Lightheaded constantly...no one knows why.

M

misplacedme

New member
well, bad news. It doesn't look as though the thyroid is the answer either. I called my Dr. today and my thyroid panel came back showing that my levels seem to be normal! I am so confused. The reason that she wanted to do a thyroid panel was because my initial blood test showed elevated levels, now I am normal?

I guess I can only keep researching to try and find out what's going on. I will see a different Dr. this week and hopefully he will have some ideas. Maybe testing for diabetes?? Not sure, but when I research lightheadedness diabetes seems to pop up somewhat often (although the rest of the symptoms are not relevant to me).

I will keep posted if I hear anything further.
Thanks again to all of you,
keely08
 
Not so fast... ;)

If you care to visit us at the Thyroid Disorders board and don't mind sharing your lab results, we can help you interpret them in case the MD is missing something. MDs don't always do the right tests, and if they do, don't always interpret them right. Some levels can also fluctuate from abnormal to "normal" within a day's time. It's a little complicated to go into here, but you still can be suffering from low thyroid, even though you've been given the all clear there.
 
I'm just throwing this out there in hopes that someone has heard of this same thing, experienced it, or even better, knows how to diagnos it.

I'm a 26 yer-old woman who exercises regularly and eats well. I am currently 11 weeks pregnant and at around 5 weeks I began feeling very lightheaded, all day long. It's dizzy, but not a feeling of vertigo or spinning, just the feeling that my head is "detached" or floating from my body. I have been to the OBGYN about this twice and she insists that it's in no way related to the pregnancy. So I saw a GP about it and am now being passed off to an ENT, which the GP isn't sure is going to do anything because it doesn't sound like an inner ear infection.

I have no other symptoms except the lightheadedness. It lasts all day in waves and degrees of strength. The problem is that it's consuming. It's impossible to concentrate at work when the really bad spells happen and it worsens when I go jogging or even try to walk my dog. It gets to the point where I don't enjoy doing anything physical, when I used to enjoy being active so much. It's beginning to cause a little bit of depression because I feel a little isolated and bored and not with it. I need to be active throughout my pregnancy and I'm gaining weight to quickly because I am not as active.

Because I'm pregnant, all doctors seem to be treating me as "off limits" to any accurate diagnosis since the pregnancy can throw the whole body out of whack. Still, they are certain that the pregnancy is not causing it.

I'm so miserable and I am trying to do research on my own because every Dr. seems to be dumbfounded by this since there are no additional symptoms. They hinted at severe fatigue, but I'm just not that tired, even for being pregnant.

Please help, anyone that can. Thanks.
 
I have low grade asthma and allergies, and as such, have to wear house dust masks to do heavy things like house work. I get dizzy from exertion when I am wearing those which I am sure is due to oxygen deprivation from not being able to get enough air through the mask.

Have they checked your sinuses and lungs? You may not be getting enough oxygen. Also, if you are getting spikes of low blood pressure that do not necessarily show up when you are in the doctor office, this could be causing it, too.

I hope they find out what it is for you. I have heard that some women that newly become pregnant also develop new allergies.

Let us know how it goes!

Lindaru :)
 
We've ruled out vertigo, because it's not a spinning sensation, but instead a light-headed/ floating sensation which is actually a seperate form of "dizzy." I know it sounds weird, believe me, it feels very weird. I was actually diagnosed with vertigo at first because I told me Dr. that I was dizzy and she assumed I had an inner ear infection causing vertigo. Then after I read up on it and explained the type of "dizzy" I was feeling to my Dr. (I didn't realize that there were different types) she informed me that it is not vertigo at all.

I recieved a call from my Dr. this morning informing me that my thyroid blood tests came back a little high. Both my mother and sister have hypothyroid disorder (or whichever ones makes the metabolism slow way down), so I could have it also. She is thinking there could be some sort of connection between the lightheadedness and the thyroid, but she's still not sure. Going back in today for more lab work. I don't care how much blood they need or what tests they have to run, as long as they find a cure for this horrible feeling!

