Sudden nausea, dizziness, hot flashes, sweating, and shortness of breath... what could this be?

Hi,
For about the last two months, I've been feeling lightheaded quite often. My diet is normal; even when I eat a huge meal, I still feel weak. Food isn't the issue, and I'm definitely not pregnant since I don't even have a boyfriend 😁
It usually happens in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation, though sometimes it hits me outside too. It’s happened twice during Mass where I had to step out because I thought I was going to pass out, and sometimes I get dizzy on the bus and have to get off at the next stop. It also happens at my university, mostly in crowded, stuffy lecture halls.
The symptoms are this: sudden intense heat, sweating, these waves of heat washing over me, shortness of breath, and a nasty nauseous feeling in my stomach. I feel like I’m going to collapse or faint, though I never actually lose consciousness or vomit if I manage to drink water, eat a piece of candy, or chew some gum in time. Usually, that stops it.
One day was particularly bad. I felt like I was going to drop. Neither water nor candy helped; in fact, it was worse that time. My stomach felt terrible, and I felt like I was going to throw up. I sat on a bench and drank some Cocoa, but it didn't help. I tried to eat something I had with me, but I couldn't even swallow. I honestly thought I’d have to call 911, but I was in such bad shape I couldn't even reach my phone. I could barely walk to a taxi. Once I gave the driver the address, I kept sipping Cocoa and started feeling better. I didn't end up vomiting or fainting, and eventually, I was fine. When I got home, I checked my blood pressure and it was 118/78. I’m not sure if that digital monitor is accurate, though; it has given me impossible readings before.
Does anyone know what might be causing this? Has anyone dealt with something similar? I'm rarely sick and don't go to the doctor much. I've just had chronic sinus issues and once, about ten years ago, an issue with iron levels.
Thanks

How are you doing with your sugar intake? Ever actually sat down and measured it?

I don't know, I've never actually checked. Maybe my blood sugar is high, which would be a mess "

If I were you, I’d go ahead and check it. I don't think it's high; honestly, this usually happens when it drops too low. You mentioned feeling better after some food or a piece of candy, so there's a real chance your blood sugar is crashing. Hypoglycemia can cause anything from nausea to a massive headache.

How long has this been going on? And are you actually eating regular meals?

Did you experience a premature climax? How old are you?

I agree with melloworca6. You should get your blood sugar checked. If you start feeling faint, try drinking some sugar water or eating something sweet—like a piece of candy or a few squares of chocolate—to see if that helps you feel better.

If I were in your shoes, I’d head to my primary care physician, request a full blood panel, and specifically ask them to check your vitamin and mineral levels, since those often get overlooked despite being incredibly important.

Only after you've done that can we really dive into debating what might be causing this.
Your blood pressure seems normal, maybe even a tiny bit low, but nothing out of the ordinary. When you use a digital monitor, try taking your reading three times in a row and then calculate the average. Those home devices aren't the most reliable, unfortunately, but they should give you a decent ballpark figure within about 20 points.

Based on everything you've described, this feels more like a mild panic attack to me, though there could certainly be an underlying organic cause.

EDIT:
Looking back over your post, I'm feeling pretty certain that this is just anxiety. If these episodes are triggered by specific places or situations, you have to consider anxiety as the culprit. Otherwise, pay attention to whether these symptoms occur when you're feeling safe, like when you're at home. If they never happen then, it's likely anxiety.

Honestly, I’m leaning toward anxiety, but you should definitely get some blood work done and schedule a full physical just to be safe.

melloworca6 said:If I were you, I’d go ahead and check it. I don't think it's high; honestly, this usually happens when it drops too low. You mentioned feeling better after some food or a piece of candy, so there's a real chance your blood sugar is crashing. Hypoglycemia can cause anything from nausea to a massive headache.

How long has this been going on? And are you actually eating regular meals?

I eat regularly. This has been happening for the last month or two.

frozenraven85 said:Did you experience a premature climax? How old are you?

I agree with melloworca6. You should get your blood sugar checked. If you start feeling faint, try drinking some sugar water or eating something sweet—like a piece of candy or a few squares of chocolate—to see if that helps you feel better.

If I were in your shoes, I’d head to my primary care physician, request a full blood panel, and specifically ask them to check your vitamin and mineral levels, since those often get overlooked despite being incredibly important.

Only after you've done that can we really dive into debating what might be causing this.
Your blood pressure seems normal, maybe even a tiny bit low, but nothing out of the ordinary. When you use a digital monitor, try taking your reading three times in a row and then calculate the average. Those home devices aren't the most reliable, unfortunately, but they should give you a decent ballpark figure within about 20 points.

