Paging Dr. SD: Health-Related Pregunta

Post by **Zaia** » 2003-06-29 12:16am

Ok, so, I've been sick since last Friday night. Nothing serious, just annoying, you know? Well, one of the symptoms I've had was a terribly sore throat, which got worse Monday or Tuesday. Again, it wasn't anything dire, it was just a pain. However, it's gotten a little weird. Today it changed. The way it hurts has changed, I mean. It feels like my throat is partially closed off, like someone's pinching it shut. I've been drinking stuff like ice water, orange juice, and hot tea all day long--along with squeezy pops leftover from like 8 years ago. When I'm actually drinking, it feels better, but once I stop, the feeling comes back--like a weak midget's trying to strangle me or something. Not fun.

One of my other symptoms is a cough. When I lay down to go to sleep at night, it feels like my throat closes off a bit more. That triggers lots of coughing, to the point where I run out of breath for a number of seconds and have to sit upright to be able to breath again. (Hence the grand total of five hours of sleep over the past week).

I don't have the option of going to the doctor's office to get treatment, because I don't currently have medical insurance.

So, my questions are:

Has anyone else ever felt anything like this?
Do you have any idea what's causing it?
What can I do about it?
Any tricks to knock me out so I sleep tonight, other than drinking about half a bottle of NyQuil?

I'm a little worried just because I'm alone, and this strange feeling of my esophagus being pinched closed is rather annoying. I have an inhaler next to my bed (I'm asthmatic too, btw), so I'm sure I'll be fine if I run out of breath again. I'd just like to know I'm not crazy by finding out other people have experienced this same thing..maybe....

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-06-29 12:20am

Z, sounds like you've got allergies. Probably molds due to the rain you've been having lately. I'd suggest going to the doctor to get something or try Claritin. Also, gargle with warm salt water to help the throat a bit.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-06-29 12:23am

Chicken soup/broth, even if it won't yield any real benefits for your symptoms, is always a good placebo at the very least. Sounds like allergies; just suck it up for a few days (no pun intended) and hope it passes.

Post by **Zaia** » 2003-06-29 12:30am

I've had allergies my entire life--pollen, mold, dust, animal dander, grass--and the reactions I have to those things are nothing like what I'm experiencing now. My asthma doesn't feel like this either. And to further reinforce the fact that it isn't allergies, I've been locked up in this house for the entire week, A/C pumping at maximum.

Just so y'all have all the info, my other symptoms include earache (both ears), headache, fever & chills (although my fever's down--not gone, though), and this racking cough that is really loud and makes me sound like a 90-year-old man who's smoked since he was six. And to keep a tab on the dates, I just finished my eighth day with it.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-06-29 12:36am

Not to scare you, dear, but it could be an infection.

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-06-29 12:38am

Sounds like Bronchitis, Z... you SERIOUSLY need to get to a doctor.

Drewcifer · Post by **Drewcifer** » 2003-06-29 12:49am

Are you experiencing any other symtoms indicitave of an allergic reaction to something? Like a rash, or plumbing problems (top or bottom)? It sounds like you're experiencing anaphylaxis, but that is usually a very fast reaction, not a lingering malady.

Is there something that coincided with the onset of sypmtoms, like cranking up the air? Getting a new cat? That might help you track down the cause. Indoor mold pollution often gets worse with the heavy use of A/C.

At any rate, I understand not having health insurance, I'm in a similar position, but are there any free clinics in your area? The fact that you've had the same symptoms for a week is a sign that there is a problem, and the worsening of your symptoms in the last few days is a sign that things might be getting worse. I'm not trying to scare you, but if there's any way you can go see a doctor, I would strongly recommend it, as soon as possible.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-06-29 12:52am

I would also request that you need to see a doctor, before you need to be hospitalised.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2003-06-29 01:00am

Go see a doctor ASAP, please.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-06-29 01:01am

Definitely see a doctor. Whatever you have doesn't sound like something you'd like to keep for longer than absolutely necessary.

