# Am I experiencing a form of DP/DR



## Neilius1980 (Nov 26, 2014)

My journey began in January 2012 after a series of panic attacks over a 30 day period and what I think was a virus. I began feeling dizzy, instability when moving, like the floor was made of jello, my eyes couldn't focus, I became hypersensitive to certain lights and complex visual environments, whenever I stood up I got lightheaded, MASSIVE brain fog, trembling. Went to the ER 4 times. I've had nearly every scan and test done on me, MRI, CT, CARDIAC OF ALL SORTS, BLOOD, INNER EAR (VESTIBULAR). The specialists couldn't find ONE thing wrong with me, NOT ONE. The vestibular specialist said it sounded like classic vestibular damage, but the extensive tests revealed otherwise. Not a single diagnosis. No history of drugs use.

Fast forward three years later... some of the symptoms have subsided, but for the most part the disequilibrium, dizziness, lightheadedness, eye focus/jumpy eyes, intolerance to all complex visual environments (as if my brain can't process visual information properly) has only mildly improved.

I've heard that some or all of my symptoms can be related to DP/DR? I have a history of major depression, trauma, anxiety, inner rage issues, complete distrust for people, introverted personality, rumination,.... the list goes on.

I do not experience some of the 2D vision or the classic feeling of feeling unreal that many of you get. I'm fully aware of my surroundings at ALL TIMES, everything feels extremely real, too real in fact.

I have tough time believing DP/DR can cause these kinds of physical symptoms. Please if anyone can help me. I'm really at the end of my rope. I struggle to get around, the ground literally feels as if it's moving under my feet. The only thing keeping me going is my girlfriend and the gym. My muscle strength and cardiovascular capacity is still normal. Libido is also normal.


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## Wendy (Aug 7, 2013)

I'm not a professional, so I can't diagnose you or give you any advice, but my first thought here is vertigo.

Although you say the tests you've done have proved that there's nothing wrong with you, the symptoms are very similar to vertigo. It's true that some of these things you're describing can be found in people experiencing Depersonalization, but if you're not feeling any form of unreality, then I'd be willing to bet that it's something else. Like I said, I'm not a professional, this is just my own opinion (and people can feel free to disagree with me), but that's just what it sounds like. I would have said that your anxiety could be causing it, but it seems all too intense for anxiety to be the cause.

I think it would be in your best interest to speak to another professional, both a doctor and a psychologist, to see if anything you've stated above has any correlation to your dizziness and visual problems. See if you maybe have any family history with this, maybe other family members have experienced this, which could get to the reason (and subsequent treatment) of your ailments.


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## Neilius1980 (Nov 26, 2014)

SolomonOrlando said:


> I'm not a professional, so I can't diagnose you or give you any advice, but my first thought here is vertigo.
> 
> Although you say the tests you've done have proved that there's nothing wrong with you, the symptoms are very similar to vertigo. It's true that some of these things you're describing can be found in people experiencing Depersonalization, but if you're not feeling any form of unreality, then I'd be willing to bet that it's something else. Like I said, I'm not a professional, this is just my own opinion (and people can feel free to disagree with me), but that's just what it sounds like. I would have said that your anxiety could be causing it, but it seems all too intense for anxiety to be the cause.
> 
> I think it would be in your best interest to speak to another professional, both a doctor and a psychologist, to see if anything you've stated above has any correlation to your dizziness and visual problems. See if you maybe have any family history with this, maybe other family members have experienced this, which could get to the reason (and subsequent treatment) of your ailments.


Vertigo is usually caused by something. Vertigo is generally central or ear related... assuming it's not blood pressure related. All of the brain scans were normal, all inner ear tests were normal, and blood pressure is 110/70 on average, all blood work normal. I've seen over 30 specialists in all areas of medicine. I've seen 7 neurologists. I certainly have vertigo, but nobody can figure the cause. I agree that the symptoms seem to intense to be anxiety related. Spontaneous vertigo for 3 years with no cause.

I've also had my cervical spine looked at by 2 specialists... it was totally normal.


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## Wendy (Aug 7, 2013)

Neilius1980 said:


> Vertigo is usually caused by something. Vertigo is generally central or ear related... assuming it's not blood pressure related. All of the brain scans were normal, all inner ear tests were normal, and blood pressure is 110/70 on average, all blood work normal. I've seen over 30 specialists in all areas of medicine. I've seen 7 neurologists. I certainly have vertigo, but nobody can figure the cause. I agree that the symptoms seem to intense to be anxiety related. Spontaneous vertigo for 3 years with no cause.
> 
> I've also had my cervical spine looked at by 2 specialists... it was totally normal.


