Dealing with sudden bouts of weakness

Hey everyone.

About eighteen months ago, I started getting these sudden waves of weakness—maybe once or twice a day—where my heart would just start racing and my face would feel incredibly hot. It was pretty brutal; I couldn't get anything done except go lie down. Even basic stuff, like sitting at my computer, felt impossible during an episode. My arms and legs felt heavy, almost like they were made of lead.

Honestly, my doctors just kept running circles around me with tests until they basically gave up and sent me to a psychiatrist...🙏

So, on the advice of a friend, I decided to take matters into my own hands and get tested for mono (Epstein-Barr, I think?). Turns out, the results showed I had recently recovered from it, so they chalked all those episodes up to that.

Everything was fine for a year and a half after that, but for the last ten days, these exact same symptoms have been creeping back. They aren't happening quite as often yet, but when they do, it's the same racing heart, the heat, and that unbearable weakness.

I thought I heard somewhere that you only get mono once and then you're done with it, so I guess I'm wondering if there's actually a connection here?
It’s only been about ten days, so I haven't rushed to the doctor just yet. I’ve been browsing some forums, and maybe people deal with weakness caused by blood sugar issues? I've never really had problems with that before, but since I started college about a year and a half ago, my diet has been absolutely terrible. I still hit the gym about three or four times a week for fun and take some Centrum multivitamins.

Has anyone else dealt with anything similar, or does anyone have any actual advice?

Are you feeling stressed out? I actually went through something pretty similar—turned out they were just panic attacks. But the weird part was, right when it all started, my doctor also found out I'd just recovered from mono 😕

How long does this weakness last? Is it an all-day thing or just a quick fifteen minutes or so? Because if it’s short-lived, it might just be panic attacks.

After running all the tests, it turns out my thyroid is running a bit slow—maybe it’s worth getting your hormones checked out?

Back when I was dealing with stuff like this, I tried some homeopathic tablets and things eventually settled down for me.

To sounds a lot like an anxiety spike followed by a full-blown panic attack to me... That sensation where your legs just go numb, you get these sudden hot flashes, and your heart starts hammering against your ribs... Honestly, I don't think seeing a psychiatrist was a bad move at all.
Usually, people run every possible test under the sun—blood work, scans, the whole nine yards—and once they realize everything looks fine physically, that’s when they finally decide to talk to a mental health professional.

I usually just crash and pass out once it starts hitting me, so I'm probably not even sure how long it would actually last. But honestly, it wouldn't be more than an hour, I guess.

So, did you start using homeopathy strictly because of that?

It was pretty much the same for me—it always seemed to hit hardest right when I was trying to fall asleep. So, I started taking those three little pellets before bed, and honestly, it made such a difference.

I ended up seeing a therapist (I was under a massive amount of stress back then) and they told me it was basically anxiety. But, I wasn't really interested in prescription meds, and my doctor wasn't pushing them too hard either. Instead, they suggested looking into some herbal remedies for calming down, something like Valerian root.
I actually spotted those homeopathic pellets for stress and anxiety at a local CVS and decided to give them a shot—and man, they actually worked.
I even sent an email to the manufacturer, HomeoLab, explaining what I was going through, and they advised me to stick with the granules for about three months.
For me, the biggest thing was avoiding side effects and making sure I wouldn't end up hooked on something.

Wait, what exactly are those little granules called and what kind of damage am I looking at for the price tag? Thanks for the heads up!

Anxiety and stress relief from homeopathic brands at local pharmacies usually runs about $23, though if you head to their own shop—I think it’s near a CVS over in Chicago—you can grab it for around 50.
Usually, you just have to ask if they carry any homeopathic remedies, since not every drugstore keeps them in stock. You just tell them you're looking for something for stress and anxiety, and most people know exactly what you mean...

They’re a little pricey, I'll admit, but they’ve really worked for me. Percenter helps too, but only when the anxiety is pretty mild.

Thanks, I'm definitely gonna give those a shot! 🙂

I think I'm going to head to a clinic somewhere to get some bloodwork done and just have them run a full panel on me. I've been paying attention lately, and I guess I've noticed that I start feeling crappy pretty often right after I eat a heavy meal.

I'm honestly just worried it might be something like diabetes or some other bullshit. Last time I felt this way, my blood work came back fine, but they didn't actually test my glucose during that whole mess—at least, that's what one doctor told me, saying that's why nothing could be determined.

If this weakness you're experiencing is tied to eating—specifically if it hits you harder right after a large meal—you might be dealing with what doctors call postprandial hypoglycemia. In plain English, that’s just a sudden crash in your blood sugar levels following a meal.
The logic is pretty straightforward: your pancreas essentially overcompensates by pumping more insulin into your bloodstream than your body actually needs, which causes your glucose levels to plummet momentarily. I’m not a doctor, so I can't give you a diagnosis, but could that be what's happening here? 🤷