I saw my family doc today. He's sending me to a cardiologist for the chest pain that the hospital already told me that is not due to my heart. Am I throwing good money after bad or do I really need this? I am not educated enough to know. I do know more about certain heart ailments than most people but all of Jeff's cardiac problems did not prepare me for my own. I don't want my own. I also will have a bone density test in case the pain is skeletal. There will also be some awful sounding camera down my throat ordeal to look at my esophagus. I was able to talk him out of the cardiac cath. I just feel like he's going crazy on my check book. Oh well. I really DO want an answer and if it costs, it costs.
Replies
Honey, I\'m not a cardiac nurse, but I\'m an ER nurse, with a lot of cardiac experience. Nothing that you mentioned sounds unreasonable to me. I agree with not getting a cardiac cath yet. A stress test and cardiac ultrasound are usually done before something so invasive! Also, I agree with the with the scope, but not so much the bone density test.... However, I really don\'t know enough about those to know how good of a diagnostic tool they are for skeletal pain. Doctors can go a little crazy with tests, so make sure you insist that they explain every single one and why it is being done, and what is shows. You have the right to refuse any test. Just say no, if you don\'t want a test or a procedure done. Your body is telling you that something is wrong by giving you pain. Good for you for listening to it. Hugs and let us know how things go. Love ya, Barbara
Wow...sounds like you are getting excellent advice from Barbara...there are other nurses here too that can also make some suggestions. I am sure that some sort of tests are a good idea...good luck to you...Karen