Can someone help figure out my cold-like symptoms?
I should start by saying I am an 18 year old male, considered very healthy, but I find myself suffering from anxiety a lot of the time. I also have been under a LOT of stress in the past month. The whole ordeal started 3 weeks ago with a lowgrade fever (99-99.2) and some stomach upsets (no diarrhea really). It went away within 2-3 days. A week ago I developed cold symptoms including cough, sore throat, sinus pressure/headaches, and a runny nose. It doesn't feel like my normal cold because my nose isn't really runny or stuffed up; every once in a while when I blow a lot of mucous comes out (slightly colored, but not green like classic sinus infections). In the past month, I have been convinced I've had every bad disease you can think of and now I don't know what to think. My cold symptoms are made worse by the fact that my fingers especially have occasionally had burning sensations on the tips and some achy pain in my hands as well as my feet and knees and some headaches. I should also
I should also say that I have been on pseudophedrine/guanifen HCl to ease my cold (doctor gave it to me). I have been having these muscle aches on and off the past week or two, but for some reason last night they became more prevalent. Could my stress and anxiety be a contributing factor to the aches? I don't really have any energy loss. I haven't been sleeping well (difficult to fall asleep) up until when I got the cold symptoms. I don't have nausea, fever, chills, night sweats, definitely don't have HIV or an STD. Any ideas? Lyme disease? Just stress/anxiety? Maybe it is a sinus infection even though my mucous isn't really green? I know I need to calm down. On my mom's side, both of her brothers deal with high blood pressure/heart problems as well as her parents. We have bad blood in our family if you want to say that. Could high blood pressure cause aches and pains in extremities? I haven't had my blood pressure checked in 18 months, but I guess stress could raise it?
And one last note: two weeks ago I had muscle twitches all over my body for 2 days (a little after my peak anxiety fits/stress). They subsided once I calmed down (I still don't know if they were due to stress/anxiety) but for a week or so afterward, my body experienced muscle twitches while on the verge of falling asleep. I read somewhere this is a harmless pyschological condition called sleep starts or something? They haven't really bothered me recently though.
Posted by princess123
you might want to visit your doctor
Posted by Gem
You don't have a cold, you have allergies. Pseudoephidrine may work, you could also try something like Alavert. Allergies are no big deal, you will be fine.
We all run "low grade" fevers every once in awhile for no apparent reason, you are fine.
The aches & pains could be very normal, 18 yr old, growing pains. You are still growing and this period of growth can be rapid, and painful. Take some tylenol or ibuprophen, you'll be fine.
As for the stress and anxiety. Either take up exercise, which will improve your overall health, or go see a counselor to help you see that this is just a short term thing.
You need to learn some thought control to help you stop with your destructive, "the sky is falling", thinking. I think we all go through that at one time or another, and as you are getting ready to embark on your "adulthood" it is natural to be scared.
Take a deep breath, and a walk, you'll be fine.
Posted by iccleanne
I'm guessing you are wanting a second opinion to what your doctor is saying. Your symptoms don't sound too worrying. It sounds like a variation of a cold/flu. You need to try to rest and relax as much as possible, take some vit C each day and let your body fight the germs. I am not sure about the fingers, feet and knees problem. I'm guessing you're not happy with your doctors diagnosis, maybe try and get a second opinion from another doctor? Headaches are common with sinus problems.
I hope you feel better soon.
Posted by siamesedream86
Please this should not scare you.
You sound like me.
But after nine years of this happening off and on a doctor took me seriously.
I was tested for several things.
I was diagnosed with Lupus. I feel better knowing what I have.
Go to your doctor....ask for a fasting blood test. It could be several different immune diseases or it could just be stress.
But, believe me, just knowing really makes you feel better.
Email me if you ever want to.
Keep a journal so you can explain better what is happening.
Sounds like the symptoms change and it helps to explain things in an organized way.
Good luck to you.
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