Oh no.. I'm getting sick. Like flu sick.

[Schumi]

I can't believe this is happening again. I usually never get sick. I can count the times I have been really, truly 'sick' on my two hands. Meaning high fever, puking, flu style sick. I have gone years before with having nothing more than a runny nose .

Except last year, exactly 1 year ago this weekend. That was the weekend I was the sickest I have ever been. Not puking sick... fever sick. I had a fever of over 104 at one point. I remember laying in my apartment that weekend, curtains over the windows, complete darkness, laying on the floor thinking I was going to die. I couldn't move without my head wanting to explode. I was extremely dizzy to the point that it was making me dry heave.

I didn't make it any better by driving to Wal-Mart as best I could and grabbing the strongest pills I could find... big assed 1000mg pain killers/fever reducers... I read the back and saw the words:

"Do not take more than 3..."

So I set the box down and took 3 at once. Then a few minutes later continued reading the box to find that it really said:

"Do not take more than 3 in a 24 hour period."

And proceeded to completely lose my **** 45 minutes later in a sweaty, fever and pill induced LSD-style trip fest. There was probably some alcohol involved, I can't remember.



ANYWAYS... the point of this thread.. I feel like it's happening again. I have the same headache.. the hot stuffy ears.. sore back... And it's one year exactly later. And just like last year I have a research trip to leave on Tuesday that I will be gone on until Sunday. I am in charge of a big, once a year wind tunnel test of some race car aerodynamics of which I'm the lead engineer. And just like last year I will probably be dying.



Any advice? Pills aren't helping. Any old wives tales to stop this from progressing? I can tell I already have a slight fever. By tomorrow night I may not be able to sit and type, it will probably be so bad. Last time I thought about going to the hospital it was so bad. I probably should have, lest my one friend who knew where I was would find my dead body several days later when we went to leave for the research trip...

[azasadny]

Lie back and think of England...

[livi]

Lie back and endure the wide spectrum of symptoms your immune system will produce while concurring the viral intruder.

Kidding. Hoping for a speedy recovery.

[Schumi]

So I couldn't sleep all night. My head is hurting and I have a small fever.. but the big problem is my stomach. I don't know why it's hurting but it is.. and it's not a normal kinda hurt. I took some acetaminophen last night and it complicated matters, which is scary considering how much I drink. I haven't started puking up blood yet, but my stomach has a queasy warm feeling.

I've been extremely stressed lately with research deadlines, team that with all the drinking and I think I may have given myself and ulcer... or liver failure..

[Moses]

Originally Posted by Schumi

So I couldn't sleep all night. My head is hurting and I have a small fever.. but the big problem is my stomach. I don't know why it's hurting but it is.. and it's not a normal kinda hurt. I took some acetaminophen last night and it complicated matters, which is scary considering how much I drink. I haven't started puking up blood yet, but my stomach has a queasy warm feeling.

I've been extremely stressed lately with research deadlines, team that with all the drinking and I think I may have given myself and ulcer... or liver failure..

You could have pancreatitis. It's serious. You absolutely must get a handle on the drinking problem. Go see your doctor. This could be much worse than the flu. Good luck.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I had the flu, started feeling better, then started feeling worse. My fever came back, I had diarreha and a dull ache in my waist area, and I knew something wasn't quite right. I went to the doctor the next day, by that evening I was having my appendix out. The point? If you think something isn't right, it's probably not. Get to the doctor.

[Schumi]

I've had these symptoms a while now and the appendix area feels fine, so I'm pretty positive it is not that.


Pancreaitis ... well, I'm going to read up on that.

I don't drink so much as to be unable to refrain from drinking while sick. I'm not mixing pills and booze, I had a drink at the end of last night right before the symptoms came about but have been drinking nothing but water since.

I haven't had any lower digestive problems yet, thankfully.

Insomnia isn't helping these matters I'm sure. I have been meaning to find a doctor and talk about getting some Ambien CR or something. I haven't had a 'family' doctor in 10 years. I actually haven't needed anything but off the shelf medications in that time, except for once when I had tendinitis, for which I went to a specialist. I guess I'm hitting the yellow pages.

[rammstein]

Do what the Doctors say obviously. For the insomnia (which I have had all my life in spades), the mildest thing you can try is Melatonin. You have nothing to lose with that. I found that alcohol suprisingly did not really help me sleep. Perhaps backing down from it might help. You getting any exercise?

[TechnoViking]

I was diagnosed with strep yesterday. 24 hours of antibiotics, and feeling better now. Go to the doctor...you never know.

[Schumi]

Thanks for all the thoughts and advice guys. I just begrudgingly drove to the store and got some big deli sandwiches and low acid orange juice (just in case it comes back up, it will taste better that way)...

I'm feeling better already as I stuff this sandwich towards my problem. It's going to be a long day though.


I do not get enough exercise . I just don't get into any because I'm not an overweight guy and have never had any real health problems. I'm 6'0" and weight 170 lbs. I actually just lost 10 lbs last month and felt awesome because I didn't change my diet that much and lost weight.

Now I'm really wondering about that weight loss. Something else is taking a toll on me. The insomnia is possibly the big pink elephant at the moment.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Schumi

I actually just lost 10 lbs last month and felt awesome because I didn't change my diet that much and lost weight.

Ummm, you do realize that losing weight without cause is bad, right? A friend of mine's mom started losing weight without doing anything, along with having frequent headaches. Turned out she had some form of cancer in the area of her eye. Fortunately she went to the doctor, instead of ignoring it.

[Schumi]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Ummm, you do realize that losing weight without cause is bad, right? A friend of mine's mom started losing weight without doing anything, along with having frequent headaches. Turned out she had some form of cancer in the area of her eye. Fortunately she went to the doctor, instead of ignoring it.

I was attributing it to making my own sodium-ridden chinese
food at home instead of buying the greazy stuff down the street. That and, being a smoker, my weight is highly seasonal..

[nostatic]

And the hits keep coming

At the risk of being so bold, I would suggest seeing a psychologist to get at why you're drinking and not able to sleep. You can self-medicate all you want, in the long run it will just get worse.

Oh, and stop smoking and eat better

[ramonesfreak]

well if you feel ill and you lost weight and your a smoker then you most definitely have cancer, either lung or throat, possible stomach cancer.. just kidding. i smoke too...seriously, when i dont feel well i drink my urine to cleanse my system. you should do that asap. just kidding again, feel better and see a doctor for a diagnosis and then treat appropriately instead of with big deli sandwiches

[Schumi]

I'm really thinking these big deli sandwiches are the cure for anything and everything.


Yea, I have a lot of vices, and I'm working towards bettering them. I'm gone every few weeks for a week at a time for the next three months around the country for my work/research. I'm hoping to get some help between now and the summer but things are just ridiculous right now.

My sleep problems seem to always cause my other problems. I am a very, very light sleeper. I live in a busy part of town. I've dealt with it for a year now. I wear earplugs to sleep when I need to sleep during the day (I have to work at night sometimes).

I've heard people say good things about going and getting sleep aid medication. The Melatonin is on my list next time I'm at the drugstore. Maybe that will help me enough to get on track. I think more sleep will give me more energy and keep me from getting sick at random like this.

[dhoward]

You drink because you still like to party, despite what you say. You can't sleep because alcohol interrrupts your sleep patterns.
Get your own place.
Don't keep trying to do everything at once.
And for god's sake, QUIT WHINING!!

That'll be $100 please.

[Schumi]

I'm getting a second opinion! :-)

[dhoward]

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Schumi

I'm getting a second opinion! :-)

ok, you need to cut your hair as well.