Shaky sweating nausea

I'm 33 male non smoker no risk factor.4 years with anxiety, panick attacks and depresion.I lost my father 5 year ago from heart disse.Everything started 4 year ago with some sharp chest pain,back pain,arm pain and I was freaking that I have heart attack or some heart disease and i started to feel every body sensation and to have anxiety. I visited ER and couple of cardiologist,done numerous test and my heart was fine.They check everything and all tests were normal. I got advice to visit therapist.He diagnosed me with anxiety and depression and give me diazepam and escitalopram.I was two year on therapy then slowly lower my doses.I quit escitalopram 4 months ago,but I still have panick attacks.I take diazepam and after 1 hour I'm fine.Now without escitalopram I got my problem back .My hypochondria are back.Chest pains are back and even more intensive.I have pain in my left hand and my back,dizziness,nausea,chills.Every symptoms for heart attack.When I got this episode I take diazepam and after 1 hour I'm ok.My doc didn't want to hear me about heart tests again, cardiologist told me to not waste his time. I'm desperate and I struggle a lot.Right now I have anxiety attack(chest pain,back pain,dizzines,heartbeat,cold sweat).I got better while I'm writing this post but I know that tomorrow I will have another episode.Benzo and SSRI together give me 30 kg weight for the last 2 years.Anyone with similar anxiety?

42/F with PCOS but blood work in normal range (A1C, glucose, etc.) HW: 297 SW: 261 (5’7”) CW: 254
Started compounded tirzepatide (2.5) on 4/18/24
Finishing week 4 tomorrow. I decided to stay on 2.5 for 4 more weeks. Why? Because I figure it’s still working. I have appetite suppression all week since shot one. I’m down 7-9 pounds depending on which scale I use.
But suddenly this week (week 4) I am experiencing nausea after meals. First side effect after 26 days of 2.5. Nutritious meals (I eat zero fast food, zero fried food, zero sweets/sugar outside of fruit). I already drink 100+ oz of water daily. I eat 100-150g of protein daily. Has anyone else noticed this? It’s odd after 3.5 weeks of zero nausea. It’s manageable so far, just not fun.
I am wondering if I should NOT do electrolyte supplementing? I am not super active/sweating hard so maybe that’s the nausea — too much salt/electrolytes?
I have used the liquid IV or ULTIMA packets sparingly. Maybe 1 every other day usually. Though yesterday I did do two in one day. The messaging is so mixed. I drink so much water my urine is near clear always, and I am running to pee every 30 minutes it seems — so I thought why not try electrolytes to ensure I’m absorbing.

I didn't eat anything weird or do anything unusual yesterday, but after work I went home, laid down, and started to become nauseous.
After a few hours, my back started to hurt, I became bloated, I started to have body aches, and then I got the chills while my skin was hot to the touch.
I took a COVID test, but it was negative, so I tried to go to sleep, but I was sweating profusely.
Eventually, the nausea, chills, and sweating subsided enough that I could get some sleep.
The highest my temperature got was 99. I have GERD and an anxiety disorder, but this wouldn't make me feel like I had COVID.
I'm feeling a little better this morning, but still not 100%.
What did I have?

Introduction
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. It is commonly used during pregnancy to manage diabetes, particularly pre-existing diabetes or gestational diabetes. Pregnant women generally need diabetes treatment. Insulin can be administered through an insulin pen or syringe. Insulin is considered safe and effective during pregnancy. It can manage the blood sugar levels caused by pre-existing diabetes or gestational diabetes.
Insulin
Insulin plays an important role in the regulation of blood glucose levels. The pancreas releases the insulin hormone into the bloodstream when blood sugar levels rise after a meal. People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes require insulin to control their blood sugar levels. Insulin formulation is available in short-acting, intermediate-acting, long-acting, and rapid-acting forms, to fulfil the specific requirement of diabetics. Although insulin is available in oral or inhaled form, it is not frequently used.
Insulin during pregnancy
Blood glucose levels go from high to low when pregnant women take insulin. Research demonstrates that the intake of insulin may increase the size of the placenta more than normal and be heavier during pregnancy. It is essential to control the blood glucose level for a healthy pregnancy and baby. Insulin is generally safe and effective, but there are some side effects and considerations:

1. Weight gain: During pregnancy, some women may experience weight due to the amount of insulin taken. Insulin enhances the glucose storage and other nutrients that lead to the fat deposition.
2. Reaction on injection site: At the injection site, sometimes insulin injections may cause redness, pain, or swelling. Changing the injection site and appropriate injection technique can minimise these reactions.
3. Allergic Reaction: Some women may experience an allergic reaction due to insulin such as breathing problems, rashes, or itching. It is important to take medical help if any signs of allergic reactions occur.
4. Hypoglycemia (Lower blood pressure): If the insulin dose is too high or missed meals, it can lower the blood glucose level leading to hypoglycemia. The signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia include confusion, sweating, dizziness, and shakiness.
5. Hypolakemia: Insulin intake can decrease the potassium level leading to symptoms such as irregular heart rhythm, weakness, or fatigue.

During pregnancy, insulin requirements may change due to hormonal fluctuations, increased insulin resistance, and changes in diet plan. Pregnant women with diabetes need to go for regular checkups to reduce the risk of complications for themselves and their babies.
Treatment

1. During pregnancy, insulin is not the only single accepted treatment for diabetes. Exercise and diet are important treatments for anyone who deals with diabetes. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes require this treatment to control blood glucose levels.
2. Pregnant women should develop healthy food choices including fruits, vegetables, proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats.
3. Daily exercise also helps to manage the blood glucose level by using extra blood sugar for energy.

Conclusion
During pregnancy, insulin is essential to treat diabetes type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes and outweighs the risk associated with side effects. Pregnant women need to work closely with healthcare professionals to manage their conditions effectively and ensure the best outcome for them and their babies.

Yes, anxiety and stress can cause chest pain. This type of chest pain is often referred to as non-cardiac chest pain and can mimic the symptoms of a heart attack. Here are some key points about anxiety- and stress-related chest pain:
How Anxiety and Stress Cause Chest Pain:
1. Muscle Tension:

• Anxiety and stress can cause the muscles in the chest to tighten, leading to pain or discomfort.

2. Hyperventilation:

• During periods of intense anxiety, you might breathe rapidly and shallowly (hyperventilation), which can lead to chest pain.

3. Increased Heart Rate:

• Anxiety can cause your heart rate to increase (tachycardia), which can sometimes be felt as chest pain.

4. Adrenaline Surge:

• Stress and anxiety trigger the release of adrenaline, which can cause the heart to beat faster and more forcefully, sometimes leading to pain or discomfort.

5. Gastrointestinal Issues:

• Anxiety can exacerbate conditions like acid reflux or esophageal spasms, both of which can cause chest pain.

Symptoms of Anxiety-Related Chest Pain

• The pain may be sharp, stabbing, or a persistent ache.
  
• It can be localized or spread across the chest.
  
• May occur at rest or during periods of high stress or anxiety.
  
• Often accompanied by other anxiety symptoms such as sweating, dizziness, shortness of breath, or a sense of impending doom.
  

Differentiating Anxiety Chest Pain from Heart Pain
While anxiety-related chest pain can mimic cardiac chest pain, there are some differences:
- Cardiac Chest Pain:

• Often described as pressure, tightness, or a squeezing sensation.
  
• May radiate to the arms, neck, jaw, or back.
  
• Can be accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, or sweating.
  
• Usually triggered by physical exertion or stress and may last longer than a few minutes.
  

- Anxiety Chest Pain:

• May be more localized and sharp.
  
• Often occurs during periods of rest or sudden anxiety.
  
