Le Grand Moan

If it hadn't happened countless times already – the symptoms, the visit to the GP, the stethoscope (plus chest x-rays a few times), the GP shrug, the GP impatient look which says "neurotic woman" (at least it did till I got cross with him for stupid assumptions – didn't say those words, but he understood) – I'd go. Because of all the above, there doesn't seem much point.

People don't always get high temperatures with a chest infection I think. Temperature depends on whether your immune system reacts in a particular way. Babies run a temperature at the drop of a hat. As we get older we are less likely to.
I think this calls for a stethoscope just in case. People with chronic problems can have more of a tendency to self-diagnose than those that don't maybe?

Don't have a high temperature.

That is quite a lot. Are you sure you don't have a chest infection or something?

Bad night. Eight puffs on the Ventolin inhaler helped, eventually. Looks like that's the end of a pleasant five months of Ventolin-free life. Sigh.

I have a Russian friend who swears by vodka for all ailments.She would!Her favourite is shot of vodka and pinch of salt for tum upsets- I have tried it and it sometimes works.As for the weather, you deserve it Bags, here in Devon it's a non stop downpour, worst day so far this week-hope it's better in Cornwall for glass

Good tip about the vodka Bags

Baggy I hope you start to feel much better soon.

I am convinced that the rotten weather has a lot to do with all our aches and pains this year,poor you bags seems to be suffering more than most so lts hope it eases off for you,re faggots I love them they are a family favourite and I always have a supply of them frozen just in case any DCs arrive and need feeding. for bags keep well.

We've had a lovely summery morning. DH is working at home today ("lates" as when you visited) so he took DD along to the sailing club for her dinghy sailing course (also collected her yesterday afternoon). It's not far but driving always seems to tense my chest up, especially since I somersaulted the car a couple of years ago, so I avoid it when I can.

DD has had a nice breeze and sunshine today for sailing. Gotta be good after two days of hardly any wind and a day of some wind with lots of rain.

Bags I'm so sorry to hear that you're unwell. You always seem to have an unlimited supply of "get-up-and go". Can you take it easy for a wee spell? Relax in your peaceful garden. Hope that your area is as sunny as Kintyre.

I need to be sober enough to drive by 1615 today, but I've just discovered that a carefully measured single shot of vodka with orange juice is good for chest ache

My usual careless slosh onto ice cubes is probably more like two units.

Sympathies bags . Glad to hear that things are a little bit better today. I hope you're in fine fettle by lunch time - the weather is improving, damp conditions do aggravate this sort of thing. I have adhesions on my ribs/diaphragm from an op a few years ago and the barometer syncs with all the nasty twinges for me. Take care

bags and . It must be very wearing for you, so easy does it today xx

I have faggots, broccoli and peas lined up. Easy peasy. I'd never eaten faggots until DH introduced them a few years ago. Very good for CBA days.

Bags I hope you're feeling less sore and under the weather this morning. Sausages and cauliflower cheese – good idea – aim for more comfort food this evening.

I blame the weather! My arthritis is worse than usual over the last month or so. Roll on the med!
Glad you're feeling better though!

Hey no!
Off to work I go!

Bags , sorry to hear you are in so much pain. I hope today is bette r for you. Sun here so hope it is with you too.

Hope today will continue to improve for you, B.

Good morning, everyone, and thank you for your comments. Chest still achey but it's not the sick ache of yesterday. I think it's probably just a rather nasty common cold virus. I get this kind of thing very often but it's not usually quite so bad. My system "deals with" the virus but, boy, does it complain about having to do so!

I think my chest joints (costal cartilages) are particularly sensitive to any kind of intrusion, probably because of the underlying (^underlying^!? Ha!) arthritis which affects more and more of me as time goes on. It has stopped my dancing, cycling and swimming over the last ten or twelve years (I know swimming should help but it doesn't). My muscles are fine but if I swim even a few lengths, I'm floored for a couple of days because of the chest ache; it must be a bone/cartilage thing. My chest tells me when the barometric pressure is rising or falling too, usually before the 'proper' barometers catch on

My GP knows all this (well, he's been told anyway). I don't think there's anything he can do. Roll on medical research into arthritis, I say!

Annobel that's the stuff I meant - different name. It is very good.

Bags I know nothing at all about this but am sending you and (((hugs))). Hope you feel better soon.

If you are taking tablets that are gastric irritants regularly, your doctor should have prescribed a PPI - proton pump inhibitor, such as omeprazole which is even available over the counter - ask a pharmacist. Stomach acid can cause problems with laryngitis and rather nasty coughing. Maybe chest pain too?

I think most of us need the summer to patch ourselves up after the winter and the lack of any sort of sunshime is having a detrimental [sp] effect [affect] on everyone's health at the moment. And you've been doing an awful lot recently, haven't you Bags? On the subject of asthma I've just been reading Call the Midwife, and the author says that asthma is very much a modern day disease that, in her younger days was just treated by doing breathing exercises and not thought to be dangerous at all. Was surprised to read this, and not sure that I can agree with it. Does jeni have any thoughts on that.

Could you have a chest infection ? my sister was in an awful state the other week, wheezing, coughing until she was sick and unable to lie down in bed.