Any Dr.s or EMTs in here? I'm in pain - Solved

[bulma87]

Reoccuring pain in my mid to upper back and my chest, under my breasts. It goes on for hours and hurts to breathe. Help?

They have been occuring for many years and episodes are usually at least a month apart. It feels like I've been impaled through my chest and back with a pole and breathing in and out hurts. The pain persists for hours and it fluctuates on which hurts more: the chest, back, or both at the same time. Pills don't seem to help and I cannot sleep during an episode.

Background: Tests were done when I was younger and they found nothing wrong with my heart. Back then, I was having painful five second episodes where it felt like I was being stabbed in my heart, but i've almost completely grown out of those. They were almost everyday.

25, white female, overweight. Last episode was 8 weeks ago, prior to today's episode.

[longlived]

if your overweight you have your answer. First responder, CLS, common sense.

[bulma87]

longlived

if your overweight you have your answer. First responder, CLS, common sense.

But that doesn't make sense. The last time I had it was 8 weeks ago. They are at least a month apart from each other.

[Ants In Your Underpants]

longlived

if your overweight you have your answer. First responder, CLS, common sense.

please get the hell out of this thread and this forum you have no reason to be here, if this is your advice. this person was asking for help and you make fat jokes, I am reporting you and hoping the mods will fix your smart a** mouth.

[Chogori]

There are a lot of things this could be.
First of all, a few questions.

Is there a position you can sit/lay in that eases the pain?
Does trying to take a deep breath hurt?
You say this happens at least a month apart,
Do they fall in sync with any part of your menstrual cycle? (This could be what is called referred pain. I suffered severe pain in my lower ribcage while running, and it was later discovered that it was actually ovarian cysts causing it.)
How overweight is overweight?
Look up an anatomy picture of where your diaphragm is. Is this where it hurts?
Try taking your pulse (The place on your wrist is probably the easiest to find) during one of these episodes. I assume the pain you're in is causing it to be faster, but does it seem even? or is it thready, uneven, weak?

Go through these for me- Its how emergency medical responders commonly assess what might be happening. (OPQRST)

Onset of the event
What the patient was doing when it started (active, inactive, stressed), whether the patient believes that activity prompted the pain, and whether the onset was sudden, gradual, etc
Provocation or Palliation
Whether any movement, pressure (such as palpation) or other external factor makes the problem better or worse. This can also include whether the symptoms relieve with rest.
Quality of the pain
This is the patient's description of the pain. Questions can be open ended ("Can you describe it for me?) or leading. Ideally, this will elicit descriptions of the patient's pain: whether it is sharp, dull, crushing, burning, tearing, or some other feeling, along with the pattern, such as intermittent, constant, or throbbing.
Region and Radiation
Where the pain is on the body and whether it radiates (extends) or moves to any other area. This can give indications for conditions such as a myocardial infarction, which can radiate through the jaw and arms. Other referred pains can provide clues to underlying medical causes.
Severity
The pain score (usually on a scale of 0 to 10). Zero is no pain and ten is the worst possible pain. This can be comparative (such as "... compared to the worst pain you have ever experienced) or imaginative ("... compared to having your arm ripped off by a bear). If the pain is compared to a prior event, the nature of that event may be a follow-up question. The clinician must decide whether a score given is realistic within their experience - for instance, a pain score 10 for a stubbed toe is likely to be exaggerated. This may also be assessed for pain now, compared to pain at time of onset, or pain on movement. There are alternative assessment methods for pain, which can be used where a patient is unable to vocalise a score. One such method is the Wong-Baker faces pain scale.
Time (history)
How long the condition has been going on and how it has changed since onset (better, worse, different symptoms), whether it has ever happened before, whether and how it may have changed since onset, and when the pain stopped if it is no longer currently being felt.




Just because you have pain in a certain area does not mean that is where the problem is.
I'm an emt, and a cna- but its not my job to give a diagnosis. Nor should you take a diagnosis of anyone except for a doctor that has personally seen and examined you.

But from what you said, and considering your age, a heart issue seems unlikely.

[longlived]

Ants In Your Underpants

longlived

if your overweight you have your answer. First responder, CLS, common sense.

please get the hell out of this thread and this forum you have no reason to be here, if this is your advice. this person was asking for help and you make fat jokes, I am reporting you and hoping the mods will fix your smart a** mouth.

its not a fat joke. Chest pain, back pain, and all of her symptoms are in fact sysmptoms of being overweight.
A report would be quite pointless kid. Because i am right. I'm not making fun of anyone, perhaps i am being blunt, but i have in no way violated the TOS

[longlived]

Bulma87

longlived

if your overweight you have your answer. First responder, CLS, common sense.

But that doesn't make sense. The last time I had it was 8 weeks ago. They are at least a month apart from each other.

Well have you checked with a doctor in recent times? If you really are over weight it won't always cause constant pain, it could be like that, pulled muscles from additional strain, poor blood flow, breathing issues, they can all be caused by weight problems, are you truly overweight? Like by a doctors standard or by the " i'm fat" standard?

