panicking wish i neverwent to see gp

[tricia56]

hi im really panicking as I went to see gp tonight because the last few days ive been feeling as if I cant breathe properly and today I went a walk up to local shop I was quite anxiouse and on the way back I start to get niggly chest pains and I was sweating which i usually get hot and sweat when im out I did have a couple of bags but wasnt heavy , it did start to worrie me as i have health anxiety so I got a appointment to see my gp, I asked him if he thought it was probly down to the anxiety but he Is said he is abit concerned its my heart because I got the pains while walking and has referd me to heart specialist and ill get a appointment within two weeks and now im worried sick over it andscared now incase I have a heart attack

[Annie0904]

If your Doctor thought you were at immediate risk of heart attack he would have sent you to the hospital today. He wants you to go for routine tests to check if there are any problems that could develop into something else in the future. If there is, they can treat it so no need to worry.

[Mr.Jitters]

These are symptoms I get with anxiety, too, to the point that I spend a weekend on a cardiology ward a few years ago, I had everyone else utterly convinced! The only advice I can give you is that GPs are risk averse. They really don't like being sued. If they thought there was a chance that you'd have a heart attack, they'd have admitted you rather than referred you and made you wait. If it helps ease your anxiety a little until the appointment, keep an aspirin and the phone near by.

Look after yourself! :hugs:

[tricia56]

thank you annie you are right and ill try and stop worring as now im even thinking ive got pain in my jaw because I googled which I know that was stupid of me.

[Annie0904]

don't google!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ankietyjoe]

A couple of months back I was sent to A&E by my GP because I went in with tachycardia (130bpm for hours), chest pain, sweating and tiredness.

I was fine.

Everything you're suffering from is possible with anxiety, but the GP's have to cover themselves.

[Sunflower2]

I was at the doctor this morning and got blood taken.. I'm resisting the urge to google what might or might be wrong with me and will force myself to not worry about it until Friday morning!

[maggiemay1]

don't google ! I have angina and heart disease (yes diagnosed last year) and believe me when I say if you have it, you d know, I mean really know, don't worry im sure you ll be fine x

[JustJules]

I too have been getting pain/ twinges in chest when walking ....started when I got a new job after being made redundant and found it hard...it was winter so obviously now think I have angina..had clear ECG, bloods and good BP when I went to A&E with twinges one day...all allegedly ok but then a male friend had exact same thing and needed a bypass!! Too scared to go to drs...terrified may need one.

[StrayWookie]

oh god yeah the chest twinges are awful when you already feel a bit breathless. I agree with the others though, if your doc thought there was ANY chance you were in danger he would have got an ambo to take you to the ER. These tests are rudimentary to rule out anything serious. Also, don't google... I have done before and it causes nothing but unnecessary worry.

[tricia56]

hi thk u all for replying just thought id update u as I spent all day at a/e yesterday as when I woke yesterday morning I was really anxiouse my hands were very clamy felt really panicky then I started to get the niggle pains in my chest again and BAM that was it I convinced myself I was haivng a heart attack and I ended up foning 999 ive never done that before but I was so scared, they took me hospital spent all day on heart moniter had bloods taken every 3 hours, I was finally let home early hours this morning as they said I didnt have a heart attact and my heart seems fine, I felt so relieved as I don't want to go thro that again. the doctor there did say to it was probly the anxiety but because my gp referd me to see heart specialist to still go to the appointment when it comes thro the post so even tho the hospital gave me the all clear im still worring in case it is my heart as today ive been getting the niggle pains now and then and keep thinking wat if the hospital didnt pick anything up from the ecg moniter or didn't check everything with my heart and just checked that I didn't have a heart attack, ikeep telling my self that's its the anxiety that making me think that way and that the hospital wouldn't of let me home if they thought I had some thing wrong with my heart as the special blood test they do and the heart moniter would of picked up if anything was wrong,but I cant seem to stop worring over it ,and just believe what the hospital has said that everthing is fine ,sorry for keep going on about it

[tricia56]

sorry to keep posting but I still cant stop worring and since I have been home from hospital iv been feeling asif I cant breathe properly I dont want to fone up doc or go back to hospital as I know im worring that maybe the hospital missed anything and it is my heart, I keep telling myself that the hospital would of not sent me home if the had any concern it was my heart even my daughter keeps telling me that too but its not helping me stop worring I just don't know why im being like this can any one advice me , I know you all aint doctors but just want any advice of somebody please thk you

[StrayWookie]

