I'm terrified

[Ravenclaw1991]

I just want to vent really. Had another very frustrating visit to my doctors office and talked about the ongoing chest pain I have had. There doesn't seem to be any urgency to investigate this and the nurse said it was probably anxiety and burshed me off with an ECG and appointment for spirometry. I have been on QVAR for 6 days with no improvement and worsening of some symptoms. I can hear myself wheezing all the time but noone that listens to my chest seems to be able to hear anything. Tried to google things to help but there is nothing comforting out there. I am at my wits end with this and its causing me to stop being able to concentrate. All this came on in the summer when I was happy, not stressed and eating healthily and exercising regularly, now I am an anxious, coughing wreck.

[Damon1864]

Keep going back and demand something be done, you know your own body. Failing that go to A&E, you being upset and anxious will only make you feel worse. Please let us know how you are doing. Take care.

😊 Bernadette xx

[Ravenclaw1991 in reply to Damon1864]

Thanks, I know, they all seem to think that throwing a stab in the dark guess out there as to what it is will help. I want a chest X-ray to rule out my worst fears but they seem reluctant to help me out with that. I really really feel like there is something wrong with me that they don't seem willing to investigate because I am not the right age/ fit for things.

[Damon1864 in reply to Ravenclaw1991]

I had an ecg done which showed my heart was pumping to fast giving me the same symptoms you are describing. It was put right by giving apixaban and one asprin daily to thin my blood. I would have the ecg done, you never know it may help.

😊 Bernadette xx

[Tabitha58]

The nurse did an ECG - this would have shown up anything to be concerned about I have ongoing chest pain from the coughing: it is central as that is where my trachea is. I also have costochondritis - which is an inflammation of the cartilage at the base of the sternum (breast bone) and where the ribs join the sternum - you will know if it is this by pressing on the bottom part of your sternum or where the ribs join it as it will be very tender!

I agree that sometimes it feels everything is being put down to stress and anxiety - and I know from experience that these can be a problem even when I think they are not!

The wheezing can be in your windpipe rather than in your lungs - the doctor/nurse will be listening for wheezing or crackling in your lungs as that is a sign of infection - this might be why you can hear and feel it but the doctors are saying they cannot hear it

You state that you are 'an anxious, coughing wreck' - would you be willing to try some of the breathing exercises on the Asthma Uk site? Many users of this forum have stated that they find them very helpful.

Anxiety will worsen asthma symptoms because it causes muscle tension - thus making it harder for our lungs to work efficiently, even if we are unaware of that tension.

My asthma came on when I was, like you, happy and exercising regularly and eating well - it is no respecter of healthy lifestyle when it kicks in (although healthy lifestyle can help prevent it being worse).

I was only diagnosed in June so am new to all of this but one thing I have learned is that it is different for everyone.

I also know from experience that the chest pain from anxiety is very real - and nobody is saying that you do not have pain, just that the cause may be a psychological one that is coming out as very real, physical symptoms.

I do hope that my post can go a little way to reassuring you that you are not about to die from a heart attack (I know that feeling - and the more I worry that it is my heart, the worse the pain can be!)

x x x

[Ravenclaw1991 in reply to Tabitha58]

Hi,

The chest pain started way before the anxiety. I felt like it started with a lot of throat clearing, come and goes, has no pattern and I am occasionally having to burp as well to get rid of the pain. It's not like anything I have ever had before. I thought I may have GERD but even taking antacids doesn't seem to control it much. It's not a pain that feels like muscular or anything like that. More a feeling like something is stuck and I need to dislodge it, but it never fully goes away. I usually need to have something like mucus there to irritate it.

[Tabitha58 in reply to Ravenclaw1991]

If burping is easing the pain then it suggests digestive tract rather than respiratory Have you tried Gaviscon plus - I know it is expensive but it deals with both heartburn and indigestion pain so might be worth a try?

Have you told your GP about the burping helping? Chest pain is notoriously difficult to diagnose because of the similarities between cardiac, respiratory and digestive system discomfort and all that lot being in the same place in our bodies!

I have GERD and am on omeprazole so it might be worth mentioning to your GP that you think it might be something like that and trying one of the proton-pump inhibitor medications (proton-pump inhibitors stop your body from producing as much stomach acid) to see if it helps?

Hope you soon find an answer x x

[Ravenclaw1991 in reply to Tabitha58]

Thanks. Really appreciate it! Xxx

[Matman]

Ref the Qvar, as I understand it, I takes about 6 to 8 Weeks for Inhaled Steroids to really kick-in. Would guess of little benefit for at least a week or two. Imagine that you’ve also been issued with a Blue Reliever Inhaler (like Ventolin) if you’re a suspected Asthmatic, if not you might want to ask about the possibility.

Hope you feel better soon

[Ravenclaw1991]

Update everyone! Saw a lovely GP yesterday who has given me omeprazole so praying that this does the trick. I have been knocking back the gaviscon and not had the weird pain since so either its a placebo or its actually doing something! Thank you for all your suggestions and tips. I have really bad anxiety at the moment and your words and suggestions were really helpful! Much loves!