UPDATE 07/18/2023: I’ve had many more tests done and spent thousands of dollars due to s***ty insurance. No one can figure out what’s going on, so my primary is now testing to see if it could be a nasty bout of IBS linked to stress, anxiety, and ADHD. Idk if I really believe that because I would think my symptoms would get worse when I eat s***ty food and that doesn’t really seem to be the case (I’ve actually felt better after devouring some Taco Bell or Little Caesars), but I’ll give anything a try at this point.

Symptoms:

• Variable abdominal pain and discomfort, including a recurring cramping just below the left side of my chest. At first I was worried it was my heart but I think it’s too low. Spleen or upper stomach is most likely.

• Near-constant brain fog to varying degrees. This is the worst. Feels like I’m high all the time and I can’t turn it off. Hard to focus on conversations and driving.

• Dizzy spells throughout the day.

• Neck tension & soreness.

• Increased anxiety

• Recurring diarrhea (has gotten way better since I first made this thread, used to be every bowel movement and I’d have to s*** within the hour after eating)

• Increased blurriness/loss of memory when drinking alcohol

• Have had 2 episodes of what seems to be hypoglycemia or hypotension where I get weak, shaky, and excessively hungry. The first one started this whole thing off, the other one just barely happened the other day. I need to get test strips for my glucose reader and keep track.

Tests I’ve Had Done:

• Urinalysis x3

• Standard Bloodwork x2

• Diabetes/Insulin-Focused Bloodwork

• Blood tests to check for different proteins related to pancreatitis and such

• Breath test to check for stomach bacteria

• Ultrasound of abdomen with focus on pancreas

• EKG x2

• X-Ray of Heart

• X-Ray of Neck & Upper Back

• CT Scan of Head & Brain

Soooo, I’m probably not dying?? My heart seems fine from what they can tell, no tumors in the brain or abdomen, no diabetes, no deficiencies. They tell me my bloodwork is fantastic and everything they’ve checked appears to be in great working condition..which is good news, but also I wanna know what’s going on :(

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Original Post:

tl;dr

I’ve got something going on with my health that has me constantly tired and in a brain fog, and sometimes I get really dizzy too. Not sure what triggers it. Doctors aren’t sure what it is yet, but my bachelor party is this weekend. Should I do any drinking or d****? Or how should I keep myself entertained?

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Long version:

I’ve been keeping this mostly to myself because idk what’s going on, but it’s driving me crazy so I might as well have some fun.

About a year ago, I started getting dizzy spells. I had a day of being dizzy and kinda foggy-brained that I think my anxiety made worse. I was gonna go to the ER but then it started to get better.

I called a teledoc through my insurance and they said maybe I had labyrinthitis from a cold I had just gotten over. Cool. I’ll take it. The dizziness seems to go away.

Then it comes back every once in awhile, but doesn’t last long each time. Why don’t I go to a doctor? Because my insurance is s*** and I’m so busy that I let important s*** slip through the cracks. Aka I’m a bozo who’s scared of doctors.

Fast forward, I’m getting them almost every day. I ask Reddit if they have any ideas because I’m still scared of the doctor. Reddit doesn’t answer me. F*** you, Reddit.

Two weeks ago, I have a strange hypoglycemic thing while trying to fix my dryer. I get all hungry and weak and shaky. Feel a little lightheaded. I have a little bite to eat. Still feel off. Still feel kinda hungry. The whole day I felt kinda lightheaded and foggy, maybe slight depersonalization? Could be partially my anxiety. It persists into the next day. Wtf. I also feel like even after I eat I’m still kinda hungry. Hmm. And my neck is sore af.

Following day I go to Urgent Care. Doctor there runs a few tests. X-ray on my neck (I had pulled something in my neck maybe 3-6 months before the dizzy spells started, so I lowkey thought and kinda still think thats the culprit). EKG. Urine test. Bloodwork. Outside of albumin being a lil high, everything is normal.

Now two weeks later, I’m still not feeling right. I’ve had all sorts of random things. Abdominal pains, loose stool, and that endless hunger thing kinda happen every once in awhile.

Neck pain, pressure behind my eyes, and lightheadedness are near constant.

I went to the doctor today and she asked a bunch of questions and wants me to get more testing done. Another bloodwork test specifically to check insulin and for diabetes stuff. A ultrasound on my pancreas because she wants to know what was up with that hypoglycemic thing. And a CT scan of my head and brain. I really think an MRI of my neck is a good idea, but she said that’s expensive so…let’s start here.

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This weekend is my bachelor party trip.. it’s too late to get a refund on anything and we’re also celebrating my other homie who’s getting married this summer as well. So.. I guess I’m gonna make the most of it.

Might just drink a little and try microdosing shrooms instead of going hard.. maybe I’ll just vlog a bunch to keep myself entertained idk.

Idk. I hope it’s not cancer. I’m pretty scared.

Edit: added tl;dr version to top of op

How do you know you had a hypoglycemic thing? Do you have a blood glucose monitor?

If you’re dying anyway you might as well go all out brother

Just smoke cigs instead

GWS man

Nahh, I guess I don’t know 100% it just seemed spot-on with something like that. I got really hungry, shaky, and weak. I ate but still felt hungry.

