sorry for the length and thank you to anyone who replies
I am currently suffering from chest pains that are mainly in my chest region, along the bottom of my ribcage at the front, up into my shoulders front and back sometimes into the top of my arms and into my neck.
I have been experiencing this for several months now, and have dismissed them as stress.... it may be! I am a small businessman in difficult times. (Also went through divorce about 3 years ago, and still under such intense pressure from my ex that I have become a virtual hermit). I was also diagnosed with PTSD following 9/11 where I was one of the project managers dealing with the recovery/restoration.
Although I have cut down and am working more actively to quit totally I have been a smoker for many years and I am currently quite concerned. I have just seen my doc who has said blood pressure is normal, heart sounds normal, lungs sound normal and says he has no reason to suspect anything terrible, but has arranged for a chest x-ray to rule out bad things. His explanation is that ruling it out may relieve tension so that may help control it in the first instance. Following x-ray, then the next treatment options will be looked at.
So, if 15 years of disaster recovery has not caused anything terrible including breathing the air in New York for 6 months (EPA would not let us wear masks in the beginning as they thought the sight of guys in white disposable overalls and masks would cause panic) What else would causde this constant pain, not particularly bad pain, on a scale of 1-10, maybe about 2, sometimes with very short higher peaks. Not coughing, not coughing anything up, not really struggling for breath, not even having a bad time with the asthma.....
I know that the x-ray results will be back in 7 days, but I do have 7 days to panic and work myself into a stress.... just wondered if anyone has any suggestions at all?
Thank you
Phil
Last edited by Administrator; 07-30-2011 at 12:08 AM.
I second Jane. If your heart and lung tests are good, acid reflux might be worth considering. It is common for acid reflux to present itself without heartburn.
You might want to do some reading up on sarcoidosis. I've read multiple articles that indicate there has been a significant increase of sarcoidosis diagnoses for people who experienced 9/11. There are many types of sarcoidosis. The most common is pulmonary, but there are other types out there as well.
You might still considering seeing a Pulmonologist.
Thank You to Janewhite1 and Mountainreader. I am not sure if the problem is acid reflux as sitting up or laying down makes no difference. I am glad that I finally have a doctor who is looking closely at the problem.
I should also say that I am glad that other possibilities (than the obvious scary one) are being presented. I am assuming that sarcoidosis is what became known as 9/11 cough..... And well, this is a possibility.
I go for my x-ray this morning. and as you can imagine I now have a period of a few days while waiting for this result where tension is going to be extremely high. Having said that, I have also seen a worsening of the symptoms since yesterday and I wonder if this is showing a link to stress related conditions and the whole thing could be (I really hope) just caused by muscle tension due to stress.
I will keep you all informed as to what the results are, and fingers crossed it will be something minor that has just given me a scare. As said, I have cut down on the cigarettes and have been using an electronic cigarette to minimise my smoking. I have also made an appointment with the smoking cessation service and will even cut this out over the next couple of weeks.
Thank you for your comments.
Phil
The following user gives a hug of support to Phil uk: MountainReader (07-19-2011)
Just spoken to my doctor's surgery and been told it is more than likely going to be 14 days minimum before the results are back.
This means up to another week of mental hell and feeling really sore and ill before I can move onto the next stage in the diagnosis procedure.
I am really not happy with this, but at least I know my doc is going to telephone on Friday and give me as much of an update as he can. Maybe there will be news as well from the radiologist but not holding my breath. I hope it is good, and then look at sorting out something less serious than my fears are telling me.
I really hope that it is something simple, and I will try the oil... I have a friend who could be persuaded to give me a massage, may have to buy her dinner though .....
I have a rough night ahead as I speak to the doctor tomorrow. I have also spoken with Mount Sinai Hospital today regarding the medical monitoring service they provide to the workers at Ground Zero. So maybe there could be some info coming from them that may help my doctor....
