It's not the chest...its actually the back...

I told you yesterday that the discomfort in my chest had transferred into a pain between the shoulder blades.

As yesterday afternoon went on, the pain got progressively worse and I was really uncomfortable on the train going home last night, so much so that I decided to take a rest night.  Those of you that know me well and have followed the story know that I dont do unscheduled rest.

The doctor in the hospital suggested it was either a muscle pull somewhere in my chest wall or a trapped nerve issue.  The doctor's diagnosis seems pretty much spot on right now.  As I breathe in and my chest expands front and back, I'm in pain.  Its pretty much smack bang in between my shoulder blades.

Can I put any ibuprofen gel or Voltarol on it?  Not a bloody hope.  One of the small disadvantages of being single.  I would have done anything for someone just to rub a small amount on me last night.  My Mum offered but that would have meant a two bus trip to Bexleyheath, so I opted for a scalding hot bath and some Nurofen Plus tablets in the end.  I felt a lot better as I went to bed and slept pretty well but its really sore again this morning.

I will see how I feel later but as it stands, I dont know whether I will run with the Plums tonight or even hit the Gym.  I'll just have to play it by ear.

 

Given the all clear

After typing that last post, I thought it would be easier to just pop over to A&E in my lunch hour and get looked at.

I can now relax as I've been given the all clear.

The Triage Doctor done a few key checks, blood pressure was good, blood oxygen levels were very good at 98%, heart and lungs sounded fine but he decided to get an ECG done to be on the safe side.

Despite the ECG alarms going mental when it registered my resting HR at 45bpm, the ECG was all clear too, so very good news.

The discomfort in my chest is likely caused my some kind of muscle pull somewhere in my chest wall.  They done some poking and prodding but couldnt locate anything in particular but that is what they've put it down too.

Relieved isnt the word.  Ok, I probably was being over cautious going over there but hey, its put my mind at rest.

Chest "discomfort"

Now I have to be honest here.

For those of you that know me, I hate hospitals, I hate the thought of blood tests and when I see any sort of blood, my body just shuts down and I feint, sort of like going into shock.  It has to be seen to be believed.

I'm able to cope with injuries ok but the thought of having to take a blood test or even worse, god forbid have an operation of any kind, I'm a complete mess.

So let me bring you up to speed...

A couple of weeks ago, when I was running between home and the Gym, I had to stop half way because of a sharp pain in my chest.  I stopped straight away but I was fine after about 30 seconds.  I occasionally get some discomfort but nothing like that before.  Within a minute, I was running again and I was fine.  I put it down to indigestion because I'd only eaten an hour beforehand and it gets me like that sometimes.

Since last week, I've had a bit of discomfort in my chest.  Not painful, got something nagging and just doesnt feel quite right.  Its hard to explain.  It isnt painful at all.  I've had a bit of a stiff neck and some tenderness in my right shoulder, which led me to think I was getting a revival of the nerve problem I had in my shoulder at the start of the year but it seems to have cleared up.

As of last night, I still had the minor discomfort in my chest.  Really nothing major but something has started to nag away at me, thinking I really should get this checked out.  This morning, I've got a pain between my shoulder blades.

I spoke to my work colleague about it and we put it down to a muscular ache and all would be well again soon but it seems to be getting worse.  I can feel it when I turn my neck from side to side, I feel it when I pull my shoulders back but I've still got the discomfort in my chest.

Like an idiot, I made the customary mistake to self diagnose via Google.  Pain between the shoulder blades relates to a pain in the chest.  Now, what could it be?  Angina.  Coronary Heart Disease.  Lung Cancer.  Wind.

As soon as I see them first three, I panic.  I used to smoke 40-a-day for a decade.  Could that major fcuk up in my life be coming back to haunt me?  I was a selfish git back in them days.  I never thought further down the line, that I would have Izzy to look out for.  If I knew Izzy was going to be in my life, I would never have smoked.  Never in a million years.  I'm an idiot but there's nothing I can do about it now.

I need to MTFU and make a doctor's appointment to really put my mind at rest now.

I'm fairly sure I'm fine as I'm still running well and am feeling particularly strong but you can never be to careful.  Some may see it as an overreaction but until I get checked out, I'm only going to worry.  Here's hoping it is nothing serious.