Dizzy lightheaded

[helpneededx]

Hi 👋,
So I had covid back in October anyway ever since covid passing when I'm sat down or lay down I feel fine soon as I start walking around I feel so dizzy and lightheaded and feel really drained all the time my dr put it down to panic attacks but it's nothing like a panic attack it happens every day all day when I'm walking it's starting to get me really down, has anyone had similar symptoms or could possibly know what it is?
I will be booking another gp appointment tomorrow morning.

I’ve know a few people become deficient in Ferritin, B12 and/or vitamin D after having covid.
Any of those deficiencies could cause you to feel like that.
It would be worth asking the Dr for a blood test, I hope you get some answers & feel better soon.

@ARoughRide thank you for your comment, I've had blood work done and they was all fine I end up fainting and my blood pressure goes quite high after fainting but my doctor said some people are known to faint. Now I've never felt like this before and I'm struggling to get on with every day things

This sounds like orthostatic intolerance (inability of the body to adjust blood circulation / flow when upright).

Ask your doctor to check your orthostatic vitals. You can also do this yourself at home if you have a way to measure your blood pressure and heart rate. (Search “NASA lean test” or “active stand test” for instructions.) Be mindful that you might become faint during the test – have someone else present or position yourself near a bed or soft chair in case your legs give way.

It’s also a good idea to keep a log of your symptoms, activity, and blood pressure and heart rate.

There are quite a few possible causes of orthostatic intolerance. Ask your doctor to check you for them. If they rule out vitamin/mineral deficiencies, medication side effects, endocrine causes, heart problems etc. and you are still unwell, you can ask to be referred to a long COVID clinic, a fainting clinic, or an autonomic specialist.

Fainting “for no good reason” needs to be investigated. Meaning, if there is no obvious cause for you to faint, and you are feeling generally unwell between fainting episodes, then it needs investigating.

So your doctor needs to recognise that this is chronic and ongoing, rather than being isolated fainting episodes that can be explained by circumstances between which the patient feels normal.

(I have chronic orthostatic intolerance so that’s why I know a bit about it. In my case it is due to autonomic dysfunction, but there are other causes.)

Best of luck getting some help.

I've got the reverse- fine , until I sit on a sofa- then I get very weird light headed flashes/pressure for an hour or so a time and feel faint- if I keep moving I'm fine. Mine came on after covid and then covid booster ( almost straight after covid) this was also early October

@Crikeyalmighty, sitting still can be a different manifestation of orthostatic intolerance where blood pools in the lower body. Does this feeling come on as soon as you sit down, or after you have been sitting still for a while? How are you standing still, e.g. waiting in a queue?

If you can, try to keep a log of these episodes, including your heart rate and blood pressure and what you were doing at the time symptoms came on.

You could also ask your doctor to do a “lie, sit, stand” test (also known as orthostatic vitals) or do one at home.

Thanks Kushami- I did a quick check on my Apple Watch last night and heart rate goes up when I stand up but only by about 12 and that seems within normal range. Yes I get it when I've been sat for 10 minutes or so- but not all the time- I am on beta blockers and statins and it seems to be an evening thing- all very odd- I get pins and needles in my feet too at a similar time. I think it may well be medication related in my case

Watching with interest. I had an unprovoked faint on saturday, while sitting having dinner with friends. One was a retired GP who said I ought to get checked out, so I'm waiting for an ECG and blood pressure check.