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E-tek Restorations: PROJECT THREAD

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e-tek

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I find body work very therapeutic..
Looking good sir......

BTW....do you always wear your watch while your working on the cars? I haven't worn a watch in years....and....are those steel toed crocks?

I really should try and see it as therapeutic. I guess it reminds me of the work days I hated, which ultimately drove me to finish college....

I feel naked w/o a watch and even though it's an Eco-drive that I bought it in the Bahamas, it was relegated to yard/shop use after getting it weld-pitted one fine day....

As for the Crocks.... :lol:

I used to love doing it, but anymore, I hate the mess. Any grinding done, the stuff just gets everywhere. And doing machining for so long, I find it therapeutic like you find bodywork. And it's not as messy. Chips are way easier to clean up than dust. With that being said, I would still like to find a project to work on sometime, but not anything where it's hard to get parts for. I'd like to find a smaller car and drop a V8 into it. Something that has more fab than bodywork.

The dust is the biggest part of my hate-on for it for sure. That, and like you, I find fabbing stuff is creative, often testing our minds and honing technical abilities...

Sounds to me Kev like you DO need something that is hard to find parts for - so you can make them! :thumbup:
 
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Kevin54

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I really should try and see it as therapeutic. I guess it reminds me of the work days I hated, which ultimately drove me to finish college....

I feel naked w/o a watch and even though it's an Eco-drive that I bought it in the Bahamas, it was relegated to yard/shop use after getting it weld-pitted one fine day....

As for the Crocks.... :lol:



The dust is the biggest part of my hate-on for it for sure. That, and like you, I find fabbing stuff is creative, often testing our minds and honing technical abilities...

Sounds to me Kev like you DO need something that is hard to find parts for - so you can make them! :thumbup:

I got some prints for making a miniature Inline 4 engine. Once I get some things caught up and situated in the shop, then I am going to start making one.

There's times that I can come out to the shop and get busy and really enjoy it, but then at other times I just can't get into the groove of doing things. I think I'm going to have to talk to the doc about some of the meds I'm on as I think that is partially the problem. :dunno: The other day I came out, my shoulder wasn't feeling too bad, then I bounced around on the mower for a few hours and I wasn't worth a **** the next day because of the pain. And I have one job I HAVE to get finished up but I can't get to it until I get my press back together. My stuff just seems to snowball at times. Multi tasking......I think those days are over for me :sad:
 
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e-tek

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I got some prints for making a miniature Inline 4 engine. Once I get some things caught up and situated in the shop, then I am going to start making one.

There's times that I can come out to the shop and get busy and really enjoy it, but then at other times I just can't get into the groove of doing things. I think I'm going to have to talk to the doc about some of the meds I'm on as I think that is partially the problem. :dunno: The other day I came out, my shoulder wasn't feeling too bad, then I bounced around on the mower for a few hours and I wasn't worth a **** the next day because of the pain. And I have one job I HAVE to get finished up but I can't get to it until I get my press back together. My stuff just seems to snowball at times. Multi tasking......I think those days are over for me :sad:

PM sent....
 
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e-tek

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Just read your update on the HAMB and as usual more detailed here on the GJ.

Not sure if that's the case Simon, but I don't want to post the exact same thing on both sites in case someone (like you!) is reading both. I usually try to put stuff about my general activities on GJ, while on the HAMB I'll put more details about the '40 and the '27. You won't see much about the Datsun there!! :lol:
 
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I always take 4 weeks of my holidays in the summer, so I'm off for July. After a week of rest and visiting, this week was crazy busy at the E-tek Rod and Railing shop....

...meaning that my first task was to make and weld feet onto a railing, for one of our rental props...

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As well as finishing up the last bits on the 40-Ford Rod, including finishing up the dash and waiting on a better fender for the Left side before getting it all off to the paint shop.

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Found a little crack under one of the fenders lips -

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Which got welded up and re-shaped -

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Finally, the dash got a coat of high-build primer -

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The 240Z got some love too...

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Lots more tomorrow!
 
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Piling stuff up for the paint shop - just one fender to go, which I'll pick up from the sandblaster tomorrow.

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Ed, it's got to feel good getting stuff all ready for paint, getting it closer to being ready for re-assembly. Then perhaps more time for the 27! :thumbup:


A bit of advice on the 40's fender, most cracks in those vintage fenders, whether a rolled edge or wired edge, will start at body damage, be it dings/dents, creases in the area of the edges. The rolled edge and wired edge rely largely on the smooth transition of a radius to help keep vibration from focusing on any one point. This also is key in providing the structural integrity of the fender. Any defect left in a wheel opening or rolled edge becomes a "focal point" for vibration and usually results in a return of cracks. I would suggest to make a dolly out of steel rod, matched to the inside of the rolled edge, to be able to metalfinish as many of the defects out as possible, to insure the cracks don't rear their ugly heads soon after the new paint goes on. Specific areas on the fenders of these cars seem to be more prone to cracking, and sometimes the better answer is to cut out the trouble area and install a larger patch with the rolled edge (or wired edge) reformed, all **** welded in place and metal finished, front and back.

