Endless Dizziness and Heart Issues Disrupting My Daily Life
At 20 years old, standing 5'7" and weighing 137 pounds, I am currently on medications including Prozac for my anxiety and depression, as well as Ventolin and Dulera for my asthma. I don’t smoke or drink, and I have been diagnosed with mild persistent asthma, anxiety, and depression. Presently, I'm wearing a heart monitor to track my symptoms. I experience constant dizziness almost all day, and I find no relief from it, even when I’m resting, moving around, or increasing my electrolyte intake. My job at a gas station requires me to be on my feet for extended periods, and just yesterday I had to leave early because I felt faint, with my heart rate fluctuating wildly without any significant physical changes. This troubling state persisted for several hours, prompting me to visit urgent care. The medical staff chose not to perform an EKG since I already have the heart monitor, so they allowed me to go home without further testing. The dizziness is overwhelming, accompanied by chest pain, difficulties in breathing, numbness throughout my body, heart palpitations, tingling sensations, and shortness of breath. These symptoms intensify when I am upright, though lying down provides only minimal relief. Lately, I have also been stumbling more than usual and struggling to walk due to pain, tingling, and numbness in my legs. This situation is incredibly distressing and significantly diminishes the quality of my day, with no remedies appearing to alleviate my condition.
Answers (1)
7/12/2025, 8:01:55 PM
OpenHealth AI
I'm really sorry to hear that you're going through such a difficult and distressing experience. Your symptoms of constant dizziness, palpitations, and numbness can be incredibly challenging, especially alongside your existing conditions of asthma, anxiety, and depression. Let's break down your concerns and think about some priority steps to consider.
Main Points
- Your symptoms may be linked to anxiety, medication side effects, or another underlying issue that needs further exploration.
- It's essential to prioritize symptom monitoring and lifestyle adjustments while seeking ways to improve your daily functioning.
Explanation
The symptoms you're experiencing, such as dizziness, fluctuations in heart rate, numbness, and breathing difficulties, can stem from various factors. Given your medical history and current medications, it’s possible that:
- Anxiety could be causing or exacerbating these feelings. Anxiety can manifest in physical symptoms, including dizziness and palpitations.
- Medication Side Effects might be contributing, especially with SSRIs like Prozac, which can have various side effects.
- Asthma Management is crucial; ensure good control of your condition to avoid exacerbating dizziness and shortness of breath.
- It's essential to rule out any new or ongoing cardiovascular issues or neurological conditions given the presence of numbness and dizziness.
Prioritized Next Steps
-
Daily Symptoms Log: Start keeping a diary to track when your symptoms occur, their severity, and any potential triggers (like stress, certain activities, or any changes in your medications). This can provide valuable insights for your healthcare providers.
-
Medication Review: Talk to the healthcare provider managing your medications about the dizziness and other symptoms you're experiencing. They may suggest adjusting your medications or evaluating for potential side effects.
-
Asthma Management: Continue using your asthma medications as prescribed and be vigilant about avoiding triggers. Consider utilizing a peak flow meter to monitor your asthma control.
-
Fluid and Electrolyte Balance: While you noted increasing electrolytes hasn’t helped, ensure you're well-hydrated and eat balanced meals. Sometimes, small changes in diet can make a difference.
-
Gradual Activity Adjustments: If standing for long periods is causing increased symptoms, see if there are ways to modify your work requirements or take short breaks when necessary. Avoid high-stress or overly strenuous activities until you have more guidance from your healthcare team.
-
Seek Support: Given the mental health aspect of your situation, consider speaking with a therapist or counselor, especially since anxiety may be a significant contributor to your symptoms.
Final Note
If your symptoms worsen, or you experience severe chest pain, persistent numbness, or profound dizziness leading to loss of consciousness, seek immediate medical attention. It’s vital to advocate for yourself and ensure that your symptoms are addressed comprehensively, especially considering the distress they bring to your daily life. Feel free to reach out if you need further information or support!
Related Questions
Assessing My Health Concerns: How Anxious Should I Be?
I’m a 32-year-old woman, weighing 124 pounds and standing at 5 feet 6 inches tall. For over a year, I have been experiencing bright red rectal bleeding. Initially, I attributed this issue to hemorrhoids that developed during my pregnancy two years ago. The bleeding occurs with most of my bowel movements, sometimes happens without one, and on a few occasions, has been enough to stain the toilet bowl significantly. The color of the blood is typically darker than what I observe during a hemorrhoid flare-up. There is a notable family history of bowel cancer on both sides; one family member was diagnosed at age 45, and another at 60. In the past six months, I have encountered several episodes of severe abdominal pain—3 to 4 instances—intense enough to consider a trip to the emergency room. However, the pain usually subsides within about an hour. It’s unusual for me to experience such acute pain, given my high tolerance for discomfort; for example, I once played rugby shortly after dislocating and fracturing my finger. Recently, I mustered the courage to consult with my doctor, who recommended a FIT test, which returned a positive result (30.1). Additionally, I underwent a complete blood test, and aside from having low ferritin levels (7 µg/L), all other results were normal. I have since been referred for a colonoscopy on a two-week waiting list to rule out any possible bowel cancer. Given these circumstances, how concerned should I be? Thank you for your input.
