# sudden pains that make you think the end is near **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 21, 2005, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969 "2005-08-21T11:24:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![EnderWay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d26b3c/32.png) [@EnderWay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EnderWay)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/21 "2005-08-21T21:21:46Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Between two to four times a month I get EXTREME pain in my abdomen. I think I read somewhere (maybe here) that it’s caused by parts of the smooth muscle lining my intestines contracting, while the muscles right next to it don’t contract, so it’s streches out the muscles/intestine in a way they shouldn’t be. This pain is always accompanied by some…umm…“bowel problems” that force me to spend about twenty minutes straight on the can. But, after those 20 minutes (of pain so bad I want to die,) I’m free for another couple of weeks. Have you seen a Doctor about this? Don’t ignore reoccurring pain, especially sever pain! I ignored the same symptoms, they chronically got worse. I eventually went to the ER when pain would not go away, I had 104 fever, and was yellow. Turned out to be [Diverticulitis](http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/diverticulosis/). A diverticulum had burst and my large intestine was leaking into my abdomen. I had to have surgery to remove that section of large intestine. Moral of my story. If I had gone to Doc earlier my Diverticulitis could have been treated with diet and meds (antibiotics when pain flared up) and I wouldn’t, literally, have almost died and needed surgery. Sounding like a Doc here … don’t ignore your body. When you have sever and reoccurring pain, your body is telling you something is wrong! Sorry but we would want anything bad to happen to you! ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/22 "2005-08-22T02:17:38Z")
What a depressing thread. Makes me think of [despair.com’s reworking of Nietzche’s motto:](http://www.despair.com/adversity.html) _That which does not kill me, **postpones the inevitable** _. ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/23 "2005-08-22T02:46:35Z")
In my head, all of you are now Fred Sanford, from the tv show _Sanford and Son_, y’know. I get little pains on my left side next to my belly button, every so often. It’s either a hernia that’s going to suddenly explode and split me in half, or a tumor the size of a basketball on my ovary. Oh, the doctor says it’s nothing, but she’s just trying to break it to me really, really gently. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/24 "2005-08-22T14:50:51Z")
I"ve had a heart attack. Now any time my chest hurts, I freak. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/25 "2005-08-22T15:20:24Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > This happened to me at work and it scared me enough and scared my coworkers enough that they called an ambulance and hauled me off to the hospital. > > Turns out it was a bad, bad gallbladder attack. A month later, the offending sack o’ stones was gone and nary a repeat has occurred. But at the time, it scared the bedoobies outta me! This was also my “end is near” pain, about a month ago. **cabdude** , mine was blocked until they moved it, and in my experience, it _was_ the most painful thing I have ever experienced! I have a very high pain tolerance (though I’ll whine over a papercut 😉 ) and have suffered some pretty nasty crap in my life with a strained grin and a wink that wasn’t too much of a wince. But I wouldn’t wish a gallbladder attack on my worst enemy. (oh, except maybe that Lamaze instructor in a recent IMHO thread - but come on, she’s asking for it! 😃 ) I’m on a low-fat diet right now, living in fear that that agonising pain will suddenly return. They gave me some heavy duty pain killers just in case, but still. Everytime I feel a tiny pain anywhere near my gallbladder, I tense up and pay close attention. I’ll be happy when that thing is gone. Then I’ll celebrate by ordering eight sqaure feet of pizza. I won’t eat it all, but it’s the principle of the thing! And 16" garlic fingers! WITH CHEESE! ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/26 "2005-08-22T16:22:55Z")
I had pleurisy in college. It hit me very suddenly - I remember I was getting ready to go to class, I was blow drying my hair. The pain was sudden and overwhelming, I thought I was having a heart attack. I could barely make it to the infirmary where they initially told me I had a collapsed lung. They figured out it was pleurisy, gave me some medicine (have no idea what it was) and I felt better nearly immediately. I can still remember those terrifying few minutes when I thought I was having a heart attack at the age of 19! ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/27 "2005-08-22T16:34:02Z")
