Age: 53.0
Sex: M
Vaccine: COVID19
Symptoms: Pain, Palpitations, Pruritus, Pyrexia, Rash
Clinical narrative: March 6, 2022, I came down with a very heavy cold. Took OTC medication to try and soothe it but within a very quick span, I felt completely drained of energy. Couldn't get out of bed and had a fever of 100+. Was basically lazy, lethargic, no energy, zero. Never felt this kind of symptoms so the next day, we did a COVID test at home and that came back negative. So that was kind of a relief for a moment. Took me about 3-4 days after that with a lot of hydration to get back to normal. It was the most extreme case of flu. That was this particular episode. A week later after that, I started observing intense itching all over my body from scalp to bottom of feet. Indiscriminate of the location of body, time, and time of day. I could not figure out anything and I wasn't allergic to any food groups. When the itch would come, I would get a sensation that the part was going to itch and I would feel a needle prick then my body would start heating up and that was an indicator that that part of my body would itch, then that's when the itching began. I did wait 7-8 days before finally seeing a doctor. And the itching was what prompted me to go see the doctor. When I was at the doctor's office, in terms of trying to take care of the problem, they told me to shut down 6 food groups, which we did. They also gave me medication, hydroxyzine, and I was asked to take that. I took that and I shut down on the food groups. I was following the doctor's protocol for treatment. It did not bring the itching under control. Something weird would happen at the body part that would itch. It would bring up a lot of heat. Touching my skin would cause like-symptoms of dermatographia. The skin originally looked normal at the initial visit. The 2nd visit and a nurse was taking my blood pressure, and when the cuff puffed up, my skin started flaring up again. The doctor was physically watching me break out as urticaria. Changed the medication to cetirizine to take every day. And put me on a 12 day diminishing dose of prednisone. Asked me to see an allergist and immunologist. The medication is helping slightly, and the itching isn't there all the time. But the redness and flare up are still happening. Instead of the body, the focus is on the neck, face, ears, feels like a fire lit underneath the skin then feels like it cools down. The itching is under control some. It's still happening but not as bad as it was a week ago. Seeing a specialist for these symptoms at some point soon. I've never been allergic to anything or food groups, or anything severe. I've also never been sick like that initial cold. They're not sure if it's a virus or allergy, or anything. I'm not sure if it's directly related to the vaccine but what I've experienced I've never felt before. Two more symptoms: I have never had any form of indigestion. I've had this a couple of times, especially in the morning- seems like a burp that won't expel, heart starts racing, that comes with anxiety, almost a panic attack. Takes 30-40 minutes to expel the burp, then it expels. The feeling at the same time, feels like the throat is being constricted. Once the burp comes out, the tightness goes away. Can't really drink water during this time in the morning because I feel bloated and these symptoms seem to start in the morning. I try to walk around to get my day started to prevent these symptoms and try to take in a small sip of water. They come together and it's a morning event that doesn't happen again until early the next morning. All these symptoms have developed since March 6 or 7 after that initial cold, and before then I've been completely healthy, so I just want to figure out what's wrong.