• Accompanied by other symptoms of anxiety such as rapid breathing, palpitations, and fear.
  

What to Do If You Experience Chest Pain
1. Don’t Ignore It:

• Always take chest pain seriously. If you're unsure whether it's anxiety or something more serious, seek medical attention immediately.

2. Calm Yourself:

• Try to relax and breathe slowly. Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation can help.

3. Avoid Triggers:

• Identify and avoid anxiety triggers when possible.

4. Seek Professional Help:

• If anxiety and stress are causing frequent chest pain, consider speaking to a mental health professional. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication can be effective treatments for anxiety disorders.

5. Lifestyle Modifications:

• Regular exercise, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, and stress management techniques can help reduce anxiety levels.

When to Seek Immediate Help

• If the chest pain is severe, lasts more than a few minutes, or is accompanied by symptoms such as shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or pain radiating to other parts of the body, seek emergency medical attention immediately.

Chest pain, regardless of the cause, warrants attention to rule out serious conditions and to manage symptoms effectively.

I had a 5 mm stone in right ureter for months. About 5 weeks ago I had the nausea sweating and horrible pain .
A week later I had a laser scope done and it failed. I had a stent put in and tried again after 10 days. He got it all, I had a stent for six days, went in to have stent removal and dr said X-ray showed everything clear.
Six days later I had CT scan which I get every 4 months. It showed a 4 mm stone in right ureter. How is this possible?

How does no one else care? Why does everything hurt me so bad? I’m so angry all the time. Oh my god the symptoms of anger are killing me. The headaches, nausea, twitching and jerking, the heavy breathing, intense heart rate, my stomach hurts so bad, the sweating, everything. My thoughts are making me insane. The constant desire to tear myself apart and bite and punch. How much more can I possibly take?
How is the world so cruel? Why do I have to be here with all these people? Why can’t I be heartless and happy? I feel so sick. Everything hurts. Sorry I care about other people (sarcasm). I’m rotting from the inside out. It never goes away. I feel like I’m going to puke. I wish I didn’t have empathy. I wish I never felt anything. I hate being me. Killing myself seems like the only option left. No one is safe to be around. I can’t take it.

Hey everyone, I’ve finally turned to the Reddit community. I’m not sure where’s the best place to post this but there is an element of GERD and is very likely and a root cause for at least a large portion of it so will try here first. Apologies for how lengthy it is.
I’m a M38, obese through childhood and young adulthood, hypertension since teens that was treated with metoprolol (had palpitations as well) and even high cholesterol that was finally treated with statin in early twenties. Around the age of 25 I took last 2 years to lose about 150 pounds going from 360 to 210, (all natural from diet and exercise).
Shortly after this, I started getting one side numbness and tingling, rate headaches, and sometimes along with or separately bouts of chest pain and palpitations, sweating, hot flashes, left shoulder pain, arm pain, dizziness. This lead to a decade long investigation that lead to no real solution. Countless stress tests, echo/ekg, holters, blood work, head and neck MRIs, dopplers, EEGs, etc, no real diagnosis was made. The only thing that change was about 2 years after switched from metoprolol to losartan, as it was more appropriate now after the weight loss, which a doc thought was just the right thing to do and had no explanation for my symptoms otherwise. No more rate control since 2015.
Ultimately, after 10 years of this… For the neurological symptoms, it was a deemed hemiplegic or basilar migraines, with aura, with or without headache. I was told hey, it hasn’t killed you yet, so that alone tells us at least it’s not fatal. For the cardiac symptoms, anxiety or some type health anxiety, or something in the psych realm was deemed the culprit. I was told it’s best you ignore it, or jump on a medley of different drugs, which I was told likely won’t benefit me. Imagine having to live with all this, and being told by doctors to essentially ignore it all. I asked the crucial question, at least to me, that I’ll go ahead and listen to their advice, but what is my threshold? At what point am I to rush to an ER? Most people would run to one if they had these symptoms, as neuro could be stroke, and cardiac could be heart attack. They had no answer for this. After this decade long hunt, I spent a year in misery, personal issues, my blood pressure medications was doubled in dose after a breakup, then doubled again 2 weeks later (it was stressful), all during Covid year 2020. Unfortunately over the decade I slowly gained back 100 of the weight I had lost. Back 290 pounds. During this year I lost 30 of it again, down to 260 In 2021, I had pretty crazy bout of chest pain, and was offered do a coronary CTA, came back completely clean. No obstruction at all in vessels, and zero calcium score. This was reassuring enough to me at least cardiac wise I can rest easy(to some degree). For the neuro side, CGRP antagonist was on the table to try, but it would just be throwing medications at it, along with gabapentin and topamax as options. The latter were tried, but were not tolerated at all. In 2022, I had my first bout with covid, moderate, it left its lingering symptoms (which are hard to discern as I had a large amount of the symptoms of long covid for years before this too) An endoscopy was done. As a GI doc said since you’ve been having such a long list of symptoms for so long, let’s explore the GI route since you’ve ruled out the rest from what it seems. Endoscopy found a small hiatal hernia. And the trail went cold. Can a small one perhaps cause such symptoms?
Which brings us to the most current situation. March of 2023 I decided to do the stationary bike, high resistance and high effort for 30 minutes with HR at about 130, then 5 more minutes I ramped up effort even more to HR of 150. Towards the last minute or two o started getting chest pain. I obviously should have stopped but I figured hey I get some type of pain like this time to time let’s just hit the 35 minute mark. Big mistake.
When I stopped, the pain persisted. And took a while to get better. Like an hour or so. And it felt different than anything I’ve felt before. Felt radiating to arm and jaw. By nightfall it was fine, next morning it all started again when I got out of bed. I wish I had gone to ER so at least they’d run some tests on the spot. I contacted my cardiologist, who I saw four days later. He said there’s nothing to be done, even though I told him these are different symptoms, and seem to come from exertion. He offered me a repeat of the CT or a trip to the cath lab. I let him decide and he went with CT since it was non invasive.
2 weeks later I got the test done, and this time they found a 10% Non calcified plaque in the proximal LAD, the calcium score still zero. He said this doesn’t explain your symptoms, but since we have evidence of CAD, you have to be put on aspirin 81. Additionally, he offered Ranexa, as he thought maybe this could be microvascular disease. Ultimately he did not believe this to be new and different like I’ve been saying and jumbled it all into the last 15 years or so. No enzymes got tested, which I really wish had been.
*****I now had this exertional left arm pain, wrist pain on the outside, numbness, chest pain, pressure, dizziness, jaw pain, pain behind left ear, left side of neck headache, bouts of nausea and sweating, shortness of breath even. This was all way worse than what I used to deal with. And different too
My pcp advised against his trial medicine, as it has a very little success and plenty of adverse effects. Days past by, no improvement, I’m getting these symptoms on the daily. An incident 3 months later in summer after swift walk to the car after eat a large cookie (I include that because maybe it was GI?). For hours I felt tingly in the chest, light headed, just confused. My girlfriend even noticed I just seemed out of it. Chest felt tight and painful. It eventually got better many hours later.
Mid summer I went for a pulmonary consult, at my doc’s behest, only for this doc to rush me to an er on suspicion of an aortic dissection. They did a full CTA of head neck chest abdomen and pelvis….. nothing but unnecessary radiation and contrast exposure.
Late summer I had a week of sweating and light headed ness, now 6 months out from the exercise incident from March. I went to another cardiologist, who had no idea why my pressure was suddenly 90/60 (literally no changes have been made). I was told to cut my medication dose in half. Could this be due to the contrast from the CT earlier??
He ordered a stress test, my first one since then, which came back subpar 6-7 minutes only but I did hit the target rate. I may have called quits 1 minute or 2 early as I saw my blood pressure skyrocketing. It was considered a normal test regardless. That night I had the worst left arm pain lasting hours, but I was told there’s no explanation. I did start getting very intense headaches, ones that I still get
Interestingly, 1 month later, my blood pressure was suddenly now high, 150/80. Suddenly. no explanation why it was low then, and none for why it’s high now. We went back to regular dose of the medication.
I got a neuro consult again to see if it could all connect, autonomic testing was done for dysautonomia, came back normal. Back to Square 1 again.
In the fall of 2023 I tried a bout of PPI as all docs were pushing for this , nothing changed, but it did help with the occasional heartburn I got. I even gave a month try to benzodiazepine as to rule out psych causes, and then tried an Ssri for 2 months. Nothing, other than sedation.
This new year I caved and started metoprolol again. I was told maybe it will help if it’s microvascular disease. It wasn’t exactly indicated but at this point I was willing OT try it all. Initially it had some benefit I think, then dose was doubled in February but not much changed. I still take it presently, as my base HR had recently been higher than normal anyways.
In these last few months, all of this persists. And subjectively I think it’s getting worse. I’ve been feeling cold for months, but then feel like sweat at the same time (not drenched just clamy). Get bouts of nausea even at rest. All of the cardiac symptoms episodic pain dizziness with chest shoulder jaw back neck ear, etc all still there. Even from left arm it runs down like into the palm and pinky. I even get them during sex I just power through. Stressful moments also incite them. I cannot say for sure, but possibly food or spicy food can do it as well.
My cardiologists still believe nothing is new here, even though it feels completely different to me after that exercise incident. They suggest coping as is, or going in for another coronary CTA, or finally take a trip to a cath lab. Essentially they say objectively they see nothing, but if I keep complaining those are the best routes.( I was offered nitro as well but scared to take it) My neuro says unlikely they are related, but it they could be to the possible migraines. At least the new headaches. There’s some possible link with migraine and chest pain. Only way to know is try a cgrp. He’s going with Qulipta. My GI doc says it could be vagus nerve related, and/or esophageal, so let’s try a TCA, amitriptyline. I’ve also been suggested to try a higher dose of Xan.
——— I have no idea which trail to follow????
My labs are normal, -except CRP (I believe around 40 if I recall correctly) which is often elevated, -hsCRP of 1.8 which was moderate risk category, -and CPK which is often high as well around 400 but my docs blame it on statin use or maybe exercise (idk about that no one entertains it as cardiac but they must have their reasons)
I really don’t want to sit on all this and find out later I didn’t take the action necessary. I’m afraid of something serious happening. And daily this is interfering with my life.
My concern is maybe during that exercise I did something. Initially was concerned about damage from really high blood pressure during, coronary dissection maybe? Something else damaged? Or something missed? Did I make something worse? Does anyone think it’s all related to my past symptoms?
What could have happened with this exercise incident??
Any input, advice, suggestions, similar stories, appreciated.
If you made it this far. Thank you so much for reading. Take care.

