r/sick

Idk, I just think lying in bed with fever is the coziest thing ever. Some of my best naps were fever naps. Fever causes your muscles to relax in a way they normally don't. It raises you body temperature making the environment feel cooler by comparison and that feels great under the blanket. I've also associated the feeling of fever with skipping school/work and eating comfort food which definitely enhances the feeling.

Also a second unpopular opinion: I like fever dreams. I like liminal spaces, horror and dream analysis, so they're right up my alley.

So last night at around 11pm I noticed I felt weak and tired and so I went to bed and slept horribly. My stomach was aching all night, I was nauseous and felt cold and off. I wake up at 7:40 to my dog barking and I immediately feel horrible. I check my temperature and it's 102 and so I go back to bed. I wake up again at 10 am and take Tylenol and my temperature before Tylenol is 101. It got down to 98.5 after Tylenol and went back up 4 hours later and got to 101. Then I take another nap for 30 minutes and wake up and take my temperature and it's 100 and I take Tylenol and then chill. My temperature goes back down to 98. My symptoms are: stomach ache, diarrhea, fever below 102, headache, weakness, body aches, fatigue.

This year I've been probably 5-6 times sick, It's not been crazy colds. Just annoying 2-3 day streaks of being sick. I've been thinking about getting a blood test or maybe seeing a doctor. It's winter by me rn, And it's annoying because I'm missing important events because I'm sick. And it's taking a toll on my work too. It could also be because I'm being social, meeting more people. Last year I wasn't doing it. And it's not been like INTENSE colds, where I need to be bed written for 5 days. It's just little annoying colds that get in the way of normal life. So what should I do that will better my health and make me less sick, I was sick this year through the summer and through the winter. It's not a seasonal thing... I think, I eat pretty healthy. Been getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Haven't felt anything wrong. But still considering going to a doctor, And if I go to the doctor, For what should I go there for?? Because this is super super annoying not being to do school and can't even have fun outside my house.

For context, I’ve been smoking for 4 years and am currently 16 about to turn 17. I quit smoking for a few months after being a drug addict for a year nd a half but relapsed in December and now, for the past 2 nd a half months I’ve been smoking everyday.

But recently, for the past almost 2 months I’ve been really sick. It’s weird because I’ve smoked everyday for several months in different eras of my life before, and I’ve never had symptoms like I’ve been having now.

Everyday has been torture. I struggle getting up in the morning because I get so nauseous and feel like throwing up any minute. One gag and it’s over, i immediately start throwing up. (Sorry this is tmi) I also always need to go number 2 multiple times and it’s painful ASF if I don’t go as soon as I start feeling it. I’ve also had a lost of appetite. Sometimes thinking of food or seeing it for too long starts to make me feel sick. I’ve lost quite a bit of weight because of this, as I can noticeably see I’m skinnier. So as you can assume, it’s hard for me to eat so I’ve been not really eating lately.

Because I started noticing my symptoms were never going away and they were worsening, I started doing research on it. Now since yesterday, I’m convinced I have chs because it sounds exactly what I’m experiencing right now. But, I also don’t want to self diagnose myself. But then again… I’m almost 90% sure I have chs… could I be right?

2 WEEKS vacation started, couple days in got to see a nice concert, started feeling it coming home that night. Next day? Fml congested and coughing, just want to sleep. Canada day family plans? Canceled. Big nerd convention ive been looking forward to for 6 months happening this weekend? Canceled. The compromise of checking out a cool pop-up art market? CANCELLED. Hanging out with friends? CANCELED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Im grateful to be off work to rest, but im SAD AND A BIT PISSED OFF THIS IS TWICE NOW THIS YEAR I TAKE PTO AND I GET SICK AT THE START 😭 also hey people who keep to their social plans and go out and share their germs even though theyre sick? JERK, A-HOLE, INCONSIDERATE SELFISH CREATURE, NEGATIVE 100 KARMA POINTS FROM YOUR CHARACTER. I'd love to go anyways but then IT JUST PERPETUATES IT FOR OTHERS 😭😭😭😭

When I read comments, there's always someone who'll say it's "long covid".

What symptoms does someone feel?

How can you get it?

Does it go away without taking medicines?

I'm just curious because many seem to know this one except for me.

Hi all. I suddenly got a super sharp pain on the left side of my throat near my tonsil on June 11th out of nowhere. It only hurt to swallow food on that one side. Other than that, it was just annoying. 3 days later it is still the same but then i started getting flu like symptoms. Body aches, chills, felt hot, weakness, etc., for one day and the next day I was fine but still had the throat pain.

I went to urgent care a week after this because now my left ear started hurting. I tested negative to strep. They said it was probably viral and sent me on my way. 4 days after that I felt like I had the flu again for only 24 hours but still had the ear and throat pain. I went to PCP and they said it was possible sinus infection and gave me steroids and antibiotics.

