Post viral syndrome fatigue after flu/illness - please help
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hi I'm a 21 year old male who's currently a college student. I came down with a sore throat and a common cold which dissipated after a few days. The following day I went to the gym feeling if I was over my cold to do some light treadmill cardio; the moment I got on going maybe 2 mph I felt an exhausting painful fatigue. I went back home after 10 mins and layed down for 3 hours until I felt better. The next 2 days I rested and felt way better as time was passing. It was midterm exams week too. The night before I had one exam, I had to print a paper and pick up dinner from the local school cafe. The moment I left the house and started walking I felt god awful just painful to walk to the library. When I was waiting for my food, I almost passed out. I felt very very tired and it was almost unbearable. I went back home feeling like crap until I slept. The following day my symptoms doubled and it felt like a flu; entire body was aching and dead tired, wobbling when I walk, etc. l called a hotline nurse who advised me to rest in bed for 2 days then get checked. I also have been instructed to eat bland foods as I had no appetite that day. Around 3 PM that afternoon, I felt like dying; the fatigue was very very strong I honestly felt better if I was dead. I somehow calmed down and I called the school doctor who said it's some sort of recovery stage after a flu or illness. The following day I felt better but I was dead tired. I layed in bed all day and I didn't dare leave the house after what I experienced two nights ago. I was just getting more and more exhausted as the day went by. The next day I woke up from a good nights sleep and I felt very weak and dead tired. It was scaring me because I have pretty bad OCD anxiety. I called 9-11 since I was unsure if it was something more then I thought. The ER drew blood and then the doctor told me it was considered "post viral syndrome". He said there isn't a recovery time but the idea is to rest and drink water like I didn't know that. He advised me to walk to get my energy back but I still was worried about doing that. I was discharged after an hour and I felt almost death when I got home. I just did not know how to bare the crazy fatigue. I calmed myself by listening to a strong prayer and had tomato soup which helped. Today i still am tired and I am looking for that moment of energy. I need it back. I need to resume my life and career. I read that it could take a week but some forums say it took months. I do not have months. I cannot halt my education because of some stupid insane unbearable fatigue. Does ANYBODY have any profession opinion on the recovery of this? Any bright ideas? I've been managing my stress well and trying to eat more bland foods too with nutrients. My sleep also has been great; no interruptions. I am drinking lots of water since I get thirsty from this. I've never felt this in my life either. Please help. Any advice suffices.
0 likes, 60 replies
Lisagal paul89183
Posted
Remember you create anxiety. I tell my kids all the time that it's real but you control it with ur brain. If you have a thought it can become bigger if you let it. You have to redirect urself before it over takes you. If you sit and stir about what's happening then you create it bigger then what it really is. It happens to me a lot but when it starts I try to redirect myself by doing something else to get my mind in different direction. Remember you control ur situation. Be strong.
paul89183 Lisagal
Posted
Yes I agree. Last night has trigger me all day. That allergy fear has struck me all day today every time I ate. Got to control the fear so nothing happens. Also my energy has been way better. But these last 2 months have been a major setback that stressed me out in school and just personally and it's not healthy for me to constantly checking myself and everything
Lisagal paul89183
Posted
You got hit with a ruff patch. You got the flu which was a crazy setback of a horrible sickness and you beet it. Some people can't say they beet it. I don't want to tell you how many people dies from your flu strain. But you were one of the strong ones and beet it. You need to stand strong and positive. Think you are amazing cause you are. Anxiety is a downer yes for sure you just have to learn to cope with it. I have it bad but I cheat, my Dr gives me a strong addictive medicine to take for it. I would hate for you at ur age take anything except natural stuff. Today is new day no worries. By the way I don't want to get to personal but what state is ur college in? I think you told me it's very cold and maybe upstate NY area?
