what symptoms and tests have you had?

[miss sparkle]

just wondered if anyone wanted to share any symptoms and what tests they have had for their worries and if the test result made you feel confident everything was ok!?

i have so far-since Dec when my ha started. .
dizziness, general rubbish feeling, headaches=blood test negative
breast lump=ultrasound-still not convinced.

also how do people manage to get gp to refer for tests etc, mine always starts off with at your age that would be unlikely and sends me on my way!
x

[honeyb]

How old are you?
Head
Tight band
Feeling of pressure
Dizziness
Light Headedness
Face twitches
Numbness
Tense Jaw

Hearing
Feels as though my ears are blocked and pressure
Pain in ears
Ringing in ears

Eyes
Blurred vision
Floaters
Dry eyes

Mouth
Tingling mouth
Feeling of lump in throat

Neck & Shoulders are sore and tight
chest pains and pressure
Constant worry about my heart
Palpitations
Shortness of breath

IBS
Hot weak arms and legs
This list could go on.

I've only had ecgs, Bloods which have all come back fine. I have had a biopsy on a lump in my breast that came back fine, but am still convinced they got my results mixed up with some elses.

[nomorepanic]

The NHS is on a tight budget and doctor's can't send people for all the tests they "want" unless they feel they really "need" them.

Imagine how much it would cost if we all asked for a CT or MRI scan just to reassure us.

The other problem is that the more tests you have the more you worry because when one test comes back negative you want another one to prove the first one was wrong and you get caught in the never ending cycle.

I read a book about HA and the other flipisde to this is doctor's that send people for loads of tests so the patient thinks there must be something really wrong with them or "why else would the doc send me for all these tests". What was done for reassurance makes things worse in the end.

I am just worrying that posting what tests etc you have had will make some members start to think "oh I haven't been tested for that, I better ask for it to be done"

[honeyb]

Thats very true Nicola, i never thought about it like that.

[blueangel]

What Nic has said is very true. I've worked for the NHS for years and I know how pushed things are - we are all being squeezed until we squeak at the moment and still provide the same services to the patients.

For diagnosis, doctors have to work on the premise of sending people for tests when they either have "red flag" symptoms - that is, symptoms that might indicate a problem that needs urgent treatment, or if the patient has symptoms of something that is complex and/or unexplained.

The big issue with HA patients, as Nic has already said, is accepting the results of tests when they come back OK. In many cases, even though a test result is negative, the patient then goes through miseries of wondering whether the doctor/x-ray/lab (whatever!) has missed something, or got your results mixed up with another patient. it's very easy to get into cycles with anxiety, and breaking them is the only way forward.

[angel wings]

yep your right ive had loads of tests done in the past but you still do wonder if they have missed something or they could be wrong or what other tests can they do some tests have helped me, but was sent from pillar to post a while back and some drs said one thing and others said something else so ended up confused with who to believe :doh:

[honeyb]

I think my biggest problem is that i know two people that have been told that there was nothing wrong with them when in fact there was. (both completely different drs). So as you can appreciated my confidence in drs is pretty low.

[angel wings]

same here honeyb on 3 occasions drs have got things wrong one was my dad who ending up losing his life because of mistakes made ,my son was told he had a tummy bug and it was actually his appendix and had to be rushed in hospital and i was told after having my tonsils out they were fine but rushed in the same day cause i had an infection and had to stay in hospital i know people do make mistakes but sometimes it is better to question and check but not all the time x
so know how hard it can be to trust drs and results but also understand it can cause a cycle of worry x

[honeyb]

Not suprising we are like we are then.

[candy_floss]

Symptoms
- Sore boobs - one in particular!
- Muscle weakness/aching
- Muscle twitches
- Lymph nodes swelling :weep:
- Sore neck and shoulders
- Weight lose and lack of apetite
- Bleeding between periods
- abdominal pain
- Stomach cramps
- Chest pain
- Tight feeling in stomach
- Itching and rashes
- Feeling like something is lodged in my throat.
- Sore armpits
- Palpitations
- Pain in left arm
- Ringing in ears.

Tests
- ECG when I was 16. (23 now). Showed my heart was fine and chest pains are anxiety related, probably not helped by a classmate having a heart attack in front of me when he was only 13 :weep:.
- Camera inserted down my throat into my stomach to try and find out if I was having chest pains due to GERD or other stomach issues. Tests showed nothing.
- Lots of blood test. Most recent one in March and one in late December. Results came back fine.
- Ultrasound scan at breast clinic for armpit problem in late January. Problem with my underarm joint causing pain. The breast cancer nurse said my breasts were fine and a mammogram was not necessary.
- Pelvic ultrasound scan in 2008 to try and find why I was bleeding between periods. Scan showed small cysts.
- Pelvic ultrasound scan in March this year, also for bleeding between periods. Just been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary syndrome.

My doctors are sick of the sight of me now. All of those scans I've really had to push and fight for because they were sure nothing was wrong. I'm so glad I pushed for my ultrasound to finally get a PCOS diagnosis.

[miss sparkle]

I wasn't asking about tests to compare really, just interested and thought it would be nice to see people who felt really sure they had a particular illness and had strong symptoms, was tested and absolutely fine,if that makes sense :-)
I was trying to make the point what we feel is very real, but reality we are fine?
A very good point made though about demanding tests, again not sure i worded it correctly.
I too know a few people who have been dismissed by the doctor until it was too late, and i think that plays on my mind alot.
i often wish i could have some sort of full body scan, if there is such a thing.
would still probably feel something had been missed
x x

---------- Post added at 15:11 ---------- Previous post was at 15:07 ----------

:D

[mike_coventry_uk]

I have had many symptoms and visited the octor many times mostly to be told I'm perfectly healthy in body!

I had numerous blood tests( people seem to think a blood test can't show cancer etc,ths is correct but it she's the levels of cells,lymphocytes,oxygen and various other things,if the levels were abnormal further investigation would be needed)

After badgering my gp for a brain ct scan he finally gave in(I'm talking bout 3 appointments a week) and the scan Come back clear....within 2weeks my focused turned to a new symptom!

The problem is for a health anxiety sufferer you want a full body mot every week and that just isn't feasible!

Trust in the docs medical exam and believe you are ok! The docs would not risk their job,if they thought you were Ill you would be referred!

Mike

[jade1978]

My symptoms have been, aching arms/legs, shooting pains, cramps, twitching, metallic taste in my mouth, strange skin sensations, burning, itching prickly heat feeling. Headaches. Ive had MRI of brain, CT scan of brain, ecg, every blood test going, all normal, but still very concerned. Its a neverending nightmare