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What Causes Dizziness Inspite Of Being On Sertraline For Anxiety?

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Posted on Wed, 6 May 2015
Question: I suffer with anxiety and have been on Sertraline for the past two years. I had severe dizzy spells when my doctor suggested I increase my dose from 100mg to 150mg and then to 200mg. I felt too numb on 200mg and came back down to 150mg. I have mostly been okay over the last year and thought the dizzy spells must have been my body getting used to the medication increase but I have started to experience them again in the last month. It comes on randomly, even when I am not feeling panicked, the whole room spins and I can't keep my balance, I have to sit down and wait for it to pass which usually takes around half an hour. For a day or two after I still feel 'off', unbalanced and generally not with it. I lost my job because I had to go home in the middle of so many shifts. I decided to decrease the Sertraline in case that was what was causing it, as I have researched and found that it is a general anxiety symptom. I have only decreased from 150mg to 125mg but I feel exactly the same if not worse. I feel generally unbalanced and I have barely left my house in two weeks through fear of having a dizzy spell. I have seen two doctors about it, both of which have offered little help. One suggested I wait it out and the other suggested I increase my dosage again, which I don't want to do after how I reacted to that last time. It's stopping me from living my life and I'm living in constant fear of it happening again, which I can imagine is only making it worse. ANY information or help would be INCREDIBLY helpful as I feel so trapped and scared all the time and afraid this is what I will be like forever which is leading me to feel suicidal even though I don't feel particularly depressed about life, it's impossible to have a life with this symptom. Again, any advice would be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance, XXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Chintan Solanki (33 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
dizziness is very common side effect of sertraline, reduce/replace the drug

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX

Thanks for writing to us.

I read your query in detail and can understand your concern.

Dizziness is very common side effect of sertaline (10-12%). It is also more as dose goes higher.

As dizzi spells are restarted first of all there is need of ruling out any ENT or neurological cause. ENT (inner ear - labyrinth) cause by consultation with ENT doctor and neurological cause through simple physical examination of cerebellar clinical testing by a physician. I think both will come probably negative.

Dizziness can be one of the anxiety symptoms but it should be with other anxiety symptoms. Overall I think your problem is due to medicine.
If you are better in anxiety since 1 year there is definitely need of reduction of the dose of sertraline. Many of my patients are stable on dose of 25 mg also. If I were your treating doctor I would like to reduce dose gradually 25 mg every week until you do not have dizzi spells and will keep you on that minimum effective dose.
In that case if anxiety symptoms worsen or at even 25 mg dose of sertaline dizziness continues, I would like to shift to escitalopram (SSRI with the least side effect of dizziness) with short course of benzodiazepine.

Hope I have answered your query, feel free to discuss further.

Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Chintan Solanki

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2007

Answered : 2407 Questions

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What Causes Dizziness Inspite Of Being On Sertraline For Anxiety?

Brief Answer: dizziness is very common side effect of sertraline, reduce/replace the drug Detailed Answer: Hello XXXXXXX Thanks for writing to us. I read your query in detail and can understand your concern. Dizziness is very common side effect of sertaline (10-12%). It is also more as dose goes higher. As dizzi spells are restarted first of all there is need of ruling out any ENT or neurological cause. ENT (inner ear - labyrinth) cause by consultation with ENT doctor and neurological cause through simple physical examination of cerebellar clinical testing by a physician. I think both will come probably negative. Dizziness can be one of the anxiety symptoms but it should be with other anxiety symptoms. Overall I think your problem is due to medicine. If you are better in anxiety since 1 year there is definitely need of reduction of the dose of sertraline. Many of my patients are stable on dose of 25 mg also. If I were your treating doctor I would like to reduce dose gradually 25 mg every week until you do not have dizzi spells and will keep you on that minimum effective dose. In that case if anxiety symptoms worsen or at even 25 mg dose of sertaline dizziness continues, I would like to shift to escitalopram (SSRI with the least side effect of dizziness) with short course of benzodiazepine. Hope I have answered your query, feel free to discuss further. Regards, Dr.Chintan Solanki.