I never knew I had POIS because it wasn't severe, but as I grew up, things became worse to the point that I couldn't stand steadily. The brain fog and fever symptoms would kick in and make things even worse.
My detailed symptoms:Age: 38
I'll try to make it short so readers can get the idea:
Total body weakness
Shaky legs
Feeling of something running through the legs
Cold intolerance
Fever-like symptoms
Random twitching
Muscle weakness
Unable to go to the gym
Numbness
Sinus-like headache
Poor stamina
Weak heart
Poor circulation
Unable to sit for extended periods
Difficulty standing in queues
Fear of taking a shower
Feeling like collapsing
Depression
Severe gastritis
The list goes on...
How it begins: Immediately after O, but if I make it quick and take a shower immediately, it's less severe. Multiple O's on the same day or the next day can make things severe to the point that I feel like going to the emergency room.
Diagnosis: All blood work, brain MRI, ECG, and everything else come out normal. Doctors thought I had restless leg syndrome or some nerve issue, but those drugs never worked. Some even told me to check with a psychiatrist or get a social life for my age, which seemed unlikely.
Recovery Progress: Staying active, taking regular walks, managing stress, and pushing my limits over time made me stronger. I had a severe tooth infection for more than a year and recently extracted my lower right wisdom tooth. Since then, I feel POIS has reduced significantly and recovery is faster (1 day max) with just mild headaches and fever, which eventually disappeared.
I had O today and didn't get any of the above-mentioned symptoms. Not sure whether this is because of the wisdom tooth extraction or my sudden change in lifestyle, but I feel some progress. Still, I don't want to push my limits. I'm limiting my O frequency to around twice a week. Also, gas symptoms didn't dominate as well. Earlier, after O, I would get severe gastritis and manage it with medicine. Now it's not that severe. My focus and work quality have improved too. Now I don't think about POIS and just continue life.
My take: I'm still not sure what's going on, but I can say: reduce stress, attend to any untreated infections, try to stay active, get fresh air, reduce O frequency, get enough sleep, and see what works best for you. My prayers to everyone suffering from POIS for a speedy recovery. Together, we become stronger and better.
Just my 2 cents.