I was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder, however I have a sneaking feeling that this diagnosis isn't right. And im worried about this. I'm 15, healthy other than my new onset of symptoms, don't smoke/drink, etc. At the hospital I've gotten tested for everything mins EMG/table test/spinal tap. Do all types of Dysautonomia cause death? And do my symptoms sound like Dysautonomia? I also want to know if it sounds serious or what kind of Dysautonomia that's possible!!!
Symptoms:

• Diarrhea for months

*Dizziness
*Clammy/ and purple colored skin and hands
*Nausea to the point where I couldn't eat (I'm ok now, still get nauseous but I have medicine for this)

• Tremors and uncontrollabe shaking in leg

*Trouble swallowing
*Blurry vision/constant right eye blurry now
*Breathing problems (shallow breathing)
*Sensitive to heat
*Slurring words (when episodes happen)
*Weak
*Hard for me to stand during episodes
*Pins and needles
*Foggy memory
*Increased Anxiety (it's real bad)
*Excess sweating
*Heartburn
+Plus more
I take nausea medication, vitamin d everyday, and nexium.

33M, caucasian, non-smoker, social drinker, history of SVT with overall low risk factors. Currently taking Pantapropozole, Carvidolol, Multivitamin, Iron, Miralax. I'll attempt to make this short-winded and hope this counts as appropriate for this subreddit!. Around ~August 2023, I suddenly started having random spikes/drops in my sugar levels, as well as fatigue and notable weight loss (40 pounds over 4 1/2 months). My previous PCP started the workup and over the next ~3 months, I was in and out of hospital admissions/countless doctor visits. Over this time I started to develop more symptoms, most notably night sweats, increasing GI issues, and worsening fatigue/tiredness.
Because the symptoms were mostly non-specific, I had pretty broad, general workups with few things off (my hemoglobin dropped several points in November then slowly recouped back to 15.5. Saw a hematologist and he basically just said "you had a bleed, it clotted off and now you're recovering. If it drops again come back to me"). Full body CT w/contrast, MRI of spine/brain, colonoscopy/endoscopy, spinal tap, echo, CPX, countless blood tests which I would fail to mention all of, but including endocrine/rheumatological and autoimmune markers, as well as viral potential causes.
At some point in December my gp basically threw his hands up and said "we don't have anything to work with, the few abnormal things are recovering". Fast forward to February, I end up in the ER with severe nausea and a dull pain below my lower left rib cage. They do a repeat CT and mention that my spleen is still "minimally enlarged" but there are no noticable masses, and my liver is "no longer slightly enlarged". These are two things I was never told about, I suppose because they felt they weren't significant enough? But made me realize I needed another opinion/better guidance. The radiologist also noted on the report that I had "mild haziness near the mesenteric root of the pancreas level", but "pancreas unremarkable otherwise" as well as normal lymph nodes in the area. He recommended checking for pancreatitis and/or mesenteritis.
I go into a new GP in March. She's fantastic - extremely thorough and importantly doesn't immediately try to blame this all on the easy things. She gets me into GI and hematology (had another GI doctor but she wanted me to get another opinion, as the old one basically said your colonoscopy/egd are normal, come back in 7 years). Hematology came first, and he basically said objectively, you acutely then chronically bled, used up all your iron stores which caused excess fatigue (fatigue/tiredness is still a primary issue for me but is substantially better than a month ago when I started iron supplementation) and now you're recouping. We can do a bone marrow biopsy or a PET scan, but I can tell you what they will show: nothing. I asked about the spleen/livemesentery involvement and he just said "your blood work and scans show no sign of a mass, if malignancy were making you this symptomatic, it would be more obvious and you wouldn't have seen any improvement. In addition your liver has reduced in size and your spleen is still barely enlarged with no signs of mass, malignancy doesn't act this way".
I leave the visit at least more optimistic about the situation, but still feeling awful and like this is some type of GI related malignancy that's killing me, frankly. (As a side note, symptoms became so problematic that I had to stop working full time which has obviously been another stresser during all of this).
Then the GI visit comes (about 2 weeks ago now at this point). We go over everything and he just basically says "let's skip the MRI and go for a pillcam to get a closer look at your small intestines, and an endoscopic ultrasound to take a closer look at your pancreas and this inflamed part of your mesentery". Sounds great to me! I know people go years looking for a diagnosis sometimes, but the last 8 months have been the most exhausting/stressful/longest of my life and he seemed adamant about getting to the bottom of this.
Here's where my concern/question comes in: back in December in my last hospital admission, the hospitalist asked what I thought this may be. I pretty quickly said PC, because of the way things progressed and the initial, non-specific symptoms + sugar issues (which seem to have mostly gotten better? I've also regained 30 pounds since, which is a "good" sign I know). He kind of laughed and just said "your pancreas has been imaged and looked at twice by two separate radiologists and neither saw anything to worry about" (this was before the February scan showing mesentery involvement). I kind of gave up on that idea/worry for a long time because of the assured way he answered my concern over it, but now I've got it in my head that that's what has been the culprit all this time and have been told CT's miss signs of PC pretty frequently, and the mesentery/spleen findings are a result of pancreatic tail or body involvement that's spread, which the GI did mention it was unlikely to be in the head as you'd almost certainly see bile duct involvement/jaundice evidence at this point, or the classic pale/clay stools, which I haven't had.
I know there is pretty strong evidence to this point to suggest it isn't a pancreatic tumor, given 3 contrast CT's now over 9 months with no sign of it, improvement in some symptoms (night sweats are virtually gone, fatigue is significantly better), some of the more obvious/common symptoms not being there, like the stool/jaundice, but instinctively this just feels like the right place to look. I'm not terrified of a diagnosis at this point, but I'm absolutely mortified that this is going to get worse before I have the chance to even figure out what it is because of the things that have continued to worsen (nausea/malaise in the morning especially, tiredness/dyspnea... Well, the dyspnea has improved since the iron supplementation as well, but considering I could get up and run five miles 9 months ago and now a small flight of stairs whip me...). The idea of losing ~6 months of valuable time if I'd pushed this concern harder back in December is also a hard pill to swallow. Speaking of, the pillcam is Thursday, and the EUS is the 28th. I tried to move it up but they are booked out (I feel like I they suspected pancreatic cancer they would have got me in sooner as well) and I don't want to push it anymore in the case that it isn't that, and I potentially take someone's spot that needs it before I do. I guess I'm asking for someone to talk me off this ledge and trust that something obvious wasn't missed, or even recommend I continue to push this as maybe it sounds like a familiar situation someone has witnessed in the past where it ended up being something like PC. I think I've mentally accepted almost every potential outcome of this situation except for that one, which likely has to do with me being intimately familiar with what it looked like in the end for a friend.
That was... Long-winded. Sorry, I tried haha. I wish you all the best of health moving forward!

Since I started working the graveyard shift I thought I was fine at first. I noticed a decrease in my appetite and my pants fit again which is good but it’s not just a decrease in appetite. I have no appetite at all, like how I was when I was taking vyvanse. This isn’t entirely a good thing - I am prone to bouts of hypoglycemia where I start sweating and my hands get really shaky. Sometimes I get jittery of feel nauseous when it comes on. I now have to force myself to eat because I want to avoid that but it’s hard because I don’t feel hungry at all.
My sex drive is also gone though that’s probably for the best since I don’t think my boyfriend and I will ever see each other again because of my schedule.
I don’t know if this has anything to do with anything but about two weeks and this my face broke out. I’ve always had relatively clear skin, and now I have more acne than I did when I was a teenager.
Did this happen to anyone else?

I already suffer with anxiety have had it most of my life. But can you anxiety get even worse when your going thru the menopause. My anxiety symptoms are nausea and upset tummy, shakes and sweats. I just want to someone to tell me it will get better. Already on 3 anti anxiety meds and an anti sickness meds and also on the Hrt gel. Could the menopause actually really make you more anxious. The nausea is the worse I just wantint to go away.

At a recent check up I tested low for blood sugar. (60 mg/dL, I was not fasting). A follow up two weeks later had similar results.
I have felt fatigued, had occasional headaches, had bouts of racing pulse/breathlessness/lightheadedness, and just felt generally off the last several weeks. I really don't want to deal with this day-to-day.
My doctor seems pretty unconcerned because I haven't had any shakiness or sweating, which he considers the tell-tale signs. I'm really thinking this might be the answer to why I've been feeling off, but he's giving me doubts.
Is it unlikely that I have hypoglycemia? Do any of y'all have hypoglycemia without shakes and sweats?
I am getting set up with an endocrinologist, and planning to make some diet adjustments to see of that helps. Thank in advance for sharing your thoughts and experiences!

Hello all. This is my first post on here. I’ve been on lexapro for about 10 weeks now, mainly for my health anxiety, panic attacks, and emetophobia. It’s definitely been a rollercoaster adjusting to this medicine and wondering if it’s been working or not. However I would say once i reached the week 8th mark, i felt like a functional human being. I’m not 100% anxiety free but i feel way better than I have in the past. It has been such an amazing feeling being able to feel like a normal person again & being able to hang out with my friends and family again. However today I had a setback. I took my cat to the vet to get her shots at this first come first serve clinic, so I had to wait for a very long time in a very hot, crowded, and small room. Not to mention I live in Texas so it’s extremely hot outside & it was even HOTTER inside there. I felt my whole body start to heat up and practically everywhere in my body was sweating. I then felt my heart racing and my hands became very shaky. I will say, even though my body was physically freaking out I felt like mentally I was fine and i didn’t freak out as much as i would have before lexapro. The ladies working there were kind enough to give me a cold water bottle and a donut to potentially bring my sugar up. After that I started to feel better. I’m home now and I feel perfectly fine but I can’t help but ruminate on how that happened and how much of a setback it feels. I’m not sure if what I experienced even was a panic attack or maybe i was just extremely dehydrated and my sugar was low, however I ate before I came and i was drinking a water bottle and everyone else was fine so I can’t help but i think i just experienced a panic attack. Like i said, I’m just feeling very sad and disappointed, especially because I’m traveling to LA for a trip where I’m going to a concert and going to be doing ALOT of walking. How am I gonna survive that if i legit almost passed out in an indoor environment. Idk I’m just really down and if anyone has any advice or words of encouragement that would be greatly appreciated:( has anyone else experienced panic attacks while on lexapro?

hey guys! this subreddit has helped me a lot with POTS so I wanted to send some tips on here for others. (feel free to add more tips in the comments)
Snacks are important! I typcially bring a lunchbox with me and I fill it with tons of ice packs, mandarin oranges, chimps meat sticks etc.
A general layout of my meals that helps me not get post eating tachycardia / adrenaline dumps:
Breakfast: Omelets Egg bowls with potatoes French toast with scrambled eggs Fruit!
I eat a snack before lunch and it’s typically a chomps meat stick with some sort of veggie or fruit, or a salty chip with spinach artichoke dip, hummus, etc.
Lunch: Typically some sort of grilled chicken, shrimp , or ground turkey with lots of cooked veggies( broccoli upsets my POTS )
Dinner: Similar to lunch, I do add more bread in here(I tend to avoid it throughout the day bc it can make me feel bad). I use homemade pizza dough or bread without lots of additives and that has helped me.
When i’m feeling sick, chocolate milk can ease my nausea and shakiness.
Some good brands that have helped me not feel so sick are: Dave’s bread costco chocolate milk cartons chomps meat sticks natures bakery brownies simple mills

i think i have the flu.. not sure. I started feeling sick last thursday with a tickle in my throat and had a fever by the nighttime. fever stuck on and off for 2 days with severe aches, chills, sweats, heart racing. day 3 i got a full blown head cold with blocked nose, pressure headaches, ears plugged. i’m on day 6 and i still have pressure headache.. nose is less stuffy but still a ton of post nasal drip. i feel absolutely exhausted no matter how much i sleep. i feel weak, shaky, nauseous all day long. to the point i don’t think i could walk any real distance.. started coughing like no tomorrow this morning, hardly getting anything up but a little bit. it feels so…. gross to breathe in my windpipes. i don’t know how to describe it. i’m starting to get a bit worried at how ill i feel for the 6th day though. Is this normal?

