Pulmonary embolism

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

I was just doing laundry and got extremely out of breath. I've had chest pain on and off for a few days that I thought were muscular, but now I'm thinking IT'S A PULMONARY EMBOLISM! I'm pretty sure that this is it and I'm going to die. My chest feels really strange, and I will admit that I get these feelings a lot, so I'm sure I'll never know when it's real or anxiety.

I guess I'll die in my 20s. It's not like I'm happy anyway. If this is anxiety, then I'm never going to get past this fear. Ever. And the worst part is, I may never experience it but I'll still waste my life thinking that I have it.

[PASchoolSyndrome]

Well now you know that's no way to think! This is something that can totally be managed and fixed with the proper help and outlets. Have you tried seeing a doctor about anxiety and some behavioral/medication therapy?

You're likely destined to have a long, healthy life ahead of you maybe just need some help to see that!

[Deepseathree]

I know the feeling. Though rationally it's not an embolism. I've had that worry numerous times. I even joined a blood clot group just to read about it further and see others stories. Don't let your anxiety get to that point. If you were really having a PE I don't think you would have been able to take the time to post about it.

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

I was in therapy and I've been on medication that worked well for me, but now that I'm pregnant I'm not able to be on those medications. The safe medicine (Zoloft) was really bad for me, so now I'm just trying to deal with this on my own. I'll be honest, talk therapy has always been a "joke" to me because all we do is talk. When I ask about coping mechanisms, they always say "just push yourself or think positive thoughts". That just doesn't work for me, and I wish someone would really help me push myself out of it. I just need someone to push me harder, maybe even like role playing therapy where I learn how to accept "disaster" or something. I don't know.

I've also been in blood clot groups and found a website online dedicated to people's stories. They would say, "Oh, I just thought it was a cold", and then they either were in the hospital or they died. I know it was a mistake to read those articles and read other people's posts in the group, but I felt like it wasn't too bad because I never asked them questions or contacted them. It has made me a nervous wreck though. I don't know how I'll come back from this because researching has sent me on a slippery slope, and this fear is consuming my life.
Day and night, every ache and pain, & the impending doom feelings that come along with anxiety/worry.

My poor chest, back, and neck are killing me. Just like some of the people described in their articles :(

[Deepseathree]

Sometimes reading things helps me and other times it sends me on a downward spiral. I'm sure all the changes in hormones from being pregnant and the changes in your body have some effect in it. I never really stayed in therapy long enough to see if it will help me. I guess maybe finding the root cause of some of my issues could but it still wouldn't help me get self control. I know I need medicine, though admittedly I'm having a go without it now. The one thing that helps me is statistics. I break everything down as much as I can down to age group, sex, etc. Helps me with rationalizing things. Plus with the clot worries I would think about what I had done previously that would bring a clot out. had I really been sitting for a long period of time? My problem at the moment is none of my anxiety is on me. I've put all my worries into my kid. It doesn't happen often but I'm having a bout of anxiety about her tonight. I'll spare you the details. My fiancé tries to talk with me about it but she doesn't really understand.

[PASchoolSyndrome]

Keep in mind when you read stories from patients who did suffer through a particular illness, they weren't hunting for their diagnosis, they were just going through their regular day and things were happening to their body and they didn't have the knowledge of what is was. In my experience most patients who are truly sick have all the signs without realizing it - it's the doctors who recognize and diagnose.

We go and hunt and try to make our symptoms fit the really dangerous diagnosis.

[Kay8010]

Keep in mind when you read stories from patients who did suffer through a particular illness, they weren't hunting for their diagnosis, they were just going through their regular day and things were happening to their body and they didn't have the knowledge of what is was. In my experience most patients who are truly sick have all the signs without realizing it - it's the doctors who recognize and diagnose.

We go and hunt and try to make our symptoms fit the really dangerous diagnosis.

I totally agree and I am the NO 1 culprit for it. I am going to keep this message and read it over and over - thanks :)

[Fishmanpa]

We go and hunt and try to make our symptoms fit the really dangerous diagnosis.

And... to validate the fear and irrationality that deep down is just that.

Positive thoughts

[Kay8010]

I just wish there was no such thing as 'googling symptoms' lol or even google......I put myself into situations years ago and I was so calm when it turned out I had something treatable yet serious I was not searching for answers then......

My GP said to me last night - the problem with searching symptoms online are you have no knowledge of the persons medical background (not that you want to know anyway) and you are seeking out the key words your mind is subconsciously looking for too i.e. in my case 'upper back ache', 'lung cancer' etc.... its just not healthy (she says) lol......

[angry]

The hardest part is, even when there are no risk factors, even when the likelihood is minuscule, the symptoms are still there. Sure, I'm a healthy 22 year old male, but my leg has hurt for almost two months now. Weird jolting pains behind the knee, in my calf, in my thigh, in my foot, in my buttock. Leg weakness. Leg twitches. Chest and back pains. They're not in my head, they're real and I feel it all day, everyday. During exercise, during rest, even when my mind is occupied. I just want answers. :weep:

[PASchoolSyndrome]

Your symptoms are very real. Unfortunately sometimes the answer is anxiety.

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

The hardest part is, even when there are no risk factors, even when the likelihood is minuscule, the symptoms are still there. Sure, I'm a healthy 22 year old male, but my leg has hurt for almost two months now. Weird jolting pains behind the knee, in my calf, in my thigh, in my foot, in my buttock. Leg weakness. Leg twitches. Chest and back pains. They're not in my head, they're real and I feel it all day, everyday. During exercise, during rest, even when my mind is occupied. I just want answers. :weep:

I have these same symptoms a lot. One time, I bent down on a concrete step and my lower back/hip area popped--I couldn't walk for hours. It was extremely painful and I felt like I broke something. That was much more intense than my daily pains/cramps. It also frustrates me because of the pains that I get, and it doesn't matter what I do. They just keep happening. I've just stopped going to the doctor because they can't really explain it, so I'm hoping that one day, if something is serious then I'll know it's an emergency. That's my fear, not knowing if it really is an impending doom moment or just my body doing its pain thing.