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What Causes Lightheadness Abd Black Outs?

Posted on Fri, 20 Jun 2014

Question: Hi I am suffering with lightheadness going on three years now its contstant and somedays really bad and nearly black out it is not BP or BSL related for eg today I had a 2 sec black out spell BP was 130/75 and BSL 6.3 so all good I am thinking its vesitbular migraines even thought I have seen a nurologist and had CT and MRI scans and these all came back fine, all blood tests have been fine it cant find anything wrong its not veritgo, also do have problems with deep breathing when I have one of my dizzy spells its like blood leaves me... I do have bad allergies to grass pollen and dust mites and phernegan does help sometimes... do you think it could be these migraines and is there any medication I can get over the counter in Australia or natural remdeis like vitiams etc that I could try until i see the next nurologist for a second opinion at the end of the month

Answered by Dr. Gopal Krishna Dash (27 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
You should consider other possibilities..
Detailed Answer:
I have gone through your query and understand your concern

In extremely rare circumstances migraine present with episodic giddiness. The common causes of giddiness are

1. low hemoglobin
2. postural drop in Blood pressure
3. Cardiac rhythm disturbances

As your MRI, Blood tests are normal, I feel that you should get a cardiac evaluation done as well as a tilt table test (this test will tell us if you have a postural fall in BP)

Further, please let me know

1. the duration of each episode of lightheadedness
2. other associated complaints during the episode like headache any loss of memory etc

This will help me understand your problem in a better way and I can guide you

please get back

Wish you good health

Dr Dash

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Gopal Krishna Dash (1 hour later)

I have had blood tests done, they did check postural drop in BP its definatly not that I did have a stress test done on heart and it was all good. my lightheadness is constant it really never goes away or does for a period of time for eg i goto bed with it wake up fine get up move around for awhile and then boom it hits and stays all day, sometimes with headache sometimes without.... somethings with foggy memory like i cant get my words out or remember what i was about to say...and sometimes like i said i get the breathing issues its a bit like a panic attach symptoms but its not that either as to when and where they hit, sometimes i get pain in the neck not always.... its mainly the balance (lightheadness) that is the problem

Answered by Dr. Gopal Krishna Dash (24 hours later)

Brief Answer:
you need to relax as all the tests are normal

Detailed Answer:
thanks for the feed back

as all the investigations are normal and I do not see any serious underlying cause of your lightheadedness, I suggest you to relax. It is time that you should get properly evaluated by a local neuropsychiatrist and he will guide you to solve the problem. You need counselling and relaxation.

please get back in case you need any help

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Gopal Krishna Dash (1 hour later)

I have had counselling there is nothing mentally wrong with me, its not stress I am relaxed or as much as someone can be..... that is why I am thinking migraines.
do you think this is possible and what are some things I could try or take over the counter to see if it fixes the problem as if it does I am right if not then there is something else. the last few days I have been getting a mild headache with it as well.

Answered by Dr. Gopal Krishna Dash (46 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
it is very unlikely to be migraine

Detailed Answer:

thanks for your note

Though the story is less likely to be that of migraine, some patients can have migraine- equivalent. As all your investigations are normal, a course of amitryptiline or topiramate may be tried under supervision with a local neurologist

please get back in case you need any clarification

wish you good health

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj