Still no diagnosis, still worried

[charliearlie]

I posted a thread about two weeks back, I can't link to it. :(


Okay, this is a bit of a long story but I am kind of worried and to be honest, I have no one to speak to. This started thirteen days ago with a slight panic attack, I had to stand and breathe slowly for about an hour to relax but then I struggled to sleep afterwards. The next day (Wednesday) a pain in my chest started developing, it wasn't unbearable but it was awkward. By Friday it was unbearable, the pain moving to my shoulder blade too. I went to the doctors and was told my blood pressure and heart rate are fine and that it must be muscular. I'm not a doctor but I know when it's a muscle or at least I think I do.

The Sunday after this, the pain reached a new level so I went to the A&E and had them look at me. Again my blood pressure and heart rate fine and my ECG was fine. Stupidly I rejected a blood test because I had an exam the day after. The Thursday a week after this all began I was in this unbearable pain again so made another doctors appointment and this time got my blood test and was told it's all clear. But then the next day I was called saying i needed to get another blood test, this one is more specifically to look at my liver. I'm in so much pain and I have no idea what's wrong with me and that just makes me more anxious. One night I was laying in bed and I actually just accepted death as if it was coming soon. My symptoms are, shoulder blade pain (sometimes a numb feeling), chest pain, ache in my arm, sharp pain in my palm, diarrhea, tiredness and weak calves.

What am I supposed to do until my next blood test on Thursday?

I still haven't been diagnosed but now the pain has moved to my left calf, not just a weak feeling. My leg is weak and is constantly pulsing/throbbing. I struggle to sleep at night and get tempted to google what is wrong with me. The one time I did, I saw MS and all my symptoms fit with it. Now that's all I think of. I can't help it because no one is telling me what is wrong with me. I have waited over ten days for an x-ray result.

I know MS is rare but the lack of closure is just making me find any disease and associating it with my symptoms. I don't know what to do. I really can't live in this pain/discomfort any longer.

[lily413]

Sorry to hear you're struggling.

Could it be a trapped nerve? Possibly from muscle tension? I had something similar and it went after a few weeks. I had an ache through my left arm and tingling in the palm of my hand. Numbness can be caused by trapped nerves too so your shoulder numbness would fit with the trapped nerve diagnosis too. I'm not a doctor but that's what it sounds like to me (based purely on what the doctor said to me when I had similar symptoms).

Hope this helps, and chin up. :)

[charliearlie]

Thank you. Just one person giving me a bit of comfort means the world. I don't normally worry but I have never experienced anything quite like this. My friends and family write it off as hypochondria but I am feeling this pain, I'm not imagining it.

I just find it strange that my shoulder blade/chest pain has disappeared and now it's all in my leg. I still do feel a bit shaky and tired though. :weep:

[ironpants74]

It's also possible that some of your symptoms are anxiety, maybe your general anxiety level is up because of exams? And maybe that is tipping you over the edge into increased health anxiety (just a thought).
I must say I have had shoulder/chest pains which turned out to be because of a trapped nerve due to bad posture. At various times i've thought I had lung cancer, breast cancer (I'm male so that would be quite rare), oesophegal cancer (spelling?), throat cancer..

Anxiety makes things seem much worse and often causes the symptoms in the first place, which creates anxiety, which creates symptoms.

It's hard waiting for the results of medical tests, that is the worst part, torn between wanting to know and dreading the outcome, you say you've been waiting a while for an x-ray result, if it was bad they would most likely be quicker getting them back to you. (Not that getting them back quick means there is something wrong). Every time i'm waiting for a test i've been convinced something is badly wrong it has turned out to be either something minor or down to anxiety itself.

Think positive, this will all pass!!!:D

---------- Post added at 01:44 ---------- Previous post was at 01:41 ----------

Just to be clear too, if the pains are caused by anxiety it doesn't mean you are imagining them, they are really there, it's just that the cause is mental rather than physical. So don't be down on yourself when people think it is 'all in your head'.

[Lilharry]

I know how you feel. I have undiagnosed stomach and bowel problems and have to wait 2-6 months for a colonoscopy. In the meantime I'm freaking out. But, you have to know that if the doctors aren't worried and think it's just anxiety, then they are actually probably right. They know the signs to look for for something serious - that's what they are trained to do and it's not in their interest to let you die! That's not to say that your pain isn't real, it just means that the cause isn't sinister. Anxiety can cause all sorts of physical pain - chest pain is very common. The leg pain could be completely unrelated. Having said that, have you been to the doctor about the leg pain? I don't think you should be afraid to go back and get your leg checked out - but try and trust them when they tell you there is nothing to worry about. My doctor said to me the other day that I should leave the responsibility of worrying with her - which I thought was helpful.