Hi, I’m 24 and have just a month ago been diagnosed with pericarditis. A less serious of the heart problems. I’m not quite recovered yet but I’m feeling a lot more hopeful after some of the conversations I’ve had today. I’m usually fit and healthy so it really panicked me
My advice to anyone who issues this and feels alone is DO NOT google any symptoms regarding the heart. You will over work yourself and stress on you is more pressure on the heart. If you feel like you need someone to talk to the people on here are amazing and first hand have been through it too. Good luck and I’m sending my prayers to anyone who reads this. Just message me or someone on here if you feel alone or isolated.
Take care x
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Stanadams20
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Dr Google is the worst doctor in the world, avoid at all times.
Indeed Stanadams20 . For anything heart-related the BHF website is the place to go. It covers just about everything we need to know about heart conditions, medications, rehab, operations etc.
True say Dr Google is worse docter ever, even if you Google in for bad knee, it. Will end up telling you something as serious as cancer of the ligament 😜 better to stay away from Dr Google for health issues.
I remember when I was in hospital overhearing patients argue with the consultant about what they were being told, "that's not true google says I have this or that!!!"
It was comical. I couldn't actually believe what I was hearing!! I was in hospital for 3 months and seen some strange things people done!! Lol. This one guy admitted to the ward cause of chest pains, refused to eat the hospital food and got his family to bring him a fish supper!🤣🤣 (the smell of it was lovely though!) Another guy was trying to blame the doctor on something because Google told him otherwise, he kept going out to smoke weed!! The Dr's answer was brilliant, "Mr ..... , do you think it was the medicine you were given or do you think the stuff you smoke has something to do with it?" We all felt like cheering when he said it
If I Google for any medical advice I alway add either UK or NHS to my search.
BHF has a helpline I have found very good. I am very lucky as have a brilliant cardiologist and he has a utube channel and posts some very good stuff. Worth looking at. youtube.com/c/YorkCardiology
The problem is not Google. It's the websites that Google returns in a search.
The trick is to "consider the source". By which i mean, if you do a Google search and there are results from the NHS, BHF and "Fred The Doctor", which ones should you believe?
Fairly obvious i'd say!
Look at the URL (the link address) to see if the website is a genuine medical one, or a well-meaning amateur or worst of all, some conspiracy site!!!
For example, if you search for "Hand Sanitiser," there is one site where a so-called "doctor" earnestly tells you that it's fatal!
Google, or Bing or DuckDuckGo search engines are just tools. One needs to know how to USE the tools....I repeat....."consider the source"....please 😀
I agree entirely. I have found health information via Google to be immensely helpful and empowering. Even the best Drs don’t have the time to tell us the details about any condition we might have, and this is where the Internet can be a very useful tool. But it is very important to be able to assess the credibility of the sources you find.
Great reply. A good reminder not to blame the search engine! Professional Journals that have papers peer reviewed is the place to go, and of course, as others have said, BHF for heart stuff, and NHS.
If you go on to Google just make sure it’s the NHS website. Dr Google is definitely not somewhere to look, information out of date and full inaccuracies. As others have said if you use it properly can help us with our heart health.
One - pericarditis IS a serious condition, it can escalate quite rapidly to a life-threatening condition that if not understood to be the case by any First Responders, can prove fatal - all the jump-starts in the world do not counter an untreated cardiac tamponade. It's why I wear a MedicAlert bracelet 24/7/365 to advise First Responders I may not be having a heart attack and it very likely is cardiac tamponade stopping my heart.
I have recurrent pericarditis and frankly was lucky enough to have my first bout with pericarditis diagnosed in the USA where it sadly is endemic. I say lucky enough as it being endemic there means the medics from ambulance attendants (EMTs) to emergency room doctors to cardiologists all recognise it quickly and know how to treat it.
Two - as others have said, Dr Google and his snake-oil salesmen minions are a menace - HOWEVER, Google (or Bing or whatever) is a tool well worth using especially for those of us in the UK when something like pericarditis (not endemic here in the UK so few medics have experience with it) is the diagnosis but only if the results clicked on are to credible and reliable sites. Of course you're going to want to check the UK NHS and BHF sites first, but also I've listed some of the most credible US sites below.
The Mayo Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic
Baylor Med (Texas and it is a superb source of information)
American Heart Foundation
I sincerely hope your case of pericarditis clears and never returns. Please feel free to private message me if you have any questions about self-care, recovery (and when to recognise you're actually in recovery and not simply having a 'good day', something that happens with pericarditis), and how to avoid another 'flare' or relapse of the condition. I'm 'been there-done that' since the late 1990s.
Yes totally agree. I have chronic, idiopathic peri which is very debilitating especially with the effusions. I had to give up work and struggle most days walking round the house never mind anything else. I too used to be fit and healthy walking, horse riding etc. Too many brush pericarditis off as something and nothing. Yes the majority have an episode relating to illness and make a complete recovery but for some of us it is much more intrusive and does not go away. I am currently still having a terrible flare which started back in November when I was hospitalised yet again.
Agree entirely with you too, HappyJo. There are unfortunately too many medical professionals who would like to keep us ignorant so that we don’t ask awkward questions, hence the sneering attitude about “Dr Google”. Educating ourselves about our health enables us to actively take responsibility for it, we just need to take care when assessing the sources available.
If you know what you are looking for yes, I agree but for those who are unsure and are curious this puts you in a state of panic. Not everyone is insightful and looks at things at face value or knows what to look for. You are clearly 1 of these people. If you are unsure of anything then it’s best to speak to people who have knowledge (past sufferers) also best to speak to a profession (gp or cardiologist)
I agree with what your saying in hindsight but unfortunately hindsight isn’t at the forefront of your mind when you have ravaging chest pain
It is your own fault if you believe everything you read on Google. I always first research Google for information but I know which sites to read.
Hi Stan. Well firstly what a kind, caring thought you've posted there!! Secondly, I had Pericardinitus a few years ago. It was quickly cleared up with Anti-Inflammatory and Steroids so everything was ok. I'm sure you will be too. Thirdly, you are dead right about 'Googling' symptoms too, I used to do it but don't anymore. It sent my Anxiety through the Roof. I told my Cardiologist once that I'd been Googling - His answer, people googling symptoms made their Job 10 times harder and NOT to do it!! Take Care 😊
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