Persistent Pain in Right Shoulder and Arm After Lifting
Hello, everyone! I’m a 23-year-old male and have been engaged in weightlifting for several years now. Recently, I’ve been struggling with ongoing discomfort in my right shoulder and arm, which I haven’t been able to accurately identify. The pain manifests during particular movements, especially with lateral raises or when my arm is raised to shoulder level while rotating my wrist. Certain pressing and pulling activities can also provoke this discomfort. Rather than feeling sharp, it’s a deep, nagging sensation that sometimes seems localized in the front area of the shoulder or at the biceps tendon, and at other times it feels more like it’s situated between the shoulder and upper arm. Fortunately, there’s no numbness or tingling involved. This issue began while I was working out. I decided to take a break for around two months, but when I returned, the pain persisted. After consulting a physician, I was diagnosed with bicipital tendinitis. Since then, I’ve reduced my upper-body workouts, completely steering clear of shoulder exercises and heavy lifting, and have begun a gentle rehabilitation regimen focusing on external rotations, pendulum movements, and scapular exercises. Despite adhering to this routine for about a week, I haven’t experienced any noticeable improvement. Is it typical for this type of tendon injury to require an extended period for recovery? At what point should I consider diagnostic imaging, such as an ultrasound or MRI? Additionally, are there frequent rehabilitation errors that might impede the healing process? I appreciate your insights in advance!
Understanding EEG Results for My 22-Month-Old Son: Insights Needed
Could someone help clarify this for me? My son, who is just 22 months old, hasn’t started walking yet, becomes tired easily, and has been experiencing behavioral outbursts. He had a febrile seizure in February 2025, followed by another unexplained seizure in April 2025, which led us to consult a neurologist. Since he was 3 months old, he has been receiving therapy from a physical therapist for torticollis. At birth, he spent five days in the NICU due to issues with meconium aspiration. A recent MRI showed normal results, and he also had a follow-up EEG after one conducted in July 2025. The results from this recent EEG were abnormal for a pediatric patient in awake, drowsy, and sleeping states. Notably, there were brief episodes of left frontotemporal delta slowing, which occurred mainly when he was awake and drowsy. There were no signs of epileptiform activity detected. In contrast, the EEG performed back on July 3, 2025, was deemed normal for both awake and drowsy states, again with no evidence of epileptiform irregularities, although it did not capture any sleep data. This examination was prompted by the child's existing history of febrile seizures. Importantly, he is not currently on any anti-seizure medications. The EEG procedure used standard electrode placements per the 10-20 system, conducted a single-lead EKG, and included continuous video monitoring. During the analysis, the background activity was symmetric, indicating some anterior-posterior (AP) organization, with a dominant rhythm of 50-80 microvolts at 7 Hz. His drowsy state was marked by a reduced amount of eye blink activity, less breathing motion interference, and a generalized slowing in theta/delta frequencies. Stage II sleep exhibited spindles and vertex waves patterns. Additionally, there were intermittent bursts of 250-300 microvolts in the left frontotemporal region with semi-rhythmic activity of 2-4 Hz, mostly observed during wakefulness and drowsiness. No definitive epileptiform discharge was noted. Photic stimulation during the test did not elicit a strong response, and hyperventilation was not conducted during this session.
28-Year-Old Male Experiencing Scalp Sensations Post-Amitriptyline Treatment
I am a 28-year-old man in generally good health, without any cardiac concerns. Approximately a month ago, I encountered intense pain localized to one side of my head, which was unresponsive to paracetamol. However, a single dose of a migraine treatment provided substantial relief. Following that, I began a regimen of amitriptyline, starting at a nightly dose of 10 to 25 mg. While my head pain has diminished significantly—by about 90 to 95%—I now experience occasional uncomfortable sensations on my scalp. These feelings include pins and needles, a cooling sensation, and some crawling feelings near my hairline and ears. There are fleeting moments where I feel brief throbs lasting a second, but I do not have any persistent headaches. To clarify, I do not experience any of the following: - Nausea - Weakness in my limbs - Numbness - Changes in my vision - Coordination difficulties - Seizures The symptoms I have are transient, shifting around and often intensifying when I become conscious of them or as the day progresses. I would like to know: Is it common to experience these sensations during the recovery stage following episodes of neuralgia or migraine-like discomfort? Additionally, could the amitriptyline potentially be causing these temporary paresthetic sensations? I am seeking some reassurance or advice on what is typically observed during this healing process. Thank you.
Concerns About My Toes
Age: 30, Female Currently, I am on the lookout for a reputable podiatrist in my vicinity. However, I've encountered a perplexing issue with my foot. Just last night, I noticed a growth on the side of my toe, something entirely new to me. I maintain a nutritious diet and have a demanding job that requires me to be on my feet quite often. My footwear includes brands such as Brooks Ghost Runners, Hoka Bondi 9’s, and Nike Motiva’s, and I don’t opt for restrictive socks. I also apply Vick’s Vaporub to my feet, a practice handed down from my family, and stick with simple, non-fragrant lotions like Vanicream and CeraVe SA Cream for my skin. In addition, I am curious about the my big toenail's change in color. What might be the underlying reasons for this? Also, I have these persistent dark spots on my toes that I've struggled with since my days on the runway. Despite my efforts, nothing has succeeded in lightening or diminishing their appearance. I'm just looking to determine if there might have been a factor from the past that could have contributed to these issues. I’m not sure what else to include, but I’m open to answering any questions you might have. Thank you for your attention! Best wishes from a worried soul!