[bulma87]

Chogori

*No position eases the pain (trust me, I try. I also have my dad pop my back, hoping that it's just out, but it never helps).
*It hurts to breath in and out, no matter how deep or shallow.
*I am currently starting my cycle, but since the last one was exactly 8 weeks ago, on a monday, I don't believe it was during one of my cycles. I am on the pill, if that makes any difference.
*I'm 5'6" and 208lbs, according to the scale at the gym this morning. I was doing ab excersizes on the equipment today, but I was doing legs 8 weeks ago.
*Yes, I would say the chest hurts at the top of my diaphragm. And on my back, it's mostly in the upper middle of my back.
*I took my pulse on my neck during the worst of it and it was slightly less than two beats per second. It was uneven, but i'm not sure about weak.

I am always sitting at my computer pretty much all day. It always starts in the late afternoon or evening or night. I'm never really stressed when it starts. It is definitely gradual, to the point that I think it's just my back out of place, but then it starts to get worse and worse until I recognize what it is and that it's going to turn into my horrible chest/back pain problem. I immediately go take pills when I recognize it, but it doesn't help. I took two extra strength excedrine five hours ago, when it started.

I don't think anything makes it worse, but finally getting to sleep (which is a challenge) usually fixes it. In the morning I'm usually feeling fine.

The pain feels like I've got something impailing my chest and back. I'm not sure how else to explain it. It's a very strange feeling. It fluctuates so that sometimes it hurts more in my chest, sometimes more in the back, or both at the same time. And it can lessen and get worse throughout the hours that it lasts, as well. It's pretty constant, though.

I'd say the pain fluctuates from a 4 at the beginning to an 8 at the worst points. When i'm lying in bed trying to sleep and breathing hurts, sometimes it gets to that 8 where it's just unbearable and I want to be unconscious.

When I was younger, about 10 years ago, I used to get a pain in my left side of my chest, where my heart is, and it felt like I was stabbed. It would only last for a moment, and it seemed to happen at the dinner table a lot. Possibly linked to swallowing food, but I don't know. I rarely ever get that anymore. Maybe once a month (i meant YEAR). I had tests done (an x-ray after drinking a chalky milk substance, and a sonogram on my heart and chest) and they'd found nothing unusual about my heart at the time. The current chest/back pain has been going on for many years, now. At least five years.

---

I am worried that it is something to do with my heart. Possibly heart disease, or maybe mild heart attacks?

I am planning to go to my dad's cardiologist (is that who I should see about this?)

[Chogori]

Bulma87

Chogori

*No position eases the pain (trust me, I try. I also have my dad pop my back, hoping that it's just out, but it never helps).
*It hurts to breath in and out, no matter how deep or shallow.
*I am currently starting my cycle, but since the last one was exactly 8 weeks ago, on a monday, I don't believe it was during one of my cycles. I am on the pill, if that makes any difference.
*I'm 5'6" and 208lbs, according to the scale at the gym this morning. I was doing ab excersizes on the equipment today, but not 8 weeks ago.
*Yes, I would say the chest hurts at the top of my diaphragm. And on my back, it's mostly in the upper middle of my back.
*I took my pulse on my neck during the worst of it and it was slightly less than two beats per second. It was uneven, but i'm not sure about weak.

I am always sitting at my computer pretty much all day. It always starts in the late afternoon or evening or night. I'm never really stressed when it starts. It is definitely gradual, to the point that I think it's just my back out of place, but then it starts to get worse and worse until I recognize what it is and that it's going to turn into my horrible chest/back pain problem. I immediately go take pills when I recognize it, but it doesn't help. I took two extra strength excedrine five hours ago, when it started.

I don't think anything makes it worse, but finally getting to sleep (which is a challenge) usually fixes it. In the morning I'm usually feeling fine.

The pain feels like I've got something impailing my chest and back. I'm not sure how else to explain it. It's a very strange feeling. It fluctuates so that sometimes it hurts more in my chest, sometimes more in the back, or both at the same time. And it can lessen and get worse throughout the hours that it lasts, as well. It's pretty constant, though.

I'd say the pain fluctuates from a 4 at the beginning to an 8 at the worst points. When i'm lying in bed trying to sleep and breathing hurts, sometimes it gets to that 8 where it's just unbearable and I want to be unconscious.

When I was younger, about 10 years ago, I used to get a pain in my left side of my chest, where my heart is, and it felt like I was stabbed. It would only last for a moment, and it seemed to happen at the dinner table a lot. Possibly linked to swallowing food, but I don't know. I rarely ever get that anymore. Maybe once a month. I had tests done (an x-ray after drinking a chalky milk substance, and a sonogram on my heart and chest) and they'd found nothing unusual about my heart at the time. The current chest/back pain has been going on for many years, now. At least five years.

---

I am worried that it is something to do with my heart. Possibly heart disease, or maybe mild heart attacks?

I am planning to go to my dad's cardiologist (is that who I should see about this?)

You really aren't overweight enough for that to be causing any major health issues, and going to the gym- good for you!