Post by **Zaia** » 2003-06-29 01:03am

Drewcifer wrote:Are you experiencing any other symtoms indicitave of an allergic reaction to something?

Don't think so.

Like a rash,

No.

or plumbing problems (top or bottom)?

Twice I coughed so hard that I made myself throw up.

It sounds like you're experiencing anaphylaxis, but that is usually a very fast reaction, not a lingering malady.

The weird, pinched-off-in-the-throat feeling only just started today. The cough started on Monday, I think. Same with the fever. Friday, Saturday and Sunday I just had such a sore throat that it made my ears ache, which then spread to a headache in the back of my head, above my neck. Monday's when it started to get worse, adding the fever and cough. Then the fever started to go away, but this weird pinched-off feeling came into play.

Is there something that coincided with the onset of sypmtoms, like cranking up the air? Getting a new cat? That might help you track down the cause. Indoor mold pollution often gets worse with the heavy use of A/C.

Nope, the air's been on for a while, and I still have the same two cats I've had all along. I really don't think it's allergy-related--it doesn't feel that way to me--but, of course, I'm not an MD, so what do I know? *smile*

<snip 'go to the doctor' stuff>

There aren't any free clinics around here (I live in the country, man), and I can't really drive farther than ten miles or so (where the grocery store is) without having to pull over due to a coughing fit, so I can't go farther than that. If it gets worse, I might trouble a friend to drive me to one, but then only if I can afford it. I spent a LOT of money today in the grocery store getting over-the-counter stuff like NyQuil, Robitussin, cough drops and more tea--it may come across as a lame excuse, but lack of money is a very real issue here. I have no doctor phobias (just dentist ones--eek!), so know that I'm not trying to be a pain in the arse.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-06-29 01:04am

I've had bronchitis, and I've felt like that. Left untreated, it can turn into pneumonia, which can be life-threatening.

However, treatment has spotty effectiveness. I was given puffers which didn't fucking help at all, and when I asked the doctor about it, he said that they actually retard recovery but help with the symptoms. I threw the puffers out in disgust and decided to simply wait the fucker out and only go back to the doctor if conditions worsened. Eventually, it did go away.

Lots of rest, fluids, and a room air humidifier did the trick. But self-diagnosis of bronchitis is a bad idea. Even if you don't go for the puffers or for antibiotics which might not even help, you should go in order to get a qualified diagnosis.

Drewcifer · Post by **Drewcifer** » 2003-06-29 01:33am

I don't know Z, it sounds more like an infection than anything else, but I'm no doctor either. The pinch throat thing sounds quite scary though.

I understand the money problem, I'm pretty broke right now myself. Your condition seems to be worsening though and that is very concerning. (Maybe your parents could over-night some $$$? Or you could set up a Zaia get-well paypal account -- we'd all pitch in, I'm sure) If nothing else, if you're getting sicker, the problem will only get more expensive. Considering the potential for greater problems, I can't stress enough that medical attention is needed here, just to be safe.

OK, damn, I have to get offline and pack up my 'puter, because I'm moving tomorrow, but there'd better be "I'm all well now" thread by you when I get back later this week, K? GO TO THE DOCTOR

Sr.mal · Post by **Sr.mal** » 2003-06-29 01:55am

Zaia wrote:I've had allergies my entire life--pollen, mold, dust, animal dander, grass--and the reactions I have to those things are nothing like what I'm experiencing now. My asthma doesn't feel like this either. And to further reinforce the fact that it isn't allergies, I've been locked up in this house for the entire week, A/C pumping at maximum.

Just so y'all have all the info, my other symptoms include earache (both ears), headache, fever & chills (although my fever's down--not gone, though), and this racking cough that is really loud and makes me sound like a 90-year-old man who's smoked since he was six. And to keep a tab on the dates, I just finished my eighth day with it.

