Expert: Harriet B Jacobster, Au.D. - 6/27/2008

Question
hi, i emailed you about my 4 yr old girl complaining of left ear pain, well i am emailing you about a question about me.
i have dizzyness, lightheadedness or feel faint.
a lot. and it all started on halloween night.
about 4 yrs ago. when my 4 yhr old was 1 mo old.
its been with me since, and it comes and goes and sometimes when it came after wards id be left feeling weak, tired, fast heart rate i could feel my heart pounding.and id be weak till the next day, and shaky hands.
i have been seeing a ent for about a yr now and no one has been able to find out whats wrong with me, i live in north carolina, here in fayetteville and the ent i am seeing scheduled me for a dizzy test and a nother test, to find out where its comming from.
i dont have medicaid no more they cut me off due to my husbands income, but some other times when i feel dizzy its when i have done to much running around, or have been on my feet to much and i get lighheaded like i am on a dock thats floating under my feet, and i feel like i am going to pass out and my heart starts beeting fast and i feel like i am going to fall to the floor and i get scared and i start hyperventalating and i make things worse.
i live with this everyday of my life for 4 yrs.
i take mecklazine for the dizzyness and it helps sometimes.
but i never know when a spell is going to hit me, and i have had my blood pressure checked a lot of times and the bottom number is always 75 or below to like 60
i dont know if that can be the cause and i am border line enimeia, and i take iron pills, and i do have kidney stones.
and i am under a lot of stress, with 4 kids and my husband a full time worker,
but i wish i could get to the bottom of my dizzynesss and be cured and not have to live like this no more and feel normal like everyone else and be able to want to go out and enjoy life again, and feel like i did when i was a kid,
not feeling like  this and if i wanted to spin around in circles and do kart wheels i could with out passing out and bringing on my spells.
ans when i have them i cant look down or up or i have limited head movement it makes the spells worse.
what do you think, i dont and hope its nothing thats life threatning and that i could die from later on.
please help me!
if i dont get insurance at the time of my appointment next month i cant see them and i loose my app and a shot at maybe finding out whats wrong with me they want the payment up full in front if i dont have insurance, thats 560.
they said,
and i dont have that kind of money.

Answer
Hi Julie,
I can understand your concern about money, but with the symptoms you described, you really need to be tested to find out the cause of your dizziness. Dizziness itself is a symptom, not a disease.  It is a sign that there is something wrong.  It can be caused by many things, such as low blood sugar, high or low blood pressure, even hormonal changes and, yes, stress.   Many of these causes are treatable.  And, yes, there are a few causes which may not be as easily treatable. But you have a responsibility to yourself and your kids to take care of yourself.  Also, you may not necessarily "die" from the cause, but if you are driving or working and have a dizzy spell, yes, you could cause serious harm to yourself and others.  Therefore, if money is the issue, try and work out a payment plan with the doctor to have the test done. Or, is there anyone you could borrow the money from?  Many places of work offer emergency funds to their employees.  Perhaps your husband's place of work could help.  Unfortunately, not many places offer this type of testing otherwise I would recommend a county hospital or university center.  The only two universities in NC that may offer this testing at a reduced price are a bit far from you, in Greenville and Chapel Hill.
I hope this helps.  Good luck.
Harriet B. Jacobster, AuD
Board Certified in Audiology