Fast forward to today, I am still experiencing left ear pain/ache and the same left sided throat/tonsil pain when I swallow food. I have some post nasal drip going on but it isn’t constant. My PCP made a referral to ENT but the next available appointment is in September, lol. Is anyone else experiencing something like this?? The antibiotics and steroids didn’t do anything and no one can seem to find what is wrong with me, but it is very annoying and very painful.

Is anyone else getting like super sick even when it is summer? Like omg I am so sick. I have STREP throat. And my head hurts and it hurts to breath. Help i am "dying" . Even my room smells like sickness. So anyone else?

I took a sick day today because I had to go to the doctors. I ended up testing positive for strep throat. My doctor recommended that since my nanny child is young (1.5yrs) that I should take the day off tomorrow. I contacted my nanny family to let them know that I wanted to take a sick day tomorrow. They reached back out to me telling me that because they both work, it would be extremely inconvenient for them if I took a day off. They said that strep throat is not a big deal, and as an adult it isn’t debilitating. As much as I understand, I don’t feel like they had the right to put this much pressure on me and make me feel required to work when I am sick. I don’t want to get more sick, and I don’t want to get bent out by working when I’m sick. I started to type out a message to them, and it says this. “I took the antibiotics at 2:30, and am still not feeling well. I do understand that it would be inconvenient for both of you that I take a sick day tomorrow, but I do think it would be best as I don’t feel 100% and wouldn’t be in top form to care for the baby tomorrow. I have avoided taking long days off for sickness, but I would like to avoid getting more sick. If anything changes and I feel that I will be able to make it into work tomorrow, I will let you know. Again, I apologize for any inconvenience. In our contract it is stated that for times when Nanny cannot attend work, that backup care options need to be in place.” Is there anything that I should add or adjust to this message? I feel like they’re trying to walk all over me and I don’t want boundaries to be crossed.
FOR CONTEXT: I have never taken a paid sick day off with this family, this would be my first one.

Constant crash state since January (7 months), mostly bedridden, no diagnosis

Hi, I took the time to write this post, please read it even if it’s long. I’m not looking for comfort messages. I have no diagnosis, no help from ERs or doctors, and I’m suffering a lot.

TL;DR: I’m trying to understand what I should do, whether I should go back to the ER, and I’m also looking for possible hypotheses, a diagnosis, or people experiencing something similar.

Context:

I’m 21 years old. For about 1–2 years before this started, I was mostly sleeping during the day and awake at night (very reversed sleep schedule).

My situation:

This has been going on since January, so about 7 months now.

At the beginning, it started with episodes: sometimes I would suddenly feel like my body was “collapsing”, as if my vital energy was crashing all at once, and like I had a severe illness or was in a terminal state.

This is not pain like an injury. It’s a very intense internal suffering, like the body is dying. At that time I didn’t even think of words like fatigue or exhaustion, but maybe it could be described as an overwhelming crushing exhaustion, where my breathing feels different and I feel like I’m on the edge of death.

I had these episodes several times, with my heart beating very strongly, as if it was just trying to keep me alive. I felt “dead” — this is not an expression.

Little by little, it became constant instead of episodic. I became bedridden because whenever I walked or moved, I would suffer intensely.

At first the symptoms would come suddenly, then sometimes improve between episodes. But very quickly, by the end of January, it became constant and I stayed mostly in bed.

In February, I was going to the ER almost crawling, forcing myself to walk. I can still walk today, but I feel an intense sensation of death or severe illness.

At the ER, I sometimes had a surge of adrenaline or a panic-like episode while sitting there, even though I am not an anxious person by nature.

To describe the intensity, it feels like:

a constant severe internal collapse state

as if my body is functioning at the absolute minimum just to survive

a feeling of severe illness throughout the whole body

a constant blocked adrenaline/panic-like tension in the background that terrifies me

Symptoms when I walk (and sometimes even at rest):

sensations in my head (not vertigo or dizziness) — more like an “empty” or “wrong” head feeling, like constant pressure/low blood flow

constant feeling that I’m about to faint

blackness sensation in my head/eyes for hours (!!) (I can see normally, but the sensation is there and it’s terrifying)

sometimes even while lying in bed without moving

Other symptoms:

chest pain/pressure several times a day, both at rest and with exertion

sensations similar to hypoglycemia lasting for hours

constant malaise after exertion or even without exertion

my heart does not really race, but it beats normally while giving the sensation of pumping very strongly, as if it is working extremely hard to function or keep my body alive

basic tests normal (ECG, blood tests, blood pressure in February — not repeated since)

Today I cannot function normally:

I cannot study because this constant collapse state is always in the background

I cannot watch shows or enjoy hobbies

even basic activities are extremely difficult, even if I can force myself

eating, showering, or waking up can worsen symptoms

The worst part is this overall feeling of “dying”, exhaustion + a constant bodily sensation of being on the edge of a panic attack (it is constant). I feel like I could die at any moment and I don’t know if this is normal or if something is seriously wrong.

