My chest is home to my apocalypse

[Shawnee123]

That's a tough one. I've been there, I won't go to a doc because I've been to a doc sure I had double pneumonia and of course it turned out I didn't...which just meant a wasted co-pay and antibiotics I don't need and could be harmful.

Then again, if your body is telling you something is wrong you want to listen. Docs have been wrong.

If you're just now seeing a doc after 12 years I think you're safe from the hypochondriac label, though.

[ElBandito]

That '12 years' is due to the Kiwi 'Don't worry mate, she'll be right' attitude.

There have been times during that 12 years when I've known I SHOULD have gone to the doc (I gashed my leg open rather bad... got an awesome scar to show for my 'no doctor' visit).

Interesting really, considering New Zealand health care is free. Based on what I've just said, we're all dumb-arses.

Tomorrow is 'EKG' day. That'll tell me if my heart is working properly and not misfiring.

[Aliantha]

I'll be thinking of you matey. Hope it all goes well.

[ElBandito]

Thanks!

I'll report back on the morrow with the EKG results.

[Undertoad]

Is it always in public, these twinges?

[ElBandito]

No. They're anytime. Except I don't notice them IF they happen when I'm asleep.

At home, at work. In the shower the other day... anytime.

[Cloud]

indigestion? carpal tunnel?

[Undertoad]

Your age?

Caffeine consumption? Coffee, tea, coke?

How long has this been going on? Has it been pretty much at the same rate as when it started, or has it been getting more often per day?

Do you notice any sweating? Same time or different times?

Any shortness of breath?

Any nausea? Change in stool? Pain in other areas of your body?

Problems with your esophagus, like spasms, gerd, or others can cause it.

[Crimson Ghost]

Originally Posted by ElBandito

Over the last week I’ve had that pressure in my chest perhaps a dozen times. Sometimes it’s like a dull presence. Other times it can be quite sharp. And everytime I think “ooh, crap, this is it. I’m about to keel over rather embarassingly in front of all these people, probably piss my pants and vomit a thin stream of half-digested risotto.”

Mmm... risotto...

[ElBandito]

Okay, here we go;

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

Problems with your esophagus, like spasms, gerd, or others can cause it.

Well, I don't spaz (much), I've never 'gerd'ed (whatever that is), and I suspect my esophagus is in fine form. I could be wildly wrong, though.

Originally Posted by Cloud

indigestion? carpal tunnel?

It's not indigestion. And carpal tunnel of the chest? I'm not sure how THAT could happen.

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Your age?

Caffeine consumption? Coffee, tea, coke?

How long has this been going on? Has it been pretty much at the same rate as when it started, or has it been getting more often per day?

Do you notice any sweating? Same time or different times?

Any shortness of breath?

Any nausea? Change in stool? Pain in other areas of your body?

I'm 32.
Coffee, roughly two-three cups a day. No coke or fizzy drinks of any kind.

It went on for a couple of months two years ago, then 'went away'. A couple of months ago it came back, only less painful.

No sweating.

Breathing's fine.

No nausea. And my poo-poo is just fine (although I'd rather not get close enough to ask).

Other pain; just a little right-shoulder pain from using mouse-keyboard too much in the course of my work.

[Spexxvet]

Turn your head and cough.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by ElBandito

Other pain; just a little right-shoulder pain from using mouse-keyboard too much in the course of my work.

Been there, done that (although my pain was carpal tunnel).

Mice are evil.

I learned to alternate the mouse from left to right of the keyboard each day. This helped.

You're not being a wus by getting this checked. Cuts and bruises are one thing, but this is in another league. Keep us posted, there're plenty of us following this.

Oh yeah, NZers are traditionally tough about injuries. One NZ mate of mine asked my advice about an injury he'd picked up crashing his bike in traffic, sliding sideways and planting his lower leg onto the tip of a car's exhaust pipe. "Should I leave it uncovered, or put some band-aids over it?". It was a carved out gash 3 or 4 cm long, and 5-6mm wide and the same depth. He had ridden home. We got him to go to the hospital and they were able to stitch it, although for a while they were considering skin grafts. Bloody band-aids, .

New Zealanders: like Australians, only more so.

[glatt]

I was hiking the Milford Track in NZ a few years ago, and there was one Kiwi on the trail who had to do it in flip flops because one of his big toes was all mangled from some accident a few days before. He achieved legendary status amongst the other hikers on this trip who were finding it a challenge in sturdy hiking boots. He had strangers coming up to him for days to inquire on the toe. He was genuinely surprised at everyone's concern. You should have seen that toe! He put a little ointment on it but no bandage because they kept falling off as he hiked. Just a mangled toe, open to the air, on a 4 day hike.

[Shawnee123]

My (ex) sis-in-law is an American living in NZ. She'll be home with her partner for Christmas. I'll have to ask Bruce about the New Zealander's imperviousness to pain. He is pretty laid back, so I wouldn't be surprised.