I thought that was only a blood sugar thing but now I’m seeing that it could be blood pressure as well. Hypotension

Has me curious if maybe something got further pinched in my neck when I was bending around this dryer, f***ed up the blood flow to my brain and induced a hypotensive moment, and the blood flow is still kinda squeezed causing this unending brain fog and neck pain?

I’m tryna come up with the lightest option for what it could be

Yeah for sure I’ll stay sober at the wedding if I’m still feeling like this. I’ve got 2 and a half months to figure out what’s going on and try to do something about it..

Could be a heart thing

To me this sounds like a blood flow issue but I'm no doctor

I definitely wouldn't do coke, probably wouldn't drink. Marijuana should be fine

You'd be surprised how much anxiety plays a role in some of these symptoms. You sound like me when I was at my peak level of anxiety/stress several years ago. I would get panic attacks so bad that I would pass out briefly. Heart palpitations, constant issues with my stomach, headaches, back pain, incredibly tense shoulders and neck, etc. Blood tests, x-rays and so on would all come back normal as hell.

Then, you hop on WebMD and everything points to cancer or something else extremely debilitating, perpetuating the cycle of anxiety and the symptoms that come with it. I'm not saying this is certainly the case for you, but if I were you I'd continue the testing to be safe and put you at ease. Just keep in mind that it could very well be more mental than physical.

But yeah, don't go ham at the party

I was born with a heart murmur, lowkey I was tryna tell the doctor but couldn’t remember what it was called lol

But what’s weird is i would think strenuous activity would make my symptoms worse, when my hearts working harder. But I had s***this morning and it didn’t trigger my symptoms at all 🧐

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The 2 times I know that have made me feel like absolute s*** since this started were after a show last Friday, I went to IHOP and drank an iced coffee and put these spicy peppers on my omelette. My stomach was f***ed and my dizziness was going crazy.

Then the other day, my seasonal allergies were acting up so I took a Benadryl (with my coffee lmao) and once that drowsiness hit I took a nap but it just never let up for the rest of the day.

Worth noting that I’ve drank coffee on other days and it hasn’t affected me lol. Everything seems so inconsistent

Lowkey was thinking this, but even when I feel like I’m getting better and I’m starting to feel relieved, sometimes it will come back and f*** my mood up :/

Regardless, I’ve been taking magnesium supplements and grounding

@op have you checked to see if you’re diabetic?

I did a regular bloodwork test and everything looked normal, but I’m gonna go do another one that’s specifically for diabetes this upcoming week

I'd say keep especially stringent notes on what happens and what you've ingested or been doing whenever you have symptoms

Also honestly try asking GPT

Yeah this happened to me too

Get better soon brother

Was gonna say something extremely similar, anxiety + allergies had me in a similar position many times.

Symptoms are quite varied and can be associated with a number of potential conditions. Lightheadedness, brain fog, and constant tiredness could be signs of something like chronic fatigue syndrome, a thyroid issue, anemia, or some sort of autoimmune condition. The abdominal pains and changes in stool could suggest a digestive disorder like irritable bowel syndrome, while the persistent hunger could be a sign of diabetes or hypoglycemia. Neck pain and pressure behind the eyes might suggest a problem with his spine, migraines, or sinus issues.

Again, this is speculative and not a diagnosis, but it should give you an idea of the breadth of possibilities. The upcoming tests his doctor ordered will help narrow down these possibilities. It's good that he's having blood work done to check for insulin and diabetes issues, and the CT scan should help identify any problems in his brain.

The symptoms could potentially have multiple triggers, hence the inconsistency. There's a possibility of food sensitivities or allergies, since he mentions feeling unwell after consuming certain foods. It's also worth considering that caffeine and spicy food can stimulate the gut and might contribute to symptoms like loose stool or stomach pain.

Combining Benadryl, a sedating antihistamine, and caffeine could have caused some of the fatigue and drowsiness he described, especially if he's also dealing with another underlying health issue. It could be helpful for him to keep a symptom diary, noting what he eats, drinks, or does, and how he feels afterwards. This could potentially help identify any patterns or triggers.

His heart murmur, depending on the type and severity, could potentially contribute to his symptoms. Some heart murmurs are harmless (innocent murmurs), while others can signal an issue with the heart. If he hasn't had it evaluated since childhood, it might be worth discussing with his doctor again, especially given his ongoing symptoms.

Again, strenuous activity may not necessarily trigger symptoms, and it's not unusual for symptoms to be inconsistent or seemingly unrelated to specific activities. It's good that he's being observant and taking note of his experiences, as this information can be helpful in his medical consultations.

I feel you, man. Definitely been there. Best wishes on your party

U ok

Thank you fam

I feel this, kinda. I had like severe acid reflux to where I would have to get up and stand just to relieve a little bit of the pressure; as soon as we got to a beachfront AirBnB with MDMA. Ended up fine tho

Yeah the urgent care doctor told me to write a symptom diary as well. I’ll probably start that today actually

I tried asking Bing and it wasn’t much help tbh. It basically told me “could be anything”