ER doc set off my aneurysm fear again

[Freaked]

Been having dull chest pains (I have costochondritis and get pains but these seemed different/worse). So I went to a and e and they did heart tests and they were fine. But the doctor was wondering if maybe I had a condition called ehlers-danlos and was getting symptoms from a thoracic aortic aneurysm. Now 1, I don't think I have EDS (and he thought it was unlikely), 2, it's only one rare subtype that gets a lot of aneurysms, and 3, I've had some arteries looked at over the past year and doctors didn't say they looked odd.

But he left me with the HA sufferers predicament of 'keep an eye on it and come back if you notice anything weird'. I have a really bad fear of aneurysms and now I'm back to being scared that i might be about to drop dead. Every twinge of pain in my chest I'm thinking 'OH GOD!' :unsure:

[roxy90]

Have you had a chest x-ray?

[Freaked]

No :-( I'd already asked the doc not to do one, at my mom's insistence, since I've had so many this year. He looked at one from March which was fine.

[blueangel]

Hi there

In the county I live in, they do a screening programme for aortic aneurysms as they are statistically more common here. However, they screen men over 60, which is the commonest age group for it unless you have Marfan Syndrome. If you're neither of these, then your risk is probably very low - however, I'm not a doctor.

[roxy90]

Hi freaked.

Just want to say i know how you feel as I suffered a debiltating fear of aneurysms (none of which have actually happened may I add). Its an incredibly tough fear as they are so sudden without warning it's like waiting for a bomb to drop, 24/7.

What i have come to learn is that they are uncommon, despite what you read on the internet etc. Thoracic ones are definitely not common whatsoever.

If you had a chest Xray as recent as March it would have been picked up. Aneurysms are typically slow growing, building up over numerous years.

If the doctor genuinely thought you had a micrpscopic chance of having one he would have undoubtedly arranged tests. The whole come back if you get worse etc is to cover their own backs in the event a mistake is made (which is hell of a lot less than media would have you believe) and not because they believe youre ill.

I do think it was an irresponsible thing to suggest you may have a serious condition and not arrange tests, especially to a HA sufferer, however I believe a fine recent xray pretty much clears you of a thoraric aneurysm.