Living in a small southern town, you get used to the way things are. I grew up as a military brat, so my childhood memories are a blur of packing, unpacking, and getting settled. It had been seven years since we arrived, and nothing but the grace of God would make me move again. A few years ago, my father got orders to station at a base in the middle of the Mohave. I was only seventeen then, but after a few dozen screaming matches, I decided to strike out on my own a little early. I got a part-time job at the cafe, which was enough to rent a little run-down shack a couple of blocks from downtown. As far as I was concerned, I was living the dream—serving coffee a few hours a week and spending the rest of my time hanging out with friends, listening to music, and drinking.
That particular morning started the same as any other. I woke up around noon with a text from Mark to meet me at the cafe. Took me about two hours to get up and head over. The sun had just begun its descent as I pushed the door to the cafe open, the bell above tinkling softly. The sound bothered me a little bit, but I couldn’t tell why. It seemed to ring a little louder than I was expecting, and gave me this strange drilling sensation inside my head.
I ignored the feeling as the smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries washed over me. I saw Mark and Jamie already sat at our usual spot. Mark looked up as I approached, a grin spreading across his face. "Hey, Alex. Sarah should be here soon."
“So what's on the docket today?” I asked as I sat down, stealing a bear claw off Jamie's plate and taking a large bite before he had the chance to protest.
Mark’s excitement was almost palpable. He was always the one with the big ideas and crazy schemes, which I honestly appreciated. They got us into trouble more often than not, but it beat day drinking in the Walmart parking lot like everyone else our age.
"Alright, check this out," Mark said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I was talking to my cousin who works for the county. He told me about this old, abandoned food processing factory just outside of town. They used to can peaches there."
I gave him a skeptical look. "That’s your idea? Old, canned peaches?"
"No, idiot," he scoffed. "They left behind a ton of nitrates and phosphates. I’ve been doing some reading, and we can use them to make fireworks. I was up all night figuring it out and putting these together." He subtly opened his backpack to reveal at least a dozen PVC pipes fitted on both ends.
"Now that's what I’m talking about," I said, grinning.
Sarah walked in, catching the tail end of our conversation. "Sorry I’m late, I had a breakout and had to stop by the pharmacy. Upped my allergy meds. I fucking hate pollen," she said as I scooted over to make room for her on the bench.
"Is there anything you aren't allergic to?" I laughed.
She rolled her eyes, ignoring my question. "So, what's the plan for today?"
Mark, Jamie and I exchanged cheeky glances. "Well," I started, "let’s just hope you’re not allergic to peaches."
We finally managed to pry the side door of the factory off, which broke free from the hinges and smashed against the floor. Stepping inside, the air was thick and rancid as we bounced the beams of our flashlights around the packaging floor.
"We should split up," Mark suggested. "Alex, you and Sarah check out the storage rooms for the chemicals. Jamie and I will find the control room and see if we can get the power back on."
All of us nodded as we went our separate ways. Sarah and I wandered down the dark hallways, kicking open doors and looking for anything that looked vaguely like chemicals. The corridors were dark and damp, with black mold snaking along the walls like veins.
The first few rooms we checked were empty, filled only with dust and the remnants of long-abandoned equipment. Each door creaked as we pushed it open, revealing more decay and desolation.
As we moved further down the hallway, the mold seemed to become more aggressive, spreading in thick, dark patches along the walls and floors. The air grew heavier, making it harder to breathe. We kicked open another door, our flashlights revealing more of the same—nothing useful.
"This place is a bust," Sarah muttered,
"Let's keep looking," I replied, though I was starting to feel the same way. "There has to be something."
We continued down the corridor, our footsteps echoing in the silence. As we approached the end of the hall, something caught my eye. One door stood out, covered in black, creeping mold that seemed to pulse and writhe. Tendrils of fungus snaked out from the edges, reaching out into the hallway.
"Sarah, look at this," I said.
She turned to see what I was pointing at and her eyes widened. "That’s... different."
We approached the door cautiously as the tendrils moved and swayed.
With a deep breath, we each grabbed one side of the door and pulled. It resisted for a moment before giving way, the mold snapping and tearing as we forced it open. The smell that hit us was overpowering, a mix of rot and decay that made my eyes water.
Inside, our flashlights revealed a horrifying sight. At the back of the room sat several pallets with dozens of boxes of peaches each. But it was what grew from these boxes that will haunt my nightmares till my dying day.
The entire back wall was consumed by a towering fungal mass. Thick, fleshy stalks jutted out from the base, climbing nearly to the ceiling. The surface of the fungus glistened with a slimy, wet sheen, appearing almost like rotting flesh under our flashlight beams. Each stalk was covered in a mottled, sickly green and yellow hue, with patches of black mold that seemed to pulse in the dim light.
Interwoven within this horrific sight were bulbous growths, each one throbbing rhythmically, as if with a heartbeat of its own. They resembled obscene, overgrown tumors, ready to burst at the slightest touch. Long, sinewy tendrils extended from the main mass, creeping over the boxes and along the floor like the fingers of some malevolent creature, seeking out any life to ensnare.
The tendrils near the door twitched, slowly inching their way toward us as if aware of our presence. The air was thick with spores, glimmering in the light like tiny stars, each one a potential harbinger of decay and death.
"Oh my god," Sarah whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of our own breathing. "What is that thing?"
We stood there, frozen in shock and disgust, before I slammed the door shut.
"Let's get the hell out of here," I said.
We hurried back down the corridor, our footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence. The lights in the facility flickered on, casting a blinding white light. I heard a bubbling, groaning noise emanate from behind the fungal door, sending a wave of nausea through my body.
We met back up with Mark and Jamie in the main area and quickly told them what we saw.
"Yo, that sounds sick," Jamie exclaimed. "We should blow it up. I found the chemicals in the control room and these bad boys are ready to go," he said, holding up a pipe bomb.
"Yeah," Mark agreed, his eyes alight with excitement. "We'd be doing the world a favor, getting rid of that thing."
Sarah shook her head, her face pale. "No way. I'm not doing this. That thing... It's not normal. We need to get out of here and call someone who knows what they're doing."
Jamie frowned. "Come on, Sarah. Don't be a buzzkill. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do something epic."
"Epic?" Sarah snapped. "That thing is dangerous. We don't know what we're dealing with. I'm not risking my life for some stupid joke."
Mark stepped in with a grin. "Alright, let's all calm down. If you’re scared you can just let the men handle it.”
Sarah crossed her arms. "Fine, but I'm staying here."
"Suit yourself," Jamie said, shrugging. "But we're not leaving without taking care of that thing."
"Alright, let's do this," Mark said, looking at Jamie and me. "We'll be quick. Sarah, stay here and keep an eye out.”
The hallway looked completely different in the fluorescent lighting. I could see now that each vein of fungus emanated from that single door, like a spiral portal threatening to suck us in.
"Let's make this quick," I whispered, glancing back at Jamie and Mark. "We light the bomb, throw it in, and get the hell out of here."
Jamie nodded, holding the pipe bomb tightly in his hand. "Ready when you are."
We reached the door, and the tendrils of fungus seemed even more aggressive, writhing and pulsing as if aware of our presence. The air was thick with spores.
"On three," I whispered, gripping the edge of the door. "One... two... three."
We yanked the door open, the mold snapping and tearing as it gave way. The smell of rot and decay hit us again, making my eyes water. The monstrous fungal mass loomed before us, its bulbous growths throbbing rhythmically.
Jamie lit the fuse and threw the bomb as hard as he could inside. It struck one of the orbs, which burst, shooting a fine white mist into the air.
"Run!" I shouted, slamming the door shut. We turned and sprinted down the hallway. The explosion sounded behind us, the shockwave lifting me off my feet and sending me tumbling to the ground.
Living in a small southern town, you get used to the way things are. My parents were in the army, so we moved a lot, but now I'm staying put. I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a small headache.
I ignored it and slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie. “So what's on the docket today?” I asked, stealing a doughnut off Jamie's plate.
“Going to go to an old peach factory and get some chemicals. I need to make some fireworks,” Mark replied, subtly revealing some pipe bombs in his bag.
Sarah walked in towards the tail end of our conversation and silently stood next to our table.
The three of us glanced at each other, unsure of how to proceed. “Sarah,” I finally started. “Are you ok?”
“Y-yeah,” she replied. “Are YOU guys feeling ok?”
We exchanged uneasy glances. “Yeah, we’re fine,” I said. After a moment, she shook her head and sat down as we continued our plans.
That evening, we broke into the peach factory. We found this disgusting, gigantic fungal growth coming out of some boxes of peaches and we blew it up with some pipe bombs.
The next day I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a small migraine.
I ignored it and slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie. “So what's on the docket today?” I asked, stealing a maroon off Jamie's plate.