First of all, let me tell you i have had and done the exact same thing as you. I have been in the ER convinced I was having a heart attack. I was hooked up on the machines and the tests were done and the all clear was given. I have done the stress test that the specialist will do on you also, and was given the all clear. There is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY that if your heart was being abnormal, the ECG would have missed it. The only thing that is happening with you right now is exactly the same thing I go through every day, anxiety causing me to monitor my heart rate, to monitor and try to breath regular, and the twinges in the chest are most likely muscle strain from you being so focused on your chest. Any pains are bound to be psychosomatic. I really really know how it feels, honestly. The logic part of our brains know that we are ok, but the emotional part is making us FEEL wrong. If you can at least try and relax, maybe using relaxation methods like meditation tracks that can be found on mindfulness websites, or anything that can distract you from focusing on your insides, do try. If I have lived the last 17 years feeling the same way you do right now, so can you. Believe in what the doctors tell you.

[Mr.Jitters]

None of us can advise you as well as a healthcare professional could. But I can say with absolute certainty that standard blood tests and an ECG would have picked up any damage to your heart. Blood tests look for a specific protein that is released into your blood following any damage to your heart at all. If both the electrical function of your heart and blood tests looking for this protein were clear, what do you think they may have missed?

I think many, many people here have been through this. I once spent 3 days with a heart monitor on, was given the all clear, and was convinced that I had a heart attack AFTER they disconnected the monitor. So I think it's actually quite standard for someone with a lot of anxiety. Palpitations, dread and fear of heart attacks are mentioned in every self help resource I've ever read. There's a reason for this.

Can I ask, did you feel any better, or any relief at all, when you were in hospital, or immediately after your test results or the doctor in A&E said it was probably down to anxiety?

The CBT for Panic links in the sticky can and will help you while you're feeling like this. Be kind to yourself, hope you feel better soon :)

[tricia56]

thk you so much straywookie for replying to me , ive been worring myself sick with it all and apart of me knew i was doing all this too myself and thast its the anxiety that's causeing me to think and feel this way and always let the anxiety if that makes sence so thk you once again for your kind advice andim going to try and just relax so thlk you

[StrayWookie]

Oh it is hard to do. I can give this advice to you, and Mr.Jitters advice is spot on also, but when I get that feeling and the thoughts take off in my head I still get into the same state as you are now. Literally thousands of days have gone by that I have felt the same way and not a single one ended with catastrophe. I am still alive, and you will survive this. There is an iPhone App called Stop, Breathe & Think that I have found useful for mindfulness meditations recently. Good luck to you, and you will see many more sun rises to come.

[tricia56]

None of us can advise you as well as a healthcare professional could. But I can say with absolute certainty that standard blood tests and an ECG would have picked up any damage to your heart. Blood tests look for a specific protein that is released into your blood following any damage to your heart at all. If both the electrical function of your heart and blood tests looking for this protein were clear, what do you think they may have missed?

I think many, many people here have been through this. I once spent 3 days with a heart monitor on, was given the all clear, and was convinced that I had a heart attack AFTER they disconnected the monitor. So I think it's actually quite standard for someone with a lot of anxiety. Palpitations, dread and fear of heart attacks are mentioned in every self help resource I've ever read. There's a reason for this.

Can I ask, did you feel any better, or any relief at all, when you were in hospital, or immediately after your test results or the doctor in A&E said it was probably down to anxiety?

The CBT for Panic links in the sticky can and will help you while you're feeling like this. Be kind to yourself, hope you feel better soon :)
i
thk you for replying I did feel abit better when I was there until the first blood test they done came back a little bit high as the doc said that the result should of came back under 14 to rule out if I had a heart attack or something but it came back at 17 and that I would have to have another test done in 6hrs so I did start to get very anxiouse again because of that, the test did come back normal the second time and the doctor did say that it was probly anxiety that caused it as aLL my tests were good.

[Mr.Jitters]

I can imagine that unusual test results at first would have caused you to be anxious, but I'm glad you got the reassurance that they were normal finally. You say the doctor said that it was "probably" anxiety. I know, I've seen plenty of doctors myself who say things are "probably" anxiety. A healthy way to look at that, that works for me, is that they aren't going to say it IS anxiety because they're so risk and lawsuit averse. So using that same logic, would they let you walk out of the door if they thought that you were at risk?

The mindfulness meditation apps StrayWookie mentions are brilliant, as are the videos on youtube. Epsom salt baths are also amazing things for me for dealing with this. They're so relaxing and the magnesium is incredibly beneficial to your health, your muscles and your heart. I hope you find something that works just as well for you!