Dealing with a cluster of symptoms: tinnitus, dizziness, fatigue, vision issues, neuropsychological,

Hey there

So, things have been going downhill for about three months now, starting out really gradually with this ringing in my ears and my head just buzzing constantly, plus I started feeling super drowsy and sleeping way more than usual until I actually got hit hard at the end of January with a 102.7 fever and acute bronchitis. I finished a 10-day course of doxycycline, but since then, all these symptoms have stuck around, and honestly, even more weird stuff has been creeping in lately.

-tinnitus, dizziness, head pulsing, constant exhaustion, vision issues like flashes or double vision, fainting spells, terrible sleep disturbances, swollen face and eyes, digestive issues and bathroom troubles, loss of coordination, ataxia, slight difficulty swallowing, speech issues, borderline cognitive impairment, coldness and tingling in my lower legs, a general disconnect from my own body, light sensitivity, and my body temperature is all over the place—I'm either shivering or sweating through everything regardless of the weather.

Audiology test - clear
BERA test - clear
KKS - clear
EEG - clear
Thyroid (hormones and antibodies) - normal
EKG - clear
Brain MRI - (showing a slightly prominent cistern and a 3cm sphenoid sinus cyst)
Neck and spine MRI - (hypoplasia of the left vertebral artery)
Neuropsychological testing - (borderline cognitive impairment)
ENT exam - (deviated septum, surgery scheduled in 20 days for the sphenoid sinus cyst; the ENT says these symptoms aren't related to the cyst, which is what three different neurologists, the ENT, and one radiologist have all told me)

I've seen three different neurologists and did 10 days of physical therapy (since they thought maybe the vertebral artery issue was the cause, and the neurologist said the only fix is PT with neck traction and decompression), but nothing has helped at all.

After running every single test imaginable, a nurse finally suggested I go to the microbiology department for some serology testing to see if I might have toxoplasmosis.

Will a serology panel actually show if I have toxoplasmosis or something similar, and will it pick up anything if it’s already hit my central nervous system? Because honestly, I feel like I’m barely functioning, physically or mentally, at this point.

And if it turns out I do have something like that, how do I get rid of it as fast as possible? I have my final exams coming up in June and I desperately need to be healthy by then; I’ve been hoping things would just get better for three months now, but I haven't slept properly in two months. I just lie there for 7 or 8 hours wide awake, fully aware of everything happening during the night, my eyes are swollen from the fatigue, and I'm so sensitive to noise that any sudden sound feels like an electric shock hitting my brain.

I am honestly lost and don't know what to do anymore; I've even had some pretty dark thoughts because I just can't sleep, and I can't stay asleep all night. At first, I thought maybe it was viral meningitis or a mild encephalitis, but if that were the case, I feel like I should have recovered after three months. Now, I'm genuinely at a loss. It feels like dying is the only way I'll ever actually get some rest, since I haven't slept in three months. Lately, I've even started having minor hallucinations, psychotic episodes, and paranoia—all these side effects that started three months ago and are just getting worse due to the illness itself and the total lack of sleep.

I’m honestly just counting down the days until my sinus surgery in 20 days, because being under full anesthesia feels like my only shot at finally getting some actual rest. I don't know who else to turn to; I've tried various meds, taking 3 or 4 Normabels at once, but nothing works, and I'm truly on the edge. Please, if anyone has dealt with anything like this, let me know. I'm only 23 and suddenly this hits me out of nowhere, and even the doctors are stumped. My life has turned into pure agony, and it feels like death is the only way to finally sleep. I don't know if I can make it through another month like this.

What about serology?
Bloodwork?
CSF?
Neurotropic viruses?
Fungal infections? (It’s rare, but honestly, anything goes—even stuff hiding in the sphenoid sinuses)
Parasite screening (blood, stool samples)?

Any past medical history? Like, have you noticed any uptick in infections lately?
Immunodeficiency issues?

Any insect bites? Specifically ticks?

Any recent shifts in lifestyle or diet?

Injuries? Especially anything involving the head or neck?

Have you traveled anywhere tropical recently, or maybe been around people who just got back from those kinds of spots?

Just some initial thoughts to get the ball rolling.

I mean, honestly, I’d say like 90% of what you just listed are classic anxiety symptoms, though obviously, you’d need to get everything checked out properly first by a doctor

velvetmoose9 said:...

I've got some microbiology testing scheduled right after my surgery in two weeks, mostly because I'm just not buying what the doctors are selling—every specialist I've talked to keeps insisting that a viral or parasitic infection couldn't possibly be behind my symptoms, but I still want to be sure. I’m specifically looking at serology for microbiology and parasitology, though honestly, my regular blood work comes back looking totally fine.

I haven't really traveled much lately, I don't have any pets running around the house, and honestly, I'm not exactly an outdoorsy type of guy.
So, about three or four months before all this started, I actually put on about 15 pounds. I was just eating whatever—a mix of healthy stuff and total junk—but honestly, I was just trying to bulk up because at 6'2", I was sitting at a pretty scrawny 147 pounds. I managed to bump myself up to around 172, but ever since these symptoms kicked in and the dizziness started, I haven't had any appetite at all, so I've already dropped back down to about 160.

So, here’s the deal with my lifestyle... I’ve basically been glued to a desk for years, staring at a screen for maybe 6 to 8 hours a day since I was a kid in seventh grade—honestly, my computer is more like my best friend than anyone else. I finally decided to start trying to get active and hit the gym whenever I can, especially since I started therapy about a month and a half ago, but man, I haven't felt a single bit of progress, whether it's short-term or long-term. If anything, things have actually gone south; the second I try to push myself too hard, my head starts throbbing, my left side starts ringing, and I get all dizzy and nauseous, which just makes every symptom feel ten times worse. Even my physical therapist told me that pushing through any kind of exercise might actually just make everything way worse given how things are right now.

