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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Severe Dizziness?

When I started to get up from bed everything started spinning and I nearly blacked out. I could not get up until much later in the day. It is some better after 3 days and I am able to get up and do some things but all of a sudden I get dizzy and things start spinning and I have to sit down with my head lowered. It also starts when I look up. I have taken benedryl and it seems to help but not sure. What is the cause of this?
Tue, 27 Feb 2018
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General Surgeon,  's  Response
One possibility for light-headedness would be anemia, which commonly manifests with dizziness andtiredness.

Heart rhythm and function abnormalities would also lead to insufficient blood supply to the brain and other organs so would also justify those symptoms.
Another possibility would be metabolic alterations, like diabetes, altered kidney or liver function, electrolyte abnormalities. Hormonal causes like thyroid dysfunction or nutritional ones like vitamin B12 deficiencies must be considered as well.
If the symptoms have appeared only very recently it might be a simple transitory viral infection which are generally transitory and need only rest and hydration.
The list can go on for long, as I said those symptoms can be found in numerous conditions, only listed some of the most common ones.
So I would start evaluation with some routine cheap tests to screen for anemia, infections and metabolic issues like complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, glucose, liver and kidney function, electrolyte panel, thyroid function, vitamin B12 levels, EKG.

I remain at your disposal for other questions.

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What Causes Severe Dizziness?

One possibility for light-headedness would be anemia, which commonly manifests with dizziness andtiredness. Heart rhythm and function abnormalities would also lead to insufficient blood supply to the brain and other organs so would also justify those symptoms. Another possibility would be metabolic alterations, like diabetes, altered kidney or liver function, electrolyte abnormalities. Hormonal causes like thyroid dysfunction or nutritional ones like vitamin B12 deficiencies must be considered as well. If the symptoms have appeared only very recently it might be a simple transitory viral infection which are generally transitory and need only rest and hydration. The list can go on for long, as I said those symptoms can be found in numerous conditions, only listed some of the most common ones. So I would start evaluation with some routine cheap tests to screen for anemia, infections and metabolic issues like complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, glucose, liver and kidney function, electrolyte panel, thyroid function, vitamin B12 levels, EKG. I remain at your disposal for other questions.