Hi,
I am, chalking out this message to seek advice from you.. my friend had a sudden epilepsy attack (about four months ago) and since then I think I have not been able to get out of it. I have tried many a things but still not getting out of it and the thing is that its getting worsen.. my cousin passed away and I think I took her effect as well. As on that day while driving car I had severe vertigo that I had to stop and then move forward after a while. Now yesterday one of colleague had an accident and it also effected me... I couldn't drive the car due to vertigo and that I had a feeling that I am, moving around or getting out of the car that car is not moving in fact I am, moving inside.. it was night time.. in fact on both occasions it was night time.. resting gave me comfort for a while but then again when I started I had the same feeling. I had m mouth dried up and also I had restlessness.. that something is going to happen to me... then I had cold spell all over the body and a sort of burning too which didn't last long.. I don't know what's going wrong.. I can also not hear sharp sounds, and people talkling around, or any unexpected sound or event it seems unusual to me.. I have this wavy feeling from neck to head as well sort of cold tease type.. I feel that I am, unable to concentrate on words written.. also I feel that I will faint any moment.. I feel that my dizziness is more like imbalance in neck that it seems it moves at its own may be or what.. pressure exerted.


1)either its ENT issue, or
2) issue with gases as when this happens I do have gas which when I pass gets comfortable and only for a while, this happens while I am, sitting not while I am, resting on bad.. it happens mildly while I am, lying,
2a) cervical strain as I have constant neck pain and backache for like last 3 - 4 months though its getting better but still I have it
3) or its pure anxiety which I have seen over the internet
4) eye issue that I am, having problem while locating for moving objects
5) electrolyte imbalance as this as evoked much after I had that bad bad stomach two weeks ago.. most of the time my mouth is dried up but as my mind gets diverted I don't get that feeling
6) sugar or brain or heart... I don tknow.. my bp usually stays at 120 /70... 120/80 even during these spells.. pulse rate at times when I do too much rest pulse rate drops too 56 and usually is 63 - 80 or at times till 90..
7) winter spell

I had an appointment with an ENT specialist and he diagnosed me with AE+OE+GOR and said I have anxiety.

I need to know if there is any mental disorder going on with me... please help.

(Other info: I am, a computer professional with sitting routine of around 12 - 14 hours in front of a laptop 6 days a week)

Regards.

It would be both foolish and dangerous to diagnose your health issues over the Internet. I do not believe anyone who is not a Physician will second guess the Physician you have already seen.

Have you considered some type of mental health therapy?

It sounds like you could have a combination of things. The neck strain is probably from looking down at a computer far too many hours a day.

You should feel nothing but perhaps empathy for other people's problems such as your friend's epilepsy or car accident. Even for those who directly had these experiences, to be impacted for months would be excessive. So, that appears to be a mental health issue.

Severe anxiety can result in panic attacks which could result in the physical symptoms you are describing - hot and cold, diziness, breathlessness and so on. A panic attack can even feel like heart attack for some people.

You will need to address all of this with physicians, of course. You may need some medication for anxiety but also need to address lifestyle factors. For example, can you reduce your work hours? That schedule on a daily basis is really excessive. You have inadequate time for rest and for leisure or any kind of social or family life.

When you have a decent balance of work, time with friends and family, reasonable time to enjoy your meals, time to sleep - you should be able to manage better in every way.

The ENT specialist said anxiety, which sure sounds about right to me. Even they can be wrong, of course, by missing something.

The way you write suggests that you are somewhat removed from your feelings about death and accidents and illness in others. I hope you can talk about them with someone. Some of the best therapists aren't the ones with the most degrees, and it might even be a religious cleric. Good luck.

Hi have discussed it with a couple of physicians and they have suggested that its anxiety plus cervical strain.

Issue is that at times when I am, busy I am, perfectly all right but when I am, idle I have difficulty

Can it be due to constant strain in neck as I am, a computer professional and sit around 12 - 14 a days on computer.. anxiety can be there but these neck jolts and imbalance issue may be related to it ? Can anybody tell me .

Sure, you can have neck strain from working on a computer all day for such excessive hours.

I've often read that the proper set up for working comfortably and without strain at a computer is first to have a good chair with lumbar support, adjusted such that you can sit all the way back in the chair with your feet flat on the ground. When your feet are flat on the ground and you are seated all the way back in the chair, your knees should be at a 90 degree angle.

The keyboard should be lower than the standard height of a desk, such as with a pull-out keyboard tray. This allows you to let your arms fall naturally from the shoulder, and keep your elbows at about a 90 degree angle. If you have to reach up to the desk top for your keyboard, it will scrunch up your shoulders and cause strain in your back, shoulders and neck.

Your screen should be straight in front of your face when you are sitting up straight. If you are looking down at it, you will strain your neck and back over time. Just put something under the screen to raise it up if you are tall.

That said, you can set everything up perfectly, get help with your anxiety (which can also cause physical problems), do counseling, chiropractic and so on, but if you keep working such excessive hours, paritcularly sitting in one position, you're probably not going to solve the problem. Fatigue which is not managed with adequate breaks and rest turns into strain, and strain causes all kinds of problems.

Like others have indicated, it sounds like there may be several things going on with you to cause these problems. One not mentioned is benign positional vertigo which is easily fixed but could be causing the dizziness. A good GP who will look at all these symptoms and go over all your lifestyle choices in how you sit, move, and even what you eat, should be able to help. Also, the counseling is a good idea, even for just a few sessions.