I’ve never actually dealt with any real injuries, fractures, or broken bones, you know? Any physical issues I have around my shoulders, neck, or head are really just the result of being too lazy and sitting around way too much. I was definitely a clumsy kid and used to bang my head against everything, but nothing ever serious enough to land me in an ER or count as some kind of traumatic accident or actual physical injury.

It’s kind of funny how bugs act toward me; one summer they’ll completely ignore me, and then the next, it’s like I’m an all-you-can-eat buffet for them. Last summer was pretty brutal—they were basically feasting on me—but the year before that, I think I was totally off their radar.

I’ve been dealing with these constant, chronic colds lately—just endless sneezing and itchy, watery eyes at every little thing. I never used to be allergic to anything, not even when the seasons shifted, but about three or four years ago everything just flipped. Now, every time the weather changes or the seasons roll around, I end up feeling like I have a massive cold, my eyes swell up because my sinuses are so clogged that nothing can drain, and I basically have to go get an injection in the muscle every single year just to function. As for actual allergies, don't ask me; I've had to take two shots straight in the hip just to deal with that mess. Right now, I’ve been taking one Allegra a day along with some Nasacort nasal spray for almost a month, following what my ENT specialist recommended. He’s actually planning on performing surgery on me soon, but he can't do it while my membranes are swollen and my sinuses are inflamed—which, honestly, has felt like my permanent state of being for the last year. If I were to stop the Allegra and the Nasacort for even two days, I’d probably burn through three rolls of toilet paper a day and spend hours just sneezing and blowing my nose. It feels like things are just steadily getting worse.

It’s honestly been such a slow burn, where everything—aside from the usual colds and allergies—just started hitting me all at once toward the end of last summer. It began so gradually, too; I first noticed that ringing in my ears around September, then this weird sense of being off-balance followed by bouts of dizziness right around New Year's. But everything really went south on January 28th when I came down hard. My fever spiked to 102.5, and the throbbing pain in my head, neck, and the base of my skull was just absolutely unbearable. That fever hung on for five straight days, and even with heavy doses of Tylenol, I felt completely lightheaded and out of it. On the second night, I actually wanted to call 911 because I was fighting so hard just to stay conscious—I couldn't even lift my head to grab my phone from the nightstand without feeling like I was going to pass out. I spent those few days basically melting into my bed, huddled in a winter jacket under two layers of blankets, just trying to survive the pain and these terrifying hallucinations. It honestly felt like my brain was literally frying in oil, which is wild because a friend of mine had a higher fever of 104.9 during that same stretch and didn't feel nearly half as bad as I did.

Honestly, that fiber just took all those acute symptoms I was dealing with—which didn't seem to have any serious cause at the time—and cranked them up by like a hundred times, and they've just stayed that way.

Plus, it’s the first time in my life where some random illness just decided to show up out of nowhere and refused to clear up within the usual five days; usually, even if I catch a nasty stomach bug or bronchitis, I'm over it in maybe three to seven days tops.

velvetmoose9 said:...

I've been dealing with ADHD and social anxiety since I was seven years old, and honestly, through everything I've been through mentally, my anxiety has never once messed with my actual physical health or how my body functions.

Like, if I'm hungry, I'm hungry, and if I'm tired, I'm tired, regardless of whether I'm feeling happy, depressed, anxious, panicky, or whatever else is going on in my head; my mental state has never once touched my physical well-being, and I haven't dealt with things like stomach aches or headaches, even when I'm absolutely fuming or stressed out, so I can pretty much rule out anything psychological right off the bat.

I'm not really the type to run to a doctor for every little thing, either; I actually spent the whole fall ignoring some pretty sharp symptoms, thinking, "Eh, it's probably just from sitting too much, drinking too much coffee, smoking, being a couch potato... I'll just start hitting the gym a few times and I'll be fine."

It wasn't until those symptoms piled up and that week-long bout of fiber amplified everything a hundredfold, turning my life into total agony, that I finally decided to see a doctor to confirm what I already suspected—which was that mainstream, institutional medicine is basically useless when it comes to stuff like this. I've seen three ENTs, two neurologists, a physiatrist, a neurosurgeon, and an ENT surgeon, and not a single one of them has any clue what's wrong with me; only one neurologist looking at my MRI actually spotted vertebral artery insufficiency, which everyone else just dismisses, saying it has nothing to do with my symptoms, along with some sphenoid cyst that we just happened to stumble upon on the brain scan.

And look, I'm all too familiar with that ego-driven, hypocritical tactic used by both public and private healthcare workers where, if they can't solve a patient's problem, they just flip the script and act like the patient is crazy and imagining things to make it a "psychological issue"... I mean, is it really that hard for a doctor to just step up and say, "Look, I don't know, I'm not sure what this is, you should probably see someone else"? Seriously, it's not like anyone's going to kill them for being a little bit honest and selfless.

