Aa
Think it's anxiety but paranoid that it's not (pretty long post)
Let me start by saying I'm an 18 year old male.
Less than a week ago I was sick with a fever (which never got higher than 102.9 but usually stayed around 101.5), a headache, and a sore throat. The headache went away after about 3 days, the fever and sore throat went away after about 4. During this time I had been having issues sleeping, waking up earlier than I should and not being able to get back to sleep, but that may have been caused by an already abnormal sleep schedule. Also, around the time my fever began to go away I had noticed I'd been losing my train of thought easily.
In the time that I was sick I took Tylenol, Dayquil, Advil, and Valerian Root and did a LOT of worrying about my fever because I'm paranoid.
After my sickness went away I found out I had pin worms, that freaked me out really bad because I saw a tiny worm in my stool and had no idea what it was so I freaked, but then researched it and discovered what it was. I went to the doctor and got Mebendazole. I took the first pill shortly after getting it and took it with food.
I had been having diarrhea due to untreated pin worms so I got Pepto Bismal and took some of that and also took two Tylenol PMs to help me sleep (cause I couldn't get to sleep at a normal time.)
So in one day I had taken Mebendazole, two caps of Pepto Bismal, and two Tylenol PMs.
About an hour after taking the Tylenol I got up to use the restroom. My stool was abnormal so I took the second cap full of Pepto and at that time I began to see discolored blotches in my vision but dismissed it and returned to my room.
Upon laying down I began to have this intense feeling. I felt so uneasy and light headed almost. It is really hard to describe but it scared me so bad that I called my mom into the room and had her take me to the hospital.
On our way to the hospital, my eye lids felt really heavy almost like I was gonna pass out, but I felt that if I passed out I'd die so I fought it all the way to the hospital.
We made it to the hospital and I told the doctor what was happening and they ran all kinds of tests (checked my vitals, took blood for many different tests, the standard procedure.)
After a few hours of being in the hospital they concluded that it was all anxiety and panic and the medicine I had been taking could've heightened it all, but they told me they didn't see any reason to do any more serious tests.
I got home at around 5 or so and laid down, trying to sleep because I hadn't gotten any in a while. Every time I almost got to sleep I'd have a slight shock (almost like one of excitement) and it woke me up every time.
I couldn't sleep and just ended up staying awake the whole day. I cleaned and re-arranged my entire room with my sister and ate a little bit but didn't have much of an appetite. Later that night I went out with my sister and mother and bought new stuff for my room, then returned home. I had felt tired the whole time being out but couldn't sleep in the car.
When I got home I put in a movie and laid down, trying to sleep. This didn't work. I got up and got on the computer for a little bit. Then I got in the bath tub with some music playing on a low volume. I turned the lights out and tried to relax in the tub for a bit but still couldn't sleep. I got out and dryed off, then put on clothes and returned to my bed and turned off all lights, then laid down again with my headphones in, the volume being low. Everytime I thought I was dozing off I'd get the exciting jolt again and wake up.
In the end, at about 2 am (after being up for around 36 + hours) I took one Tylenol PM.
I layed down and put a movie in again, focused on the movie, and passed right out until about 8 am.
I woke up, changed into pajama pants, then fell asleep again till 4 pm.
When I woke up, I felt distant, couldn't focus, couldn't keep my train of thought, had no appetite, felt tired still, and just had a very odd feeling as if I wasn't controlling my body, it was just going on it's own. I also noticed I started rambling a bit when trying to explain things.
It scared me and I looked up symptoms of a stroke and noticed that I had some of them, that made me even more worried.
Around 12 am or so I tried to lay down again to sleep but couldn't. I had the same excited feeling every time I thought I was dozing off. I took another Tylenol PM, hoping it would work. It made me sleepy but my sleep was very broken up.
At one point I woke up and researched symptoms for an aneurysm and noticed that one of the symptoms for an unruptured aneurysm was short term memory difficulties. This scared me even more but I returned to bed.