“Going to go to an old peach factory and get some chemicals. I need to make some fireworks,” Mark replied, subtly revealing some pipe bombs in his bag.
Sarah walked in towards the tail end of our conversation and silently stood next to our table.
The three of us glanced at each other, unsure of how to proceed. “Sarah,” I finally started. “Are you ok?”
“Y-yeah,” she replied. “Not really. Are YOU guys feeling Ok?”
We exchanged uneasy glances. “Yeah, we’re fine,” I said. After a moment, she shook her head and sat down as we continued our plans.
That evening, we broke into the peach factory. We found this disgusting, gigantic fungal growth coming out of some boxes of peaches and we blew it up with some pipe bombs.
The next day I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a piercing migraine.
I ignored it and slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie. “So what's on the docket today?” I asked, stealing a bagel off Jamie's plate.
“Going to go to an old peach factory and get some chemicals. I need to make some fireworks,” Mark replied, subtly revealing some pipe bombs in his bag.
Sarah walked in towards the tail end of our conversation and silently stood next to our table.
The three of us glanced at each other, unsure of how to proceed. “Sarah,” I finally started. “Are you ok?”
“What's going on?” she asked, tears welling up in her eyes. “I’m scared.”
We exchanged uneasy glances. “It’s fine, Sarah. Just take a seat,” I said. After a moment, she shook her head and sat down as we continued our plans.
That evening, we broke into the peach factory. We found this disgusting, gigantic fungal growth coming out of some boxes of peaches and we blew it up with some pipe bombs.
The next day I woke up around noon and got a text from Mark to meet at the cafe. The smell of slightly stale coffee and pastries greeted me as I arrived. The bell's ring seemed off, giving me a splitting migraine.
As I slid into the seat across from Mark and Jamie, I noticed Sarah outside, fixated on a bird suspended in mid-flight. I went out to see her.
"Are you seeing this?" she asked, her voice tinged with astonishment.
"Yeah," I replied nonchalantly. "That happens all the time. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"
"What the hell do you mean, 'Am I feeling okay?'!" she screamed. "That bird is frozen mid-air, and you don't think anything weird is going on?"
Her yelling took me aback. I didn't understand her alarm, so I shrugged it off and joined Mark inside. As we began planning our nightly excursion to the peach factory, Sarah burst through the door, screaming, then vanished in a puff of smoke.
"That's odd," I mused, my brow furrowed in confusion before we shrugged it off and resumed our scheming.
The day after, I met Mark again at the cafe. This rhythm had become our existence: meetings by day, adventures by night at the old peach plant. That evening followed the familiar pattern; we reveled in the thrill of hurling pipe bombs into that small enclosed room.
This routine had completely engulfed our lives. Day after day at the cafe, night after night at the factory—it seemed as though this cycle was all we had ever known. Reflecting on it, I couldn't remember any other way of life.
However, one thing increasingly disturbed me—the ringing of the doorbell at the cafe's entrance. Each time I entered, the sound seemed sharper, more grating. Focusing on it brought a searing pain to my head, like a needle drilling through my skull. Yet, despite the agony, I found myself obsessing over it, the sound gnawing at the edges of my sanity.
One day, driven to the brink by this incessant ringing, I decided to confront it head-on. I stood by the door, letting the bell chime repeatedly. Each ring sliced through my mind, but I persisted, sweat beading on my forehead, teeth clenched in torment.
As the pain crescendoed, reality shattered. I woke to the blaring of a fire alarm, not the quaint doorbell I had imagined. The cafe was engulfed in chaos. The hallway was consumed by a sprawling fungal mass, its tendrils creeping along the walls.
In the dim, flickering light, I saw Jamie, or what was left of him. Half of his skull was missing, the fungus attached grotesquely to his exposed brain, pulsating with each eerie beat of his fading heart. Mark was there too, seemingly unharmed physically, but trapped in a delusion, his eyes glazed over, a smile playing on his lips as the fungus encased him.
Sarah lay collapsed by the fire alarm, her hand still on the lever. She had managed to pull it before succumbing to the spores that now clung to her body.
The tendrils that had enveloped me snapped violently, each break releasing a sickening crack that echoed through the eerie silence of the hallway. An outline of my body remained imprinted in the fungal mass, a mold from which I had desperately broken free.
Gritting my teeth against the pain and horror, I scrambled to Mark and Sarah. Mark was less entangled, lost in his fungal-induced stupor. I grabbed him under the arms, his body limp but alive, and dragged him across the floor. The fungus resisted, stretching like sinew before tearing away from him with wet, ripping sounds.
Sarah was heavier, her body weakened but still fighting. I clasped her wrists, pulling with all my strength. The fungus clung to her, tendrils winding up her arms like ivy. With a final, determined yank, the last of the tendrils snapped, freeing her. We left behind fragments of the monstrous growth clinging to her clothes.
Together, we staggered out into the night air, away from the suffocating enclosure. The cool air hit our faces, harsh yet cleansing. Behind us, the fire alarm continued to blare into the night. I fumbled with my phone, hands shaking, to dial the emergency number. The call went through, and within minutes, the sound of sirens cut through the stillness of the night, growing louder as help approached.
The next few days were a blur. I remember fading in and out of consciousness as nurses pumped antifungals directly into my IV, their faces blurring into the sterile environment. Once we were somewhat cognizant, the police wanted answers. One by one, we were interviewed, but we gave them nothing. I still don’t know what the exact penalty is for manufacturing explosives and using them to destroy a building, but I’m guessing it’s not community service. Jamie was still missing, and they hadn’t found any sign of him or his body. I tried to hide my tears as I knew he was already long gone.
After a few weeks, I was finally cleared for visitors and got to see Sarah again. She told me that after the explosion, she ran but couldn’t leave us behind. She came back, only to see us being consumed by the fungus. Try as she might, she wasn’t able to free us as she felt the oppressive spores take her under. She fought back and managed to pull the fire alarm before succumbing again. The doctors told her that her allergy medication gave her some resistance to the fungus; otherwise, she might have been a goner.
Mark was never the same. We never talked about what happened, and after trying once and him flipping out, I figured it was best to let sleeping dogs lie. That summer, he moved to upstate New York to work in his dad’s business. I haven’t seen him since. That fall, Sarah started college at Savannah State. I still call her every now and again, but it’s not like it used to be.
Despite all that happened, I’m not moving again. I’m happy here, and if it’s up to me, I’ll die in this little town. I still work at the cafe, as a manager now. On weekends, I come in and just sit at the booth we all used to share.
I still think about Jamie from time to time. I wonder if he's dead or still stuck in his delusion, picturing the four of us sitting at our table, talking, laughing, and passing the time. Sometimes, when the cafe is empty and the light is just right, I can almost see him there, his smile frozen in that moment before everything went wrong.
The cafe grows quieter each day, the hum of life fading into an eerie stillness. My skin feels different, as if the air itself whispers secrets I can't quite grasp. The itching that started as a minor annoyance has intensified, becoming a constant torment. I scratch at lesions that have begun to form on my arms and chest, red and raw, with patches of green spreading beneath the surface. I’ve started to wear long sleeves to cover my arms and a mask to hide my purpling lips.
Some nights, when closing, as I sit alone in the dim light of the cafe, the itching becomes unbearable. I claw at the lesions, feeling a dampness beneath my skin. Sometimes, when I cough, I could swear I see tiny spores hanging in the air, reminiscent of the bursting nodules growing on the stalks of the monster.
Occasionally, I hear the bell ring and the door open, but no one is there. I look outside into the empty night and see nothing. This went on for weeks, becoming more frequent. But one night, the door opened, and I saw Jamie standing there, the picture of health. I went to embrace him and noticed my lesions were gone too. It was almost as if we had never gone to the peach factory. It was suddenly morning, and the light shone through the cafe. For the first time in forever, we were happy. We talked about nothing, passing the time.
After what felt like hours, he told me it was time to go. But his mouth wasn’t moving—I felt like I could read his thoughts, and he could read mine. We stood up as I took one last look at the cafe and headed off with him, back to the peach factory.
As we walked, a strange calmness settled over me. I remember feeling that I wanted to ask if he had talked to Mark or Sarah, and wondered how they were doing. But deep down, somehow, I could feel their presence and I knew they were doing just fine. The sun was bright, the air crisp. The itching had vanished completely, replaced by an inexplicable craving for the sweetness of ripe peaches. Jamie and I shared a silent understanding, a bond deeper than any words could convey.
The factory loomed ahead, its doors wide open as if inviting us in. The familiar scent of peaches and something else—something earthy and ancient—filled the air. We stepped inside, side by side, feeling at home for the first time in ages.
The last thing I remember before the darkness took over was the feeling of the soft, warm peach flesh in my hand, and Jamie’s voice in my head saying, "Welcome home."