I also still doubt its a heart problem.
Again- I am not qualified to make any sort of diagnosis, but I would go to a general practice doctor (preferably one that has seen you before) for a detailed physical before going to a specialist. The way you describe things gives me the feeling that its some sort of referred pain.
Also, not all pain killers are the same. Excedrin is mostly designed for migraines.
Next time this happens, Try taking Ibuprofen (Advil)

[Chogori]

another thing, sitting all day is really bad for you-
and something I'm guilty of as well.

Try to make a habit of standing up every hour or so. Do a few squats or lunges, just to get the blood flowing a bit.

It probably won't affect your described problem, but its definitely good for your health overall.

[bulma87]

Chogori

Bulma87

Chogori

You really aren't overweight enough for that to be causing any major health issues, and going to the gym- good for you!

I also still doubt its a heart problem.
Again- I am not qualified to make any sort of diagnosis, but I would go to a general practice doctor (preferably one that has seen you before) for a detailed physical before going to a specialist. The way you describe things gives me the feeling that its some sort of referred pain.
Also, not all pain killers are the same. Excedrin is mostly designed for migraines.
Next time this happens, Try taking Ibuprofen (Advil)

Well, I've been to a family physician recently for a physical, to get the approval for gym membership to be covered by insurance, and I got blood work. I had high cholesterol, joined the gym, and did the test again. I'd lowered it a little, then. There wasn't anything else wrong, but I didn't mention these problems to him. I don't have a lot of money to go to a lot of doctors, so I was hoping to cut the chase and go to the right specialist, first. Every time I go to a general doctor, it seems I'm always paying just to be referred to someone else.

And I've tried ibuprofen in the past, as well. I don't think anything has worked.

[Chogori]

Bulma87

Chogori

Bulma87

Chogori

You really aren't overweight enough for that to be causing any major health issues, and going to the gym- good for you!

I also still doubt its a heart problem.
Again- I am not qualified to make any sort of diagnosis, but I would go to a general practice doctor (preferably one that has seen you before) for a detailed physical before going to a specialist. The way you describe things gives me the feeling that its some sort of referred pain.
Also, not all pain killers are the same. Excedrin is mostly designed for migraines.
Next time this happens, Try taking Ibuprofen (Advil)

Well, I've been to a family physician recently for a physical, to get the approval for gym membership to be covered by insurance, and I got blood work. I had high cholesterol, joined the gym, and did the test again. I'd lowered it a little, then. There wasn't anything else wrong, but I didn't mention these problems to him. I don't have a lot of money to go to a lot of doctors, so I was hoping to cut the chase and go to the right specialist, first. Every time I go to a general doctor, it seems I'm always paying just to be referred to someone else.

And I've tried ibuprofen in the past, as well. I don't think anything has worked.

The human body is a complicated thing. It could be your diaphragm spasming for some unknown reason (That was what immediately came to mind when I first read your post), it could be the result of something being wrong somewhere else in your body entirely, it could be pretty much anything.
If you were having minor heart attacks though, that would have shown up in the blood work I believe.
If you do end up going to a cardio specialist, give as much detail as you can about these attacks.
Write -everything- you can think of down before the visit, that way nothing gets forgotten. Thats really all the advice and suggestions I can give you, sorry.

[bulma87]

Chogori

Bulma87

Chogori

Bulma87

Chogori

You really aren't overweight enough for that to be causing any major health issues, and going to the gym- good for you!

I also still doubt its a heart problem.
Again- I am not qualified to make any sort of diagnosis, but I would go to a general practice doctor (preferably one that has seen you before) for a detailed physical before going to a specialist. The way you describe things gives me the feeling that its some sort of referred pain.
Also, not all pain killers are the same. Excedrin is mostly designed for migraines.
Next time this happens, Try taking Ibuprofen (Advil)

Well, I've been to a family physician recently for a physical, to get the approval for gym membership to be covered by insurance, and I got blood work. I had high cholesterol, joined the gym, and did the test again. I'd lowered it a little, then. There wasn't anything else wrong, but I didn't mention these problems to him. I don't have a lot of money to go to a lot of doctors, so I was hoping to cut the chase and go to the right specialist, first. Every time I go to a general doctor, it seems I'm always paying just to be referred to someone else.

And I've tried ibuprofen in the past, as well. I don't think anything has worked.

The human body is a complicated thing. It could be your diaphragm spasming for some unknown reason (That was what immediately came to mind when I first read your post), it could be the result of something being wrong somewhere else in your body entirely, it could be pretty much anything.
If you were having minor heart attacks though, that would have shown up in the blood work I believe.
If you do end up going to a cardio specialist, give as much detail as you can about these attacks.
Write -everything- you can think of down before the visit, that way nothing gets forgotten. Thats really all the advice and suggestions I can give you, sorry.

Alright, thank you so much for your help! (could it really be the diaphragm, when my back is hurting a lot more than my chest, right now?)

Also, I heart supernatural. Are you watching season 8? biggrin

[Chogori]

The diaphragm is a pretty huge muscle. And muscle spasms in general hurt like a b***h.

And yus. Supernatural <3 Even though Dean totally made Sam look like a tool in last weeks episode.

Its past my bedtime, so I need to be heading off. But I wish you the best in finding out what the problem is, and hopefully its an easy fix.

[PinkUnicornSprinkles]

Have you been checked for asthma?