What might be wrong with me?

[WickedSunrise]

I'm going to call my unversity's health services when they open in an hour and see if they can see me... but in the meantime two weird things have been happening.

 

First, I started to get an allergic reaction on my face yesterday evening. It's SO itchy and red. No raised bumps. Just red and warm and itchy. I washed it and took some allergy medicine. Nothing got better, but I went to bed hoping it would be better when I woke up in the morning... but no.

 

Then in the shower thing morning I felt like I was going to faint. I got very dizzy and had to sit down in the shower... once I felt like I could get up I washed out my shampoo and went to go to my room. But then I somewhat lost my vision... it was blurry and I couldn't see parts. Like it took me many tried to reach the door handle to get out of the bathroom and to get the key in my dorm room door. My orientation was totally off. I just went into my room and laid down on my bed until I felt okay, about 5 minutes. Now I don't feel faint anymore and my vision is normal. (But my face is still super itchy and very red).

 

I hope I can see a doctor, but I'm leaving for the airport to go home for spring break at noon. I'm hoping since it's break starting today that means they're going to have openings...

[lavenderdove]

Do not get on a plane with these symptoms. You could be having a systemic reaction and go into anaphylactic shock on the plane and die.

 

Go immediately to the emergency room if the clinic can't see you.

[WickedSunrise]

Do not get on a plane with these symptoms. You could be having a systemic reaction and go into anaphylactic shock on the plane and die.

 

Go immediately to the emergency room if the clinic can't see you.

 

Really?

 

I called my university health services and they didn't have any appointments until this afternoon. I need to leave in 2 hours... but they had a doctor call me back and I talked to her. I didn't tell her I was getting on a plane though, just said I was leaving for break. They didn't seem to be that worried, they said since I wasn't dizzy anymore, no respiratory problems, and have no other symptoms other than an itchy face, there probably isn't much they can do even if they did have an appointment. They told me to take Benedryl tonight before bed (or today if I don't need to do much, which I might do and just sleep on the bus/plane), and if my face is still bothering me for a few more days or I get dizzy again, go see a doctor at home.

 

You really think it sounds that serious I should go to the emergency room?

[lavenderdove]

I am extremely surprised that a doctor would diagnose you over the phone when you say you are dizzy and have difficulty seeing.

 

Regardless of whether it passes or not, if you are having a systemic allergic reaction, especially with swelling around the face and head area, there is always a chance that your throat could swell and close up and hence you wouldn't be able to breathe.

 

Most doctors would check for things like an elevated heart rate and sounds of congestion in your lungs (which they can't do over the phone) to determine whether the dizziness/blurry vision might be related to a serious allergic reaction.

 

Regardless, your condition can't be diagnosed over the internet, so if you have any concerns, you need to address them with a medical professional, not here.

[WickedSunrise]

I am extremely surprised that a doctor would diagnose you over the phone when you say you are dizzy and have difficulty seeing.

 

Regardless of whether it passes or not, if you are having a systemic allergic reaction, especially with swelling around the face and head area, there is always a chance that your throat could swell and close up and hence you wouldn't be able to breathe.

 

Most doctors would check for things like an elevated heart rate and sounds of congestion in your lungs (which they can't do over the phone) to determine whether the dizziness/blurry vision might be related to a serious allergic reaction.

 

Regardless, your condition can't be diagnosed over the internet, so if you have any concerns, you need to address them with a medical professional, not here.

 

Yea, I know. I guess I was posting because I was a little freaked out after my shower, not because I was looking for a real diagnosis. That's what I called the doctor for. I actually wanted to go in, but they didn't have any appointment openings until 2pm.

 

My face isn't swollen at all (that was another thing the doctor asked about). I don't know if that makes a difference. It feels like a bad sunburn without the pain part (it's red, slightly itchy, and my face feels really warm).

 

I don't really know what to do now... I guess I kind of have to just go home? I need to leave in about an hour. I don't really have time to go get a diagnosis in the emergency room, though if it was actually serious of course I would. But wouldn't the doctor through my university have told me to do that? And now I feel fine minus my face... Eek...

[iBroken]

Is there no telehealth service?

 

In ontario, we have this service that we call to describe our symptoms and they assess whether or not we should go to a hospital or just wait for an appointment with our family doctor.......do you have this service where you live?

 

If not, id call the uni office back and ask them if you can fly based on your symptoms - or if they recommend flying

[mandyc]

I think you will most likely be okay. Make sure you drink lots of water, and take the Benedryl. Then make an appointment with a doctor when you get home. Is there anything that you can think of that might have caused an allergic reaction? Did you eat or drink anything new? Change detergents? Wear something new? Anything like that?

 

If you start to feel really dizzy or your vision blurs again then it may be best to postpone your trip home. But for now drink lots of water and plan on seeing a doc when you reach your destination. Hope this clears up and you can have a good spring break!

[WickedSunrise]

Is there no telehealth service?

 

In ontario, we have this service that we call to describe our symptoms and they assess whether or not we should go to a hospital or just wait for an appointment with our family doctor.......do you have this service where you live?

 

If not, id call the uni office back and ask them if you can fly based on your symptoms - or if they recommend flying

 

I don't think we have a service like that, not that I've heard of anyways. Though I assumed talking to a doctor would be the same thing, that they would have told me if I should go to the hospital, but instead they told me to wait and go to a doctor if it's still here in a few days.

 

I think you will most likely be okay. Make sure you drink lots of water, and take the Benedryl. Then make an appointment with a doctor when you get home. Is there anything that you can think of that might have caused an allergic reaction? Did you eat or drink anything new? Change detergents? Wear something new? Anything like that?

 

If you start to feel really dizzy or your vision blurs again then it may be best to postpone your trip home. But for now drink lots of water and plan on seeing a doc when you reach your destination. Hope this clears up and you can have a good spring break!

 

That's the weird thing, nothing new at all. I've been trying to figure it out. All the products that I used were ones I've been using for months. No new clothes, no new detergents. The food I ate was all pretty normal. I called my mom to talk to her about it since she has a lot of problems with allergies that close her throat up (though she's not a doctor or anything) but she told me the same thing, drink a lot of water and take the benedryl. The fact that she wasn't worried makes me less nervous.

 

I actually already have a doctor's and dermatologist appointment next week! I still get my annual check-up at home, and made a dermatologist appointment for something else. So as long as I make it home I'll be okay and will have doctors to see.