Freaking out so bad about abdominal aneurysm

[Panicpro]

So basically here's the story,

I had an appendectomy 4 weeks ago and recovered seemingly fine. I felt some pulsing in my abdomen and legs so I saw my doctor and he felt my stomach and said he couldn't feel a thing. Then, last Wednesday I noticed the left side of my stomach, from my belly button to my groin is lopsided. So, naturally I panicked and saw my doctor again, I also had a ballooning feeling on the left upper side of my abdomen. He said he felt nothing, no masses at all. So I went home but that night I had abdominal pain and felt like something was gonna burst in me. I went to the er and they sent me home that night, 2 doctors felt arounds and did blood tests, they said they didn't know what was wrong but I was okay to go home. Then a couple days later I started getting bad back and left side pains so, again, went to the er and they felt around, felt nothing, did blood tests and an abdominal X-ray, said I was constipated and sent me home. I asked about an abdominal aneurysm and she said she'd never seen it in childhood. Today I felt fine, until about 3 hours ago. I started getting chest pain which migrated to back pain and I feel short of breath and there's pulses in my tummy and legs and my mum said since I've seen 5 doctors she won't take me to the doctor because nothing is wrong, I'm in constant state of anxiety and even though I have an ultrasound booked for Saturday I'm still terrified something will happen while I'm sleeping. I'm 15, I don't wanna die and I'm so scared. Would they have found the aneurysm through the xray or would they have felt it? I know it hasn't ruptured but I'm scared the symptoms I'm having are because it's growing. I literally have every symptom and I need some sort of reassurance or advice, PLEASE HELP

[Emilym80]

Hi there,

I don't think anyone here can say whether or not the xray would've picked up an aneurysm, as we don't know what kind it was etc. However, your doctors would've felt something if there was one and sent you for more investigations urgently. They know what they're looking for. I know feeling a pulse in your abdomen is listed as a symptom on many websites, but it's totally normal- everyone feels that from time to time at the very least, as far as I know. It's because your aorta runs through your abdomen and it's the largest and most flexible blood vessel in your body. When it's pumping, you're going to feel it!

Irrespective of that, the typical patient with an abdominal aortic aneurysm is a man aged 65+ who's smoked their whole life. My mum knows a doctor who worked in a vascular ward for decades and never saw a ruptured abdominal aneurysm in a young person, ever.

Please try and trust the doctors- believe what they say, as they certainly know better than you or I. Given how extensively you've been checked out, it's safe to say that the sensations you've been experiencing (feeling like something's going to burst) are your mind playing tricks on you, as anxiety is an incredibly powerful thing. I've felt all kinds of bizarre sensations when convinced that something was wrong, only to find that they went away when I managed to stop fixating on them. Please know that I'm not trying to be patronising or belittle what you're experiencing, I just want you to have some relief from your worries.

Try your absolute best to tell yourself that you can let whoever does your ultrasound worry about it. That sometimes helps me.

Take care- I really think you'll be ok :)

[Meg37]

Hi

Obviously I cannot 100% rule out anything as I am not a doctor but last year my Dad suffered an aneurysm in his stomach, it's called an aortic aneurysm, he is a 65 year old man and on the whole that is the age when it is prevalent. Please, please do not worry about this, you are 15, this is not something which should even be on you radar. Having seen what my Dad has gone through I am pretty sure you have nothing like it. Please, don't worry anymore about it :D

[Daniele_T]

It is likely that your bowel was touched slightly during surgery and this can cause the stomach to act up for a few days to a week.

The xrays are irrelevant....the blood tests in A&E will have included tests for CRP - reactive protein.

If there is any inflamation in your body this will pick it up as a signal that something is wrong...cancer, heart attacks, Aneurysms and ruptures!

You can look this up and it is the only thing that I advise you do look up....please dont try to self diagnose or read one illness and convince yourself that you have it.
It is extremely likely that there is some tenderness but more likely that many of your symptoms are the result of panic, the increased feeling of pains and breathlessness etc.

Dont try to relax, just do things which take your mind off obsessing about what you've now got stuck that you may be about to die from.

I hope this helps...the blood tests and even something as simple as blood pressure readings would give them reason to keep you in and not let you just leave.


I had a ruptured apendix which resulted in peritonitis and sepsis so I was in a bad state...when I presented at hospital I also got the nothing wrong diagnosis but they kept me in because of the simple tests that just werent showing right.


If you had anything serious it is the simple tests that would flag an issue...if you think about it thats why the routine tests are done and we shouldnt take them for granted.

Best wishes

Daniele

[Emilym80]

I forgot to mention that if you search the site or google something like 'nomorepanic stomach pulse' you'll see quite a few threads from others who have had it. I have it myself and was never really bothered until recently. As for yor other symptoms, they're probably the result of recent surgery, like Daniele said.

Daniele, I'm sorry that happened, but I'm glad you pulled through! OP, I think you're absolutely fine (though obviously still recovering from surgery) but the ultrasound will confirm this categorically. I hope you feel better soon. All the best to you both :)

[Panicpro]

Hi there,

I don't think anyone here can say whether or not the xray would've picked up an aneurysm, as we don't know what kind it was etc. However, your doctors would've felt something if there was one and sent you for more investigations urgently. They know what they're looking for. I know feeling a pulse in your abdomen is listed as a symptom on many websites, but it's totally normal- everyone feels that from time to time at the very least, as far as I know. It's because your aorta runs through your abdomen and it's the largest and most flexible blood vessel in your body. When it's pumping, you're going to feel it!

Irrespective of that, the typical patient with an abdominal aortic aneurysm is a man aged 65+ who's smoked their whole life. My mum knows a doctor who worked in a vascular ward for decades and never saw a ruptured abdominal aneurysm in a young person, ever.

Please try and trust the doctors- believe what they say, as they certainly know better than you or I. Given how extensively you've been checked out, it's safe to say that the sensations you've been experiencing (feeling like something's going to burst) are your mind playing tricks on you, as anxiety is an incredibly powerful thing. I've felt all kinds of bizarre sensations when convinced that something was wrong, only to find that they went away when I managed to stop fixating on them. Please know that I'm not trying to be patronising or belittle what you're experiencing, I just want you to have some relief from your worries.

Try your absolute best to tell yourself that you can let whoever does your ultrasound worry about it. That sometimes helps me.

Take care- I really think you'll be ok :)

Thankyou SO much, I had a bout of anxiety earlier today and this really helped. Thankyou!!! ☺️

---------- Post added at 17:36 ---------- Previous post was at 17:35 ----------


Hi

Obviously I cannot 100% rule out anything as I am not a doctor but last year my Dad suffered an aneurysm in his stomach, it's called an aortic aneurysm, he is a 65 year old man and on the whole that is the age when it is prevalent. Please, please do not worry about this, you are 15, this is not something which should even be on you radar. Having seen what my Dad has gone through I am pretty sure you have nothing like it. Please, don't worry anymore about it :D

Wow, I'm sorry your dad had to go through that, Thankyou so much for your reply it really helped!! ☺️☺️