If I'm so healthy, why do I feel like crap?

September 28, 2009 2:52 PM

I'm thirsty, fainting, dizzy, and cold. Do you know why this might be?

YAND, but have you been here? I'm 26, fairly healthy with some one controlled medical condition. Since Saturday, I've been thirsty. SO, SO thirsty. I drink and drink, and my mouth is dry again before the water hits my belly. My mouth tastes dry and disgusting, even after brushing.

This morning during an exam I started blacking out -- unusual because I was sitting down. Ears ringing, vision blurry, speech slurred. I laid around in a staff lounge until I started to feel better (about an hour and a half).

Went to the doctor --- it's not diabetes. No virus, no infection. My throat even looks normal despite a bit of a cough and a scratchy feeling. They checked my blood for glucose levels (I think that's what it was -- it was 90 and they said that was normal), and they checked my urine for infections and sugar or something. Everything is FINE.

YANAD, so you can't tell me why it is I feel like total crap despite normal tests. But maybe you can answer if you've ever had any similar symptoms, what worked out for you, and most importantly, how to stop dying of thirst.

posted by motsque to Health & Fitness (9 answers total)

This is highly unlikely since any doctor who checked all the rest probably did this, but I had all of those symptoms except the thirst when I had a blood pressure problem... vision would go black, sometimes colours, ringing ears, sometimes balance problems. I always thought I was speaking quite coherently but nobody else thought so.

Like I said, it's probably not that, but you didn't mention a blood pressure check so I'm just making sure it's not been missed.
posted by fearnothing at 3:00 PM on September 28, 2009

Those are pretty serious symptoms. Find another doctor.
posted by Mwongozi at 3:02 PM on September 28, 2009 [2 favorites]

If the symptoms you just described are still there, see another doctor.
Now.
posted by TravellingDen at 3:17 PM on September 28, 2009

Nthing "see another doctor." The thirst, dizziness and fainting are all potentially very serious.
posted by lunasol at 3:24 PM on September 28, 2009

Did they try to correlate the symptoms to any external factors, something you ate, drank, medicine (like for your other medical condition)? That would be another direction to go. You say you have that controlled medical condition, which sounds like you could be on meds for it. Maybe something's up with your meds? Definitely, definitely, definitely see another doctor.
posted by ishotjr at 3:41 PM on September 28, 2009

Have your thyroid checked (TSH blood test) and have your blood sugar checked again ASAP. The unquenched thirst is symptomatic of diabetes but levels can fluctuate wildly depending on what you've ingested so get a fasting glucose test. Don't delay, you can have serious long term damage from untreated diabetes, if not worse!
posted by albertagirl at 4:17 PM on September 28, 2009

Definitely have your thyroid levels tested to make sure everything's functioning normally. Several of the symptoms you describe could be related to this. IANAD but my aunts and mother (who all have thyroid issues and are on medication for life because of it) described thirst and coldness. Not sure about the blacking out, but it's worth a shot, especially if you're female.
posted by pecanpies at 4:17 PM on September 28, 2009

Of course IANYD, but I can relate.

Also check your diet, iron content and stress level. I have the same issues mostly attributed to poor iron intake which accounts for feeling cold (all the time) and frequent dizziness for me. I've had it so much that I've called it 'zoning.' I have not eaten beef or pork for decades now and this can cause issues, and I've poor intake of vitamin C. A daily vitamin really helps me, noticably so. On high strung days, the faint feeling intensifies and it's caused a few anxiety attacks. I have never tested badly for exactly the same tests you've had, but still I've always felt a bit weak. My best days of combating these is the daily vitamin right before bed, 8oz of water, a cup of hot green tea, an orange or similar citrus, and stepping away at lunch for a 20 minute walk to get some natural vitamin D and the blood circulating so the suppliment can do its job better. I am clearly no health nut, I live a fairly high strung corporate life as I strive to (badly) keep a healthy diet, but on weeks I get militant about it, the above gives me that 'normal' feeling.
posted by eatdonuts at 6:40 PM on September 28, 2009

This is the type of thread where a followup with a resolution is really nice.
posted by theora55 at 7:03 AM on September 29, 2009