Hey I just had to get wheeled out of my high school earlier today from how bad my cramps were. I had such bad cramps that I was sweating and turning white, my teeth were chattering and I couldn’t take it anymore so I raised my hand and blurted if anyone had any Advil I needed it right now because I was in so much pain I couldn’t see and was about to pass out. My teacher calmly called the nurse and no one had any Advil, so I called my mom in a panic because she needed to come pick me up right away, I was in so much pain at this point that I couldn’t feel my arms and legs and it was hard to talk, like physically I was slurring my speech. My friend had to help me drink water because my hands started locking from pain, I started to not be able to feel them like pins and needles and then they curled into a claw form and locked, couldn’t feel or move them. I couldn’t move my hands or use them and I couldn’t feel my legs and I COULDNT FUCKING TALK. So they took me out in a wheelchair to the nurse to wait for my mom and they were so rude at the nurses office btw, and then I got wheeled out and sent home. We almost had to go to the hospital bc we thought I was having a weird seizure or something bc I still couldn’t move my hands or wrists and I was slurring my speech. But i have had this happen before without the hands and speech issues? The pain was blinding but that’s the “normal” part, zofran helped the nausea too, but Jesus Christ this scared the shit outta me. I want to know if you guys have similar experiences. Thanks

OC
In the far future, mankind is surrounded by neighbours that rule over their citizens with an iron first and no regard for their happiness, either in the name of a select few families with noble blood, absolute monarchs or tyrants that claim to serve the interests of their nations while their actions suggest otherwise.
It is a sickening thought and certain individuals would not stand for this. Many species were flabbergasted when they learned so many humans were willing to meddle in the affairs of their neighbours, even more were shocked to learn that these endeavours were not funded by any human government for the sake of destabilising potential rivals.
It was a voluntary effort.
[----------------------------------------]
If Mesch could describe the current microcycle, she’d call it tiring, soul-crushing even, she had no choice but to overwork herself to pay off her debt to the state. After the brother of her father was falsely charged with high treason and shipped off, all of her immediate family-including her-was charged the appropriate price for being the acquaintance of a dissident. The dread residing in her heart only grew stronger as she made her way back to her meager apartment-dwelling, the thought of the massive debt and the cost of living only served to wear her mind down.
“Hello miss, did you know you have rights?” Mesch’s ears perked up at the sudden barrage of noise directed at her, turning to look at the source, she found a strange, seemingly furless biped looking at her. She exhaled from her snout, as if she didn’t have anything better to do…she had recently gotten off her twelfth consecutive overtime shift and the last thing the drowsy nersk needed was a speech about- “You actually do and since I’m here, I’m willing to tell you all about it” The biped was holding plenty of pamphlets in its first appendage and a clipboard in the second. Whatever it wanted to tell her must have been important enough to stand in the same spot for an indefinite amount of time, Mesch decided to humour the strange alien, stopping in her tracks and focusing exclusively on the being in front of her.
"Enlighten me then, what rights do I have?” She came to the conclusion that the alien ignored the sarcasm in her response, seeing that it was thick enough to pierce. She had nothing to her name besides the clothes on her person and what little she had in her apartment-dwelling. The alien handed her a pamphlet, why not? She had come this far, may as well go the whole way. It was written fluently in the language of her people and the information it divulged immediately drew her attention.
-The average Nerski adult works an average of ten human hours for six human days every human week with for the same criminally low wages. This is twenty nerski mini-cycles every twelve nerski micro-cycles every nerski mega-cycle. That is humiliating, grating and unacceptable. Besides being deprived of overtime rates, the average nerski adult is robbed of their sense of safety in their own dwelling, the nerski authorities need no one’s written permission to invade and sack someone’s dwelling for evidence of a crime, perceived or not. The average nerski citizen has no say in who governs them or the measures they may enact at any given moment. The average nersk is not free. But you can be, if you ask the nearest F.F.F advocate for more information. Freedom Forever Foundation-
Something just did not sit well with her about this, was she supposed to work less? Was she supposed to be paid more for the unskilled labour she provided? Was she being taken advantage of? The intrusive thoughts did not let her already weary mind rest, for she had a myriad of questions that urgently needed answering. “I…I want to know more” Mesch did not bother masking the tone of her voice, it sounded equally tired and pleading, desperate for answers to the questions that only kept appearing with each passing second.
The face of the alien brightened by a considerable amount, quickly withdrawing something from the bag on their back. In that span of seconds that felt like a lifetime she remembered the race the odd sentient in front of her belonged to, humans. Not new to FTL technology by any means, but still treated like children in many political-and social-circles thanks to being the newest addition to the Neutral Cooperation Concord. “Glad your rights concern you…this is the information kit, spread the word” A beige folder was handed to her, it was almost as thick as her arm, the scandalous information…the pull it had on her, it was hellish! The promise of relief almost made her knees buckle under the pressure of her need to know.
“One more thing…can I have your signature? I will sooner burn the page than let it fall in the hands of nerski authorities…you have my word” She didn’t need to be pressured to sign and she did so eagerly, carefully hiding the illicit materials within her clothes with shaky hands. ‘Thank-” The human did not get to thank her in time, noticing a single file line of nerski plain clothes enforcers closing in on them, picking up speed when he started backing away. “Unfortunately this is where we part ways…now go!” The last glimpse of the human she caught was him getting swarmed by the enforcers “Liberty fears no tyrant! FREEEEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!” Mesch’s attempts at leading the human away had failed, tears threatened to spill out of the corners of her eyes the longer she ran yet she had no other choice. If only she could see him again…
Almost an entire megacycle latehuman month later…
Mesch was returning from work, this time she failed to evade the treacherous weather, opting to withstand it and head back home through the camped alleyways leading to that fabled square she had met the human at. She sighed, stopping for a bit and sitting down, squeezing her long ears to get what little water had gathered in there out again. That was when a familiar voice caressed her ears once more. “Hello miss, did you know you have rights?” Her head spun around a little too quicker than she liked, causing some pain to her neck but ultimately ignoring it in favour of finding the source of that blessed voice.
“Of course you do, you’re the first one!” The same human from before sat next to her, shielding her from most of the raindrops thanks to his larger size. “Also I’m now considered a political dissident and there’s an active warrant out for my detainment but that’s not the important thing here! It is this…” The same clipboard came into her view, this time filled with plenty more signatures and from the looks of things there were more pages under the one on top, all filled to the brim with signatures as well. “Whoever has it out for me sure doesn’t like it when people think on their own”
Mesch…was stunned, she had convinced herself the human would never see the light of day again and yet here he was, staring at her with that same smile, the same smile with the same, if not larger, amount of defiant spirit brewing behind it. “How did you?...”
"I am a vessel for liberty, as long as it exists somewhere, I will not be stopped” The human stood up and offered her his hand, she accepted it and after getting pulled up on her feet he showed her another pamphlet, this time it talked about a protest right outside the presidential palace, it was suicidal to say the least…which was why Mesch thought she had finally flown off the handle when she accepted without second-guessing herself.
“So…there are more like me?” Hope filled her heart, it was good, way too good to be true. “Not just more…way, wayyy more! Now come, I will get us there with the Liberty mobile!” She soon found herself strapped inside a vehicle of signature human design, heading straight to the presidential palace, her stomach flipping at the mere sight of the crowd gathered at the meeting point. Chanting slogans, phrases, speeches that at any other point in time she would have rejected as crazy and meant to destabilise the nation her people had built over many lifetimes. They got out and marched with the rest of the assembled nersk until they hit a chokepoint, lines upon lines of enforcers ready to meet them halfway , they were not scared or intimidated, they were ready.
Before long, either due to their own initiative or an order from a higher up, the enforcers were set loose on the crowd. Bashing, bruisng and shooting with electrically-charged pellets, trying their damnest to scare the crowd away. Mesch was scared but she would not flee, for the life she lived before this grand event was nothing more than celebrated slavery. Enforcers descended on her and the human, she was badly beaten but before any serious harm could befall her the human shielded her and proceeded to drive back the enforcers hellbent on killing her without even fighting back , the only weapon in his name was his own body and he did not use it as a weapon, only a a shield.
A few moments before she fainted from the overwhelming pain, she could hear the battle cry she had heard only once before and a sense of comfort, a painful but satisfying end to her life of misery.
This would have been the case if she hadn’t woken an indeterminate amount of time later in a hospital, with none other than the same human sitting besides her, watching her. “Slept well? You deserve it after all these bruises” It was painful to move and for the second time, she ignored it. Twisting just enough to be able to hug the human. “Thank you for everything” The human hugged her back, comforting her with the warmth only his words had provided so far. “You shouldn’t thank me, I was doing my moral duty…there is someone else you should be embracing right now” Behind the human stood another nersk, it was uncle Vinow, the same uncle that had gotten dragged off by the secret police. Tears of happiness overwhelmed her and she soon hugged both of them.
“Some sympathetic soul leaked the coordinates to several blacksites holding political prisoners and from the looks of things this isn’t the last act of defiance we’re going to be hearing about, while you were unconscious I was ferrying as many prisoners back and forth to the capital….Congratulations Mersch, your people have embraced freedom. Enjoy it, your blood, sweat and tears have finally paid off”
[-----------------------------]
[My HFY-themed discord server](http:// https://discord.gg/KQeBuv88EB)