I had basic tests done (blood work, ECG, blood pressure) and everything came back normal. My ferritin was 18 in February but considered “normal” by the doctor.

I’ve been told this could be anxiety or deconditioning, but what I feel is completely physical, constant, and disabling.

My doctor told me to see a cardiologist, but the appointment is in September. Am I supposed to stay like this until then?

My mother doesn’t really care, she is very harsh with me, and my father doesn’t understand — he told me “go walk”, and “if you want to travel I’ll pay, just tell me where”. But I’m suffering… how am I supposed to travel like this?

I’ve already been to the ER several times, but I felt dismissed because I could still sit and answer questions, even though I felt extremely unwell inside.

I wonder if I should show my real condition (lying down / calling an ambulance / saying I cannot stand) to finally be taken seriously.

I’m also worried because I have no diagnosis. I don’t even know if this could be ME/CFS, but honestly it feels similar.

I’m scared of staying bedridden without follow-up, of developing blood clots, an embolism, or something serious. I wouldn’t even know how to recognize early warning signs.

I also know I tend to minimize my symptoms.

I don’t know what to do.

A friend told me that if it is ME/CFS, there might be a reason. She suggested seeing a psychologist? Could a toxic family environment / chronic stress really make someone this sick?

I grew up in a difficult environment, but I used to feel mentally strong and okay, so I’m not sure I believe that. Or maybe it affects us unconsciously, what we keep inside to become stronger… I don’t know.

On December 4th, after a conflict with my mother, I had a severe 4-hour panic attack and the first onset of all these symptoms: I felt like I was going to die, had a violent panic attack, saw everything go black twice, had prolonged presyncope for hours, chest pain, and a collapse-like feeling as if I was dying. After that I recovered, then I got sick in January — I don’t know if it’s related.

But to sum up, I’ve been bedridden for 7 months.

Anyone else who experiences dizziness, fainting, cold sweats - the one that feels like your brain shuts down for a second and your body feels like collapsing and then you feel numb that it feels like your body isn't connected to your head?

Please can someone share something because I'm scared. I do have anxiety but this one is just random I've been experiencing this for 3 months now off and on. I went to the ER 4 times and I am negative for the Thyroid panel, 3 ECGs, 4 CBCs and urine test. Every time it happens, I get scared to the point my body tingles up to my face. Every doctor during those shifts told me to go to a psychiatrist. Is this still anxiety? Neurological? or something

Help I'm scared.

It’s been almost 24 hours. I’m so neuseaus I can’t ssleep or take naps. I threw up three times. Afraid to drink and eat. Drank pediañyte and water withoit throwing up but bad headache and I am dehydrated still. Can’t pee much with lots of cramps in my stomach and legs. Should I eat again

Been feeling really bad particularly today, had a sore throat from Wednesday but just assumed it was a viral thing.
Now on top I have a blocked ear with the ringing /heart beat sensation, blocked nose, dizziness and heavy chest. Hard to tell if I’ve got a fever because the weather is hot at the minute anyway.
Body is a bit sore but not awful.
Would anyone recommend what I can do to help this? I work in a nursery and hate calling in sick but if I’m not better or any worse I won’t be going in tomorrow
Thank you

[supprimé]

I did a week round of antibiotics for something unrelated but then I suddenly developed the worst pain in my whole life.

Any time I ingested anything, even water, it felt like it was stuck in my chest and the agonizing pain spread to my ribs and lasts for hours.

When I try to eat or drink anything, a single sip of water, I’m doubled over in pain in my chest and rib- I haven’t eaten in days.

My doctor says the antibiotics I was on destroyed my gut/digestive system and gave me a 15 day supply of some sort of reflux medication.

What the fuck do I do- has anyone else experienced anything like this? I feel like I’m losing my mind.

I’m 33F, no kids and currently suffering through a horrendous stomach virus - 3 days of continuous diarrhoea, 1 day of vomiting, stomach pain, body aches, extreme fatigue.

The last such horrendous bug I had was only 11 months ago.

How often do you get such bugs, particular if you don’t have kids?

2 years ago, I started swimming every week and I wonder if that’s increasing my risk? I often accidentally swallow water and lots of kids swim at my local pool.

