babyblog

I am not having a heart attack

This shoulder pain hasn't been improving much and although I was fairly convinced that it is weather related inflammation I thought I should go and see the Doc -- also because I ran out of Vicodin which were the only things that would touch the pain!

Going to the Doc here is such a different experience to any that I've had before. First thing is you're greeted by a nurse who weighs you and takes your temperature. She then escorts you into a room where she takes your blood pressure and pulse, and notes down all of the results into the computer notes..... all things which are useful to have a record of for many reasons.

Then, you explain to the nurse what the problem is and she notes it down on your computer file for the Doc to see when she comes in. As I explained what the problem was the nurse got concerned and announced that she'd give me an EKG - to make sure that I wasn't having a heart attack! Obviously I got a little nervous and asked why she thought I was having a heart attack and she said that with my clotting history and some chest pain - which in women often presents in the back shoulder area - it was standard to check. Scary! Anyway, I was not having a heart attack - thankfully!

When the Doc came in - she's great, I've seen her before - she and I had a long talk and she said that she thinks, as I do, that this is scar tissue which inflames now & again, perhaps due to the changes in the climate, and especially when it becomes more humid. She said unfortunately it might be something I have to live with but that it might improve over the years. Bugger.

I also asked her about the breast pain I went to the Doc for last week. I don't think I blogged this but it was very amusing. I had been having pain in the top left part of my left boob.... so I visited the Doc and the above wonderful lady wasn't available so I saw a crap man Doc. He had me lie on the table while he examined my chest and he paused, then announced quite seriously 'You have large breasts', then continued to examine me! I nearly cracked up laughing and it was another while before he qualified the statement which was just too bizarre for words. Anyway he diagnosed fibrocystic tissue which he said would hurt more before my period and then go away afterwards. Well it hasn't.

This (good) doc had a feel and she came up with the same diagnosis but seeing as the pain hasn't gone, she feels that there could be a cyst in there which is causing the pain. She gave me the choice between leaving it to see what happened or going for an ultrasound on it. I chose to leave it for now and she said if it doesn't improve or gets worse, call and schedule the tests. She also said I have to give up caffiene because it aggravates it :-(