Thanks again so much for your concern and your help. I really appreciate it! : )
 
Hi, I am 24 and on my third pregnancy. I have hypothyroidism which is the thyroid disease that is supposed to slow your metabolism. Anyway, I am about 14 weeks and started feeling lightheaded and fatigued maybe 4 weeks ago. I went to my OB and got checked. She wrote a RX for medication for vertigo. I never filled that RX because I know that is not what it is. She did labs that ruled out anemia but she did find that my thyroid was out of whack and needed to increase my dose. It usually takes about two weeks for dosage changes to make you feel any better but it seems that my symptoms have only lightened. I still feel lightheaded and I also have a sensitivity to bright light as well. I didn't feel this way in my other two pregnancies but I did have to get my thyroid meds increased with both previous pregnancies. Hope you find out what it is and definitely keep me posted.
:)
 
Really!!?? How can I get my test results so that I can give a break down of them to people who might know a little more? I was only told over the phone that my levels are normal, no additional information.

I really really appreciate your help!
keely08
 
Thank you so much. Those are good ideas to check out and I will make sure to bring them up at my next Dr. apointment this week. I thought about the low blood pressure thing but it seems that as soon as the Dr. takes my blood pressure at the office and sees that it's normal, he's done with that suspision. But like you said, what if it goes low throughout the day? I never thought of the lack of oxygen, but I will bring it up.
Thanks so much again, I'm so greatful to any idea.
 
Keely, I am hypothyroid. Before my levels were optimized, I frequently had that 'floaty head' feeling. IMO, that could easily explain your trouble.
Will your MD be prescribing some thyroid hormone for you? Your baby depends upon your having enough until he/she can make it independently.
 
Those are the two things that come to my mind also. Low BP because this changes throughout the day and night. Also, related to activity. Have you had your iron checked lately. The demand of preg. can cause Anemia and may be a symptom, it happens to many people. Good luck to you. FLFLOWERGIRL:)
 
Just ask for a photocopy of your lab results. They have to give them to you according to federal law, so they won't argue. They're allowed to charge a nominal copying fee, but most offices don't.
Hope to hear from you again after you get the results!
 
Thank you all so much for your advice and information. It makes me feel so much better hearing from people like you who have experienced something similar. I went into my OBGYN a couple days ago to give more blood for a thyroid panel, so hopefully the results won't take to long to get back. I am very hopeful that there will be some sort of resolution to this feeling sometime soon. This lightheaded feeling is so draining mentally and physically. I am hoping that once something is discovered for certain about my thyroid then my Dr. will be able to prescribe whatever medicine necessary to correct my levels.

Thank you all again and I will keep you posted on what I find out.

keely08
 
Yep, I am taking prenatals which have high amounts of iron and my OBGYN has checked on that and all of my levels seem fine. I'm at work today and every time I get up to walk around I feel like I'm floating, but it's just not a good feeling.

Thanks so much for your imput too. I really appreciate it!
keely08
 
keely

hypothyroidism crossed my mind too. i've got hypothyroidism and that floaty head/off balance/medicinehead feeling is a symptom. you've got it in your family, so there is that to consider too.

i agree with midwest. get copies of your thyroid tests from the doctor or from the lab. if you dont mind posting your numbers and the accompanying ranges on the thyroid board, people can give you feedback on it.

there seems to be an epidemic with doctors not knowing the appropriate blood tests for thyroid function, or sometimes they overlook results if they are borderline.
 
Keely08--Yes, you can also have an Autoimmune Disease called Hashimotos where your TSH does fluctuate, I know I have it. Go to the Thyroid board as Midwest1 recommends; they are incredible with lots of info. Get copies of your labs too because Docs will tell you you are "in range" but what they don't tell you, is that you can still have symptoms and that you might not be so normal as your labs may indicate. Be well. FLFLOWERGIRL:)
 
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