Just Rambling = go to doc/don't go to doc ???

Post by **Polar Bear** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:20 pm

Hi folks,

Just going to have a little ramble here.

Does anyone else wonder should they go to the doc, or not. Perhaps I look at it from a different point of view, cos here in the UK we pay for our healthcare in our taxes and so it is 'free'. We just pay a nominal sum for our prescriptions, which by the way we have just heard today are being halved to £3 from January, and will be free from 2010.

Anyway..... I have been suffering for about 4 months from certain symptoms unrelated to rls. I had a post about it at the time. It was all about a very severe lump/choking feeling in the throat and the middle of the chest. At the time the doc said stress/anxiety and altho I agreed at the time, I'm now not just 100 per cent certain that it still is. The symptoms are all much better tho not gone away, i.e. still a choking/tight/lump feeling in the throat/midchest tho not anywhere nearly as bad. Don't always take the diazepam 2mg that he gave me cos don't reckon it did much good. He also gave me omeprazole once a day in case there was an element of reflux or hiatus hernia, but I upped it to twice a day which I feel works better.

I am awaiting test appointments for endoscopy and treadmill to rule out any other causes.

Cos of the credit crunch I am now working a 3 day week which is bliss tho the nearly halved salary hasn't quite bitten yet.

However, tho these symptoms have improved, I have no idea if this is because of the occasional diazepam, the lessened hectic lifestyle now I am doing a 3 day week, or the omeprazole etc etc.

What I have discovered in the last couple of months, is that as soon as I get to work and to my desk/computer, that within a couple of hours my shoulders get sore and in particular my neck as if it isn't strong enough for my head. (sounds like repetitive strain/posture) I am pretty sure this in turn is affecting the feeling in my throat and chest and making the symptoms much worse. I know I am lifting my chin forward and upwards to look at the monitor screen and reckon this is maybe to do with wearing varifocal glasses. I am in the process of getting new glasses with top of the range lens in the hope of improving the working area of the lens.

When my shoulders/neck get really painful I take ibuprofen or diclofenac (voltarol) which helps a lot with the discomfort, and also in turn my throat/chest also feels much better (hence my doubt that it is 100% anxiety).

So.... should I just continue taking the brufen/diclofenac for the shoulder pain (which helps my throat cos it helps my neck???) until I eventually have the tests done. Or do I go to the doc just to say I think my neck/shoulder pain is affecting my throat.

I should say that when my shoulders are sore, that I am sometimes getting intermittent pins and needles in my hands and fingers. And now and again a slight lightheadedness. Don't know if there is any relation or just coincidence. For years I have had shoulder discomfort but it was dealt with and didn't affect anything else.

I used to never go to the doc, and now feel that for the last two years I have been there every couple of months.

Should I cancel my appt for tomorrow. or do I go..... I hate to think I am being a nuisance. As if now I am nearly 60, that I have nothing else to do but be a hypochondriac.

As it is 5 days since I have been in the office my symptoms have been pretty good, and in the time it has taken to text this v e r y l on g post my neck has become sore and I can feel the discomfort again in my throat/chest.

I'm just looking for a few viewpoints and how anyone else feels who may be in a similar position, and who has had the will power to read this post through to the end :roll:

Sorry to have gone on, and on........

Thanks folks.

Sojourner · Post by **Sojourner** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:36 am

PB, You Go Girl!

M.

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:54 am

You sound like someone who needs to see the doctor. You're not a hypochondriac, you're someone who has stuff going on and needs some answers. And, that's worrying and frustrating on several levels, I imagine, from the "CRAP! What the heck is wrong with me???" to the "Why can't anyone help me?" to the "Is it normal, am I overreacting, or am I dying?"

You are the best judge of what's "right" or not right. If what you are feeling isn't "right" then something's going on. And, we all want to know the name of it, the severity of it, etc. We need to put a name to it and know what we're looking at. Until we can do that, it's hard to let go.

Whatever you decide, let us know what's going on.

Aiken · Post by **Aiken** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:50 am

I remember you talking about this earlier, and I think I mentioned to you that I believe my similar symptoms may have stemmed at least in part from a bulging disc at the C7/T1 joint. I've been exceedingly careful with that part of my back for the last four months, and I believe I have given the bulge an opportunity to heal/retract a little. I've stopped hearing the sound of chewing gristle when I rotate my head, for one thing. At the same time, my throat/chest lump/discomfort has diminished, as has the sense of a tight cord around my lower ribs. (I believe you said something about feeling like you had a tight bra on.)

If you haven't already, see if your doctor would be willing to MRI your cervical and thoracic spine to look for bad discs. There's obviously no guarantee that you and I have anything at all similar, but you never know. One thing I'm learning as I get older is that no matter how strange a pain I may have, it turns out that someone, somewhere else, has it too, with identical symptoms, and somewhere there's a research group working on it. We're not all as unique as we'd like to be.

Post by **Polar Bear** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 8:17 am

Thanks all,

Yes Aiken, I have been bearing in mind what you had said about bulging discs etc. This is one of the reasons that I have planned to see doc.

