k258 said...
GERD_Girl said...
I have been having these very scary symptoms for about six months. The dizzyness and head rush is sometimes concurrent with a sense of a change in pressure in the head, neck and chest. Sometimes there is brief neck pain or head pain, like a pinched nerve. Sometimes there is a sense of heat and then cold that rushes through my chest, arms or hands. For at least a half an hour afterwards there is a sense of unease. They almost always happen when I am sitting in a way that is somehow confined and bent somewhat forward, like my office chair or while driving. They can also happen when I am lying on my stomach, which also involves pressure. Sometimes a dry or bitter taste in the mouth accompanies the worst of them. I have noticed that often I have a sudden presence of mucus in my chest/throat/sinus concurrent with the episodes. I was diagnosed with GERD shortly after I began having the symptoms. I strongly suspect they are somehow a response to reflux in the esophagus or some other mechanism of GERD.
I get almost the same symptom set, but without any pain and mostly when I am either lying down or driving. I also have GERD. I recently went off proton pump inhibitors after 6 months straight. Had a really scary night a week ago with head rushes every time I started to fall asleep. I also spend too much time with my neck in a crunched position at the computer. I have had my heart checked out - all is okay there. I have had thyroid problems in the past, but not recently. I sometimes wonder if menopause is involved.
So, neck or stomach or hormones? I have never experienced anxiety symptoms in my life. I am 53.i was the original poster who started this thread. funny, so much has happened since i wrote it. these "rushes" started happening again recently so i consulted dr google! :)
And i came across my own thread. So in the end i was diagnosed with POTS, but i must stress "dizzyness" is so subjective with so many causes not sure that we are all talking about
the same thing.
POT's dizzyness for me was not what i described in the OP, 2 very different things. The hallmark symptom i get with these rushes is what feels like a little jolt of adrenalin at the same time. Actually havent them for ages until recently with the trigger being, guess what.... stress! of the pro longed variety.
I am more conscious of my breathing now and cant rule out that poor breathing is a contributor, because the rushes happen when i'm stressed. However i have been on a high dose ppi for ages and i'm gradually tapering off now, very slight reduction in dosage - and at the same time more of these rushes.
that's why i quoted the post above. as the poster stopped the PPIs she got the adrenaline rushes/dizzyness
My best guess for cause in my case - stress + changes in GI system = Adrenaline rushes and sudden dizzyness. often cured for me by eating and removal of stressor.
The GI/ENT system is very very complicated and on a neuro endocrine level not all that well understood. There are countless stories of peoples struggles coming off PPIs, it's very very hard, and combined with stress it's a nightmare. I wish you all well with your health, these rushes for me settled when i sorted my diet and constant stressors out, and i hope they will resolve again as GI environment becomes accustomed to life without PPIs.