So I mentioned in a previous post that I have a “diaphragm issue”.  I did some looking into this after a 3-episode weekend and I actually think that it is a thoracic musculoskeletal type problem that may even be related to my hypothyroidism.  I don’t believe in turning a blind eye because that’s how you get hurt.  You have to keep your eyes and your mind open to what is happening to you.  The jury is out but I’m about 90% sure it’s not my diaphragm since I am not having trouble taking in big breaths.  In my brief research, I did find out that I probably also have Precordial catch which is a brief sharp pain in the left chest that gets worse with inhalation and subsides in a minute or two.  That happens a few times a year.

Anyway, after the third episode, my husband tells me that he thinks I’m overdoing it at the gym.  This is entirely possible and if my issue is truly musculoskeletal then working out and lifting weights may actually be exacerbating it on an irregular basis.  I’ve never had 3 back to back incidents with this. I’ve had a couple in a years time but never consecutive days.  I keep track of when it happens as a record for the doctor when I go to see her.  My watch records my heart rate whenever I’m wearing it which is all the time minus when I’m sleeping.  When it happens it starts with pain across my chest then gets stronger and radiates down my arm and seemingly appears to radiate from my diaphragm which is why I thought that it was an injury with that.  It feels like getting punched in the stomach.  It lasts for 20-30 minutes in general then goes away as quickly as it sets in.  Sunday, the discomfort lasted about 45 minutes but then what I’ll call a  lingering “ache” hung around for an hour or two more.  This was manageable but when it’s most painful, I can’t get comfortable no matter what I do.  No position is relieving and I just have to wait it out.  Saturday’s episode happened at night and this time it seemed to be less uncomfortable on my right side with my arms raised above my head.  Sunday it seemed that laying on the right side was still better than the left but when I took a big deep breath in the pain seemed to go away as fast as it came.  Not sure if breathing in actually helped or was just coincidental to the end of the episode.

So because I am not a doctor and have not seen an Orthopedic Surgeon yet which is who handles this kind of thing, I am going to alter my gym routine for my husband’s piece of mind.  I’ll walk on the nice days that my son has off after work.  That way I’m still getting exercise but nothing strenuous every day of the week for a while.  It’s a compromise that probably will do me good. I read that this possibly could be related to my Hypothyroid situation.  I’m on Levothyroxine and the highest dose yet for me but not a high does.  .75 mg now but the last bloodwork done shows that it is not keeping my T4 level down where it should be.  Maybe that is the reason I’ve experienced so many episodes these last few days.  I don’t know but better to be safe than sorry I think.  I might not like it much but I feel that it’s better to do something to make you and your loved one feel better and be on the safe side than to ignore the whole thing and have bigger issues later.