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Good luck with it, the 40's have always been sharp cars, look forward to seeing it go together!
 
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e-tek

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Ed, it's got to feel good getting stuff all ready for paint, getting it closer to being ready for re-assembly. Then perhaps more time for the 27! :thumbup:

Good luck with it, the 40's have always been sharp cars, look forward to seeing it go together!

Thanks Robert - PM'ing you now.
 
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e-tek

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This week I'm getting the 40 Ford finished up for final prep and paint. The left front fender has been a bit of dilemma - here are my choices:

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The black one was in fairly rough shape, with several patches having been welded in and a couple cracks having been welded up - which wouldn't have been the worse thing had the welding been done with any tact. Instead, the welds were huge, thick and solid, causing massive shrinking of the metal around them:

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Looks pretty bad right? I thought so too - so I asked the owner to send out another fender he had....which I immediately sent to the sandblaster, uncovering it's own serious issues -

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It get's worse...much worse :wtf:

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Somebody used metal rod to strengthen and shape the edges on this fender, which can be OK - if it's done with any semblance of skill....

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Between that mess - and a couple major splits in the metal:

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So I had to choose the least damaged of the two ****** fenders.... :willy_nil

SURVEY SAYS! :dunno:

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Time to get at the repairs -

Starting with some major hammer and dolly work on the patches and using a special dolly I made for the edges -

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Then I got after it with the ******* file:

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Using the body file, I shaved down some of the welds and metal-finished some areas -

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Here's a large flat area that wasn't too bad so it got metal-finished:

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Once the file is run over the area, it's easy to see the low spots -

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Which get worked with a hammer and dolly, then picked up with the pick end of a hammer backing it up with a lead dolly -

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Getting there:

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After running the grinder over it, then the DA, it'll be ready for high-build primer -

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This giant patch - with the caulking-like welds is gonna be a challenge!

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Check out this welding on the front edge!

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MP&C

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Ed, neither of these look like a factory installed wired edge. more than likely used as a repair for some body damage. I believe that fender should use a rolled edge only.


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As many "issues" as some of those fenders show, I would suggest a new rolled edge.

Here is a good thread showing a repair on a very similar fender....

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9847


Getting rid of all the scattered patchwork for a more continuous repair will do wonders in restoring the structural integrity of the fender.....as well as helping to straighten out some of the damage.


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(pic from attached link)
 

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e-tek

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Definitely NOT factory! These rods are often used to repair, shape and strengthen edges of large fenders and sections such as this, but - as I said - usually with much more skill and care than these examples show! The right fender has a rod in it that was done well, but this fender was done so poorly it's unuse-able - hence my choice to stick with the fender I already had, which has no rod, decent edges but several large, heavily-welded patches.

Upon looking at the huge repair on the fender in the thread you posted, I feel MUCH better about the amount of repair on the fender I have! ;)

ANyways, the repairs are coming along on the one I chose and I'll have 80% of it metal-finished, so very little filler will be required in the end. The edge dolly I made really helped get the edge even all the way around - and there's enough metal there to avoid needing any rod.
 
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e-tek

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Always good stuff in this thread!!

Thanks! Wish I could say there was something good about these fenders - arrrgghh!!


Oh well, after another 6 hours, I got one nearly done....just have to block out the primer a couple times.

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Remember the giant patches and welds?

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e-tek

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No posts from this weekend due having re-injured an old chest/shoulder injury - OUCH!!!

The biggest pain is that it totally feels like I would imagine a heart-attack would feel like.....shooting pains in left chest, radiating into shoulder, neck and back....Arrggh!
 
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e-tek

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Not Good Ed. If you feel like you have an Elephant sitting on your chest then that is a heart attack. I know as I have a couple of mates been through that recently and that is how they explained it to me.