It is most likely due to the A/C. There might be something inside of it. I used to have BAD allergies, but I changed my A/C filter to a HEPA one and I don't suffer very many allergies before. Have you ever thought about allergy shots, they take a while to work, but they make life easier.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-06-29 02:04am

Sr.mal wrote:It is most likely due to the A/C. There might be something inside of it. I used to have BAD allergies, but I changed my A/C filter to a HEPA one and I don't suffer very many allergies before. Have you ever thought about allergy shots, they take a while to work, but they make life easier.

I had allergy shots for 10 years and it didn't help. In my late teens my allergies were worse than ever. I used to have periods of low or no sleep which lasted for weeks because I couldn't lie down without having my nasal passages seize up.

I gave up on the shots at that point, and the problem neither worsened or improved. But years later, I started doing these Chinese "liver cleanse" operations that my mother has been telling me about for a long, long time (basically, you drink a shitload of pure unsweetened apple juice for a couple of days, and the malic acid in the juice sort of "flushes" your innards, cleaning out a lot of built-up toxins). A whole lot of really ugly stuff comes out of you when you do that; believe me. Strange colours and everything. But after doing that a couple of times, my allergies went away. Make of that what you will; I know a lot of doctors dismiss it as quackery, but it certainly can't hurt you to drink a shitload of pure apple juice for a couple of days.

Sr.mal · Post by **Sr.mal** » 2003-06-29 02:08am

True, but what I do to flush my system is the old technique taught to me by my friends dad, a Cherokee Indian, sweat it out. By going to this sweat lodge ritual thingy bout once a month I've managed to fell in better health than I have ever before in my life.

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-06-29 07:14am

--please insert anti-American rant about capitalist health services here--

Zaia - let us know exactly how you feel everyday, as we're all really worried about you.

- can you swallow OK?
- how are your glands?
- can you speak OK?
- you don't smoke, do you?

Unfortunately, there appears to be a void of good diagnostic websites, although the NHS Direct page may help.

Love you, Z. Have some time of work, take car of yourself, and please, please keep us informed.

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2003-06-29 07:34am

Darth Wong wrote:I gave up on the shots at that point, and the problem neither worsened or improved. But years later, I started doing these Chinese "liver cleanse" operations that my mother has been telling me about for a long, long time (basically, you drink a shitload of pure unsweetened apple juice for a couple of days, and the malic acid in the juice sort of "flushes" your innards, cleaning out a lot of built-up toxins). A whole lot of really ugly stuff comes out of you when you do that; believe me. Strange colours and everything. But after doing that a couple of times, my allergies went away. Make of that what you will; I know a lot of doctors dismiss it as quackery, but it certainly can't hurt you to drink a shitload of pure apple juice for a couple of days.

ONLY juice OR regular food AND a lots of juice?

Worth a shot for me if it works sometimes I get allergies so bad that I can not get out of bed to save my life.

Post by **Lagmonster** » 2003-06-29 08:15am

Darth Wong wrote:I had allergy shots for 10 years and it didn't help.

I have yet to meet people for whom allergy shots work, actually. A colleague of mine told me once that even at distribution they're not projected to have anywhere near even a 100% effectiveness rate, making them the joke of the medical world in his opinion.

As for you, Zaia - depending on where you live, there are options available to you. Surprisingly, drug store pharmacists can have a lot kowledge about the chemistry of medicine. I've gotten wonderful results talking with a pharmacist about my symptoms and trying some of the remedies available in the Shopper's Drug Mart. Now - you may not have access to a dedicated and well-trained pharmacist, but it's a free out.

Here's the VERY GOOD rule of thumb: If a condition persists despite 'home remedy' treatments for MORE THAN TWO WEEKS, damn and HELL the costs and go see a doctor. Take out a bank loan if you have to. Respiratory illnesses can be much hardier than other sicknesses (save skin conditions, which can persist for a long time even with treatment), and can easily develop into much nastier and certainly more fatal illnesses in short order.

