In Denial

[Jack]

Why do we all do it?

I've been having chest pain since the middle of last week and convinced myself that I had broken a rib with coughing, it felt just like when I've broken ribs in the past. However, this was a bit different. I could not pin point the pain and it came and went all the time. Then, the stuff I cough up started to develop an odd taste and now I'm told it smells!
Yes, I know I have a chest infection and will be at the doctors on Monday morning (I think it can wait untill then), but I really knew what was going on by Friday and could have done something about it then.

[elephant]

Denial protects us from going crazy. The statement that I make in my brain,"Not again!, What now?" I totally understand what your saying Jack. I do the same thing all the time and wait till the next day to see if it gets better and then I will wait another day and another day and all the sudden I can't barely breathe/walk. Denial is some sort of way to protect our Psyche, because our disease is so overwhelming at times. Get to the doctor soon.

[Sangye]

I do it, too, of course. Just get tired of more symptoms, more doctor visits, more drugs, more side effects.... Bleh.

Even so, if you're having chest pain I think Monday might be too far off to get it checked. Pneumonia can worsen very quickly. Any other symptoms you don't want to mention? Chills, sweats, fevers, fatigue, etc...?

[Jack]

Well, I swapped my antibiotic for a different one that I had laying around (I only have a few left so will have to see the doc) and the bad taste has now gone so some progress. I still have a lot of pain in spite of paracetamol so I took an extra dose of pred this morning (not to be recommended!) and we'll see how the day goes.

No other symptoms.

[elephant]

First denial then self treatment. I love it, I always have extra Bactrim and I do the same thing. I try it out for a few days and if it doesn't work, then I call the doctor. Self treatment really isn't a good thing, but it makes us feel like were in control.

[Sangye]

LOL.. Well, to be fair, not all self-treatment is the same. When you have the experience and knowledge that comes from working with the drugs, treatments and your own body for so long, you're probably as accurate as the docs will be. It's not like the dr is going to culture sputum and wait for the result before giving the exact right antibiotic. No, they're going to take their best guess and start one. I think if you weren't going to the doc tomorrow, though, I'd make a stink about it.

[Jack]

I'll ring the clinic at the end of my road at 8:30 in the morning and will have an appointment within the following couple of hours, its never a problem. Unless I'm missing something, the doc will probably accept my diagnosis with a cursory listen to my chest and measure of my blood pressure and prescribe some more of the same antibiotic if it seems to still be working.

Most of the day has been quite good, but my chest has just started to hurt a bit again. Hope it is not building up ready for when I go to bed.

[jola57]

LOL Jack, I love your optimism. Self medicate and to heck with docs. You are right after so long what can they prescribe that we don't know about? Just make sure they do the necessary blood tests and scans when you do go on monday.

[elephant]

Good luck Jack at your doctors visit tomorrow. Feel better soon.

[Jack]

Feeling much improved today and had much less coughing during the night.

Doc visit went much as predicted - got told to go earlier next time and given a full course of the antibiotic I had been using (Amoxicillin) plus a stand-by course to keep for emergencies!

My blood pressure was quite high so we decided that I should go back onto Ramapril, but at half the strength. I bought a blood pressure monitor at the pharmacy on the way home and now it is reading low again so I'm not sure what is going on at the moment.