Off Balance

[Jacquie802]

Over the past few days I have felt off balance. It gets worse outside or when I'm in large areas. I'm wondering if anxiety is causing this symptom..? I was on my feet alot today and did feel off balance inside, but my Bp was high-135/97 piles was 105. Do you guys think its more anxiety related or POTS? I am on.5mg lorazepam but had taken my dose almost 4 hours prior...

[khaarina]

For me I think it is the POTS. Since I got sick I have had many moments where I felt off-balance. It even caused several falls, especially in the shower. I remember one time my husband and I went to a hotel. I took a shower and for the rest of the night I kept looking for marble-shaped items to put on the floor and see if they would roll. I was trying to prove to my husband that the floor was not level. It turns out the floor was fine, it was just me lol. My off-balance moments were always triggered by the typical POTS triggers (standing still, showering, raising my arms up, etc.) rather than anxiety, but then anxiety is also a trigger of POTS symptoms so it could be both.

[E Soskis]

Sounds like dysautonomia flare - when flaring, I can get ataxic and have trouble judging distances. I also have difficulty with spatial orientation - sometimes, the room seems to turn sideways then abruptly turn back upright - very strange and disturbing feeling.........

[bizbiz]

I had this with my first POTS flare, and now that I have crashed a second time I have this again. Like E Soskis, I also have trouble judging distances when I am bad.

My balance is bad at home when I'm bending over or turning around quickly, but I just went out to do a little shopping and it was way worse then!

I can't remember how long it stayed for last time (a few weeks maybe?), but it totally went away once I got better. I think I may have posted about it when I first got sick, as I remember I kept banging my shoulders as I walked through doorways as I could never judge distances properly and always felt like I was leaning to one side.

[Katybug]

I do have balance issues from my POTS (although my geneticist is having me evaluated for for chiari malformation due to my severe balance issues and EDS and tremors.) BUT, if this is a new symptom for you, you should probably have your ears checked thoroughly because balance issues can frequently be caused by vestibular problems.

[southbel]

Before I was diagnosed with POTS, I kept thinking I must have a brain tumor or something because I was so off balance. Couldn't have passed a field sobriety test stone cold sober. Now, I recognize it and understand that it's all part of the ever annoying symptoms I have.

[Chaos]

I agree with the others that it's part of the POTS. Before I got sick, I was teaching yoga, so I had exceptionally good balance. That changed, literally overnight, and I was suddenly finding myself losing my balance in the shower, turning corners, on escalators, etc For me, it wasn't related to being anxious. The only time I was feeling anxious was at night when I'd get the adrenaline surges or when I'd see a doctor who kept trying to blame all my symptoms on me being depressed or anxious!