Believe me it went through my mind! But no shortage of breath, no "pressure" (like the elephant feeling) and my HR stayed low. Fingers crossed!:willy_nil
 

Kevin54

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Believe me it went through my mind! But no shortage of breath, no "pressure" (like the elephant feeling) and my HR stayed low. Fingers crossed!:willy_nil

You really need to get checked out. It's remarkable as to what something like even stress can do. I worked with a young guy that I was training for tool and die work, and even he, figured that the day to day stuff, that he was trying to learn or stay on top of, drove him to the point of having a full blown heart attack. Two Stents later and all was good in his world. He blames me though for putting too much pressure on him :lol:

I need to get myself checked out. The way my wife cooks will probably get me closer to a heart attack. Fried potato's cooked up with a couple of dollops of fresh Lard, and some Bacon on the side, with a couple of eggs fried up in the Bacon grease and potato remains is probably plugging my **** up bigtime. But damn it taste so good.

I'd say that most of your problem is the stress from working on all of the projects you have going on, then recording it all for prosperity for all others to see, is getting you closer to one. You have what.....the Cougar, the '40, Chili's car, the '29 or whatever the year is. You pretty much have a full plate. :willy_nil
 
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e-tek

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I'd say that most of your problem is the stress from working on all of the projects you have going on, then recording it all for prosperity for all others to see, is getting you closer to one. You have what.....the Cougar, the '40, Chili's car, the '29 or whatever the year is. You pretty much have a full plate. :willy_nil

It's a sad thought that all the stuff I enjoy is made to look like the makings of a stress-related heart-attack!! :willy_nil

:lol_hitti

But I appreciate the input - and I'll definitely ask about it next time I speak to my doc.

:beer:
 

Jack Olsen

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No posts from this weekend due having re-injured an old chest/shoulder injury - OUCH!!!

The biggest pain is that it totally feels like I would imagine a heart-attack would feel like.....shooting pains in left chest, radiating into shoulder, neck and back....Arrggh!

+1 on getting it checked out. Better safe than sorry, and the Garage Journal would be a much poorer place without you.
 
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e-tek

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Thanks guys, I really appreciate the sentiment. I saw the doc yesterday and they ruled out immediate cardiac trouble, but are sending me through "the system" to check everything now. It's a weird set of pains that are only partially relieved for a few hours at a time by massive doses of NSAIDS, so it may be something like Costochondritis (inflammation of the intercostal spaces and nerves around the chest wall)... but I'll keep ya'll posted as I get it figured out. I had done a lot of excessive physical stuff over the years and broke and tore several things in those areas, so it could just be stuff catching up to me now...ouch.

As it is, I've been ordered to rest this week, on my last week of holidays - instead of getting the last 6 of 30 items I had on my summer "To Do" list. A friend just dropped off a Henry Ford biography for me, so that (along with you clowns :D !) will have to keep me busy this week.

But back to the subject at hand - I ordered up a NEW (NOS?) fender for the 240Z, which will save me a weeks worth of work repairing the crappy one I had!

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Kevin54

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Back in '00 I was having chest pains. I went to the doc and he told me that I had an upper respiratory infection and gave me some meds to take care of it. I told him is WASN'T and upper respiratory infection as I had a pain when I took a deep breath but I did not have a hard time breathing. But you know how docs are....they are right and a patient is always wrong. He gave me the meds and to come back in a week. He was off on vacation so I had to see another doc. He told me I had muscular inflammation. I explained to him that I knew what that was as I had pulled a muscle in my chest a few times before. New prescription, and come back in a week. I went through stress test, they ruled out heart problems, I pegged the breathing test where you blow into a machine to see your lung capacity. But I kept getting worse and worse. One evening, in the winter, it was down below zero outside. I had the furnace turned up but could not get warm. Went and took a hot shower trying to get warm but couldn't. I took my temp and was a tic over 103F. I told the wife I was going to the ER. They called the doctor in that was on duty that night. I explained to him that I was having severe chest pains and what the other docs had been saying for the last month and a half. I also explained to him that the chest pains were NOT muscle related, and they were not lung related. I told him that I know what a pulled chest muscle feels like as I've had it before, and I know what an upper respiratory infection is as I've also had that before, and neither one was what I was feeling. I therefore asked him very politely to listen to what I was going to tell him. I said....."it hurts to breathe. I can breathe fine, I don't wheeze, and I haven't lifted anything heavy to pull a muscle" He looked at me and said that I had the symptoms of Pericarditis. Okay...."what's that?" I had an infection that causes the Pericardal sack around the heart to start filling with fluid. When it fills, then when I take a deep breath the lungs expand, and when they do it pushed against the sack which therefore pushes against the heart, plus the heart is restricted because of the fluid buildup. If not taken care of can eventually cause death, as the night nurse told me her husband had it and she almost lost him. An ultrasound confirmed what the problem was. Four days in intensive care and a month of antibiotics took care of it.