Hey man, look, you’ve done all the legwork, right? You’ve checked everything and it mostly looks fine. Just because you thought your anxiety was purely mental up until now doesn't mean it hasn't started manifesting physically. I was just re-reading your very first post, and honestly, every single thing you mentioned sounds like physical symptoms of anxiety. Seriously, just go back and read that whole section where you talked about having the flu—it goes on for half a page! And then there’s that huge chunk about your allergies. A "normal" person would have just summed that up in two sentences, like, "Man, the flu kicked my butt, I was out for five days, and these allergies are killing me." I totally agree with you regarding specialists, too; they're all so hyper-focused on their own tiny niche, and the chief physicians who are actually supposed to connect the dots have basically been turned into glorified secretaries. Also, whatever you do, don't just stop taking Normabloc cold turkey. They aren't meant for sleep, and quitting them abruptly will probably just throw a whole bunch of new symptoms your way. If you really can't sleep, there are actual sleeping pills for that. Or, hey, if you want to keep hunting for exotic diseases, you could do that—that's a bottomless pit, I guess. If you ask me, though, maybe just find a really good psychologist

rustypanther8 said:Hello there...

It’s been about three months now since this whole thing started creeping up on me... it wasn't sudden, just a gradual decline, I suppose. First, there was this persistent ringing and buzzing in my ears, a sort of constant drone in my head, and I found myself feeling increasingly lethargic, sleeping longer and more frequently than usual... until finally, toward the end of January, things took a turn for the worse. I ended up with a fever of 102.7 and acute bronchitis, which led to a ten-day course of doxycycline... but ever since that cleared, the initial symptoms haven't actually left me, and instead, a series of new ones have just kept trickling in... day by day...

Tinnitus, vertigo, this persistent throbbing sensation deep within the skull... then there's the constant, bone-deep exhaustion, coupled with those strange visual flashes and double vision that just won't quit. It leads into periods of unconsciousness, followed by sleep that is both heavy and utterly disrupted... facial swelling around the eyes and cheeks, digestive issues, and irregular bowel movements. My physical coordination has taken a hit—ataxia, really—making swallowing and even speaking feel somewhat labored, almost as if I’m hovering on the edge of some cerebral dysfunction. There is this localized coldness and tingling in the lower legs, along with a diminished sense of proprioception, or rather, a weakened psychophysical awareness of my own body... an intense sensitivity to daylight, and a body temperature that refuses to regulate itself, leaving me either shivering uncontrollably or drenched in sweat, regardless of what I've eaten or how the weather shifts outside...

An audiological assessment... Tidy...
The BERA test... it’s one of those medical procedures that sounds far more intimidating than it actually is, though I suppose the clinical setting doesn't exactly lend itself to a sense of relaxation... if one can even call it that... anyway, it’s essentially an auditory brainstem response test, designed to see how well the hearing nerve and the brain stem are communicating with one another... It’s quite a specialized bit of diagnostic work... mostly used when standard hearing tests don't provide the full picture, particularly in infants or when there's a suspicion of something more complex happening deep within the auditory pathway... One sits there, electrodes attached, waiting for the clicks and the data to process... it’s all very quiet and methodical... just a series of electrical impulses being mapped out to ensure everything is functioning as intended... nothing to fear, really, just a lot of sitting still and letting the technicians do their thing... tidy...
It seems we have reached a point where the conversation has stalled entirely... quite a sudden halt, really... though perhaps it was inevitable given the direction things were heading... anyway... tidy...
I suppose I should mention the EEG... I was looking over those neurological readings again this morning, and it’s quite a peculiar thing to contemplate how much our electrical impulses dictate the rhythm of our existence... It’s all just waves and frequencies, isn't it? A constant, silent hum beneath the surface of everything we think and feel... though sometimes I wonder if we can ever truly map the entirety of that chaos... anyway, I digress... Tidy...
The thyroid... one of those fascinatingly complex little glands that seems to hold the entire body's equilibrium in its hands, governing everything from our metabolic pace to the very temperament we carry through the day... It’s all a delicate dance between hormones and antibodies, really... A constant, invisible negotiation within the bloodstream that most people never give a second thought to until things start to go sideways... When those antibodies decide to misinterpret the body's own signals, the whole system can drift into such strange, unpredictable territory... It's quite a heavy thing to contemplate, how much of our physical reality is dictated by these microscopic chemical messengers... Neatly done...
I suppose I should mention the EKG... though why anyone would want to dwell on the specifics of a cardiac rhythm reading at this hour remains somewhat of a mystery to me... one could argue that the data speaks for itself, yet we find ourselves staring at the squiggles on the paper as if they held some profound, hidden truth about our very existence... It’s all quite clinical, really... just electrical impulses dancing across a strip of paper while we sit here wondering if everything is functioning exactly as intended... turns out, it's just another series of peaks and valleys in an otherwise predictable sequence... typical... Neat...
So, I’ve been thinking about getting an MRI of the brain... just one of those things that sits in the back of your mind, weighing on you like a heavy fog... it's a strange thing, isn't it, to have a machine scan the very essence of who you are, peering into the gray matter where all our memories and silly little impulses reside... quite a surreal prospect if you really sit down and dwell on it for too long... The imaging results came back, and it seems there’s a slightly more prominent cistern in the cerebellomedullary region... plus they picked up a 3cm cyst in the sphenoid sinus... quite a lot to digest all at once, I suppose...
I am currently looking into scheduling an MRI for my neck and lower back... just trying to get some clarity on what exactly is going on with the spine... So, I was looking over some recent medical findings, and it turns out there’s a bit of an issue with hypoplasia of the left vertebral artery... which basically means that particular vessel is just underdeveloped, quite a little thing really, leaving most of the heavy lifting to the other side... it's one of those anatomical quirks that you don't really think about until it shows up on a scan...
Neuropsychological testing... it’s one of those things that sounds much more clinical and intimidating than it actually is when you're sitting there in the office... though I suppose the sheer volume of paperwork involved could certainly make anyone feel a bit overwhelmed at first... It’s essentially a deep dive into how the brain is functioning, looking at everything from memory retention to cognitive processing speeds... almost like a diagnostic checkup for your mental machinery, much like how a mechanic might run a full computer scan on a high-end vehicle to see why it isn't idling quite right... It’s a meticulous process, really... and while it can feel somewhat tedious to go through all the various tasks and puzzles, the insights gained can be quite profound if you have the patience for it... Borderline cerebral dysfunction... it’s one of those terms that just hangs in the air, isn't it? A bit clinical, perhaps too precise for something that feels so nebulous when you're actually living through it... though I suppose that's the nature of these diagnostic labels, always trying to pin down something that refuses to stay still...
I suppose I should mention that I finally made it to my appointment with the ENT specialist... just one of those things you put off until you can't ignore the discomfort any longer... turns out, it was necessary to get everything looked at properly... So, I’ve been sitting here trying to make sense of this whole medical puzzle... I have a deviated septum, which is one thing, but then there's this cyst in my sphenoid sinus that they've scheduled surgery for in about twenty days... It’s all quite a lot to process. Interestingly enough, my ENT surgeon insists that the symptoms I've been dealing with actually have absolutely nothing to do with the cyst itself... A sentiment that seems to be gaining quite a bit of traction, as all three neurologists I've seen, the ENT, and even a radiologist have all echoed the exact same thing... It leaves me wondering where we go from here...