paul89183 Lisagal
Posted
No it's ok and I'm in WA right now. I am way better though. Like I said I'm dealing with this inflamed throats and it only came after eating a partial bagel with cashew butter on it. It was not inflamed at all. I'm just assuming a sore throats came along. Because today I woke up, it's a little better but one side of my throat is still inflamed
paul89183
Posted
On the positive note, I feel better now. I had a fatigue episode earlier this afternoon where I felt sick and just dead tired again so I went on a walk then came back and laid down for a hour listening to my usual binaural beats meditation sounds. Some days I feel better and some other days I'll feel like this. But definitely 100% improvement from what happened a week or two ago
Lisagal paul89183
Posted
Stay strong ur doing great for what you have been through the last few weeks. Also is u ever feel a reaction from something you eat you can take Benadryl right away. Can't hurt you. I give to my young ones. Keep me posted
paul89183 Lisagal
Posted
Hi again,
So overall my energy levels have been slowly getting way better. I do not have those symptoms of crazy fatigue. The throat issue was a freak incident. I saw the school nurse and she said because the swelling comes and goes especially during food or liquid consumption, she thinks when I ate that cashew butter and the toasted bagel, a part of the bagel maybe the seed scratched the throats which is why it feels swollen. That was stating the obvious where I clearly have not thought about it that way. She said an allergy to cashew butter would be gradually getting worse not coming and going and of course you'd be unconscious on the ground. Again it's just a misunderstanding on my end because it's very annoying when I eat or at random times when the discomfort returns. No pain whatsoever though. It's been 4 days but nothing to where I feel it getting worse. A cut or scratch can take time to heal in such a sensitive area. But regarding my energy, not too bad. I am walking way way more maybe even 60 mins a day and it is not bothering me. This has been a crazy
paul89183
Posted
quarter but I'm finally pushing through
Lisagal paul89183
Posted
Def sounds like you scratched ur throat. It's like a cut in the mouth takes little bit more time to heal but it will heal. Sounds like you are doing much better then what you were few weeks back. You pushed through it like a trooper. Especially cause u are away at school and not with family very brave. You should be proud of urself and give urself a pat on the back. Keep pushing through and you will be 100 percent before you know it.
paul89183 Lisagal
Posted
Yea it feels terrible. Like something is lodged in the bottom of the throat. Very very annoying. It's been a long month but I finally recovered from my sickness now I got to get rid of this and then I'm good
paul89183
Posted
So you might be disappointed but I went to urgent care and the doctor said it could be an allergy reaction but I went to an ER doctor after who told me along with their nurse that an allergy would be the first day or so. Doctor said it could most likely be a partial scratch or tear and that OCD makes it worse. He gave me some lidocaine which soothed it amazingly. I was shocked. It worn off and he gave some mouth gargling prescription. I still feel it but not that bad. God I hate this anxiety and what happened. Can't catch a break
paul89183
Posted
Also the ER doctor thought the urgent care doctor wasn't accurate at all. He laughed and said an allergy reaction is nothing to worry about. He said just deal and accept the discomfort and swelling and it should be better. I'm trying not to focus on it
Lisagal paul89183
Posted
You can't catch a break lately. Listen to me things could be a lot worse. This throat scratch is nothing compared to what you have been through in the last month. You can get through this. It will heal in few days. Don't eat anything to hard because you don't want to irritate it more. Like no chips Doritos stuff like that. Listen I go to the Dr for pretty much anything and everything. If it's a peace of mind for you then go. Sometimes we need to hear a professional opinion to sooth our brain. Your doing great hang in there and keep me posted.
paul89183 Lisagal
Posted
Yes I agree. Even the doctor said last night the OCD will obviously triple the symptoms. The lidocaine I drank was amazing wish I can have more. He prescribed a rinse and gargle numbness I'm gonna get today. Also it's not that bad today. 5 days have surpassed but shouldn't be much longer. I cut my finger with a knife while slicing a fruit last week and it still has the skin covering up the wound so it takes time. Almost there. Everything else has been good
paul89183
Posted
I had a bad anxiety attack because of taking the lidocaine today. It caused some unusual fatigue, dizzyness, and fake side effects. I calmed down but I have trouble letting unnecessary fear get into my head. My throat is the last of the symptoms and I'm so ready to be 100%.
Lisagal paul89183
Posted
Why do you not have anxiety medication. You need to have it. Your anxiety is getting the best of you. Listen I have it also and I am prescribed by a Dr a medication called zanex. I only take it when I feel my anxiety comming on so I don't abuse it. I think you should talk to ur Dr and get it. Only take when you need it and it will not turn into a problem. It works within 20 mins and will calm ur brain. Tell me ur thoughts.
paul89183 Lisagal
Posted
Hi last few days have been way better. I'm on the last days or so of fighting the scratched throat. Whatever it was felt like gagging every time I eat which is very obnoxious. I would never induce medications into my system for any mental issue. My psychologist has given me a new program to bring down the stress and worry through natural supplements. They are just as great if not better. But anyhow I've come a long way as usual and this was just a freak incident. I'm not happy after 8 days now that it's still scratched but it's honestly not painful one bit it's just inflammed at the bottom at random times especially at night. The doctors I talked to all said it's a scratch and it's very very annoying. But yea no pain. The anxiety is just the throat feels like closing after a meal that's not soft. But even my counselor said that a little bit of bread is not going to make you worse as the body can handle that. Also the fact that a small throat issue shouldn't interfere with life as there's tons of more stuff to accomplish