Will let you know what happens.

Ta, B.

Post by **Polar Bear** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 6:36 am

Well, I've been to doc, and he is thinking on the lines of fibromyalgia for all my shoulder/neck and general aches and pains which have been ongoing for many years. He took lots of bloods to eliminate/check for other conditions, but is thinking fibromyalgia, printed off information for me and went through it with me showing all the points that were relevant, and of which there were many.

I go back in two weeks for results. He says if it is fibromyalgia , that the usual treatment is amnytriptolene (?? sp ??) which he knows could be a problem for the rls. But he will help with physio etc. and alternatives etc.

By the way, the printed information stated that 1 in 5 also suffer with rls. !!!!!

Aiken · Post by **Aiken** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:02 pm

Okay, while waving the "I am not a doctor" flag, I have to say that that sounds to me like a load of bollocks, when considering the symptoms you've talked about. Get a second opinion.

Post by **ViewsAskew** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:22 pm

I'm waving the same "I'm not a doctor" flag, and two others - the "medical skeptic" and "I am a patient" flag. I do not want in any way to diminish fibro. It is awful. But, I don't think a lot of docs understand it enough to diagnose it. And, I do think it can be a convenient, "I haven't a clue, but enough points to this, so it must be" diagnosis, sort of like IBS. It doesn't mean is doesn't exist, just that it's a bit harder than that to me to make that leap.

I heartily also wave the "Please see about a second opinion" flag. I think I posted to WAM a while back that three times in the last 15 years, the first diagnosis I had was incorrect; in one case, even the 3rd was incorrect and only surgery informed the doctor what was really wrong.

Doctors are very educated, but they aren't perfect or omniscient.

Post by **Polar Bear** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:28 pm

Hmmm... I get blood results and see him in 2 weeks. I will ask him to rule out back/neck condition with an xray.

Also I am still awaiting the treadmill and endoscopy

becat · Post by **becat** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 3:18 am

Hiya, PB,

I wanted to wait to see what the doc said before I posted, yesterday, as I have not been reading as much....ok, this weekend, LOL.

I'm waving flags as well, I think he's off. I know we have several Fibro people here on the board and it is awful, but causing your throat to lump up or fell that way, Hmmmmmmmmm?

I would push for the x ray, can't hurt, cept a little glow

, right?

I wanted you to know that I honestly am not here to offer advice other than what I did......
However, I did want you to know that RLS or Unrelated, your supported here. Come what may, I love ya and am sending many prayers to fill the moon for you.

Your so often supportive and welcoming to so many here, may we pay it back and forward a thousand times.

Hugs and Love,
Lynne

Post by **Polar Bear** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 6:43 am

Hi Lynne, Views and Aiken, and thanks.

I think I haven't maybe made my post clear. When he says he is thinking perhaps fibro he means with regard to pain in hip, lower back, neck, shoulders, pins and needles in hands and fingers. He will wait and see if bloods are showing anything else.

The lump/choking sensation is now not as severe, tho has not gone away, and for this we are awaiting the endoscopy.

Hope I haven't been too confusing. And thank you all. I just know that I get a quick response, and just as important, I get honest responses.
A friend who will tell it, as it is. :lol:

mackjergens · Post by **mackjergens** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:39 pm

not a Dr either, but I know several who have fibro and they sure do not take amitripline(sp). They take pain med or lycria. Be careful with the lycria, as my friend has gained LOTS of weight on this med, but she says it stops the painful legs of fibro

I would sure do alot of research on fibro before going back, amitriptline(sp) is an old antidepressant/mental med. Research and read about it before you go back to the dr also.

WAM · Post by **WAM** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:53 am

Hiya PBear.

I was thinking about when I was a kid, going to Vacation Bible School in the Summer. We were forced to go, I might add by the powers that be... every summer of every year I can remember.
The day always started out the same, two kids were chosen to parade the flags down the aisle as the rest of us stood in the rows by our pew with our hands on our hearts. The two flags I'm speaking of, if you haven't been to Vacation Bible School, were, of course the American Flag and then the Christian Flag which was a solid white banner with a blue cross in the corner, if I remember correctly.
So there was this kid, who was about my age, his name was Terry Clayton and I remember he was kind of upset because the week was getting on and he hadn't been chosen to carry either of the flags. As luck would have it though, the Pastor caught this detail and asked Terry to be the bearer of the Christian flag on Thursday morning.
It was kind of a somber ritual. In the morning the two lucky flag wielders, along with the pastor and another kid carrying a large family size bible would meet in the back lobby of the church, the lady on the piano would start with the National Anthem, the carrier of the Red White and Blue would march slowly down the aisle then when he got to the front of the church he'd stop and stand as straight and still as he could while we repeated the Pledge of Allegiance, then the same thing would go on with the Christian Flag...music would start, march down the aisle, pledge to the Christian Flag and to the Faith for which it stands....etc., then the Bible would make it's way down.
Well on Terry's morning, as it turned out the secretary reminded the Pastor that Becky Walters had already been promised the Christian Flag duties, and when she arrived, a little bit after Terry, he was told the he would not be needed that morning to carry the flag.
Now, the Walters were what we called Hillbillys. I have no idea where they were originally from, but they came to church quite often with bedbug bites on their legs, it was obvious they didn't bathe regularly, weren't inclined to keep up with any fashion trends and so forth. I never saw the inside of their house but their lot looked like a junkyard with lots of junk and old cars strung outside, maybe one of the fronts seats pulled out and placed on the front porch for sitting and several dogs roaming the premises. They were people we, I'm ashamed to say, looked down on, it was wrong but you know how kids act and that's how we acted.
So on that morning, Terry Clayton found out that Becky Walters would be toting the Christian flag down the aisle instead of him. He said exactly this..."I'm carrying the Christian flag today and aint no Walters gonna stop me". Becky heard Terry say it, and without hesitation attacked him, which brought Terry's brother Larry (who he called "Rye") into the brawl, which brought Becky's brothers in, fists first, which brought in intervention of the Pastor, secretary and a few volunteers.
So there we stood that day, all looking out into that little lobby, having the best day of Vacation Bible School ever.

