DO i have a STroke

[Gena411]

my chest is always hurt.its kinda like sharp pain at the side at my lower chest. is this normal.. or its just part of harmone. and having hard time to breath. at night.specially if i go to bed . dont want to go to doctor. specially if u dont have a health insurance..sucked..

[dreamyxo]

Pain is not normal pain is your body's way of telling you something is wrong.  It kills me when people come to message boards for a diagnosis of their problems.  We are not doctors!  Go to a hospital or find a free clinic in your area.  I understand you don't have health insurance but there are resources you can take advantage of, look into it.   Your health is nothing to play with.

[mlhnceh]

I'm a nurse.  Pain and shortness of breath is not normal.  Don't ignore this problem and hope it will go away.  You need to go to the dr.  If there are not any free clinics or programs in your area, I'm sure the dr's office or local hospital will work with you.  Please see someone who can treat you.

[scollontrade]

I am a male. That means I am a wimp when it comes to pain. If I had what you describe I would be at the emergency room in 2 seconds. Insurance or no insurance. GO!

[longleggedgiraffe]

I dont mean to joke but emergency room visits dont last 2 seconds..its more like 2 hours! But seriously some hospitals will waive the fee if you can't pay. I dont know where you are from but you should try! even doctors have sliding scales for people who cant afford them. Trust me I know. I have 5 kids and also been on the lower income bracket. So we have had to take advatage of all these things...

[coulsongirls]

I agree with longleggedgiraffe  You need to go to the ER. I also don't have insurance and don't have money for the clinics here b/c they want $70 to walk thru the door and then more for tests and of course the first thing they want is for you to sign that you'll pay at discharge. So I waited until I couldn't anymore and finally went to the ER and was treated and the hospital's finance counselor worked with me and, saw my situation, and it was written off.  The ER does have a long wait but if you have chest pain, you're moved ahead of the pack so they can do an EKG.  I hope you go, that it turns out to be nothing serious, and that you feel better!

[surveysmillenium]

I'm a healthcare professional. I can't give you any concrete advise without checking your vitals, having lab results...etc. I understand money is tight. I know as I'm feeling it now too, and I thought the healthcare field was immune from a recession. I don't know what part of the country you are in, but here in FL, some of the Level I trauma centers run free clinics. They even dispense medication at a fraction of the cost. Start calling all of the hospitals in your area and ask information about any programs they may have. Don't give them any explanation... just say you don't have health insurance. Now, in the unlikely event you can't find one...a pharmacy chain that starts with C and ends with S runs what they call minute clinics staffed with nurse practitioners. It's not going to be free there as just the flu shot is about $30 without insurance (so think in the hundreds), but if it's not something requiring immediate assistance, you will not spend the cost of an Emergency Department visit. More than likely, they will end up referring you to a specialist (Cardiologist), but at least you will find out if you should be seeking help immediately. I am like you. I had crappy insurance when I was a student and one time I refused to go to the ED, but I nearly died from dehydration after having major food poisoning. I realized later how incredibly stupid (please forgive me for the strong words as I say this out of concern) I had been by not seeking medical help. What will it matter if you get in debt? Living is more important. I graduated with nearly 150k of student loan debt. I still have about $120k. After 8 years of schooling, I am not practicing because there is a glut of healthcare professionals in the job market. In addition, some of the patients in South Florida that I was dealing with were extremely aggressive and the great majority were just addicts looking for pain pills (I had death threats because I refused to be a part of the oxycodone saga). I was starting to feel more like a DEA agent than a healthcare provider. I'm seeking a different area to practice in right now. I have felt desperation so I relate to your struggle, but please please don't put your life at risk because of money. Depending on your circumstances, you may also qualify for Medicaid. The symptoms you describe could be a number of different health challenges...ranging from panic attacks, anxiety disorder, cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat), heart failure, pericarditis (inflammation around the heart), pulmonary issues, GERD (acid reflux), costochondritis (inflammation of the ribs)...etc. Just to give you some perspective, there could be at least 100 different possibilities. You need to be seen ASAP. Please let us know how you are doing. Hugs.

[Red02102002]

  I suggest you don't have to worry. Be happy! A smile is equal 10 Vitamin package. HIIIIIIii!