A Rant About My Health

[SorryIsGoodEnough]

I've been having major issues with my health, especially since I overdosed in March. I took a Vicodin for pain before school on Monday, and while I was at school, I collapsed. I was taken by ambulance to the hospital. They told me I had pleurisy and the emotional stress from having a seriously ill child over the past week, plus personal drama with my boyfriend/exboyfriend/whatever he is agitated the condition.

The thing is, whenever I take any medication, even my prescribed anti-psychotics for my bipolar, my chest hurts and it hurts to breathe. I've told my doctors this. Their answer is always, "Your blood pressure is stable now, so take some more anti-inflammatory pills and then follow it with a percoset or vicodin. You should be fine."

But then I end up in MORE pain as my heart struggles to beat. I don't know why the test results come back negative, but I'm very, very scared. I can't live like this. Last night, I took what the emergency room doctor told me to take: Naproxen chased by vicodin, and my heart started hurting really bad. I went to bed while talking on AIM to someone and I was literally writhing in pain before passing out cold.

I don't even want to go to the doctor because they'll tell me the tests are negative and to take more pills.

Anyway, that's my rant. Thanks for being such good people.

[AccountingDrone]

pleurisy sucks, been there, had it. Unfortunately, the current treatment for pleurisy is actually an NSAID [current is ibuprofin, indocin or naprosyn] ponied up with a pain killer such as vicodin, percocet or codeine.

See, pleurisy is actually an inflammation of tissues, which may or may not generate edema [excess fluid] that causes problems with staying alive. It can be caused as a result of trauma, certain forms of cancer, a result of an infection like pneumonia, bronchitis or tuburculosis. What they should have done is try and determine the actual cause [x ray, mri or thoracic cavity tap to get a fluid sample] and they really need to determine if it is an infection, as it needs to be treated before it goes systemic, or if it is cancer related as metastesized cancer sucks ass.

Get a new doctor that will actually diagnose the pleurisy and get it treated.

[SorryIsGoodEnough]

Whenever I take the treatment, I get WORSE. What's the point? It's always 'Well you're okay right now, and basic bloodwork/xray/whatever shows nothing so...pop some more pills!'

But then they'll think I'm a pill popper who wants painkillers just cause. I don't want to be dependent on them, but they're shoving them down my throat, not solving the problem, and then wondering why I'm always still in pain!

[TheSHAD0W]

If you're having chest pain, specifically a tight feeling, and you've been to the doctor and have confirmed you aren't having a heart attack, what you are most likely experiencing is an anxiety reaction. Adrenaline is secreted, the heart beats faster, and you feel like you're struggling to breathe.

There is no cure for this except to relax - which is damned difficult when you're worried about your physical condition. You can get into a positive feedback situation where your anxiety causes you more pain, which causes more anxiety... This may be why the doctors are prescribing pain meds, to try and break that cycle.

Much as you may dislike taking "unnecessary" medication, there's no reason you should torture yourself, either.

[Jack T. Chance]

First off...



Secondly, I agree that you need a second opinion. If your doctor's not finding and SOLVING the problem, then they're not a very good doctor. Your life is LITERALLY in their hands here, so this is NOT the time to put-up with incompetence. Seek a different doctor pronto.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Get well soon.

[kukla]

I don't post much here, but I wanted to post to this thread. A friend of mine had a similar reaction that you are experiencing. It started happening after she started getting her prescriptions refilled at a different pharmacy. Her doctor told her that each drug company uses different fillers in the medication they produce, and sometimes the filler that a certain company uses can cause an allergic reaction which has symptoms similar to yours.

So far my friend has been fine as long as she does not use the generic brands from Fred Meyer and that includes prescription drugs or over the counter ones. If you've changed brands of the drugs you use you may want to check with your doctor if it could be an allergic reaction.