They don't know what causes it, but since having it, I am susceptible to getting it again rather easily. Believe me, that pain is no fun at all. It does mimic the symptoms of a heart attack as the sack constricts the heart, and in doing so affects other nerves around the heart.

Hopefully they have you figured out and they get things taken care of, but just keep it in the back of your mind and you may want to ask the doc about it when you see him again.

In the meantime....relax and take it easy. If I remember correctly, you are only off work for the rest of this month, correct? Don't push things to the point you put yourself in jeopardy with your health. :thumbup::beer:
 
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e-tek

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Thanks Kevin - I'll definitely try not to do my usual "I'm sure it's nothing doc" routine next time I'm in to see him. But if I keep thinking and talking about it it will manifest itself into a panic attack!!

Yes, I'm off until the end of the month, but I've already decided to take it easy and only do a couple hours in the shop per day, interspersed with reading, relaxing and time in the hot tub....

So having said that, all I did in the shop today was hang the new 240Z fender and strip out the HL buckets:

OF course when I first laid the old bucket next to the new fender I found it had like 1/2" of filler in it!

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So, out it came:

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...and she lined up beautifully!

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Almost looks like a car again!

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theoldwizard1

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... He looked at me and said that I had the symptoms of Pericarditis. Okay...."what's that?" I had an infection that causes the Pericardal sack around the heart to start filling with fluid. When it fills, then when I take a deep breath the lungs expand, and when they do it pushed against the sack which therefore pushes against the heart, plus the heart is restricted because of the fluid buildup.

I had a friend who had it. They threw him in the hospital, gave him some "horse sized" diuretics. He pissed every 15 minutes of so, and lost between 10-20 lbs of "water weight" in just a couple of days.


I was thrown in the hospital for having "chest discomfort" even though I had been doing normal things for half of a day including climbing a 2 story staircase. They kept me there for 3 days on a continuous heart monitor until they could give me a cardiac stress test, which I passed with flying colors. "Must have been heart burn."

Fast forward about 10 years. Different doctor. Again, I had "chest discomfort" but I was shoveling snow. The doctor would not let me leave the office until they did a blood test to see if I had had a heart attack (I WAS shoveling snow !). Heartburn again.

I'll be dead before I tell another doctor I have "chest discomfort".
 
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e-tek

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I was thrown in the hospital for having "chest discomfort" even though I had been doing normal things for half of a day including climbing a 2 story staircase. They kept me there for 3 days on a continuous heart monitor until they could give me a cardiac stress test, which I passed with flying colors. "Must have been heart burn."

Fast forward about 10 years. Different doctor. Again, I had "chest discomfort" but I was shoveling snow. The doctor would not let me leave the office until they did a blood test to see if I had had a heart attack (I WAS shoveling snow !). Heartburn again.

I'll be dead before I tell another doctor I have "chest discomfort".

I totally hear you! I've gone through this several times as well. I also sold PPI's (heartburn drugs) for 10 years, listened to many specialists, read many studies and taught the therapeutic area to many doctors....but chest discomfort - whether it be dyspepsia, costrochondritis, or a pulled muscle can look and sound like cardiac issues and once the doc hears of the symptoms, he has to - and you want him to - investigate.

It's been 5 days now since this started. It's been waking me up at night, hurts right now and is stopping me from doing what I love - on my holiday! What's a guy to do.... :wtf:
 

Kevin54

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I had a friend who had it. They threw him in the hospital, gave him some "horse sized" diuretics. He pissed every 15 minutes of so, and lost between 10-20 lbs of "water weight" in just a couple of days.


I was thrown in the hospital for having "chest discomfort" even though I had been doing normal things for half of a day including climbing a 2 story staircase. They kept me there for 3 days on a continuous heart monitor until they could give me a cardiac stress test, which I passed with flying colors. "Must have been heart burn."

Fast forward about 10 years. Different doctor. Again, I had "chest discomfort" but I was shoveling snow. The doctor would not let me leave the office until they did a blood test to see if I had had a heart attack (I WAS shoveling snow !). Heartburn again.

I'll be dead before I tell another doctor I have "chest discomfort".

I totally hear you! I've gone through this several times as well. I also sold PPI's (heartburn drugs) for 10 years, listened to many specialists, read many studies and taught the therapeutic area to many doctors....but chest discomfort - whether it be dyspepsia, costrochondritis, or a pulled muscle can look and sound like cardiac issues and once the doc hears of the symptoms, he has to - and you want him to - investigate.

It's been 5 days now since this started. It's been waking me up at night, hurts right now and is stopping me from doing what I love - on my holiday! What's a guy to do.... :wtf:

One thing you never want to overlook is chest pains, whether it turns out to be just a case of heartburn or not. I know quite a few people that have went to the hospital because of chest discomfort and they find out that one or two arteries are 90% blocked.