I’ve already cycled through three different neurologists and spent ten days in physical therapy... all based on the assumption that my symptoms weren't being triggered by vertebral artery hypoplasia, which the neurologist insisted could only be managed through traction and neck decompression exercises... yet, after all that effort, absolutely nothing has helped...

I went through the entire gauntlet of medical checkups and tests, just so I could end up being lectured by some nurse who decided to give me her unsolicited advice on going in for a so-called... I've scheduled some serological testing over at the microbiology lab just to confirm whether or not I've picked up toxoplasmosis... it’s one of those things that stays on the back of your mind, I suppose....

Will a standard blood panel actually pinpoint whether I’m dealing with toxoplasmosis or some similar affliction... specifically, will it be able to detect if it has reached the central nervous system? I ask because, frankly, I feel like it has... I am quite literally non-functional, both mentally and physically, at this point...

And if I find myself stuck with something like this... what’s the fastest way to just get rid of it? I have my SATs coming up in June, so I really need to pull myself together as soon as possible... I've been hoping things would start looking up for about three months now, but instead, I haven't had a decent night's sleep in two months... I just lie there for seven or eight hours, completely awake, fully aware of everything happening in the dark around me... my eyes are constantly swollen from the exhaustion, and I've become so hypersensitive to noise that any sudden sound feels like a literal electric shock hitting my brain... it's quite overwhelming...

I honestly don't know what to do anymore... I've even found myself spiraling into the darkest possible thoughts because sleep just won't come, and quite frankly, it hasn't for three months straight. At first, I was convinced I had caught some kind of viral meningitis—or perhaps a milder strain of encephalitis—but if that were the case, I assume things would have stabilized by now... and they haven't. Now, I am truly at my wit's end. There are moments when the idea of just ending it all feels like the only way to finally find some semblance of rest... it's become an exhausting cycle. I haven't slept properly in three months, and over the last few days, things have taken a turn for the worse; I've started experiencing mild hallucinations, psychotic episodes, paranoia, and several other secondary symptoms that began three months ago and seem to be steadily intensifying... likely due to this underlying illness I can't identify, compounded by the sheer, crushing weight of total sleep deprivation.

I am counting down every single second until those twenty days pass so I can finally undergo this sinus surgery... because being under full anesthesia is quite literally the only way I see myself getting any actual rest or sleep at this point in my life... I am truly at my wits' end and don't even know who left to turn to anymore... I have tried everything, even taking three or four Normabels at once, but nothing touches the pain, and I simply cannot sleep through this misery... I am right on the edge of breaking... please, if anyone out there has dealt with something similar, I am begging you to reach out or suggest someone I could talk to, because I am lost... I’m only 23 years old, yet suddenly I am struck by this illness out of nowhere—something even the doctors can't quite put a name to—and it has turned my entire existence into an absolute agony... honestly, in my current state, death feels like the only way I might finally get some peace and sleep... I just don't know how much longer I can endure another month of this...

Hello there... tell me, have you ever been tested for H. pylori? To be honest, I am increasingly convinced that all of this is psychological in nature, because I find myself suffering through the exact same symptoms as you... my blood work comes back perfect, my throat swabs for strep are clear, my thyroid levels are fine, and my EKG was totally normal too... the only thing I deal with is this constant ache in my neck and stiff shoulders, and my cervical spine actually pops whenever I move my head even slightly... I’m actually seeing a specialist tomorrow to check if there's an issue with my neck... I also have that sensation where it’s difficult to swallow saliva, though swallowing food or liquids doesn't seem to be an issue... I've had an esophageal transit study done and everything came back perfectly fine; no bacteria, no acid reflux, no stomach pains... it's just this overwhelming exhaustion and a sort of cramped, rigid feeling that I can't quite find the words to describe... I did try to see a gastroenterologist, but I couldn't even go through with the endoscopy because after they numbed my throat with the anesthetic, I couldn't breathe or swallow properly, so the whole exam was impossible

Joseph Hayes10 said:....

I didn't make it to that appointment yet, but I did see my neurologist yesterday and he sent me off for an EMG and some bloodwork to check for any underlying viral infections. Based on what I told him about how I've been feeling, he’s worried that some intense nerve fiber issues or even a lingering infection might be messing with my nervous system. He mentioned that my leg reflexes are pretty weak and my arm reflexes are basically non-existent, which honestly tracks because I can barely feel anything in my fingertips—you could practically run a car over them and I wouldn't feel a thing.

