Went to the grocery store today. As I was walking around, I started to feel weird. The best way to describe it in words is almost like trying to black out but still awake. It's like when it happens, I try to shake it off and it goes away for a moment, then happens again. At one point I almost fell down. So I hurried up to get out of there. (I can't drive due to vision, so my grandmother takes me). I felt dizzy and almost trying to black out but it doesn't completely go because I shake it off by shaking my head and refocusing. Does anyone understand/been through this before?

Yes, I have.

Glad you didn't pass out or fall.

I've been dizzy before but never this bad. Is this a side effect of MS? What to do about it?

YAH! I do!

I actually did fall at home thank god and that was the same day I called mom to tell her something is wrong with me. I was getting those spells for about a year and a half along with other stuff, before I finally stopped being stubborn and went to the doctor. It took that fall to convince me and I tellya it was scary, because we have heart disease in my family big time and I was dead set the fall was about that. I thought I was having a stroke!

It still happens sometimes, but not that bad and I keep my stick in the car in case I feel I will need to counter act any dizzy or balance spells.
You should get a stick too, do you? you can get a concussion if you fall on the store floor. Thanks god I landed on my rug at home and didn't hit my head!

Good luck, bro.

I found this for you....

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...igo/index.aspx

I've had something like that. It's like it comes in a huge wave and you feel like you will faint/black out but you snap out of it and still feel 'off' but not as bad, then it'll hit again. I've not had it happen in public yet, thank goodness, but I don't go out much anymore.

Only time I leave the house is to go to church or grocery store, and even at that its only 3-4 times a week

I think they put me on some sort of anti nausea med, because I was getting sick from the spinning(my case was severe) I had to have my mom hold me up to get in the car that day from it. I could barely walk that day. I don't know what else they did, but I haven't a severe episode like that sense.

Terrible day it was.... thinking I was having a stroke like my grandmother did.

I've had this at times over the years but it rarely happens anymore. It doesn't mean it will be normal for you. But I know how frightening it can and it doesn't mean it will be the norm for you. It happened more often for me early on when I pushed myself too hard and I didn't know what my limits would be from MS.

I have this too. Caffeine makes it worse. Make sure your blood pressure is okay first....
Doc had me try low dose Ativan for the dizziness and it helped a lot. (.05) I only take it when I go out or drive to the grocery store. Its worked well for me. He had me try it because it doesn't work for everyone. Its a preemptive strike, because it takes awhile for Ativan to kick in. My dizzy level was at very low level and more like a constant off balance but would get a tad worse with excitement......and yes going to the grocery store is excitement. Also for a time, the bright fluorescent lighting in those places bothered me. I would experience the same thing you did, felt as though I was going to pass out with it.

I get it a lot around the house. It acts like low blood pressure so you need to make sure that is not what you are experiencing. I got myself a cheap blood pressure cuff and kept a log for awhile.

Also; are you prone to anxiety or panic attacks?

Hang in there skywalker!!