.

Jim

[Nancy Drew]

Hi Jim,

I hadn't even put the narcotics in the picture, but I guess I should go there perhaps.  I get severe migraine headaches most especially when I am under stress.  I guess you could say I have been under stress a lot lately.  Anyway, I had found a medication to treat my migraines, and it had been successful for many years.  About three years ago it was taken off the market so I was left with nothing basically since I had already tried every other migraine medication out there.  So, my doc gave me some Percocet which does fairly well.  I don't use it very often (don't want to get a habit going), but it could be associated with the fainting feeling.  I will have to see if there is a connection.  I did ask my psych doc about dizziness, and my last bipolar med level was a bit high so I'll keep a watch on that also.  But, all in all I am sure it is anxiety induced.  Guess I want to blame everything on this darn AN.

Thanks,

Nancy