About two days after my flight I got a raging headache and fever of about 103f. I was also really sleep deprived so can't say my exhaustion was caused entirely or in part by illness. The headache has subsided gradually over 4 days, and so has the exhaustion and fever, but I started getting really congested over the past day or two, and almost completely lost my voice. Now I'm coughing up thick tan opaque phlegm from my lungs and having to blow my nose every 20 minutes. My lungs hurt when I cough and my nasal septum when I put pressure on it. My throat is now raw from coughing.

I've been taking anti fever and flew meds for days. What the hell is this?

I am currently under investigation for an illness that doctors cannot find the cause of. I have already seen an ENT, a gynecologist, an endocrinologist, and a rheumatologist, and I now have a referral to see an infectious disease specialist. My symptoms are worsening, and I feel I might have something serious. However, when I report my symptoms to the ER doctors (through my health insurance), they only treat me with medications that are not able stop the pain and tell me they cannot investigate because I am already undergoing an outpatient investigation.

The wait to schedule a new specialist, book exams externally, wait for the scheduled date to take them, wait for the results, schedule a follow-up, and finally attend the appointment is deeply concerning to me. It has been nearly 5 months with no diagnosis and not even a suspicion yet, while my symptoms only worsen and new issues arise weekly. With every specialist I am referred to, it takes one to two months just for nothing to come of it and to be referred to someone else.

I really think it is something serious, and I can’t keep waiting months like this. My first consultation with the infectious disease specialist is only on the 8th, two weeks from now. After that, it will take about another month to do the exams and return.

In the beginning, I had an ear infection, and after treating it, I was left with severe dizziness and strange vision. I have been having bone pain for 5 months that started in my jaw, then my hip and the base of my back, progressed to my entire back, and now recently is in my ribs and chest, sometimes shifting sides. I feel pain in my jaw, and the chest pain worsens significantly when I drink alcohol. The chest pain feels like pressure, located below the collarbone.

I get tired very quickly; just putting my cat in her carrier and lifting her causes me absurd pain and leaves me exhausted, whereas before I used to hold her for hours at the airport.

I have a nodule (lump) in the middle of my back, in my right armpit, and on the right side of my neck above the collarbone. The one on my neck is almost imperceptible, but it is there. Sometimes I notice slightly smaller nodules in other parts of my body, like my arms when I apply pressure, but they are in so many places that I don't even know where the smaller ones are anymore.

My complete blood count (CBC) is altered, with high white blood cell counts throughout this entire period. They happen to fluctuate, dropping or rising with each CBC, but they are always at least 1,000 units above the normal range (in my country and in the labs, the normal range is 4,000-10,000). There are no signs of inflammation in the blood tests. Thyroid hormones are okay. Vitamins and proteins are okay. Blood pressure is normal. I had an MRI of the sacroiliac joint around 2 months ago, and it is normal. Nothing in the blood work indicates anything autoimmune. At the start of all this, I was feeling very dizzy, so they sent me to the ENT; everything was normal with my ear, my hearing, and my labyrinth.

Since yesterday, whenever I lie down, it feels like there is something stuck in my throat, making it very uncomfortable to swallow. It feels as though I took a pill and it got stuck there, but only when I lie down.
The pain is worse at night. For the past two days, my vision has felt strange and I feel weak at times, as if everything appears to be a bit further away. I don’t know if it is actual blurred vision or if there is a clinical name for it. This used to happen when I was experiencing dizziness at the very beginning of everything, but the dizziness faded as the other symptoms began to emerge.

I am tired, in pain, and worried. I know that I should be looking for doctors and taking exams, and I am. I’m doing everything on my power, and I don’t know what I could do from now on honestly. I’m hopeless of getting a diagnosis and I’m starting to think that there’s nothing wrong with me and it’s all in my head.

hello everyone, I would appreciate any help and would be so greatful for any advice on what to do in this situation.

i was diagnosed with strep throat C in late March 2026 and as my immune system took a hit, it woke up the herpes virus for the very first time which was a major ordeal for me. i had an excruciating ulcer on the palate of my mouth which stopped me from eating, sleeping and sometimes even drinking water for about 10-14 days. I’ve recovered from both illnesses completely. as the month of April went past I wasnt near 100% as I still felt quite “off” however during the start of may I thought I was picking up again back to normality

unfortunately on the 4th of may late at night I had this strange cold chill feeling on my back, arms and legs which would create goosebumps. this feeling hasn’t left me for 52 days. Driving, walking, doing tasks at work make the symptoms go away. the symptoms of feeling the chills have lessened over hours to sometimes 1 day of no flares but return gradually and then hit back hard again. I’ve had all my bloods checked, ECG, ultrasounds for my heart as I was sometimes getting a fast heart rate upon standing or light exertion which has settled over the last month. Thyroid tested also. everything has come back normal. This current feeling is very uncomfortable in my daily life and it seems to become worse in a cold environment which makes sense. It is winter now in Melbourne so very good timing. Any help is honestly appreciated .