Still crazy after all these years …
It has been a long time since I have posted about my health issues (boy, that sounds self-important and whiny) but I’ve had a few readers ask about how I was doing so I decided to write an update. I must say, I have been surprised how many folks have had similar problems. It was therapeutic to write about what was going on with me at the time, but it has been even more encouraging to hear that I was not the only one who had dealt with these weird symptoms. I haven’t been blogging about medical stuff because I am managing pretty well most of the time, although I still do not know what caused the initial onset of dizziness, vertigo and anxiety. Well, aside from being old and broken, as my wife and I like to say.
First of all, I think the fact that I was diagnosed with diabetes is unrelated. I am managing that with diet, exercise and some medicine. When my blood sugar is high, it does make me feel bad, but it is a different feeling than the anxiety or dizziness I started experiencing two years ago.
As far as the panic and anxiety issues, I also have noticed that when I am eating well, drinking lots of water and getting plenty of sleep, I feel best for the longest periods. This is by far the best thing I have done to combat those uneasy feelings. Working for a newspaper can sometimes be a bummer, though, because some computer equipment cannot be worked on until after the paper is printed, which can be well after midnight.
Since I work as a programmer and a network manager, I spend a lot of time staring at a computer monitor. Sitting and staring tends to induce that feeling of "getting the dizzies", as I call it. It’s best to take breaks and get up and doing something physical or strenuous to offset the time spent working on the computer. But I have managed (at least, by God’s grace!)
I suspect the second best thing I have done is get on medication** designed to treat anxiety. I was put on a small dose originally, but continued to have some problems, so my dose was bumped up a little. I stayed on this dosage for a few months (while also using another, stronger medicine** for moments of severe anxiety, which were becoming less and less often.) After several months, I got pretty evened out as far as the feelings of anxiety. I would still occasionally have them, but I was able to mostly function normally. I began to ease back on the anxiety meds (with my doctor’s approval) and finally worked back to the original dosage which I am still on and doing pretty well.
I still, every now and then, have days were I feel really unsteady, uncertain or have a "bad case of the dizzies." On days like this, I get to be pretty reserved and quiet, not as gregarious as usual. But it has become manageable. If you are experiencing the same kind of symptoms, I highly recommend getting lots of rest, drinking lots of water and looking into anti-anxiety medicines.
** P.S. I haven’t mentioned any medicines by name on purpose because it tends to make you a target for comment spam.
um im 16 almost 17 and im taking cymbalta its been about a month. i still feel weird sometimes like im not in my body.did u ever feel that way/ im sorry 2 be asking you this but yea i hope you are doing alot better.please answer me back thanks.
I did at times feel that way, but not so much anymore. The last couple of days, I have been real dizzy, but nothing that I cannot manage.
The days just sort of come and go!
Best of luck!
Cheers,
Toby