I've got surgery scheduled this coming Tuesday to deal with a sphenoid sinus cyst—it's about 3x2.5x2cm—so I'll probably get around to those checkups once I'm all recovered and through the woods.

Joseph Hayes10 said:....

So, I just wrapped up some neuropsych testing with a psychologist, and apparently, I’ve got some borderline cognitive dysfunction—basically, I struggle to stay on track with my thought patterns. They also mentioned that because of my anxiety, I have a harder time adjusting to changes in my health and find it tough to deal with any kind of physical symptoms. Honestly, that sounds pretty normal to me, and I'm not exactly ashamed of it... I mean, am I really supposed to just "adapt" to feeling crappy and pretend like dealing with illness is totally fine?

So, when the psychologist wrote "weakened set of ideas" in my diagnosis, it actually hit home because I’d been telling my neurologists about this stuff for a while—just describing it as being super forgetful or losing my train of thought, like how I'll head out to grab something at the CVS, walk down to the street level, and suddenly realize I have absolutely no clue what I went out there for. That’s actually why they sent me for the evaluation, even though none of my doctors really suspected anything was wrong mentally; one doctor even told me I probably didn't even need to see a specialist since it was pretty obvious that my issues were just symptoms of other underlying medical conditions, and we just needed to hunt down the actual root cause.

Man, I’ve definitely been there before—I used to write these massive, endless biblical essays about basically nothing, too. Honestly, my keyboard is pretty much the first thing I touch when I crawl out of bed and the last thing I mess with before I pass out at night, so I guess all those words I just dumped here actually came out faster than most people can even get a sentence out, which makes this whole "just a few words" thing feel a little ridiculous on my part.

And besides that, why would I even claim I caught the flu when I’m honestly not even sure what was actually hitting me? I’ve dealt with some pretty heavy fever spikes a hundred times before—times where I'd head out to a bar in downtown Chicago while feeling totally trashed—but this was different. This wasn't just your run-of-the-mill flu, because I was running a fever north of 101°F for an entire week, and then for the next month, it just wouldn't quit, hovering right around that low-grade 99°F mark. It felt super weird to me, since whether it’s bacterial or viral, a fever should really settle down below 98.6°F within ten days at most, even for an old lady, let alone someone like me who's only 23.

So, I’ve got my procedure coming up next, and everything seems pretty straightforward—surgery first, then the EMG, and finally seeing the pain management specialist. My last neurologist basically told me that even with that narrowed vertebral artery, my anxiety isn't the culprit here (though he did say being a little anxious is actually a good thing at my age), so he thinks this might all be down to my immune system being compromised. He's leaning towards something like an immunodeficiency virus or just a weakened immune response that let an infection slip into the brain area, which is exactly where you don't want things getting messy and causing issues for months on end.

The only thing that really spooked me was when he mentioned how infections can cause nerve damage that leads to these symptoms. Nerve damage is regenerative, right? He said it’s not like the nerves are actually dying or anything, but they can suffer acute damage that takes months—sometimes even up to two years—to fully bounce back to normal, though apparently, infectious disease specialists still need to prove that part.

It's true, and the more I dwell on it, the more it gets to me, but there are just some things I can't psych my way out of or control. For instance, whenever I try to get some fresh air or go for a little stroll in the sun to stretch my legs, my head starts spinning and I get these sudden, sharp bouts of lightheadedness. And any kind of substance—alcohol, Xanax, weed—just makes everything worse; it just makes the dizziness intensify, so I don't touch anything psychoactive. (That’s honestly why I quit all that stuff altogether, because it just leaves me feeling ten times worse, and since I already feel hungover and totally wiped out during the day, the last thing I need is an induced hangover where I'm stuck in bed for two days needing someone to bring me food... I'd much rather just deal with this current mess if I can help it.)

Look, I'll be real with you, for the last seven years I've lived an incredibly sedentary lifestyle—so extreme it would probably blow the mind of your average person or doctor. To give you an idea, I'd sit at my computer for 8 to 10 hours straight, hunched over and completely zoned into gaming, only to realize after eight hours of sitting that my entire head had gone numb because my spine was pressed against the chair headrest, and I didn't even feel it happening. I did that for years, being young, reckless, and just plain stupid, thinking nothing would ever happen to me and that I'd be able to joke around about my health until I hit 40. Well, life taught me otherwise in the most brutal way possible. Why wasn't I panicking or anxious back then? It's only when this whole mess happened—something that doesn't just vanish in a few hours or days or even a month—that it hit me.I'm not any more anxious or ignorant than any other kid my age when it comes to taking care of themselves. Because if I were actually as anxious as you claim, I would have done something about my health and my crappy lifestyle a long time ago instead of waiting until everything went south.

And that's exactly what lines up, the left artery, the ringing in the left side of my head... all those years I'd sit in positions where the left side of my head would go so numb I wouldn't even notice until I instinctively rubbed my head or shifted, and suddenly felt a tingling sensation running from my neck all the way to the top of my head on that left side. I feel like the only thing that helps ease the symptoms is staying active and constantly walking outside, aside from the dizzy spells and weakness.

PS: I’m dealing with this weird tingling in my legs and my feet getting freezing cold—usually the cold hits first, then the tingling starts. Then there's the nausea, diarrhea, and these intense chills; honestly, I have almost zero tolerance for weather changes lately. Like, if I'm out in the sun, I start sweating like crazy and feel like my skin can't even breathe, almost like it's made of plastic, but the second I step into the shade or catch even the tiniest breeze, my back freezes up and I start shivering uncontrollably. And it isn't that normal kind of cold where you can just ignore it by turning up the heat or getting active; it’s this deep, gnawing, bone-deep chill that feels like it's coming from inside my own body... it's like my system just can't regulate its own temperature effectively anymore, so I'm constantly at the mercy of whether I'm wearing enough layers or if I can find some shade.

