Pulmonary embolism/aneurysms and everything else fears

[roxy90]

Me again! I've posted once or twice about how my health.fears were spiralling out of control, and now things are just getting worse.

5 weeks ago I had underarm and chest pain. A simple Google search and 4 weeks later, the pain has escalated and most of my body hurts! Everyday I wake up with new or worse pain, which sets my worries off again.

4 weeks ago I went to A and E with chest and back pain. Ecg, bloods and x.ray clear, said it was muscular and I went happily home. Until the next day when it hurt even more. In the following 2 weeks the pain went to my arms, legs, shoulders and neck. I had another 2 ecgs and one mire blood test, both fine.

Ive been to the.doctors 6 times,.explaining pains are getting worse moving etc. Put down to anxiety and given citalopram. Been on that for two weeks and feel worse.

My chest hurts intermittently. My back, sides and shoulders really badly hurt, it hurts when I breathe in. I dont think I have any shortness of breath but I.have utterly.convinced myself Im having a.pulmonary emboloism because.I'm overweight :(

My last ECG was sunday and that was fine. Only the other.day i.diagnosed myself with.a brain aneurysm because I had a.headache and eye pain.

These pains are scaring me but nobody believes me, think its all in my head :( urgh it sounds so.irrational when written down but its oh so real!

[Speranza]

What do YOU think?

[Ally-SA]

Hello

In 2007 I had my first panic attack because I felt like I couldn't breathe.

I've worried about the same things you do.

I tend to breathe from the top of my chest - instead of abdomen - and this causes me severe pain! Especially when I've been breathing hard, and then relax... I feel it even more then.

Try to relax for a few days. The meds WILL make you feel more anxious when you first start them, too. But if all your tests are clear - then it must be muscular. Sometimes we do things and aren't conscious of how we do them. And then it hurts in strange places...

xx

[roxy90]

I think that I'm going to die! And it scares me. I think a blood clot might have developed in 4 weeks :(

Definitely agree with the hurting in strange places!

[CharlieM]

Hi strawberrys,

I totally sympathise with your story. I could have written it myself.

Following months of heart worries and clear tests, my GP has diagnosed me with anxiety and panic disorder. Because I refused to take SSRI's she prescribed me Amitriptyline and has referred me to a neurologist.

I refused to accept my pain is imaginary, so pressed her really hard to look for a diagnosis. I was willing to accept the problem wasn't my heart, but said to her that I needed to know what was causing the pain. I knew my anxiety wouldn't go until I knew.

She was very understanding and so I am now waiting for my neuro appt to come through.

In the meantime I have moved onto worrying about sensations in my head. I still get armpit, chest and neck discomfort but not nearly as bad now thanks to the meds.

I guess we just move onto new symptoms once another is discounted.

My advice is to stick with the meds a bit longer, but keep in contact with your GP. If you still feel no benefit or improvement, then discuss other avenues.

Good luck.

[Ally-SA]

We are so worked up and worried - our bodies keep on producing way too much adrenaline - we keep them at such a high stress level... so of course the effect of this is all the strange feelings, aches and pains.

You will be fine. You are not going to die. If you really want peace of mind - have a CT scan, and lung function tests. See a pulmonologist. That's what I did, and mine were all clear...

Anxiety is just awful.
xx

[roxy90]

Thankyou Charlie, that is exactly how I feel! I cannot accept the pain is imaginary, I've bugged Gps to the point they dismiss it all as anxiety, but Im anxious because of the pains. I just want an answer :(

I can totally relate to going onto the next thing after ones discounted. Initially my worries were heart and leukemia related. Now that's been eliminated I have a pulmonary embolism or an aneurysm!

Ally - thanks for the reassurance. Anxiety is terrible, it really is. Rationally its probably muscular as my body is tender to touch but the irrational side is very powerful! GPs wont do anything anymore :(

[roxy90]

Argh. I went to bed feeling better and confident I'm not going to drop dead, and now I've woken up I'm worse :( I have terrible lower back pain, rib pain, underarm pain and shoulder pain. Chest pain on and off but constant pain when I breathe in.

And now of course I have a pain in my calf! Topped off with eye pain that must mean a brain aneurysm I'm ready.to.give up today. No.GP appointment, dont live close enough to a walk in centre. Gosh does the worrying ever go?