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2003-06-29 12:14pm

Zaia wrote:Just so y'all have all the info, my other symptoms include earache (both ears), headache, fever & chills (although my fever's down--not gone, though), and this racking cough that is really loud and makes me sound like a 90-year-old man who's smoked since he was six. And to keep a tab on the dates, I just finished my eighth day with it.

Sound like the flu & bronchitis that took me down for 3 weeks in 1st year university and cost me my co-op placement. In my case it started with my nose clogging up, a sore throat, and a nice fever. A few days later all that crap backed into my sinuses or something and I got a nice headache and earache. My sore throat also got worse and I started coughing up sticky crap from my lungs, and when I went to lie down I could feel all the fluids draining into my throat and making things feel even worse.

I picked up some extra-strength stuff from the pharmacy which helped a bit with my throat and congestion, but it also gave me the worst fucking headache ever. It was like having a bad hangover that would not go away, except that I was also dead sick. I was not seen outside my room for about 2 weeks, and it completely sucked. I only had about 20 CD's with me and I can only listen to the same songs so many times.

Anyways, the orange juice & warm water along with that stuff that gave me headaches eventually cleared things up. It took a while and I was coughing up crap from my lungs from time to time for the next month, but I eventually made a full recovery.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2003-06-29 12:50pm

Pretty much what others said.

It sounds like closer to allergies...but has the real possiblity of flu.

I understand the trouble of getting to a doctor, but for the meantime...just rest and drink a lot of OJ and water. Chicken Soup helps as well. Mostly because it's allegies...then oi, but if it's some sort of infection you're going have to keep well till you can get some sort of medical look see.

Trytostaydead · Post by **Trytostaydead** » 2003-06-29 01:52pm

Well.. could be esophogus cancer

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-06-29 01:58pm

Trytostaydead wrote:Well.. could be esophogus cancer

That's not very funny, you know.

Some of us are very worried about her...

Post by **Zaia** » 2003-06-29 02:43pm

Trytostaydead wrote:Well.. could be esophogus cancer

Hah, that's highly unlikely since I'm a singer and take very good care of my voice and throat. Plus I've never smoked a single cigarette or joint in my life, so that chance is pretty small. But thanks!

Well, it's currently 2:37pm and I just woke up after falling asleep around 4am, which must mean that I'm getting better, since I haven't slept this much since before I was sick. My throat is still hurting, as are my ears, and the weird pinching thing is still there, but it's less pronounced. I took my temperature last night and it's down to 99.8 so I think I'll just load my system full of OJ, soup and tea.

D.W.--Can you go into a bit more detail about the apple juice thing? Is it just apple juice for X number of days, or is that the only liquid you can drink and you can still eat normally?

innerbrat wrote:Zaia - let us know exactly how you feel everyday, as we're all really worried about you.

Yes, mum. *kisses innerbrat's forehead*

- can you swallow OK?

Yes. It hurts, but I can do it.

- how are your glands?

I keep trying to feel if they're swollen or not, and I think they are a little.

- can you speak OK?

For the past week, my voice has been almost completely gone, but not quite. It's raspy and weak, and my speaking range (not to mention my singing range--gah!) has been limited to a tiny little interval.

- you don't smoke, do you?

Nope, I've never smoked in my life, and never will. I'm a singer and I have asthma. Wouldn't be a good idea.

Look, guys, I didn't bring this up so y'all would be worried about me, although it's sweet that you are. I just thought that pinching thing was so weird, and at the time I had no one else to ask about it... I'm sure it's nothing major, and I think the sleep I had is going to help a lot with whatever it is, so please don't worry. Thank you all for caring, though.

Saurencaerthai · Post by **Saurencaerthai** » 2003-06-29 02:48pm

Here's something that might provide some temporary relief:
Go into the bathroom and turn the shower on the hottest it can go to get some steam in the room and stay in there a number of minutes. That might help a little.