Anyhow, all the talk of flag waving reminded me of that.
Oh boy.
Hope they find out for sure what is going on with you Betty and get it all taken care of. Wishing you the best.

becat · Post by **becat** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 2:21 pm

I just love a WAM story.

Made my morning for sure.

PB, we're still with you in spirit and in this fight. :wink:

Hugs to you both,
Lynne

Post by **Polar Bear** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:28 pm

Oh WAM,
What a story, I love it. Laughed out loud. :lol:

About the fibro, yeah, I have my doubts and doc did say he was thinking on those lines, i.e. not a final diagnosis, however we will first of all see what the blood results say or don't say. Also the other tests. I think myself, that there are several issues going on, and not one big umbrella coverall like fibro. I think the aches and pains are just that, age etc. If I had the endoscopy test done, I'd be happier, and the choking/tightness is very minimal these days. Docs initial reaction had been stress/anxiety.

Also, on the subject of amnitriptline (sp) for fibro, I do know someone who successfully uses this for fibro, and someone else who takes Prozac and has fibro, whether the Prozac is for the actual fibro, I don't know. On the print out info the doc gave me it does state that low dose anti depressant medication is very useful for pain relief in fibro and as a sleep aid.

However I reserve my thoughts on his 'thoughts' that I could have it should tests rule out anything else.

Never fear, I will continue on the path of discovery, he has only been a partner in our med practice for about two years but I have found him to be most cooperative and willing.

On the anxiety issue that he thinks I had a few months ago.... well I am a bit of a worrier and I was pretty uptight at that time. Things are better now... don't know why....

At least they were until this week, tho I am doing my best to be an air punching strong person and not a wimp. I had a 'run in' with a young madam in work, who has an attitude, is rude in that she will answer in a clipped fashion rather than what she actually says. Is most unhelpful, given that she is the most 'computer minded' in the office, and never leaves it open that you can repeat a question!! She has always had an issue with me but never quite openly, usually with a slight attitude/edge.

Anyways, she thought I had been rude, or chose to take the attitude that I had been rude (or something), something to do with the filing, in this credit crunch we have lost our junior/filing clerk. So she huffs all morning, only with me, I had known right away that she had taken some sort of an issue. So what do I do ?? there's me several times, attempting to make small talk, only to get one word responses. Eventually she says, 'really.... I don't wish to talk with you because of how you spoke to me this morning.... and you do it all the time' !!!

I said I was sorry if I had offended her (note- not sorry - just sorry if I had offended) but she said that sorry didn't count, and that I had done it anyway. I then told her I had, had my fill. Says she, what do you mean. Says I - I mean exactly what I say. And I left it at that.

Reckoned, I should say to the boss and did so, but I said to leave it at that cos she will feel I was wrong, and I feel she was wrong, and boss has no way of knowing one way or the other.

Tho, boss did say that, it is not as if there is a trail of people going to the office to complain about my attitude, and quite the opposite, whereas the same cannot be said for young madam!!

At present, young madam is not speaking to me, and she is very good at this. Kinda difficult when 3 of us share an office and the 3rd girl is stuck in the middle of a situation.

So one day, I am really strong, and then the next day it all gets to me, but only me knows it is getting to me.

Boss said to me that at the moment with the present situation, we are all down to a 3 day week, anyone who has a problem knows where the door is and that he doesn't mean me.

He says for me to do as I wish, He will tackle the situation if I wish, or leave it if I wish, and if madam has anything further to say, just to refer her to management.

As it is, I always appear strong, but sometimes inside I am a bit sick about it, (only in work). Over time other staff find she can be distant also, tho I appear to be her biggest problem.

There you are.... I've done it again.... another ramble and gotten totally off the original subject of whether or not to go to the doc.

bye for now.... I really do feel that I have such friends on this site xx

And once again WAM, thanks for your story. I've said it before.... wish I could be at the same party as you. :lol: