worstcasescenario
30-12-09, 08:41
Hi, so I posted an intro and am now posting about my problem. Hopefully someone out there can help.
I'm a 27 year old mom to two little girls, ages 22 months and 7 months, and have been having some strange symptoms lately. The doctor assures me that I am fine and that there is nothing wrong with me. But my symptoms are getting worse and I can't ignore that, can I?
I have been getting a dull ache in my chest on the right side. I can feel it from my back, just to the inside of my shoulder blade, and from the front, just under my breast. The ache is kind of deep, like it's directly between those points I just mentioned. It is a very dull, subtle ache that comes and goes, sometimes more persistent or noticeable than other times.
The ache started about 6 months ago now. Right after my second daughter was born (or about a month or two after, to be precise). It came and went sporadically then, but over the last month or so has started to bother me daily. I also have a sort of chest cold like feeling in my chest but have NO symptoms of a chest cold at all, just feeling like my lung is a bit ... ? tired or sick? I know, horrible way to describe it, kind of like the day or two before you come down with a chest cold or pneumonia. Except, in my case, it's been 6 months and nothing has developed into a cold just the ache gets more noticeable and persistent slowly over that time period. And now tonight I noticed it a lot and was also coughing a lot.
The doc has done a CT with contrast, chest X-ray, blood work, the works and told me, basically, "Maybe you should see a counselor, on paper you appear healthy."
So I guess what I'm asking is: could it be the worst case scenario? Something like an infection or irritation of another cause seems unlikely to have persisted under the radar for 6 months. Plus, blood tests were normal. Pleurisy seems unlikely, as the ache is very dull and subtle. Muscle causes, etc. are unlikely to me, as it feels deep and is presenting with chest-cold type feeling and cough.
I don't know. At what point do I trust the doc and the tests (and trust that they were read correctly and didn't miss anything), and at what point do I continue to pursue it further (since it is worsening)? I did smoke for many years before I quit the last couple years, and grew up in a house that was filled with second-hand smoke all the time. I have many high risk factors. Could chest x-ray and spiral CT scan with contrast miss lung cancer? Could the blood work be normal?
If its not that, what on earth could present like this? I have read some crazy google results (I know, I know) about parasites in the lung or liver, or reactions to mold, or whatever. Any ideas out there?
I really just want to be around for a long time for my two little babies. But I don't want to drive my doc nuts either. :) What should I do?
I'm a 27 year old mom to two little girls, ages 22 months and 7 months, and have been having some strange symptoms lately. The doctor assures me that I am fine and that there is nothing wrong with me. But my symptoms are getting worse and I can't ignore that, can I?
I have been getting a dull ache in my chest on the right side. I can feel it from my back, just to the inside of my shoulder blade, and from the front, just under my breast. The ache is kind of deep, like it's directly between those points I just mentioned. It is a very dull, subtle ache that comes and goes, sometimes more persistent or noticeable than other times.
The ache started about 6 months ago now. Right after my second daughter was born (or about a month or two after, to be precise). It came and went sporadically then, but over the last month or so has started to bother me daily. I also have a sort of chest cold like feeling in my chest but have NO symptoms of a chest cold at all, just feeling like my lung is a bit ... ? tired or sick? I know, horrible way to describe it, kind of like the day or two before you come down with a chest cold or pneumonia. Except, in my case, it's been 6 months and nothing has developed into a cold just the ache gets more noticeable and persistent slowly over that time period. And now tonight I noticed it a lot and was also coughing a lot.
The doc has done a CT with contrast, chest X-ray, blood work, the works and told me, basically, "Maybe you should see a counselor, on paper you appear healthy."
So I guess what I'm asking is: could it be the worst case scenario? Something like an infection or irritation of another cause seems unlikely to have persisted under the radar for 6 months. Plus, blood tests were normal. Pleurisy seems unlikely, as the ache is very dull and subtle. Muscle causes, etc. are unlikely to me, as it feels deep and is presenting with chest-cold type feeling and cough.
I don't know. At what point do I trust the doc and the tests (and trust that they were read correctly and didn't miss anything), and at what point do I continue to pursue it further (since it is worsening)? I did smoke for many years before I quit the last couple years, and grew up in a house that was filled with second-hand smoke all the time. I have many high risk factors. Could chest x-ray and spiral CT scan with contrast miss lung cancer? Could the blood work be normal?
If its not that, what on earth could present like this? I have read some crazy google results (I know, I know) about parasites in the lung or liver, or reactions to mold, or whatever. Any ideas out there?
I really just want to be around for a long time for my two little babies. But I don't want to drive my doc nuts either. :) What should I do?