To give you an idea, when I was fifteen, I’d be out in t-shirts when it was barely 60 degrees and totally fine, yet I wouldn't even break a sweat in long sleeves when it hit 75.

I wish I could explain all these symptoms more concisely because, well, I've never been much of a presenter, but when you're facing neurological issues that seem to hit you from head to toe, I feel like I have to dive into every single primary symptom in the hopes that someone might see a pattern and actually figure out what the root cause is.

Could it be a viral infection? (I doubt it, I mean, it probably would've cleared up by now... even meningitis usually passes within a month or two at most.)

Is it arterial insufficiency? (Maybe, it seems plausible given how many years I've spent living a chronic sedentary lifestyle glued to a computer.

Is it psychological? (Definitely not, though maybe it gets slightly worse when I'm obsessing over it right now, but it's certainly not the cause, since these symptoms hit me even during those rare moments when I'm totally carefree and not thinking about any of this—like when I'm out running, thinking about beaches and girls, and suddenly I get dizzy, my temples start throbbing, etc... so it wouldn't happen if it were just in my head.

I'd really love to hear if you guys have any solutions, like how to heal the nervous system or deal with vertebrobasilar insufficiency?

Should I try things like acupuncture, cryotherapy, or chiropractic adjustments? I'm hesitating because whenever I try to pull my head up and stand perfectly straight like a soldier, my head starts ringing, I feel faint, and everything goes sideways... basically, I spend most of my time hunched over like a question mark, and the moment I try to straighten up, I feel terrible.

Blago Karlić over at Atlas Profilax told me that I have a pinched nerve on the right side of my atlas vertebra, which is causing my head rotation to go wonky and compromising my nervous system and blood flow, leading to all these symptoms. Everyone he's helped had similar issues—ringing in the ears, balance problems, poor coordination, fatigue, fainting, and all that stuff.

The only thing holding me back is that every doctor I've seen so far has warned me against going to Atlas Profilax, calling them some massive criminal organization that ruins people. But at the same time, I can't help but think that mainstream medical professionals are just following protocol and orders to deny any alternative or "unrecognized" treatments, regardless of whether they actually work or not. So, I'm stuck in a bit of a dilemma there too.

You’re looking at roughly 70 to 80% of people experiencing some level of anxiety symptoms

Joseph Hayes10 said:You're dealing with about 70 to 80% anxiety symptoms here.

Look, I feel like I'm repeating myself here, but I've lived with anxiety for as long as I can remember, so I know exactly what it feels like.

What I'm talking about right now isn't actually caused by anxiety.
Unless you consider certain neurological issues to be part of "anxiety"?

If you guys aren't medical professionals or qualified to give health advice, please just point me toward a legitimate American medical forum if one exists. Honestly, we’re all just wasting our time when people keep insisting on something that both neurologists and psychologists have already confirmed isn't the root cause. It might trigger the symptoms, sure, but it's not the cause.

Just as a side note: back when I was struggling with anxiety and nerves, I used to polish off like one or two massive cheeseburgers, five or six chocolate donuts, and a huge Hershey's bar EVERY SINGLE DAY.

It was basically the only way I could soothe the internal fire of stress and agitation.

But since I started dealing with this issue in my first muscle, it's not even that I *can't* eat all that junk—it's that I don't even have the appetite for two bowls of soup, let alone stuffing myself like I used to whenever I felt any kind of mental tension.

So, I'm really not sure how many different ways I can explain that this isn't an anxiety thing, but if it's still not clicking, I can try explaining it like a picture book or a cartoon if that helps you get it? I guess there are a hundred different people with a hundred different ways of thinking, and clearly, not everyone is on the same wavelength when reading a simple post.

rustypanther8 said:I feel like I’m repeating myself for the umpteenth time here, but I really must insist that this anxiety isn't some recent development... I have lived with it for as long as I can remember, and I certainly know exactly what it is...

What I am discussing here truly has nothing to do with anxiety...
Unless, of course, one might consider that what we're labeling as anxiety could actually be rooted in some sort of underlying neurological issue...

If you lack the actual credentials or specialized expertise required to offer legitimate medical advice, I would kindly request that you direct me toward an American medical forum instead... if such a thing even exists. It seems we are all simply squandering our time here, mine included, by persisting in this endless cycle of uninformed commentary... It is something that both neurologists and psychologists have already officially ruled out as the root cause... It really just seems like nothing more than a potential trigger for the symptoms...

By the way... back when I used to struggle with anxiety and those constant waves of nerves... I would find myself devouring one or two massive cheesecakes, maybe five or six chocolate donuts, and a giant three-layered Hershey’s bar all at once... Daily...

Because that would be the most effective way to finally extinguish the flames of all this internal agitation and stress...

Ever since I was diagnosed with that first stage of fibrosis, things have shifted quite drastically... It’s not even just that I can't stomach everything like I used to, it's that the very idea of eating feels exhausting. I can barely manage two bowls of soup, let alone force myself to gorge on food the way I once would have, especially when those waves of mental tension start creeping in...

I honestly don't know which approach would be more effective to explain this—it truly has nothing to do with anxiety or any such thing... if you simply cannot grasp the point, I suppose I could attempt to break it down like a children's picture book, provided that sort of simplistic imagery might actually penetrate... But really, one must consider that among a hundred people, you will find a hundred different wonders and a hundred distinct levels of intellect, and certainly not everyone possesses the capacity to properly interpret the written word.

