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Question

I drink one bottle of chardonnay each night (or less) about 5 nights per week. One night this week, after having nothing to drink, I went to bed and awoke at about 6AM to a major dizzy spell. So major that I actually felt my eyes moving side to side as would be the case in REM sleep. The entire room was spinning. I didn't move for fear of falling down and it passed in about 45 to 60 seconds. Since then, I've have less severe spells nightly at about the same time of day (and after having some wine) and now today, 3 days after the initial spell, I'm having some slight dizziness during the course of the day.

I do not drink at all during the day; only in the evenings. My normal blood pressure is about 100/70 or less sometimes. I am in otherwise good health. I'm 5'4" and about 145 pounds (size 14).

Could this be the beginning of menopause? I see my ob/gyn yearly and always ask him about it but he says I'm too young. I saw him last about 4 months ago.

I was especially afraid the first time it happened because I had not had any alcohol at all that night and because of the rapid eye movement involved.

Answer

Contact your primary care physician immediately. You may be experiencing any one of a number of medical conditions. Please be frank and open about your pattern of drinking, which is heavy and may have either obscured a medical problem or exacerbated it.

11/18/98

Reid K. Hester, Ph.D.
Director, Research Division
Behavior Therapy Associates
3810 Osuna Rd NE Suite 1
Albuquerque, NM 87109
505.345.6100 ph
505.342.2454 fax
Behavioral Self-control Program for Windows