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Study, Jun/19: Relationship bet. psychiatric conditions & meds with dizziness


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The full title of this Brazilian study is "Occurrence of psychiatric conditions, use of psychotropic medications and its relationship with postural balance in subjects with dizziness".

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31271579 

 

PURPOSE:

 

to analyze the occurrence of psychiatric diagnosis and the use of psychotropics medications in subjects with vestibular complaints and to relate the presence of these conditions to the results of vestibulometry.

 

METHODS:

 

quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study with 131 patients, treated in a university hospital. They were submitted to anamnesis, visual inspection of the external ear canal, static and dynamic balance tests, Foam laser dynamic posturography and Computerized Vectoelectronystagmography.

 

RESULTS:

 

sample composed of 109 women and 22 men, with average age of 55 years and nine months. The most common type of dizziness was vertigo, with the presence of neurovegetative signals. A significant percentage of psychiatric complaint/diagnosis was observed, as well as the use of psychotropic medications, mainly serotonin uptake inhibitors, followed by benzodiazepines. There was a relation between the presence of psychiatric complaints with the female gender, alterations of the static balance and alterations in the Sensorial Organization Test positions III and VI. In the Vectoelectronystagmography, there was a relation between age and the presence of spontaneous nystagmus.

 

CONCLUSION:

 

There was a high occurrence of psychiatric complaint/diagnosis among patients with dizziness, with use of psychotropic medications substantially greater than the general population. The evaluation of postural balance revealed an association between anxiety/depression and alterations visual overload positions in the foam laser dynamic posturography. However, no relationship was found between these conditions and alterations in the Vectoelectronystagmography tests.

 

 

Psych meds commonly cause dizziness. It's in all of the medical literature. They all affect neurotransmitters, and many neurotransmitters are involved in the vestibular system. Anxiety and depression may result from the dizziness, so understanding which came first is very important. Being dizzy is pretty damn depressing and anxiety-provoking.

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Well, this certainly explains something about the dizziness we've been going through, Lapis, and I imagine that yours is worse for having been on an AD, too. You were on three benzos, so that could have caused a very high rate of dizziness. Even the dizziness I experience can be debilitating at times, and I was on two benzos and no ADs.

 

This is interesting: sample composed of 109 women and 22 men, with average age of 55 years and nine months.

 

It seems to go hand-in-hand with hormonal changes in the body. Again, there are very few men involved, so this is primarily a women's issue. I wish those who prescribe benzos and ADs would explain this BEFORE giving the drug to women.

 

I've had so many times that I did NOT feel stable walking. The fact that I'm on a high dosage of one beta blocker, plus taking other low-dose pills, makes it worse. I almost got hit by a car one time. I remember during the worst times, I was scared to cross an intersection because I was afraid I just couldn't do it. The heavy type dizziness would suddenly come very quickly, and I'd have to stop what I was doing. Thank god I'm beyond that, but to have dizziness for almost six and a half years (since I reached tolerance with Ativan) has made navigating through life very difficult. I don't have a car, so I walk almost everywhere.

 

I wish, and I'm sure you do, too, I could go through just a week of clearheadedness to feel what that's like again. I know I'd never want to revert back to the way I am now. :'(

 

 

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Hi Terry,

Yes, I just want a few days off so that I can feel stable again. It's been a really long, dizzy road.

 

I've done enough research on this topic to know that we all should have been warned of these side effects because they're well-documented in the medical literature. Without reading the full study here, though, it's difficult to get a full picture of what's going on.

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Thank you for the information, Lapis! When I get scared and anxious over worsening dizziness, I can think of this study and realize there is no reason to go to the ER (which I've thought about numerous times). The fact that I still get scared about the symptoms after all this time just makes my anxiety worse.
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Hi Terry,

In your case, you're taking other meds that may be involved in your dizziness, so it's hard to tease out what came from the benzos and what might be a result of your present medication and health conditions. If you had a new and unusual symptom where you weren't sure of the origin, then it might make sense to get it checked out. However, if you have ongoing symptoms, and you know their source, then no, a trip to the ER wouldn't necessarily be warranted. 

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Yes, you're right, Lapis. Ongoing symptoms, that's what I have. Sometimes more, sometimes less. But it always takes me off guard when it's more, and I get scared. Luckily it doesn't last that long. 
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