Yeah, I'm honestly not sure. I'd just say, continue going to professionals and see if they can figure it out - which I'm sure they will at some point.

If you need any support, you're always welcome here.


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## Neilius1980 (Nov 26, 2014)

Can anyone relate to my symptoms?


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## Aerin (Nov 1, 2012)

I hate throwing negative ideas out there but this seems much more traditionally 'physical' (I use that in quotes because because from my point of view every single thing you could possibly experience can be explained via physics, but the medical field still insists on dividing things up into two categories that really aren't as distinct as they act like they are).

Anyway things that come to mind are low blood pressure, electrolyte imbalance, antibiotic side effects, lyme, mild neuropathy (I assume it would be known by now if you had B vitamin deficiencies, but that's a common cause) or multiple sclerosis. I can't give you a medical opinion on this, just personal anecdote, but *if you are taking any vitamin / mineral supplements with iron in them, stop* them for a few weeks and see if you notice any improvements (ime the iron in supplements can royally screw up your GI tract, which ultimately screws you up emotionally because your brain gets impulse feedback from the GI via the vagus nerve). Anxiety and nerve health seem closely related - if nerves are stressed you can become very anxious, and prolonged anxiety will also further stress the nerves. This is an unfortunate cycle because just worrying about things can make the problem worse, and it's often hard to know for sure which came first.

I had constant DP/DR for about half a year, and while the perceptual/consciousness shift was disorienting and frightening, I never had a panic attack or pain/dizziness. Though it's hard to explain, I was consciously aware of everything I could see/hear/feel as being inside my 'head' (rather than feeling like it was all outside and I was inside it), and because of that felt like I was floating above (the image of) my body, but I didn't actually have balance problems or vertigo (if anything I was more coordinated, which made the disconnect even stranger). The '3D me-screen' had like a frame rate too, and it was more that my conscious 'frames' were 'on' longer than they used to be rather than feeling like I lost visual frames. The whole thing was weird as hell. 'the images are down inside, and there's stuff in between the frames D: D: D: ' IMO 'DP/DR' is one of those things that, if you have to ask if you have it, you don't have it.


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## Neilius1980 (Nov 26, 2014)

Aerin said:


> I hate throwing negative ideas out there but this seems much more traditionally 'physical' (I use that in quotes because because from my point of view every single thing you could possibly experience can be explained via physics, but the medical field still insists on dividing things up into two categories that really aren't as distinct as they act like they are).
> 
> Anyway things that come to mind are low blood pressure, electrolyte imbalance, antibiotic side effects, lyme, mild neuropathy (I assume it would be known by now if you had B vitamin deficiencies, but that's a common cause) or multiple sclerosis. I can't give you a medical opinion on this, just personal anecdote, but *if you are taking any vitamin / mineral supplements with iron in them, stop* them for a few weeks and see if you notice any improvements (ime the iron in supplements can royally screw up your GI tract, which ultimately screws you up emotionally because your brain gets impulse feedback from the GI via the vagus nerve). Anxiety and nerve health seem closely related - if nerves are stressed you can become very anxious, and prolonged anxiety will also further stress the nerves. This is an unfortunate cycle because just worrying about things can make the problem worse, and it's often hard to know for sure which came first.
> 
> I had constant DP/DR for about half a year, and while the perceptual/consciousness shift was disorienting and frightening, I never had a panic attack or pain/dizziness. Though it's hard to explain, I was consciously aware of everything I could see/hear/feel as being inside my 'head' (rather than feeling like it was all outside and I was inside it), and because of that felt like I was floating above (the image of) my body, but I didn't actually have balance problems or vertigo (if anything I was more coordinated, which made the disconnect even stranger). The '3D me-screen' had like a frame rate too, and it was more that my conscious 'frames' were 'on' longer than they used to be rather than feeling like I lost visual frames. The whole thing was weird as hell. 'the images are down inside, and there's stuff in between the frames D: D: D: ' IMO 'DP/DR' is one of those things that, if you have to ask if you have it, you don't have it.


I appreciate the reply. Everything you mentioned was tested for more than once.

"Anxiety and nerve health seem closely related - if nerves are stressed you can become very anxious, and prolonged anxiety will also further stress the nerves. This is an unfortunate cycle because just worrying about things can make the problem worse, and it's often hard to know for sure which came first."

Interesting.


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