It is just now a case of crossing fiingers until tomorrow and hope that the news is not terrible.
Will post and let you know.
The following user gives a hug of support to Phil uk: MountainReader (07-28-2011)
Well, moods are all over at the minute; I have set one of the results and it is Not cancer.
There are some more tests to come as my lung capacity is down to about 60% of what it was 12 months ago, but the big one is out of the way for now.
Whether the reduction is because of lung capacity or the inability to take a deep breath because my chest hurts, is what the next round of tests are to cover, but I hope then we are dealing with a possible chronic ailment, chronic is not bad in this case because it is not terminal.
Possibilities are COPD, sarcoidosis (although I would have thought that would have shown up due to the scarring of the lungs) or condro something.....
Will keep you posted, but just hope there are no visitors to the office today as my eyes are swollen and I keep bursting into tears. Tears of joy or tears of loneliness I am not sure as I have had no one to talk about during all this, and I am feeling it a bit now.... it has been a very scary lonely journey.
I cannot see my son this weekend as I am working, but by hell we will have a good one next weekend!!!!
Will keep you informed as to what is happening
The following 2 users give hugs of support to: Phil uk janewhite1 (07-29-2011), Sharrazan (08-13-2011)
Hang in there, Phil. Thank God, you don't have cancer.
I think the condro something is costochondritis, which means swelling of the spaces between the ribs. It's a musco-skeletal pain of the chest wall, and far less serious than most of the other possibilities you've been faced with.
So, definitely time to really investigate the lung-disease possibilities. I wish you luck!
The following user gives a hug of support to janewhite1: Phil uk (07-29-2011)
The Following User Says Thank You to janewhite1 For This Useful Post: Phil uk (07-29-2011)
Bit of background, been getting ill for 12 months. 6 months ago I started loosing weight. Bearing in mind that i was a disaster recovery chap for near 15 years.. Not just 9/11 so exposure to everything from asbestos, radiation (various) biological agents, chemicals... plussmoking and e-cigs.... grandfather died of lung cancer, mother has had breast cancer and some other growths, non malignant. So loosing weight, chest pains, it is obvious... eh?
6 mothsago, i guessed it had reached the end days, I came to terms with it! I planned my funeral. I only went to the doctor really for confirmation and pain relief. I was terrified about the x-ray, because i did not want to really face the truth. A good friend of mine was diagnosed with small cell lung cance 3 months ago.... also smoker.
So today, I really am living and thinking of the futur.. Big problem has been that i did not want to tell my parents due to their age, can't tell my sister, she would not be able to cope. Due to aspergers, i do not have any friends i could have shared it with... certiainly not able to tell my 11year old son, so for 12 months I have been fearing death and totally alone......
I am sograteful for finding this website with wonderful people, I wish I had found you all earlier. Thos site must be heaven, as there are true life here. Nice to meet you all, my Friends
XXXX
Phil
Last edited by Administrator; 07-30-2011 at 12:17 AM.
Hi there Phil I'm Minnie you said.you have chest pain Nd back and ARM which side is it located? I asked this because if its on the left side there might be a chancr.you have PERICARDITIS. Which is inflammation of the sac that covers the heart. Don't panic not life threatning I have been experiencing this for about 8 months now maybe.you should ask your doctor if that could be a cause for your.chest pain. Also you could have costrocondritis I'm not sure if I spelt that right its inflammation of the rib cage which is less scsrey well good luck keep Intouch I would love to know how everything works out for.you.
The pain in the arms is located at the centre of the front edge of the arm pits, both sides, up between the shoulder blades, into the neck, but more on the left side in the neck. Also completely around the bottom of my rib-cage (front back and sides) and from the centre of the of the lower back right up into my neck and head. I have headaches now at least three times a day that make me feel sick.
The pain is actually now quite bad.... I see the doctor again tomorrow, so will post and discuss this with you all when I have the results.
