severe leg pain and breathlessness but normal d dimer?

[eastofeden]

clots have been on my mind for a while, my leg is really hurting, feels like it's clogged up, been like this for a week. went to a&e on sunday for d dimer test and it came back at 215 - cutoff is 250.

i was feeling very reassured by this but i have seen quite a few people who said their d dimer came back negative and then they had a pulmonary embolism.

the 'clogged' feeling seems to be moving up my leg and gets worse with flexion. earlier today it hurt to kneel or squat like really badly as if something was pushing against the vein.it hurt to touch too. now that same pain is higher up in my leg so im scared i dislodged the clot and it's going towards my lungs :( i feel like i can't breathe. thought it could be a muscle pull but i haven't exercised in a while and ive never had a muscle pull last more than 2 or 3 days. sigh. stupid anxiety.

[HoneyLove]

Eastofeden, you've posted a lot about this same fear over the last few months, I can see that you're really struggling with it and that it's really upsetting you.

Have you been able to get any help with your anxiety problems? What triggered then DVT fear so badly for you?

[eastofeden]

I'm not sure, I guess I just have a lot of risk factors and family history of clots. And I remember reading about a few girls my age who had it and the doctors never believed them.

Some people are scared of things like cancer or catching hiv. But I'm not like that - i'm much more scared of sudden life threatening things, like clots in the lung and heart attacks are my two main fears.

The doctor prescribed me some antidepressants but I don't want to take it because it takes months to wean off and can cause long qt. I don't need another medication messing up my system. I would rather be anxious than take it. I will wait for my cbt. I'm just tired of being in pain I guess.
even though the test is over 90% accurate it doesn't reassure me because I always think I could be in that minority.
I have a cbt appointment on the 28th so until then I will just have to wait this fear out.

[roxy90]

Oh honey im just like you. Im not scared of things like hiv, ms etc I.worry about the things are sudden and life threatening.

My main.fears are brain aneurysm, heart attack and PE. The fears overrule my life I have.had loads of d dimers, ecgs etc youre not alone x

[HoneyLove]

I think the CBT will be really good for you, it will teach you not to let your worries take a hold of you like that, and will help you look at the root of your fears like why you are afraid of dying so suddenly.

CBT helped me to see that I wasn't actually worried about my health, but I was really worried about dying before I had the chance to live the life I'd like to live, before I'd had a chance to be happy, I felt like I was wasting my life & my precious time on this earth. This really struck a chord with me and so I work now to make myself happy, and that in itself helps to alleviate the anxiety.

I hope the CBT will do the same for you :)

While you are waiting for your appointment go to YouTube and look up different videos to do some guided meditations or relaxation, or progressive muscle relaxation, and do this at least once a day - the relaxation work will really help you, just give it a try x

[eastofeden]

CBT helped me to see that I wasn't actually worried about my health, but I was really worried about dying before I had the chance to live the life I'd like to live, before I'd had a chance to be happy, I felt like I was wasting my life & my precious time on this earth. This really struck a chord with me and so I work now to make myself happy, and that in itself helps to alleviate the anxiety.



This is exactly what I'm afraid of too. And the stupid thing is I sit here worrying making myself sicker and more anxious. I waste so much time being afraid. This is why health anxiety is so frustrating - it's completely illogical. I just want my life back. Thank you for your kindness.

---------- Post added at 21:23 ---------- Previous post was at 21:19 ----------


Oh honey im just like you. Im not scared of things like hiv, ms etc I.worry about the things are sudden and life threatening.

My main.fears are brain aneurysm, heart attack and PE. The fears overrule my life I have.had loads of d dimers, ecgs etc youre not alone x


Wow it's amazing that there are other people out there who think just like me. I've lost count of how many tests I've had lol. But I wouldnt wish this anxiety on my worst enemy - it's really hard to cope with. I hope you find a path to happiness and security soon. Nobody deserves to feel scared all the time. You sound just like my way of thinking too. Hugs.

[HoneyLove]

Don't be so hard on yourself, anxiety is a tough battle to fight. The important thing is that you're making efforts to help yourself, if you keep going you'll find you feel stronger, more in control, and calmer.

