r/sick

i’ve had absolutely no motivation that’s lingered for the past 3-4 weeks now. extreme fatigue and exhaustion and doing a simple task like washing dishes, going to bathroom etc causes more exhaustion. i can’t tolerate temperatures well, ill get super hot one minute and then freezing/shivering the next. haven’t been taking care of myself, barely shower and don’t brush my hair or teeth. ive feel so much weakness in my arms and legs, almost like an ache. bad insomnia where i’ll be awake until 6 in the morning every night and still wake up exhausted. i go from not eating at all to insatiable hunger. extremely bad loss of memory, if i stop in the middle of doing something to think about something else even for a second, i completely forget what i was originally doing. i’ll be making a tea and then forget what im doing as im making it. i have been purging a lot of the stuff im eating so im sure thats a contributor in all of this. been to drs for blood test, only my iron levels are a bit low and given no answer. its incapacitating me severely and im not sure what to do or what it could be.

I don’t really know how else to put this, I’ve just been feeling pretty overwhelmed lately.

Someone close to me has been dealing with ongoing health issues for a while now, and it’s been hard to watch it slowly affect their day-to-day life. It didn’t happen suddenly, more like a gradual shift where things just keep getting harder for them.

Some days are a bit better, but most of the time they just seem really drained and not like themselves. It’s been affecting their energy, mood, and even simple routines.

There’s no clear “start point” I can point to, it just kind of built up over time and now it feels like it’s part of everything.

I don’t really have much else to say about it, it’s just been sitting on my mind a lot lately.

Flying to Atlanta in 2 days, ~5hr flight trip. It’s a school sponsored activity, so I will not be able to rest - every day there’s a planned activity such as six flags, Aquarian, etc, and I cannot just stay at the hotel.

It’s a competition, one I’ve been preparing for months.

and 5 days ago I realized I was sick. First it was just cough and sore throat, so i assumed it was a common cold, and didn’t mind it - did all the medications (gargle, lots of hot water, hot soups, spicy broths, herbal teas, cough syrup & drops…)

I assumed it would’ve at least lessened by now, or even just stayed the same - I could deal with that, even while at the competition.

Instead it got way worse. I’m coughing every minute, have extreme fatigue and body pains, and worst of all fever chills & a 99 degree fever constantly. Again, I’ve done every possible remedy you can think of (advil, honey-lemon water, steaming, etc).

It’s not Flu, Covid or Strep Throat, and doctor confirmed it’s not anything serious like lung infection either - just said it was a common cold. Which, I guess, it is, but i still really want to get better and idk if I can.

Most people say not to fly unless you are fever free without meds for 24hrs. Moreover, I’m extremely scared for the competition itself - the actual competition part is only ~1hr, but I do not think I’ll have the energy the deal with the activities and constant roaming, especially in the sun.

So I’m lowkey high key very pissed and upset. Will I not be able to go to this competition which I’ve already put over 300 hours of effort into, had to qualify for, etc?

also if anyone has advice, any tips at all about flying with a fever, etc, please please share.

I just got sick from exhaustion(high school senior with work, 4.0 GPA, ASSHOLE PARENTS) and everything is coming down and going to hell. i have a sore throat,aches and pains, a fever, and sinus. I cannot sleep I need tips fast please

I just landed in India and the pollution is crazyyyy. Also traveling in the rickshaw is a pain in the back like fr. For the past few days I’ve been running around getting my documentation done around the city. It’s really tiring especially the traffic.

I’m on day 9 with a stomach virus and was wondering how long this will last!? I want to get back to training asap.

The weird thing is that I generally feel awesome, never had any fever, and drink and eat normally. I had a few bad days, then it has just been an annoying stomach ache for days and days. It does not end.

So what are your experiences with a stomach virus and how long it lasts?

Background:

30-year-old male, former multi-sport athlete + 4-year military veteran (70% service-connected disabled). Worked night shifts (7 PM–3:30 AM) from December until recently; switched to daytime job ~2 weeks ago.

Symptoms since January, I had a severe migraine with Aura, I thought I was going to faint and went to the ER they cleared me. I was scared. Sent me home. Had off and on what seemed like panic attacks after the migraine. (Never had them before in my life) (ongoing, but improving):

Couple weeks later

• Brief (0.5-second), sharp “thud/pop + slight pain” zaps in left upper chest/under the pec. Positional (worse sitting/reclining/slouching, reliably improves or resolves with tall posture reset + slow breath). Frequency has decreased to <10/day but still occurs at rest or with subtle movement.

• Left-sided associated symptoms: neck tightness/soreness, jaw pain on the bone when touched, throat constriction (sometimes “swollen” feeling under tongue or behind chin), occasional left arm “weirdness”/heaviness, and rare thigh twinges.

• Mild “can’t quite take a full deep breath” sensation that improves with posture.

• Brain fog, grogginess, low motivation (“don’t want to work”), and persistent low-level “something’s going on / not 100% myself” feeling (~6-7/10 most days).

• Occasional anxiety surges (light-headed, feeling like passing out in stimulating settings like church)

Triggers / Aggravators:

• Alcohol (even a few beers) significantly worsens left chest pain and throat tightness.

• Stress, poor posture, and reclining/sitting.

Workup (all normal/reassuring):

• Multiple ER visits: 2 normal EKG, troponin, blood work, head CT (for initial migraine with aura).

• Recent chest X-ray: normal.

• BP readings consistently normal (e.g., 110/70, 127/68 right arm, 116/73 left arm).

• No fever, sustained pressure, real SOB at rest, sweat/nausea with pain, or progressive neurological deficits.

Current meds:

• Omeprazole (for GERD symptoms).

• Clonazepam (as-needed for panic spikes; causes grogginess and rebound “off” feelings).

Functional impact:

• New daytime job feels foreign and draining; low motivation despite being experienced in electrical work (fiberglass plant environment feels awkward with older crew).

• Exhausted when I get home; difficulty engaging with my 2-year-old and family.

• Sleep is fragmented; wake up tired even after 7–9 hours.

My question:

I believe this is costochondritis/precordial catch syndrome with chronic muscle guarding/tension, residual shift-work sleep disorder recovery, and health anxiety/cardiophobia amplifying sensations. All tests have been normal. Is there anything I’m missing that warrants further cardiac/neurological/GI workup? Recommendations for vagus nerve support, sleep quality, or CBT for the health anxiety? Any thoughts on tapering clonazepam due to rebound fog?

Thank you — I’m motivated to follow advice and have already made major changes (quit nights, started daytime job, consistent posture resets, morning light).

I have a little fever and somewhat feel bad. Sore throat but no respiratory issues like coughing or drainage.

But boy oh boy do I feel sore. Its like I did a whole body workout, especially in my legs, when I didnt.

What causes the soreness in legs/body when virus or bacteria infection is localized to an area?