Hi everyone,
I’ve been living with anxiety and depression since 2015, so I know how hard it is to fight invisible battles. That’s why I’m so grateful to share my story here—it’s hard to put into words how strong people with Eagle Syndrome (ES) are.
A bit of my background: My palatine tonsils were removed way back in 2006 (tonsillectomy), and though I managed my anxiety for years, nothing prepared me for what started in summer 2024…
My sudden health decline started in summer 2024. My throat was sore and scratchy, but tests showed nothing. Then came the low-grade fever—37-37.5°C every day, exhausting me, yet my bloodwork showed no inflammation, just mild leukopenia.
By August 2024, I was constantly seeing doctors: ENT, dermatologist, gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist, oncologist/hematologist, endocrinologist, gynecologist… My symptoms were so vague that sometimes I wondered if it was all in my head.
Symptoms I had vs. Diagnoses I got:
- Stomach pain, nausea, irregular bowel movements → Gastroenterologist: IBS, prescribed antidepressants.
- Pain in left armpit/arm, numbness in pinky & ring finger → Neurologist: compression neuropathy, but no explanation for the armpit pain.
- Hair loss → Dermatologist: androgenic alopecia, but treatment didn’t help.
- Infectious disease specialist/oncologist-hematologist → No cause found for leukopenia or fever.
- Constant fatigue, napping 2x/day → Endocrinologist sent me to a psychiatrist.
- My psychiatrist (who’d worked with me for 4 years) suggested looking for a physical cause—he doubted my sudden decline was psychological.
- Brain fog (since 2019, but then 6/7 days a week) → Every doctor said it was anxiety.
By February 2025, I was back at square one—my fatigue worsened, and new symptoms appeared:
- Blurry vision
- Left-sided trigeminal nerve pain
- Dizziness
- Trouble swallowing (dysphagia) multiple times a day
At my ENT appointment, I mentioned my throat was still scratchy and swallowing was sometimes hard. The doctor glanced at my file and said, “You should keep seeing your psychiatrist.” But as a “favor,” she referred me to a maxillofacial surgery department.
To my surprise, they scheduled me quickly. By mid-February 2025, I met the surgeon. I brought a thick folder of medical records, but she didn’t even look—just listened and said, “Sounds like Eagle Syndrome.” The next day, a CT scan confirmed it: 44.2mm left styloid, 42mm right, calcified ligaments on both sides (no vascular issues noted).
I had no idea what ES was—even though I’d graduated from dental school (I now work in clinical research). My surgery was set for April 18, 2025, so I started researching. The Russian web had barely any info (mostly surgical techniques), so I turned to international papers—but they mostly covered surgery, not symptoms. Then I searched Reddit for “Eagle Syndrome” and found this forum.
For days, I read stories just like mine. I cried and kept reading. For the first time since September 2024, I didn’t feel alone.
Before surgery, I devoured every forum post. Sadly, my surgeon only handled the operation—no advice on symptoms or recovery. They removed my left styloid and part of the ligament. I’d assumed (from the forum) that everyone got bilateral surgery at once.
Post-op recovery was up and down, but now—3 months later—I can say:
- Brain fog is gone.
- No more daytime naps.
- IBS resolved.
- Left hand numbness disappeared in the hospital (!).
Only low-grade fever and slight left trigeminal numbness remain.
Now, I’m arranging surgery for the right side.
Since my operation, I filed for divorce—I realized I was alone in my illness (except for this forum ).
I searched the forum for “low-grade fever” but didn’t find similar cases. If anyone else had fever issues, please share.
Wishing you all the right doctor.