Have you ever dealt with that stomach bacteria issue? I mean, have you actually gone through the whole endoscopy ordeal yet... honestly, I’m at a bit of a loss for words here, as I don't quite know what to tell you, though I truly wish there was something more I could do to help...

Joseph Hayes10 said:Have you ever tested for stomach bacteria or maybe even had an endoscopy? Honestly, man, I’m just not sure what else to tell you, I really wish I could be more helpful here.

I haven't done an endoscopy yet, so I'm heading to see an infectious disease specialist about these infections and we'll just see what they have to say, though my CBC looks fine, thyroid hormones are normal, and my urea and creatinine levels are all good too, but my appetite is just totally out of whack, which is weird because I never used to deal with heartburn even though I'll admit I've eaten plenty of junk over the years.

Up until last fall, I was feeling absolutely invincible, like I was fit enough to be an astronaut or something, just zero issues whatsoever, aside from these constant colds over the last three years that turned out to be caused by this 3cm cyst in my sphenoid sinus that's probably been growing there for years irritating everything and triggering infections, so I'm actually going in for endoscopic surgery this Tuesday to get that cleared out, so that part should finally be sorted.

I'm pretty convinced all these other symptoms stem from some kind of neurological issue, but whether that's being triggered by this vertebrobasilar insufficiency affecting blood flow, or maybe some inflammation or infection or bacteria, I honestly have no clue, and frankly, none of these doctors or surgeons I've seen—whether they specialize in neurology or not—seem to have a handle on it either.

rustypanther8 said:I haven't had an endoscopy yet, but I'm seeing an infectious disease specialist regarding those infections, so we'll see what his take is... my CBC is fine, thyroid levels are normal, urea and creatinine look okay too... I have this incredibly rapid metabolism, though I must admit I've eaten just about every kind of junk imaginable over the years.

Up until last fall, I was in peak condition, truly—built like an astronaut, practically... zero issues, absolutely none, save for these recurring colds over the last three years, which turns out were caused by a 3cm cyst in my sphenoid sinus that’s likely been growing for years, irritating the sinuses and triggering these infections... I'm heading in for an endoscopic procedure to clear it out this Tuesday, so that specific problem should be behind me.

As for all these other symptoms, I am almost certain they stem from some sort of cerebral dysfunction, though whether they're caused by that vertebrobasilar insufficiency in blood flow, or perhaps some inflammation, or a bacterial infection... I really don't know, and frankly, none of these doctors or surgeons I've seen, neurology-related or otherwise, seem to have a clue either...

I wish you nothing but the best and a very speedy recovery! But tell me, with the sinuses, did you have actual drainage, or was it just congestion? In my case, sometimes there's a slight drip, and I get these pains right in the forehead area between the eyebrows, and it feels like something is draining down the back of my throat and just getting stuck there... I have a hard time swallowing my own saliva, even though eating and drinking doesn't cause any trouble at all... I went for a neck X-ray this past Friday, so I'm waiting on those results until Tuesday, and then I'll visit an ENT to check on the sinuses... honestly, the sheer number of tests I've had to undergo is driving me absolutely mad...

Okay, I’ll be totally real with you—for the last seven years, I’ve lived an incredibly sedentary lifestyle. Like, we’re talking so inactive it would probably blow the mind of your average person or even a doctor. It's honestly hard to wrap my head around how little I moved.

I started trying to get active and work out as much as I could about a month and a half ago, right when I started my therapy. But so far? Absolutely nothing. No changes at all, whether short-term or long-term. Just zilch.

Do you see any lack of logic in that?

And besides that, why would I say "I had the flu" when I'm not even sure if it was actually the flu or just some massive fever? I’ve dealt with intense fevers a hundred times, and I'd still go out and hang out with friends while burning up. I literally "boil" through a night of heavy drinking. This wasn't just some minor bug, because I was running a fever over 101.5 for an entire week.

Or here?

The point is, mainstream, institutional medicine is completely incompetent and useless when it comes to issues like this. I've seen 3 ENT specialists, 2 neurologists, 1 physiatrist, 1 neurosurgeon, and 1 ENT surgeon—and not one single one of them has even the slightest clue what might be wrong with me. Not even close!

If you aren't qualified or an expert when it comes to giving medical advice...

....then here?

So, I don't know what other way there is to explain that this has nothing to do with anxiety and isn't caused by that. If you still don't get it, maybe I should try explaining it like a picture book or some cartoon for kids so it's easier to follow? I guess it's true what they say: every person is different, and maybe not everyone is wired to understand written text the same way. There are a hundred different ways to think, after all.

And a little sugar on top at the end.

Matthew Bishop44 said:Do you see any logical flaws in here?

Or perhaps right here?

....maybe even here?

And then some sugar at the end...

Where on earth are you all copying these lines from...

Matthew Bishop44 said:Do you see any logic flaws here?

or maybe here?

....how about here?

and some sugar at the end

Honestly, man, I’m totally lost on what you’re getting at—what exactly are you pointing to? I can try to break it down more clearly if it's confusing, since I've always been a little too wordy and tend to ramble when I'm trying to explain things, haha.

Joseph Hayes10 said:I really wish you a speedy recovery and all the best! Just curious about your sinuses—were you dealing with actual drainage or just feeling super congested? I get this thing where my nose runs a bit and I get these pains right in my forehead between my eyes, plus it feels like stuff is draining down the back of my throat and getting stuck, making it a real pain to swallow, though eating and drinking feels fine. I actually went in for an X-ray on my neck this past Friday and I'm waiting on the results until Tuesday, then I'm heading to the ENT to check out these sinuses; honestly, the amount of testing I've had to do is driving me crazy.

