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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Rib Pain and knee pain
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Rib Pain and knee pain
by Kym Sesson, Jun 20, 2000 12:00AM
I have had severe pain in my rib cage for many, many, many years
now and I am at the end of my rope. My doctors don't
know what's wrong and don't think I need test and have labeled me with the "Chronic Pain" thing.
I can't sleep without sleeping pills. I take 800mg
of Motrin 3 to 4 times a day and am now bruising. I can't wear a bra, I
hurt when I drive or cough because the pain is to much. And believe it or
not I have found that if I drink anything with caffeine or eat chocolate, I
feel as though someone is stabling me with a knife. I feel like I'm going
to go crazy. I do smoke and have cut down to only a few a day. I have stopped at different points, but the pain continued. Have you ever come across these symptoms??
My knee problem is a mystery. It started about a year and a half ago. I moved furniture in my house, but did not suffer an trauma to it. The nex day I couldn't walk. The swelling and pain were bad. I am with an HMO so I went to after hour care, they took xrays, found nothing and put me in a cast. Two months later I finally got an appt. with ortho, and an orthoscopic surgery was scheduled. They found scaring and cleaned it up & months later same swelling and pain and another surgery, this time to clean up scar tissue. He drains it ever 5 to 6 months and put corizone shots in, but it doesn't last but for maybe a month and then it's the same again. I just had a Knee bone scan and when I laid down for my injection they taped my legs straight and took some pictures and the tech told me that there was definetly something going on because my left knee was turned in. When I went back for the other pictures I noticed that there was a spot on my knee. I ask the tech. what it was and before thinking he said it was a growth more like a mass. I don't think he was suppose to say this to me because when he turned around and relized I was the one asking he looked like he thought I was someone else and he turned white and he left and didn't come back to help me after that.
Do you have an idea as to what is going on, and please don't tell me this comes with age.
Sincerely,
Kym
Kym
now and I am at the end of my rope. My doctors don't
know what's wrong and don't think I need test and have labeled me with the "Chronic Pain" thing.
I can't sleep without sleeping pills. I take 800mg
of Motrin 3 to 4 times a day and am now bruising. I can't wear a bra, I
hurt when I drive or cough because the pain is to much. And believe it or
not I have found that if I drink anything with caffeine or eat chocolate, I
feel as though someone is stabling me with a knife. I feel like I'm going
to go crazy. I do smoke and have cut down to only a few a day. I have stopped at different points, but the pain continued. Have you ever come across these symptoms??
My knee problem is a mystery. It started about a year and a half ago. I moved furniture in my house, but did not suffer an trauma to it. The nex day I couldn't walk. The swelling and pain were bad. I am with an HMO so I went to after hour care, they took xrays, found nothing and put me in a cast. Two months later I finally got an appt. with ortho, and an orthoscopic surgery was scheduled. They found scaring and cleaned it up & months later same swelling and pain and another surgery, this time to clean up scar tissue. He drains it ever 5 to 6 months and put corizone shots in, but it doesn't last but for maybe a month and then it's the same again. I just had a Knee bone scan and when I laid down for my injection they taped my legs straight and took some pictures and the tech told me that there was definetly something going on because my left knee was turned in. When I went back for the other pictures I noticed that there was a spot on my knee. I ask the tech. what it was and before thinking he said it was a growth more like a mass. I don't think he was suppose to say this to me because when he turned around and relized I was the one asking he looked like he thought I was someone else and he turned white and he left and didn't come back to help me after that.
Do you have an idea as to what is going on, and please don't tell me this comes with age.
Sincerely,
Kym
Kym
Doctor's Answer
by HFHS-M.D.-HG, Jun 22, 2000 12:00AM
Dear Kym
I am not clear whether you had an evaluation by a pain specialist. People can be mentally disabled from chronic pain by developing conditions such as depression, anxiety and several others. I am not an expert in diseases of joints and you may want to consider a second opinion from an orthopedic surgeon regarding your concerns. People suffering from chronic pain conditions are shown to be benefiting from a combination of medications (pain/ anti depressants) and group psychotherapy. I hope this information is helpful to you
Sincerely
HFHS-M.D.
I am not clear whether you had an evaluation by a pain specialist. People can be mentally disabled from chronic pain by developing conditions such as depression, anxiety and several others. I am not an expert in diseases of joints and you may want to consider a second opinion from an orthopedic surgeon regarding your concerns. People suffering from chronic pain conditions are shown to be benefiting from a combination of medications (pain/ anti depressants) and group psychotherapy. I hope this information is helpful to you
Sincerely
HFHS-M.D.
Did the Docs check you for heart problems such as Mitral valve prolapse. You need an echocardiogram for that. If you have that and mitral regurgitation you can have chronic chest pains.
The knee thing sounds like you hurt your knee while moving stuff. Why they don't seem to find the answers is a mystery, but I know from experience that HMO'S SUCK and try to move you in and out fast like cattle.
I had bad Pericarditis which is an inflamation of the heart lining and I could barely function for one week and all the stupid doctor said was take two asperin every four hours and if the pain is not gone in two weeks come back in. I missed a week of work. I usually go years without calling in sick. I wish I could rememeber his name because now that I am more educated on these things I would blast him one in writing. He was in Fort Lauderdale Florida back in the late 70's, early 80's. I hope he reads this and remembers and realizes what an *** he was!!!!