DISCLAIMER: YOU SHOULD NOT STOP LEXAPRO COLD TURKEY. TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR FIRST.
I started 10 mg of Lexapro back in June of 2023. I was working a really high stress job and it was causing me all sorts of problems with anxiety. I was "managing it" and by that I mean not doing anything about it and letting it destroy me mentally and physically lol. So my doc prescribed me Lexapro and I started it.
Lexapro REALLY REALLY helped. I stayed at 10mg the entire time I was on it. It made all my anxieties feel a lot smaller, and easier to manage. I can describe it as "taking the edge off" of my life. I didn't experience any weird side effects going onto it and I was fine on it for a long time.
So between about October of 2023 and now, I have experienced DRAMATIC and FAST weight gain. When I started Lex I was fluctuating around 140-150 pounds, and suddenly today I am 190 pounds. I have dark stretch marks on my arms near my armpits, on my belly, and really dark stretch marks on my thighs going all the way down PAST my knees that seem to have shown up over night and I’m starting to get them on my breasts and butt now too.
There weren't any other external factors that I believe caused my weight gain (except for the fact that I was obviously a little less active in the winter but nothing that caused me to gain 40 pounds that quickly).
I started to get extremely depressed about my body and the stretch marks. After talking to my doctor and doing my own research plus a blood test it seemed that my weight gain was likely related to the medication.
I decided on my own that I would quit cold turkey since I no longer worked at the stressful job, and wanted to see if I could get off it and see how it affected my weight and also if I still even needed it since a lot of the anxiety was removed from my life. (YES, THIS IS STUPID, DO NOT DO THIS) but I wanted to share my experience. I decided to log daily about what I noticed after quitting cold turkey on May 1st.
Day 1: - felt completely normal
Day 2: - Had weird euphoric feelings? Mania maybe? - Weird nightmares - No physical symptoms
Day 3: - felt slightly nauseous - weird dreams
Day 4: - I thought I was having vertigo but now I think it was brain zaps - about a 3/10 on the "nausea" scale that would come and go - weird dreams
Day 5: - felt pretty normal this day except for weird dreams
Day 6: - lasting dull headache (could be unrelated) - 3/10 nausea on and off - dizziness - brain zaps - appetite changes (I felt hungry but the thought of food made me nauseous) - felt kind of like I had the flu - night sweats - weirdly enough I've been sleeping BETTER I've noticed since coming off it despite the nightmares
Day 7: - No negative emotional changes noticed thus far, I kind of actually feel a bit better? Like I can feel my emotions more? - headache - nausea - night sweats - nightmares
Day 8: - Slept really good again minus being super sweaty and having nightmares (the quality of my sleep felt really restful when I woke up) - This was the first day I noticed a bit of creeping depression for seemingly no reason - brain zaps - dizziness - nausea - headache
Day 9: - nausea - dizziness - brain zaps - irritability (but my period will also be starting in about a week or so which could be a factor here)
Day 10: - Another restful sleep - brain zaps - dizziness
Day 11: - felt really depressed today, first time in a long time and can't really place why. - nausea - fatigue - dizziness - brain zaps
Day 12 to now have all been pretty much the same with: - fatigue - night sweats - dizziness - slight nausea - the brain zaps are REALLY starting to get to me.
Personal Takeaways: - Talk to your doctor and TAPER OFF. I'm sure the nausea/dizziness and brain zaps would be a lot better if I would have done so. - As someone recovering from an eating disorder as well, gaining a little weight should not be the sole reason you go off your medication if it is helping you. Really think about what is important!! If I was still working that stressful job I would NOT have done this because I truly needed it at the time. I am working a much less stressful job now so I figured I could see if I even still needed it or not. - There has been no change in my weight yet, it's only been 2 weeks. I am not expecting the weight to just fall off or anything. If I happen to lose a notable amount of weight I will come back with an update.