I woke up yesterday with pain to my right shoulder...within a few hours the pain got so bad that I started to get nauseated. I took some pain medicine, a muscle relaxer, and got an icepack. I felt okay for a few hours and then it started to bother me again.
This morning when I woke up, the pain was still there a little bit, but I was having extreme pain, muscle spasms and cramping, stabbing on the right side of my chest and back. I dont usually "freak out" but I was seriously worried that I had a collapsed lung because I was having trouble taking breaths. I repeated the meds from the day before and got the heating pad. I couldnt move...I could hardly breath. After about an hour it started to let up a little. But all day everytime I breathe in, I get this stabbing pain under my right breast and thru the back in the same spot.
Here are some of my theories...tell me what you think...
1. It is muscle pain radiating from the shoulder from sleeping on it wrong.
2. I got a flu shot in the right arm on friday and the nurse hit a nerve by accident.
3. The chest pain is due to some sort of infiltration in the lung, or pluerisy and is radiating to the shoulder.
4. Costochondritis...radiating to the shoulder.
5. I'm being swallowed by a boa constrictor thereby causeing severe crushing pain.
I opt for #5. As you can shoot the boa
I have had pain like you mention. It just feels awful! You do not know if you are going to die from lack of oxygen or from the pain of trying to get oxygen. Maybe you need to visit the DR if it does not get better soon. Well, heres the deal...I have my next Remicade infusion in the am and if it is some sort of infection then that needs to be addressed first..right? So I am supposed to go at 1030 and then see the doc after, but the IV nurse told me I could go early and I am thinking I should do that so that if he thinks the doc needs to see me before the infusion and the doc wants to do xrays, I can still get done before my OTHER dr appt at 2. I am seeing pn mgmt to get more info on the spinal injections. WAAAAAAAAAAAA
I hope you do not have an infection and just needing your infusion. Good Luck!
Where is the nurse in you at these times? If one of your patients was having these symptoms, what would you advise? Crunchy, please take care of yourself. Crunchy, See the doctor before you get your Remicade. YOU HAVE TO. I am holding off my Enbrel just because a chest cold and a couple cuts. Don't take chances. We all need you - You have no right to take chances
By the way, do you know that song I am being swallowed by a boa constrictor - Kelsey sang it in kindergarten constantly - now I can't get it out of my head
Yes, I think that can be our official RA theme song. Thanks for posting all the words Hillhoney. Now, all of us will have it stuck in our heads.
Am waitiing to hear from you Crunchy. Hope it's the creeping RA and nothing else. Am thinking about you. Hi Crunchy, I've had middle back pain on and off this past summer (on right side mostly) and it was exactly as you describe yours such as stabbing pain when you take a deep breath and moving around to the front just under the breast. I ended up going into the ER a week ago because the pain was excruciatng in my lower back (this time) on left side and radiated upward towards my middle back and around to just below my breast (also hurt to breath). I had a chest x-ray and another test to rule out blood clot which came back negative. However, I do have a urinal tract infection and I'm on antibiotics for that but still am not sure what is causing all the back and front discomfort. Also, my RD referred me to a respirologist and he is sending me for some breathing test because he says that RA can affect the lungs in some cases and wants to keep an eye on things and see me every six months. I have been on Methotrexate for about 16 years with very few side effects so far! I hope that your pain goes away soon and hopefully with your medications you will feel better soon. Arlene
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