Even though you think it may be heartburn and just blow it off as so, you don't want to end up leaving the family that you love to be without a husband and father. I've been through enough that I can pretty well read my body when something is not right. My main problem is the dipshit doctors that we have around here that won't listen to what you tell them. I've ended up in worse shape because of the doctors not listening. One fine example was with the Pericarditis that I ended up with. I went for two month with a serious problem that the doctors wanted to tell me what was wrong, and wouldn't listen to me when I told them what was wrong. Even the heart doctor that administered the stress test told me that there was nothing wrong with me. It makes me wonder what the hell they went to college for in the first place.

I can get by with an arm hurting, a leg hurting and pretty well figure out what is causing it. But when it comes to a chest pain and I know it isn't a pulled muscle because I haven't lifted anything heavy....I don't care how many test they run. I want to know the old ticker is still ticking like it should be. :shocking:
 

Omphaloskeptic

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E-Tek, so if you are on holiday till the end of the month, why don't you call your doctor's office and see if you can get in wherever he has a cancelled appointment?

Please don't wait around till you have to take an ambulance ride in the middle of the night to the emergency room.

I certainly don't know what your ailment is and neither do you, so please get yourself to someone who can't at least check you out while the symptoms are present and you have the time to see the doc when his office has the next available time slot.

DON'T IGNORE YOUR 'CHECK ENGINE LIGHT'!
 

Carbine

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E-Tek, I had chest discomfort a few years ago. I went to the Doc and after a multitude of tests he ruled out any heart related problems. We had a discussion about my diet. Turns out I'm rather sensitive to caffeine. Since then I watch my coffee intake and I am glad to say no more chest pains.
I hope it turns out to be something simple for you. I was lucky.
 

Old Moparz

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I totally hear you! I've gone through this several times as well. I also sold PPI's (heartburn drugs) for 10 years, listened to many specialists, read many studies and taught the therapeutic area to many doctors....but chest discomfort - whether it be dyspepsia, costrochondritis, or a pulled muscle can look and sound like cardiac issues and once the doc hears of the symptoms, he has to - and you want him to - investigate.

It's been 5 days now since this started. It's been waking me up at night, hurts right now and is stopping me from doing what I love - on my holiday! What's a guy to do.... :wtf:


I suppose it's good news they haven't found a serious issue, but not knowing what is wrong can make you feel like ****, too. :headscrat

My left arm & shoulder started bothering me just over a year ago. I dismissed it thinking that me being up on my roof tearing it off & not being in the same shape I was, had more to do with it & wasn't concerned. By the time I was done with the roof it still hurt & wasn't going away.

I finally went to the doctor, had x-rays done & still didn't know what was wrong. The doctor gave me a list of exercises to do for my arm & shoulder but a month passed & nothing felt better. I tried my chiropractor to see what he thought & he gave me a different set of exercises based on what I said & after only a week I noticed improvements. Now the pain is less than a 1/3 of what it was so I need to work more on the exercises, increase the weight I lift.

Getting old *****. :lol:
 

Kevin54

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Urbana, Ohio
I totally hear you! I've gone through this several times as well. I also sold PPI's (heartburn drugs) for 10 years, listened to many specialists, read many studies and taught the therapeutic area to many doctors....but chest discomfort - whether it be dyspepsia, costrochondritis, or a pulled muscle can look and sound like cardiac issues and once the doc hears of the symptoms, he has to - and you want him to - investigate.

It's been 5 days now since this started. It's been waking me up at night, hurts right now and is stopping me from doing what I love - on my holiday! What's a guy to do.... :wtf:

Heartburn for 5 days is not normal, nor I doubt it is heartburn. I think it's about time you visit the doc.
 
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e-tek

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
10,690
Location
Saskatoon, SK
OK gents - again, thanks for the cautionary tales and encouragement!
Went to the doc and of course they checked my blood pressure, drew bllod for CBC's, sugars and titres, an ECG and (another) chest xray - all clear. In follow-up he mentioned costrochondritis (inflammation of intercostal muscles) and air trapping (air in intestines) and thinks I'm experiencing both. My left lower ribs are tender to touch and I had injured them many years back. The air trapping is gas that just won't pass through and can cause severe stabbing to dull achy pains. The gas could be that I've developed a sensitivity to lactose or casein (milk, ice creme, etc) which I consume a LOT of.

Lastly, they booked me for an exercise tolerance test at the end of August. Ironic because I used to do these for a cardiac outpatient clinic when I was young and oh-so buff and think "I'll never need one of these!" Now I'm 50....
 
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