I would randomly sleep then wake up again. I ended up getting up and taking another Tylenol PM around 5 am.
My sleep was again broken up all the way from 5 till 8:30 or so. Then I finally got to sleep around 8 am to 1 pm.
As of now, Sunday, February 28, I feel spaced out, still kinda tired, trouble focusing, restless, paranoid, scared, still losing my train of thought, having slight pings of pain in my temples that don't last more than a second, and a few other things.
Do you think this is anxiety or something bigger (stroke, aneurysm, tumor, etc.)?
Please tell me if you think I should go to the doctor again and get tests done.
And if you believe it's anxiety, how can I help it?
Thanks,
Stephen Bragg
Less than a week ago I was sick with a fever (which never got higher than 102.9 but usually stayed around 101.5), a headache, and a sore throat. The headache went away after about 3 days, the fever and sore throat went away after about 4. During this time I had been having issues sleeping, waking up earlier than I should and not being able to get back to sleep, but that may have been caused by an already abnormal sleep schedule. Also, around the time my fever began to go away I had noticed I'd been losing my train of thought easily.
In the time that I was sick I took Tylenol, Dayquil, Advil, and Valerian Root and did a LOT of worrying about my fever because I'm paranoid.
After my sickness went away I found out I had pin worms, that freaked me out really bad because I saw a tiny worm in my stool and had no idea what it was so I freaked, but then researched it and discovered what it was. I went to the doctor and got Mebendazole. I took the first pill shortly after getting it and took it with food.
I had been having diarrhea due to untreated pin worms so I got Pepto Bismal and took some of that and also took two Tylenol PMs to help me sleep (cause I couldn't get to sleep at a normal time.)
So in one day I had taken Mebendazole, two caps of Pepto Bismal, and two Tylenol PMs.
About an hour after taking the Tylenol I got up to use the restroom. My stool was abnormal so I took the second cap full of Pepto and at that time I began to see discolored blotches in my vision but dismissed it and returned to my room.
Upon laying down I began to have this intense feeling. I felt so uneasy and light headed almost. It is really hard to describe but it scared me so bad that I called my mom into the room and had her take me to the hospital.
On our way to the hospital, my eye lids felt really heavy almost like I was gonna pass out, but I felt that if I passed out I'd die so I fought it all the way to the hospital.
We made it to the hospital and I told the doctor what was happening and they ran all kinds of tests (checked my vitals, took blood for many different tests, the standard procedure.)
After a few hours of being in the hospital they concluded that it was all anxiety and panic and the medicine I had been taking could've heightened it all, but they told me they didn't see any reason to do any more serious tests.
I got home at around 5 or so and laid down, trying to sleep because I hadn't gotten any in a while. Every time I almost got to sleep I'd have a slight shock (almost like one of excitement) and it woke me up every time.
I couldn't sleep and just ended up staying awake the whole day. I cleaned and re-arranged my entire room with my sister and ate a little bit but didn't have much of an appetite. Later that night I went out with my sister and mother and bought new stuff for my room, then returned home. I had felt tired the whole time being out but couldn't sleep in the car.
When I got home I put in a movie and laid down, trying to sleep. This didn't work. I got up and got on the computer for a little bit. Then I got in the bath tub with some music playing on a low volume. I turned the lights out and tried to relax in the tub for a bit but still couldn't sleep. I got out and dryed off, then put on clothes and returned to my bed and turned off all lights, then laid down again with my headphones in, the volume being low. Everytime I thought I was dozing off I'd get the exciting jolt again and wake up.
In the end, at about 2 am (after being up for around 36 + hours) I took one Tylenol PM.
I layed down and put a movie in again, focused on the movie, and passed right out until about 8 am.
I woke up, changed into pajama pants, then fell asleep again till 4 pm.
When I woke up, I felt distant, couldn't focus, couldn't keep my train of thought, had no appetite, felt tired still, and just had a very odd feeling as if I wasn't controlling my body, it was just going on it's own. I also noticed I started rambling a bit when trying to explain things.