Also hats off to the smoking cessation nurse and my doctor.... When I saw my smoking cessation nurse (a week last Friday) on the day I was waiting for a telephone appointment from my doc to discuss the X-Rays, the nurse took one look at me, realised that I was under a great deal of stress, and then went and dragged the doc out of his current appointment to view the results and come and give them to me What a wonderful person!!!! Thank You Debbi.... (just in case you are reading this)
But I am still in pain, and also still suffering with depression (although somewhat milder than previously {I had suicidal thoughts on and off for several years now, but it is amazing how I now realise I do not want to die any more}) Am still living extremely stressfully (as per the last 5 years) and so now I have a future, I can put down the tombstone I have been carrying for the last year (ish) and try to pick up life..... I will let you all know what happens
Hi Phil, I just read through your post..though quite sometime has passed since you posted telling about your Xray...you must have got yur report by now..am eager to know if something was found in your report..as my uncle is also suffering similar syptoms..
Yes I have the results and they are clear... the xray came back with one word only in the results..... "Normal"
So it kind of rules out Lung Cancer, sarcoidosis (sorry for spelling). I have just got back from the Doctor now. For my first visit since getting the xray results. I was away working last week.
The next steps are as follows,steroid treatment starting on Friday. I have a spirometry test on Thursday and I cannot begin the steroids until after that as it will skew the results.
I have also got blood tests (ugh... needles ) on Thursday as well. Depending on the results of that, then there maybe ct scans to follow. The spirometry is to find out if there is a restrictive or obstructive reason behind this.
I hve also been prescribed amitriptyline to help with both the pain, also the stress I have been living with both the long term stress of trying to start a business in the current climate (currently bearing in mind conversion rates, I owe about $1million...... and the last
investor who was going to lend me money was lehmans....) coupled with the stress and depression of thinking I would be dead by christmas!
Thank you to Sharrazan for your advice. I have not been on here for a while, as life has been really not good (I would use other words, but I am trying to be polite)
The pain is still here, and if anything is getting worse despite pills from the doc. I do tend to withdraw when I am really feeling down, but I am forcing myself to write here today as I am not sure how much longer I can go on without some help from somewhere.
I have not downloaded the relaxation CD, but I shall try to do that when I get home tonight... As it is at the moment, the physical symptoms are a wee bit worse, pains in my armpits now as well as the pain around the bottom of my chest and shoulders. I have still not had a cigarette in months and am now off the patches although I keep some lozenges just in case. I also seem to be developing pins and needles below the elbows in both arms and this is driving me mad. It is hard to be an engineer when small screws are becoming a challenge, let alone the constant dull pain in the arms and fingers....
Yes the stress is still there, to be honest, I am surprised I am still working, but if I stop.... well, there goes everything I have worked for. I am now taking two different pills each day, one is Omeprazole for stomach pains and acid, the other is 25mg of Amitriptyline daily to help relieve the pain in my chest, it does not seem to be working....
Does anyone have any suggestions please?
Thank you all for reading, and a pre-emtive thank-you for any replies....
"edited: just forgot to mention that my blood tests all came back normal, and my doc seems to be less bothered as there is no obvious signs as to what is wrong"
The depression is worse than ever and this could be due to the fact that I am in a race against time, baliffs or orders.... either one could land first! Also it could all be due to not eating properly, I am buying the cheapest things to keep me fed and alive in the short term. I have on average only £20 per week to buy food and also as I have been put on a pre-payment electricity meter; I have to buy electricity out of that as well!" I am not eligable for any state help as I am classed as working, even though I do not get paid at the minute.....
Last edited by Phil uk; 10-31-2011 at 06:49 AM.
Reason: Forgotten bits
Re: Chest/shoulder pains 
here. Nice to meet you all, my Friends
to view the results and come and give them to me 
) on Thursday as well. Depending on the results of that, then there maybe ct scans to follow. The spirometry is to find out if there is a restrictive or obstructive reason behind this.
