Dizziness: Causes, Medications, and What to Do When You Feel Unsteady

When you feel like the room is spinning or you’re about to pass out, that’s dizziness, a common but often misunderstood symptom that can stem from inner ear problems, medications, or serious health conditions. Also known as vertigo, it’s not just a quick spell—it can be a warning sign tied to your meds, your heart, or your nervous system. Many people brush it off as fatigue or stress, but dizziness shows up in over 20% of adult visits to doctors, and half the time, it’s linked to something you’re taking.

Dizziness doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It often connects to medication side effects, a known issue with blood pressure drugs, antidepressants, antibiotics, and even over-the-counter sleep aids. For example, taking colchicine with macrolide antibiotics, like clarithromycin, can spike toxicity levels and make you feel dizzy, nauseous, or weak. The same goes for mixing kava with sedatives—a combo that doesn’t just make you sleepy, it can throw off your balance and slow your reflexes dangerously. Even something as simple as skipping a dose of your blood pressure pill or taking it with grapefruit juice can trigger dizziness because of how your body absorbs the drug.

It’s not just about what you take—it’s about what’s happening inside. Balance disorders, like benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) or Meniere’s disease, are common causes, but they often get confused with drug reactions. If you’ve been on a new medication recently and started feeling off-balance, it’s not just coincidence. Post-market studies show that dizziness is one of the top reported side effects for generics too, especially when the body hasn’t fully adjusted to the exact formulation. And if you’re managing chronic conditions like heart disease or anxiety, dizziness might be a signal that your treatment plan needs tweaking—like during a medication review, where your full list of drugs gets checked for hidden clashes.

You don’t have to live with constant unsteadiness. The right answers are out there—not in guesswork, but in knowing which drugs are likely to blame, how to spot dangerous interactions, and when to ask for help. Below, you’ll find real cases, clear comparisons, and practical steps from people who’ve been there. Whether it’s a drug interaction you didn’t know about, a side effect you thought was normal, or a balance issue that’s been ignored, these posts give you the facts you need to feel steady again.