Man, I deal with those exact same sinus issues, like that weird swallowing sensation and not being able to clear the mucus through my throat nearly as easily as I used to be—it's such a struggle now. Right now, I'm on some pretty strong allergy meds plus nasal corticosteroids, so my sinuses are only dry because of the medication itself.

Seriously, if I don't take those two things for even two days, I start sneezing nonstop day and night, just producing this endless stream of thin, grayish mucus. It isn't just the drainage, either; the congestion gets so bad that I can actually feel my head pulsing in time with my heartbeat, and one time my sinuses were so swollen that my entire left eye and half of my right eye, along with both my under-eyes, actually swelled up. It was like the mucus was building up way faster than my sinuses could ever possibly handle. I honestly have no clue how the body even produces that much gunk in such a short window of time.

Luckily, I finally found something that works for my sinuses—steroids and some antihistamines. Nothing else has managed to "dry out" the inflammation to this extent, but as long as I'm doing my daily spray and taking my pill, I don't have a single drop of mucus in there.

Wait, I don't think I'm following you at all! Like, what exactly are you getting at? I might be totally missing the point here, haha. If anything is sounding a bit fuzzy or confusing on my end, just let me know—I can definitely dive into the details and break it all down for you if that helps!

Alright, let me break this down for you in a bit more detail!
So, you spent like seven whole years living the absolute worst kind of lifestyle—we're talking total chaos, terrible habits, the whole nine yards—and now you're expecting to see some massive, life-changing progress after just one month of hitting the gym? I mean, maybe you'll feel a little better, but let's be real here! You can't just flip a switch and undo nearly a decade of bad decisions in four weeks. It’s gotta be a marathon, not a sprint, I guess!
I mean, honestly, I don't think you've ever actually had the flu. Like, at all. Every time I get hit with it, it drags on for a solid 4 to 7 days. There's just no way—zero chance—that you could somehow "sweat it out" or shake it off just by getting hammered at a bar one night. It doesn't work like that!
You actually did it! You pulled it off! Everything! It’s honestly kind of wild—you search everywhere and it feels like none of the specialists actually have a clue what they're doing, yet here you are, looking for advice on a forum! I guess that’s just how it goes sometimes, but man, talk about a total Dr. House move.
I mean, I guess you probably get what I'm getting at here, right? Maybe?
So, anyway... Hey everyone! Your results look pretty solid to me! I mean, your cervical spine is a little bit congested, which probably explains why you’re feeling those sharp tingles and that weakness. It’s totally normal given the situation. Honestly, I think your body and your mind are just trying to send you some signals, you know? Like, maybe it's time to get moving and start putting in some work on yourself. Or, hey, you could always just keep falling down those Google rabbit holes searching for rare tropical diseases. Your call!
Oh, one more thing! I was just wondering—when you're working out, do you actually throw up and then pass out, or is it more like you're throwing up while feeling lightheaded? That’s a pretty huge distinction, I guess!

Matthew Bishop44 said:Look, let me break this down for you clearly
-you lived an incredibly unhealthy lifestyle for seven years and now you're expecting some massive breakthroughs after just one month of hitting the gym
-it’s pretty obvious you never actually had the flu because a real flu lasts four to seven days, and there is no damn way you just "sweated it out" during a single night of heavy drinking
-you've done every possible test, yet none of the specialists seem to have a clue, so now you're looking for medical advice on a forum—you're basically playing Dr. House here
-I think you can wrap your head around this last part
Basically, all your results look fine, except for a little blockage in your vertebral artery, which makes total sense why you're feeling those tingles and weakness. Your body and mind are trying to tell you something; you need to get moving and start taking care of yourself instead of just Googling exotic diseases all day.
One more thing: do you actually vomit and pass out when you exercise, or do you just feel nauseous and lightheaded? That's a huge distinction.

So, whenever I try any kind of warmup or even just a basic jog before I really start breaking a sweat, my head starts throbbing like crazy, and I get this intense pain in my forehead, the back of my head, and deep in my sinuses. It feels like my brain is being starved of oxygen and blood, and then this loud ringing starts in my ears along with the dizziness, making everything spin way worse than usual. Every ten to twenty seconds, or maybe once a minute, I get hit with this sudden wave of near-fainting; sometimes it's just a mental fog where I lose focus for a second, but other times it's so physical that I actually lose my balance. Most of the time I manage to stay upright, but about four days ago, I was running up and down some stairs and I just blacked out for a split second, tumbled over the steps, and twisted my ankle. Luckily, I didn't break anything, just a bad sprain. As for the nausea, I don't usually feel like I'm going to throw up violently, but I get this intense queasiness where if I put two fingers in my mouth I’d probably lose it, though I can usually settle my stomach with some slow, deep breaths... unless it gets really bad, in which case I just lie down on my side in bed until it passes.

To put it simply, whenever I push myself physically, the symptoms feel almost identical to a severe case of fibromyalgia or a mild bout of meningitis. Even though the worst of the fibro passed months ago, I'm still running a low-grade fever every single day—around 98.6 to 99.5 degrees—which is slightly higher than it should be, and I'm still dealing with these lingering, milder versions of meningitis symptoms that have been dragging on for months.

And honestly, I don't even have to work out for it to happen; right now, I'm actually struggling to keep my head from dropping onto the desk in front of my computer, even though I managed to get a solid nine hours of sleep last night.

And hey, I don't know, looks like you've just got that cardiologist appointment left on your list, so maybe just knock that one out and hang in there!

Start taking a Multivitamin