Based on everything you've described, this feels more like a mild panic attack to me, though there could certainly be an underlying organic cause.

EDIT:
Looking back over your post, I'm feeling pretty certain that this is just anxiety. If these episodes are triggered by specific places or situations, you have to consider anxiety as the culprit. Otherwise, pay attention to whether these symptoms occur when you're feeling safe, like when you're at home. If they never happen then, it's likely anxiety.

Morgan Alvarez8 said:Honestly, I’m leaning toward anxiety, but you should definitely get some blood work done and schedule a full physical just to be safe.

I'm 25.
It’s happening to me too. I felt sick twice today. It feels like everything is draining from my sinuses straight into my stomach, and that's when the nausea hits. I don't have any actual sinus infection symptoms—no fever, no congestion—just a headache and dizziness.

It could potentially be an issue with the middle ear. Perhaps. I honestly think getting some blood work done should definitely be the first step to take.

Probably low blood sugar. Happened to me too...
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypoglycemia/symptoms-causes

briskmaker3 said:I eat regularly. This has been happening for the last month or two.

You mentioned you checked your blood pressure once you got home. Next time that feeling hits you, grab the monitor immediately and take a reading before you touch any food or drink.

And don't go assuming the machine is broken if the numbers look weird. 😁 I've had readings so low on an old-school manual cuff that if I’d used a digital one, I would have thought the thing was glitching out—but it wasn't. It was spot on.

briskmaker3 said:Hi,
For about the last two months, I've been feeling lightheaded quite often. My diet is normal; even when I eat a huge meal, I still feel weak. Food isn't the issue, and I'm definitely not pregnant since I don't even have a boyfriend 😁
It usually happens in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation, though sometimes it hits me outside too. It’s happened twice during Mass where I had to step out because I thought I was going to pass out, and sometimes I get dizzy on the bus and have to get off at the next stop. It also happens at my university, mostly in crowded, stuffy lecture halls.
The symptoms are this: sudden intense heat, sweating, these waves of heat washing over me, shortness of breath, and a nasty nauseous feeling in my stomach. I feel like I’m going to collapse or faint, though I never actually lose consciousness or vomit if I manage to drink water, eat a piece of candy, or chew some gum in time. Usually, that stops it.
One day was particularly bad. I felt like I was going to drop. Neither water nor candy helped; in fact, it was worse that time. My stomach felt terrible, and I felt like I was going to throw up. I sat on a bench and drank some Cocoa, but it didn't help. I tried to eat something I had with me, but I couldn't even swallow. I honestly thought I’d have to call 911, but I was in such bad shape I couldn't even reach my phone. I could barely walk to a taxi. Once I gave the driver the address, I kept sipping Cocoa and started feeling better. I didn't end up vomiting or fainting, and eventually, I was fine. When I got home, I checked my blood pressure and it was 118/78. I’m not sure if that digital monitor is accurate, though; it has given me impossible readings before.
Does anyone know what might be causing this? Has anyone dealt with something similar? I'm rarely sick and don't go to the doctor much. I've just had chronic sinus issues and once, about ten years ago, an issue with iron levels.
Thanks

I'm not entirely following—did you actually lose consciousness during this period, or were you just "on the verge" of it?
You definitely need to check in with your primary care physician.
To start with, you really should get a full lab panel done, including thyroid hormones, and probably Fe, UIBC, and TIBC (it might be a bit early to jump straight to a Holter monitor, but given the sweating and those "heat waves," it's worth keeping in mind...), an EKG, a Holter EKG, a rhythm monitor, and an EEG (maybe even a sleep study)... then based on those results, you can consult an internist or a neurologist...
Did you notice if your heart rate sped up or became irregular during these episodes?
Does this happen while you're sleeping, or only when you're awake?
Does it help if you lie down immediately and elevate your arms and legs?
Are you taking any medications (especially anything new from the last two months), or have you recently stopped taking something?
Could it be related to any changes in your menstrual cycle?
Have you noticed any significant changes in your body weight lately?
Any stomach issues like heartburn or acid reflux?

-It is extremely rare (but it does happen) that what you're describing occurs—when there's heavy drainage from the sinuses, it can cause stomach issues (it can even lead to nausea, vomiting, and heart palpitations)—but again, I'm emphasizing, that is extremely rare.

Bottom line, you really need to talk to your doctor and get this cleared up. 🤔

It’s entirely possible, I suppose, that we might be looking at something more akin to full-blown panic attacks.