use Perl

• Wrong answer! (Score:1)

  by Elian (119)

  If you haven't, go see a doctor. Now. An EKG is quick and easy, if a bit chilly (I swear, they refridgerate the contact gel), and isn't a big deal. If you've got a heart problem it'll show up, and the sooner it's dealt with the better. (Before you die is usually the best time) If it's not a heart problem that'll show quickly too, in which case tagamet might be the right answer. Or, on the other hand, it might not be. Either way your doctor will have a better idea of it than you do.
  • Re:Wrong answer! (Score:1)

    by chaoticset (2105)

    Maybe you're right.

    In the past, I've had chest pains from gas before that were more severe, but there are a few mitigating circumstances here -- I've gained about fifty pounds since January.

    I just can't help but feel like I'm overreacting, 'sall...

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    • Re:Wrong answer! (Score:1)

      by Elian (119)

      A friend's an emergency room nurse. Believe me when I say that calling your doctor up, telling them you've got some chest pains, and would like to get checked out is not over-reacting. (I've seen people scolded for not coming in at 2 AM on christmas when they've had chest pains) Nor will most insurance companies complain about it -- if 99 out of 100 EKGs show nothing, that 100th one that catches a problem before you have a heart attack more than makes up for it. And your doctor would much rather see you ask
    • Re:Wrong answer! (Score:2)

      by babbage (2619)

      I've gained about fifty pounds since January.

      Then Dan is definitely right -- you should see a doctor about things.

      Have you been following any of the stories about Bill Clinton's heart surgery? Apparently he had been having chest pains for six months or more -- particularly after jogging -- but had been assuming it was due to over-exertion. When the pains got worse recently and he hadn't been exercising as much, he went to see a doctor, and had a bypass a few days later. Apparently he had been on the b

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    • Re:Wrong answer! (Score:2)

      by jdavidb (1361)

      Please go check. We don't want to be mourning the loss of someone on this website.

      And may I suggest this [fourmilab.ch] if you don't want to keep the 50 pounds?

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      J. David works really hard, has a passion for writing good software, and knows many of the world's best Perl programmers
• Only GERD (Score:2)

  by hfb (74)

  *ahem* it can cause esophageal cancer when left over time. At least as of a few years ago when it claimed my father's life after a year of slow, agonizing death, there's an almost 100% morbidity rate from this kind of cancer. Who knew all those years of heartburn and burping would kill him in the end.
  • Re:Only GERD (Score:1)

    by chaoticset (2105)

    Thank you for the concern, and I'm sorry about your father.

    When I said 'only GERD', I meant 'the less urgent GERD as opposed to the possibly-immediately-fatal heart attack'. The last time I went to my doctor with abdominal pain he spoke with me at length about this because he figures (rightly, I think) that someone as young as I with signs like these has enormous dietary issues to overcome.

    At the time he decided it sounded consistent with early diverticulitis, and checked for that (which turned out not

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    You are what you think.