Can the doctor be wrong?

[young85]

I’ve put quite a few posts up on here asking about symptoms etc of angina, what it feels like, duration etc.

I’m 33, overweight, but have lost 5 stone so far this year. Anyway, for years I’ve been getting sharp pains on the left side of my chest and sharp pinching pains in left arm.

Went to the doctors about anxiety last week, he took my blood pressure etc. Told him that I sometimes get a stabbing pain and weird cramp in middle of chest and that it lasts for a few seconds, between 5-10 seconds, it’s always normally at rest. Exercise etc is ok. He checked my blood pressure and it was 130/60 but my heart rate was up due to being at the doctors. He then listened to my heart and said it was strong, then took my oxygen levels which were 99%. He said he’s sure it’s nothing heart related, and definitely doesn’t sound anything like angina. I’m a very anxious person, and he said it’s anxiety/non cardiac. Do I take his word or do I demand something else. Living in fear is making life really shit tbh.

[NorfolkGal]

From my understanding, heart pain usually lasts longer than a few seconds . I have angina occasionally and the pain is deep in the centre of my chest and radiates across my chest. Of course, we are not all the same. I think you need to trust your Doctor but also continue to monitor yourself and keep a diary of what you eat, what pain you have and also bowel movements etc. You might find your pains are related to abdominal causes and not heart. Stop worrying

[young85 in reply to NorfolkGal]

Thank you for your reply, how long does your pain normally last, and what does it feel like, does it happen at rest or on exertion?

[Jinky07]

I have unstable angina so mine can come on at rest as well as exertion. Everyones symptoms can be different. For me it starts with a burning at the back of my throat (feels different from heartburn) that then travels down to the centre of my chest. It them makes

Me feel tight, heavy and breathless. I also get wee niggly pains in the centre of my chest. Mines can last from a minute up until 10 minutes but I use the spray as soon as I feel anything now and it helps.

Yeah doctors can be wrong in my own experience I was told it had been an anxiety attack from being a busy mum but I pushed as I knew what had happened wasn’t an anxiety attack turned out it was HA. But I also know I wouldn’t be sitting here today if it wasn’t for my GP listening to me and the doctors in the hospital. Try relaxing with your breathing that’s what they are teaching me at rehab to see if it helps as you can be raising anxiety if you are constantly worrying. I know that’s easy for people to say. Take care

[pinnelli]

Hi they can DEFINITELY be wrong, go with your gut feel & push for investigation , you know your body. BUT don’t let anxiety get to you.

There are usually chest clinics at the hospital they can refer you to.

Doctors have the unenviable task of balancing budgets which they do by weighing up risk factors.

For me their wrong decision and absolute refusal to listen that it was my heart almost led to my death. I had a number of visits over 10 days or so, the last was a Friday where after meeting resistance I explained I had private health & just needed a referral letter, the GP actually said “no i’d Feel stupid writing it”, the following Sunday morning I went for a test cycle, nice n gentle after explaining my woes to a friend. Luckily he knew CPR & had the strength to continue as I went into cardiac arrest in the middle of no where. 25mins CPR, air ambulance, coma for 4 days & 1 stent.

My problem was I’d been into endurance sport all my life, since teens, was only 46 at time, never smoked, didn’t drink loads, generally good diet. My BP & cholesterol all fine. So I wasn’t a risk on their charts.

I don’t blame them, not their fault funding is squeezed but annoying that I took that financial burden off them, I just needed a referral letter to engage private health.

Above all don’t worry.

Ps I was experiencing Heart Burn like symptoms which as I had never had I went to doctors. This was sometimes triggered by exercise. One day it was so intense it brought me to a worrying halt.

[Hidden]

Did it start after you have been doing some "dieting" for a while? There are some drastic ones, which could be dangerous. I know people do not want to hear any criticism on their chosen diet or they resent people, posting negative views on certain diets (fasting, etc). There were people, who attempted DIY dieting and died, suddenly.

[young85]

I’ve been dieting since the start of the year.

I’m not being stupid though, my fruit and veg intake isn’t great, I maybe have 2-3 portions a day on average.

I do drink a fair bit of carbonated drinks (Pepsi max, Dr Pepper zero, Fanta zero)

Maybe from 500ml- 1litre per day on avaerage. Am trying to drink more squash

[bee2 in reply to young85]

Try stopping all the fizzy drinks. The gas in those can cause pain. 😢

[Alison_L in reply to young85]

Like you I used to drink 500ml to 1l diet coke a day pre-HR. I now drink mainly weak squash - there are plenty of flavours to choose from, I have settled on Robinson's Summer Berry - and just have the occasional glass of coke in the evening.

[Qualipop]

I too suffer from health anxiety; believe me you would know if it was angina. It could be a thousand and one things; a trapped nerve, a muscle spasm, anxiety itself. As you know worrying will only make it worse. My GP blamed my breathlessness on muscular problems for months until I had a heart attack. Not his fault; that's what I thought it was. You need to go back and tell him that despite what he said, you are still worried and ask for further tests but I can assure you stabbing pains do not sound at all like angina. I also have fibromyalgia and often get a heavy pain right in the middle of my chest. Every time I would panic that it was a heart attack until someone tookteh time to explain that if it hurts when I press on it, it's probably the tendons inflamed ( costachondritis). just the explanation helped a lot so ask your GP for an explanation of what IS causing it. (and get treatment for that anxiety - nothing to be ashamed of but it can be helped)

[Hidden in reply to Qualipop]

Be careful .... I too had Costochondritis a few years back and thought it was a HA. Then a few months ago I had chest pains thought it was Costochondritis but it was a HA. Even the paramedics thought it was too, as had tenderness in the chest when pressed. Conclusion ... chest pains = 999 x

[sandybrown]

Your stress of questioning your doctor can give you problems!. Relax and enjoy life with life style change and regular exercise.

Watch out for hidden and free sugar in food and drinks.

[jimmyq]

If you are not eating much fruit and veg but drinking lots of fizzy drinks, what sort of diet are you on?

[Shootist]

I had chest pain after eating e.c.g. showed nothing paid £700.00 pounds for a stress test had 3 stents fitted so to clear your mined ask the doctor for a stress test and then you will know all is good they wire you up and put you on a tread mill its the only way to be shure .

I paid private because the wait was 6 months on N.H.S..

Still get chest pains but after 30 minuets hard ride on my byk no problems heart is first class

[Eviebear]

Ask for an ECG. That should either put your mind at rest or show up any problems.

[Emily_BHF]

Hi Young85,

I am sorry to hear that you have been experiencing these symptoms. It is reassuring that your GP is not concerned that this is a cardiac problem.

It is important that you are managing your anxiety as well as you are able and consider what therapeutic options would work best for you.

It is great that you are working on losing weight and looking after yourself. Your readings sound very good and I would be reassured by what your doctor says. Do not hesitate to go back if you have further concerns, but I am not sure what tests they would feel would be most appropriate for you.

If you experience chest pain and it doesn’t go away, please do not hesitate to call 111 to seek urgent medical help.

Take care,

Emily