To worry or not to worry?

[Karen from Indiana]

Im kind of confused. I have been having several bouts of pain, i guess you call it pain, in my left upper arm off and on since sunday. It comes and goes, and actually the best way to describe it is like someone is pumping the blood pressure cuff too tight on it...it is doing it right now but a lot more intensely than it has this week. Could this be some kind of pinched nerve or something from the ddd in my neck?

[debhun]

Go see a Dr. It may not be any thing but what you said a pinched nerve. But I think you should be checked to make sure. Let us know.

Hugs
Deb

[Mark N]

You should go in now as it could be a precursor to a heart attack. Go to WebMD or another site and check on the symptoms for women's heart attack as it is different than ones for men.

[Karen from Indiana]

I will go check the info. Im not leaning towards anything heart related due to the fact that its been going on for a week, but, then again, I dont know...

[Mark N]

Karen, I am not thinking it is your heart but many times people suffer for several days before it strikes. I am just concerned that it feels like a cuff tightened on your arm instead of feeling down your arm. I know women often have jaw pain and headaches as some of the signs. I hope you don't delay any longer before you check it out. I hope it is something else and your spinal doctor should check your cervical spine.

[gizmogirl]

Since you have no idea what the problem is coming from, you really should talk to someone asap. Sometimes HMO's have urgent care clinics, or you can put in a call to your doctor's office and talk to a nurse. It would be MUCH better to check it out saturday than XMAS week, right?

[BrokenBladder]

Karen,
I hope you were able to be checked out. Please let us know how you're doing today.

[debhun]

Karen How are you doing? Please let us know. And yes you can have heart trouble for a week or longer.


Deb

[Karen from Indiana]

As of now it has stopped again. Its a tad achey deep in the muscle but the bp cuff sensation is gone for now. This has been baffling me for a week...its there then it goes away. Sometimes way more intense than other times. Im thinking if it doesnt reoccur with as much intensity any more this weekend I will call and see my dr monday. But if it does flare up again..hmm..will have to weigh my options then. I hate going to hospital because they make a person with fibro feel like theres nothing wrong cause it doesnt show in any of thier tests.

[metijo]

Hi Karen,
It's certainly worth having your heart checked. I'm having a cardiac check in January because of pain radiating to my neck. Women are so different with heart stuff than men.
Having said that, I've also had very similar pain with tendonitis, so fingers crossed and happy holidays!
Victoria

[Mark N]

Karen, glad to hear it is improving. I hope you see your doctor but I do know what you mean about not going to the ER. Did you check out the symptoms for women and heart attacks? like I said it is much different than the syhmptoms for men.

[Karen from Indiana]

Hi, yes I did check the symptoms. Thank you for that info. I am up early today to try and be ready if I can get one of the "squeeze in" appointments this morning if the drs office is even open today. It has been much better but the achey feeling is still there. Also it has been random all week so I am not taking it to mean it wont come back!

Hey Metijo, long time no see...how ya been?

[Karen from Indiana]

Ok, got in this morning, had ekg and other stuff, its not cardiac related thankfully. Thinks its a pinched nerve. I decided to talk to him about changing meds for my fibro while I was there and oh lord...why did I do that? I have a real dilemma here...fibro..here..take anti-inflammatory med...I told him those dont work...well, fibro is inflammation...uh, someone help me here, it isnt is it? Unless my brain is playing tricks on me I read that it isnt an inflammatory condition. I hate to be confrontational with him and tell him he needs to update himself on the condition but I gotta get some relief, some help...Any one know of an article that totally disputes the inflammation theory that is reliable source that maybe I could mail to him anonymously? I really hate to have to find another dr.

[BrokenBladder]

Karen,

I'm a Fibro Mite as well and no it's not inflammtory at all. I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that if your doctor really believes that then I think you should be looking for a different doctor. I'm sorry if I offended you by saying that but he obviously has the wrong idea of Fibro and I'm afraid that you won't get the proper treatment under those circumstances. :( I may have missed something so please forgive me, but is this doctor a rheumy? If not I would suggest that you start looking for one. My rheumy has been so good to me and she specializes in FMS so it makes my life as good as it's going to get, LOL!!


I'm so glad to hear that you got an EKG and everything turned out fine. With women it's so scary because our symptoms of a heart problem vary so much.
I noticed that you said a pinched nerve so I'm wondering what nerve he thinks it might be. I'm only asking because I have a similar pain that you've described and went through all the heart tests and that wasn't it so they never really told me what it could be other than pain radiating around from the FMS.

Now Relax and Have A Merry Christmas!! BTW, it's nice to see you posting on the CP forum again. I haven't seen you around in a while and was wondering where you went!!

[Karen from Indiana]

No he isnt a rheumy, he is my family dr. There is a great rheumy close by and I did go to him a few years ago and got offered the same thing..anti-inflammatories. I decided why bother? I know there are some really good drs in Louisville but I am just so phobic about going over there, I get lost way too easy and my wonderful stomach nerves will do me in. Would have to learn where every bathroom was along the way before I could even think about going over there! Guess I am going to have to start doing some more dr research.

[BrokenBladder]

Karen,

I would try and find another rheumy if possible. There are many good ones out there and I know you can find one that will give you a better solution than anti infalmmatories.
I hope you're feeling better now and that you had a Merry Christmas.

[gizmogirl]

since you KNOW you have fibro, you have to ignore people who try to make you feel like you are complaining, which you seem to think is a good reason for avoiding a hospital. Someone else's (ignorant) opinion should not affect your actions! Sometimes I find it useful to remind myself to fight for getting proper consideration the same way I would if I were doing it for a child instead of for myself. We wouldn't let the opinions of others stop us from persisting until we get a diagnosis that explains things to our satisfaction if it were for a child in our care, right?