It scared me and I looked up symptoms of a stroke and noticed that I had some of them, that made me even more worried.
Around 12 am or so I tried to lay down again to sleep but couldn't. I had the same excited feeling every time I thought I was dozing off. I took another Tylenol PM, hoping it would work. It made me sleepy but my sleep was very broken up.
At one point I woke up and researched symptoms for an aneurysm and noticed that one of the symptoms for an unruptured aneurysm was short term memory difficulties. This scared me even more but I returned to bed.
I would randomly sleep then wake up again. I ended up getting up and taking another Tylenol PM around 5 am.
My sleep was again broken up all the way from 5 till 8:30 or so. Then I finally got to sleep around 8 am to 1 pm.
As of now, Sunday, February 28, I feel spaced out, still kinda tired, trouble focusing, restless, paranoid, scared, still losing my train of thought, having slight pings of pain in my temples that don't last more than a second, and a few other things.
Do you think this is anxiety or something bigger (stroke, aneurysm, tumor, etc.)?
Please tell me if you think I should go to the doctor again and get tests done.
And if you believe it's anxiety, how can I help it?
Thanks,
Stephen Bragg
Update;
I've been to a doctor since this time. When I got there I TRIED explaining things to him but forgot some things. Since the original post of this many things have changed for the better, however some things still are scaring me.
This is eye problems though. I will post it in the eyecare forums.
I've been to a doctor since this time. When I got there I TRIED explaining things to him but forgot some things. Since the original post of this many things have changed for the better, however some things still are scaring me.
This is eye problems though. I will post it in the eyecare forums.
Yeah if I can't print an actual copy of this post I'll thoroughly explain to the doc. what's going on.
My appointment is Monday.
I graduated high school, it's just that I stopped going to college.
Thank you for all the support
My appointment is Monday.
I graduated high school, it's just that I stopped going to college.
Thank you for all the support
Hi Stephan,
I'm really glad to read that you're going to see your doctor. I would still suggest you take a copy of your post and show the doctor, even though most of those symptoms have disappeared. I think it would be good for him to know what you experenced and may help him with a diagnosis.
You're lucky to have such a supportive family.............so many people have no one to turn to.
If you stopped going to school because of these issues, you can always get your GED when you feel ready.
I can't stop YOU from feeling like a burden to your family, but as a mother, I can promise you that your parents do not feel this way about you!
I wish you the very best at your interview today! You'll do great.
And you know we all wish you the best with your health. You let us know what the doc says, OK?
Peace
Greenlydia
I'm really glad to read that you're going to see your doctor. I would still suggest you take a copy of your post and show the doctor, even though most of those symptoms have disappeared. I think it would be good for him to know what you experenced and may help him with a diagnosis.
You're lucky to have such a supportive family.............so many people have no one to turn to.
If you stopped going to school because of these issues, you can always get your GED when you feel ready.
I can't stop YOU from feeling like a burden to your family, but as a mother, I can promise you that your parents do not feel this way about you!
I wish you the very best at your interview today! You'll do great.
And you know we all wish you the best with your health. You let us know what the doc says, OK?
Peace
Greenlydia
Yeah, I am gonna schedule a doctor's appointment. Everything now is pretty much gone except the insomnia and the tiny headaches. I can focus good, I can understand everything just fine, I feel like myself, etc. And that helps me feel so much better. Now I just want to be able to sleep, ya' know? But I am still gonna schedule a doc. appointment and I'll let everyone know how it went when it happens. I believe more and more every day that I'm fine. My family helps me quite a bit as well. My mom tells me all the time that she knows I'm okay, and she supports me too and everything. Our biggest problem is I stopped going to school so I have no insurance :( I don't have a job yet either so I feel like a huge burden on them, but I'm going to a McDonald's interview tomorrow.
Anyways, I've rambled on too much here.
Wish me luck with my interview and my health guys! :)
Thanks,
Stephen Bragg
Anyways, I've rambled on too much here.
