I was just wondering if anyone has had a long term effect of a lightheaded feeling. I’ve been diabetic (Type 1) about 25 years now. It’s well controlled, and I’ve had no complications. My problem is that I’ve had an on again off again bout with a lightheaded feeling. It started about 7 years ago. It’s not incapacitating but just an annoyance and a worry.
Through the years I’ve had a variety of tests such as cardiac, tilt table, blood pressure, etc., and everything is normal. I’m on Humalog, Levemir, low dose blood pressure and prostate meds. I stopped the blood pressure and prostate meds about 3 years ago to see if they were the problem, but the feeling was still there so doctor put me back on them. This feeling is not related at all to hypoglycemia. About once every couple of months, I get a classic dizzy spell. I lie or sit down for a few minutes then it passes. I do get more worried that I’m going to get that dizzy spell or my general lightheadedness may make me pass out, but that has never happened. I’m sure the anxiety of this doesn’t help.
I’m starting to think that maybe this is just one of those weird long term complications of diabetes, since all tests so far have been normal. I’m just wondering if anyone else has had something like this and if you have, do you have any tips to deal with it? Thanks.
Have you been tested for Meniere’s disease. Meniere’s is a type inner trouble that causes dizziness. It can be cause by fluid problems in the inner ear or damage or deterioration of the part of the ear that relates to balance.
I have something similar. My blood pressure drops for no reason. I was also put through the cardiac tests. I had a bp halter and a 7 day cardiac monitor.
With me it turns out to be related to a slow heart rate. My resting rate is in the 40s. But it was decided that it’s just my normal. But I noticed that I get a strong rushing/ and dizzy ness when my heart rate is under 50.
So I’ve been eating more salt,and it seems to help.
I’m not convinced that there isn’t something else going on, but we haven’t found anything.
My heart rate was never picked up in exams. Only my Apple Watch and my 7 day monitor picked it up
I went to an ENT about 3 years ago, and he saw no issue. I have my yearly physical exam next month with a new primary doctor that I’ve seen the past couple of years so I will ask him, too. My previous primary doctor and endocrinologist just kept dismissing it. Thank you.
Is it possible that a trigger is, going from a sitting to standing position or similar? If so, it could be postural hypotension. Which is a rather commonplace condition.
@drrps3 This kind of thing is often hard to diagnose. My wife was actually fainting. Her cardiologist put her on one of those remote 4 wire ECG unit, supposedly for a full week.
The very first night the monitoring people called at 4AM, saying they had seen incidents and the on-call cardiologist wanted her in the emergency room, NOW!
What she had was intermittent bradycardia, too low heart rate. To prepare her for a pacemaker they did a cardiac catherization and found her aortic valve was nearly clogged. This never showed on any of her heart test, lucky.
So she ended yo with open heart surgery, a new valve and a pacemaker… One didn’t have to do with the other., but she was like a new woman after she recovered.
The pacemaker surgery is very minor done with a topical while awake.
I’d suggest getting some kind of cheap wrist type heart rate monitor and an automatic blood pressure device. If you can take your BP when feeling faint, note your heart rate and BP.
This might not be your problem, but you could at least eliminate something.
