#1 ·
Yesterday, I started getting this pain in my chest, right above my left breast. It felt similar to something I dealt with ages ago. Back then, I went through the whole gauntlet—pediatric hospital, cardiologist, pulmonologist, surgeon—and everyone just gave me these blank stares. Finally, an orthopedist told me it was just inflammation where my rib cartilage meets my sternum and said it’d clear up on its own. So, I figured I’d already diagnosed myself once, I could do it again. But this time, as the day went on, the pain spread. First it moved a bit to the right, which fit my theory, but then it hit the left side toward my armpit, then under my breast, then even my back whenever I tried to lie on my back or my left side. My left arm is killing me too—specifically the inner part of my upper arm. And let me tell you, it hurts. It’s not like I have some superhuman pain tolerance, but this was seriously rough. I ended up whining to my mom on the phone, and she told me to get to the ER first thing in the morning. I spent the entire night white-knuckling it with Advil, Voltaren gel, and three Tylenols. I kept waking up because the pain was so bad I couldn't find a comfortable position to sleep in. This morning I hit the ER, and the doctor wrote down a diagnosis: Tachycardia (plus some other stuff I can't make out)
blood pressure on my left arm was 140/84, right arm was 145/90.
pulse 84.
She told me it’s just muscle pain and suggested Apaurin, then changed her mind and said I should just take Advil and check my blood pressure at the campus health center in the next few days since it's too high for a 19-year-old like me.
I went to the pharmacy, grabbed some Advil, Valerian—some herbal calming supplement you can get over the counter that isn't addictive—and Deep Heat. I rubbed that on the painful spot, took the Advil, and swallowed the capsule.
Now, my pulse is sitting at 112. It keeps jumping between 80 and 120. I just spent nearly an hour lying in the dark in total silence, doing deep breathing exercises and everything, and when I finally checked my pulse, it was 112.
Look, I’m not panicking, I’m not being hysterical, and I’m not worked up, so if my blood pressure and pulse are spiking because of that, fine.
Anyone got anything actually useful to say?
blood pressure on my left arm was 140/84, right arm was 145/90.
pulse 84.
She told me it’s just muscle pain and suggested Apaurin, then changed her mind and said I should just take Advil and check my blood pressure at the campus health center in the next few days since it's too high for a 19-year-old like me.
I went to the pharmacy, grabbed some Advil, Valerian—some herbal calming supplement you can get over the counter that isn't addictive—and Deep Heat. I rubbed that on the painful spot, took the Advil, and swallowed the capsule.
Now, my pulse is sitting at 112. It keeps jumping between 80 and 120. I just spent nearly an hour lying in the dark in total silence, doing deep breathing exercises and everything, and when I finally checked my pulse, it was 112.
Look, I’m not panicking, I’m not being hysterical, and I’m not worked up, so if my blood pressure and pulse are spiking because of that, fine.
Anyone got anything actually useful to say?