Wish me luck with my interview and my health guys! :)
Thanks,
Stephen Bragg
We all hope that the worst it is anxiety, too. Not that we'd wish anxiety on anyone, but you have so many things going on, I just really believe it would be in your best interest to get checked out again. I know you've had a ton of tests done, but that old saying about better safe than sorry is still the best I know.
Peace
Greenlydia
Peace
Greenlydia
Well when I went to the hospital they took a bunch of blood tests, hooked me up to the heart and breathing monitor (not sure what it's called) and kept a close eye on me for a good 4 hours. I described the symptoms I was having at the time to them too and they said it was most likely anxiety. I still am going to go to my family doctor to let him know, but hopefully it's all just anxiety. Well, I seem to be getting a bit better as time goes on. I began to feel better as I read other's anxiety problems and realize there's were a lot like mine in a lot of cases.
Maybe all this will go away before too long and a trip to the doctor won't be really necissary.
Maybe all this will go away before too long and a trip to the doctor won't be really necissary.
Just remember that is my opinion, based on dealing with anxiety myself...but lydia is right in that the first step should be a work-up with your doc, just to make sure that there isn't another explanation. Let us know!
Thank you so much for replying to this and telling me that you believe it's anxiety. I think it is too I just get really scared. But comments like this from real proffesionals help me a lot. Thank you once again!
Wow, Sweetie, you have a lot of things going on and I am so not qualified to tell you it's just anxiety.
I strongly suggest you take a copy of this post to your doctor and get a VERY thorough physical done. If they rule out everything organic and anxiety is all that is left, then I suggest you get a referral to a good therapist.
Anxiety CAN cause just about every symptom you've talked about, but you absolutely need a doctor to make that call.
Please see you doctor as soon as you can and let us know how you're doing. If it's anxiety, we can definitely help you with that.
I wish you the best.
Peace
Greenlydia
I strongly suggest you take a copy of this post to your doctor and get a VERY thorough physical done. If they rule out everything organic and anxiety is all that is left, then I suggest you get a referral to a good therapist.
Anxiety CAN cause just about every symptom you've talked about, but you absolutely need a doctor to make that call.
Please see you doctor as soon as you can and let us know how you're doing. If it's anxiety, we can definitely help you with that.
I wish you the best.
Peace
Greenlydia
I think it is 100% anxiety, and if you look up the symptoms "depersonalization" and "derealization", I think you'll quickly see that that most likely explains your symptoms....they are caused by anxiety and panic...and no doubt the sleep deprivation added to those sensations bigtime.
You were thoroughly checked out, you do NOT have a brain aneurysm or are not having a stroke. You need to at some point accept that you have anxiety, and then address it with a professional.
There are many ways you can treat anxiety...the first step would be to go to your PCP and ask for a referral to a psychiatrist. He/she will be able to properly diagnose you and then work with you to formulate an appropriate treatment plan.
Let us know how you're doing, and TRY to not search the internet. It is the very worst thing you could do in this situation. Also, be very careful popping pills to try to get some sleep. Even something like Tylenol PM can become dangerous if taken excessively/inappropriately.
Get yourself to your doc and go from there.
You were thoroughly checked out, you do NOT have a brain aneurysm or are not having a stroke. You need to at some point accept that you have anxiety, and then address it with a professional.
There are many ways you can treat anxiety...the first step would be to go to your PCP and ask for a referral to a psychiatrist. He/she will be able to properly diagnose you and then work with you to formulate an appropriate treatment plan.
Let us know how you're doing, and TRY to not search the internet. It is the very worst thing you could do in this situation. Also, be very careful popping pills to try to get some sleep. Even something like Tylenol PM can become dangerous if taken excessively/inappropriately.
Get yourself to your doc and go from there.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Anxiety Community
Find out what can trigger a panic attack – and what to do if you have one.
A guide to 10 common phobias.
Take control of tension today.
These simple pick-me-ups squash stress.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
Want to wake up rested and refreshed?