> [@Glory](#): > > I had pleurisy in college. It hit me very suddenly - I remember I was getting ready to go to class, I was blow drying my hair. The pain was sudden and overwhelming, I thought I was having a heart attack. I could barely make it to the infirmary where they initially told me I had a collapsed lung. They figured out it was pleurisy, gave me some medicine (have no idea what it was) and I felt better nearly immediately. I can still remember those terrifying few minutes when I thought I was having a heart attack at the age of 19! Preach it. I’ve had two pleurisy attacks in the past two years (I’m beginning to think that once you have one you become more suseptible to another attack) and both times I went down the heart attack check list: Crushing pain in chest (check), radiating to left arm (check), shortness of breath (check), etc. I’m not one to fool around with my health, so I went to the emergency room pronto (hey, I’ve got insurance, use it). Luckily, but wasn’t “the big one,” but better safe than sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/28 "2005-08-22T16:52:06Z")
I’ve had three sessions in which I was convinced I was going to die. Kidney stone in 1988 Migraine in 2000. Gallstones in 2003. I frankly couldn’t tell you which hurt the worst. All I know is that I wanted to crawl under the bed and die each time. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/29 "2005-08-22T16:53:00Z")
I get the occasional “ZZZZZZZTHWAP!” sound that seems to go through my head from right to left. I have no idea what it is, but ever since my mom had a stroke (at 55 years old), I always do a quick body check to see if anything’s gone numb. Anyone know what it is, BTW? I’m sure there must be a name for it. I tried to Google “Phantom Electrical Head Shock”, but I got nuthin. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/30 "2005-08-22T19:01:42Z")
I was walking to my car one day and broke my foot. Well that’s what it felt like. Toodling along when _POP_ - sheer agonizing pain. Turns out I had just popped a ligament and I should where sensible shoes. But yowza. I really thought I was looking at surgery there for about an hour. My mom used to have rare, sharp pains in her left boobie. For 25 years, at odd times, she’d stop, wince, and grab her boobie. And for 25 years we kids would tease her about doing the “family salute” in public or doing her “Fred Sanford” impression. We were mean kids but she wouldn’t go to the doctor. Turns out it’s mild angina that is easily controlled with medication. She should have gone to the doctor a \*lot \* sooner. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/31 "2005-08-22T19:28:16Z")
I was way, way out in the woods of Oregon miles from any road doing some really physical work when “BOOM” I feel like someone’s just punched my chest. I looked at the two people I was with and said “Shit, I think I’m having a heart attack.” Not really something they wanted to hear as to that point I’d carried most of the load, nor did they want to carry me out along with our supplies. I went to the emergency room after hiking out for several hours and they said “pleurisy”. Whew, but damn, that’s some scary stuff. It’s happened again since then and it’s still no less disconcerting even though you know (probably) what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/32 "2005-08-22T20:24:29Z")
**lorene** , you disappear for a couple of weeks and come back with > [@](#): > > Ever get those random, sudden pains that make you start looking around for the hooded guy with the scythe? You’re scaring me. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/33 "2005-08-22T22:40:24Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > **lorene** , you disappear for a couple of weeks and come back with > > You’re scaring me. But I didn’t disappear! I’ve been right here all along, commenting on [serial matrimony](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=331159) and [the proper way to advertise garage sales](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=331091) and I even participated in [two](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=330455)[threads](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=330839) that you are in! However, I am sorry for scaring you and I have had a lovely, pain free day today. Well, except for the dentist appointment, but that was expected pain. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/34 "2005-08-22T23:55:38Z")
Oh, it was just another one of those “hmm, haven’t seen any posts by lorene for a while; hope she hasn’t completely abandoned us” type of things, and saw this thread (among a few others in your triumphant return). Maybe I just wasn’t paying close enough attention. Not scared, exactly; but I have few enough friends here I’d hate to lose one. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/35 "2005-08-23T23:36:26Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > Not scared, exactly; but I have few enough friends here I’d hate to lose one. Well, I appreciate that. 🙂 And it would have been _far_ scarier if I had written > [@](#): > > Ever get those random, sudden pains that make you start looking around for the hooded guy with the scythe? > Well, I just got one and I re ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/36 "2005-08-24T01:21:27Z")
Sometimes I get a little stitch in my chest, an odd achy little pain, and get worried–but nothing serious yet, thank God. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969.md?page=1)