If you have the same fears as me then trust me when I tell you that it would be worth doing a little self development work to get to know yourself better and to learn how you can start living in a way that will make you happier - this is the best way to beat anxiety :)

Those times when you're feeling at your worst are the times when you really have to push yourself to get moving and do something that will help instead of continuing in the cycle of worrying thoughts. This is hard, but the effort is worth it I promise.

Do a little research on anxiety, what it is and how it affects your body and mind. Learn the things you can do by yourself to help. It will make you feel a lot better, more in control of how you feel, empower you and will be wonderful for you alongside the CBT x

[Freddiemercury]

East - don't be so hard on yourself. I go through the same feelings and beat myself up sometimes about the way I can be with my HA, and I'm sure everyone on this board has felt that way at some point or they wouldn't even be here. There are reasons why our fears begin I really believe that. I am much more anxious about things like cancer and illnesses where you would suffer, and I think it's because I have seen loved ones die this way. Other people may be afraid of sudden death because they have lost people that way, or whatever the case may be. What helps me sometimes is when I think okay, how many cancers have I had in the last two months?? What are the chances I have all these diseases and how convenient is it that as soon as I focus on another set of symptoms, my previous ones have disappeared? It's probably all anxiety. (Not saying this thinking works all the time though!)

Plus blood clots do not just sit there for weeks and months and cause benign issues. You would be having way more symptoms if you had a blood clot for a while and it wouldn't just be pain.

When you say you've seen people or read stories, do you mean online? I do this too and it is the worst!!!!! I just had an ultrasound of a lump that my doc said was a benign lymph node and as soon as I google, I find story after story about how someone's ultrasound was wrong and it was cancer. It's horrifying, and I think what we are really all struggling with is uncertainty and it's hard to live with, especially for people like us.

[eastofeden]

hi freddie, the thing that's made this fear worse is that i posted on a dvt forum saying the dr gave me the all clear, then all these other people started replying saying 'oh but i was given the all clear too...but then i got a clot in my lungs and almost died and no doctor believed me at the time and the test is often wrong and you need to go get more tests don't wait around because this could be life or death' and it's annoying because then i stop feeling reassured and start wondering 'what if'...

my foot has starting getting pins and needles which is unusual.

i had this same fear months ago - my pain wasn't as bad as now but it took 2 months for all those wears sensations to disappear...and now these new ones have arrived!

sigh. i don't want to feel anxious and ruin every single day. i just want to feel relaxed and happy.

i agree uncertainty is my worst fear.
i always think i could be in that unlucky minority even if it's like 0.5%.

[HoneyLove]

Eastofeden - what do you personally feel is the best way forward for you? What do you feel in your heart and intuition is the thing that you really need to feel better?

[eastofeden]

Eastofeden - what do you personally feel is the best way forward for you? What do you feel in your heart and intuition is the thing that you really need to feel better?

im really not sure. if i knew i wouldn't have this anxiety lol. i will be meeting with a therapist on Wednesday. im sure it will improve things even if it's slightly. sometimes i wish i was rich so i could just walk into a private centre and get everything sorted same day instead of sitting here scared stiff wondering if my doctor hates me.

sometimes i know things are pure anxiety and i can work through them but this particular fear coupled with the symptoms is pushing me over the edge.

thanks honeylove i know it must be annoying to read through silly problems like mine. i will try to work this one out. thanks for everything.

i just wish there were black or white symptoms and answers but there isn't...sometimes just thinking about that minority exception makes me shiver.

[HoneyLove]

You know you don't need to have money to get help with the anxiety issues? There is so much you can do for free or very little money that will really help you and empower you to take control of your life again.

And I get the feeling that even if you had the money for a private clinic that it still wouldn't alleviate your fears about the DVT. After all they'll only run the same tests that you've already had.

Your problem is not the DVT worries, it's the greater fear that lies underneath it, the reason you're afraid of having DVT in the first place. I'm glad you're seeing a therapist this week, I really feel that will help you.