AIBU (and pathetic) to think I'm dying?

[EmeraldScorn]

I know how this will sound, that I'm a hypochondriac and/or an attention seeker (I am neither of those things) but I am feeling quite worried at present.

The background and I apologise for the length, I haven't felt "right" since around September (2016), it was nothing that I could really put my finger on as such but extreme tiredness, excessive face sweating, a lot of random shooting pains in my chest/back/shoulder and pins and needles in my hands.

I went to my GP, she checked my blood pressure, my oxygen levels etc and all looked alright. I continued to feel shit though!

Mid October time I got an abscess on my inner thigh (I shower daily and practice good hygiene etc), I was in agony with it but after a course of antibiotics it went away.

November time I started feeling really congested (for no apparent reason) which very quickly descended into coughing and VERY LOUD wheezing. It hasn't gone away and the wheezing especially is really intense. I did book a doctor's appointment but I had to cancel it last minute and to be honest I just didn't bother rebooking. (I should have)

The wheezing, coughing, pains and general feeling of illness has stayed with me and on New Year's day I woke up with a severely painful throat and shooting pains in my shoulder. My throat has since eased! I then started getting highly excruciating pain in my mouth, that I put down to an impacted wisdow tooth but having been unable to bring my dentist appointment forward I went to the emergency dental hospital and the dentist agreed that my gums were inflamed but didn't think it was from my wisdom tooth and he couldn't detect any signs of other dental issues.

I can't do much without sweat literally running down my face, a simple task and my face/hair will be soaked in sweat. I am excessively thirsty (I drink a lot of water but it's never enough), I feel as if there is some thing restricting my breathing, sometimes I will feel this dead weight pressure between my shoulder blades and coughing is really sore. I was checked for diabetes at the start of 2016 (just as a precaution as I have a family history) and I was clear of it just incase the "excessive thirst" symptom made anyone think of it.

Yesterday (Wednesday) I managed to get an emergency appointment with my GP for the afternoon. I went and had quite a thorough check up (as far as is possible in a doctor's surgery).

Blood pressure.
Peak flow.
Oxygen levels.

She is going to put me on a monitor on Monday for my blood pressure to be recorded for a 24 hour period. My peak flow results were indicative of airway narrowing but she said it would need to be monitored weekly for comparison, etc.

Then I was told to come back on Monday morning for blood tests and given a prescription, a 7 day course of antibiotics and an inhaler!!

She couldn't tell me what is actually wrong with me but she did say that because I was obviously sweating/coughing and my temperature was raised she was putting me on the Amoxicillin to clear any infection and she wanted me to start using the inhaler because she said she could clearly see that I was struggling to breathe. She then said we would wait for the blood results and take it from there. Bloods take WEEKS to come back at my doctor's, that's if they don't lose the sample first which happens often there.

I am so tired to the actual point of abnormality; Washing the dishes has become an effort, I get so tired and sweaty I have to sit down. Trying to put my make up on in the mornings is a living nightmare because as quick as I put it on, the quicker it all sweats off again. It's just my face though, I'm not excessively sweating elsewhere.

I have this feeling that I am dying (pathetic I know) but I just don't feel like myself, I seem to have been sick and feeling weak for months. I have a family history of breast cancer and the thought of it is petrifying me, it never bothered me before I started feeling sick though.

Would I seem like a complete nutjob if I was to go to A&E in the morning? AIBU to basically ask for a second opinion? I mean my GP was lovely but she didn't give me an actual diagnosis and I know I have to wait for the bloods etc but it's a drawn out process and I don't want to wait.

I don't normally behave like this, usually I'm quite care free and live for today but I don't feel myself at all and my mind is racing with an assortment of life threatening diseases.

I've tried to use the inhaler a couple of times tonight and I'm not doing it properly at all. Would I be unreasonable (and a dick) to go to the hospital tomorrow for a quicker assessment?

[auldfuckingspinster]

Has the GP mentioned anxiety/panic disorder? A lot of the symptoms you've described are consistent with it - breathlessness; lump in the throat; exhaustion. The website no more panic has a symptom checker and explains the physiological reasons why these happen.

[auldfuckingspinster]

I'm not sure A&E would be the best place btw, could you see another GP in the practice for a second opinion?

[MissVictoria]

If you're worried, you're worried. It's been going on for months, you feel awful and it's getting worse. The hospital will probably be able to chase up your results (i once waited 6 weeks for blood results, next time i was phoned with the results day after the test) but they might not be willing to take their own as a blood draw for exploratory reasons costs the NHS £8,000. They may well have other diagnostic tests though, and if you're honestly scared it's not going to hurt to go an ask. The worst they will do is tell you to go home and wait on your blood test results.

[LineyReborn]

You don't need A&E unless you have breathing difficulties, tbh.

Does your GP's surgery have a walk in / urgent care / duty clinic?

Blood tests should not take weeks to come back, or getting lost, and I'd be taking that up with the practice manager. Has the GP tested your thyroid function? Hormone levels? Iron, B12 etc?

It does sound really frustrating.

[MissVictoria]

I would first recomend looking if there are any walk in clinics in your area you could try first though.

[PinkBunnyOnesieOnOrder]

I have a lot of sympathy. I've been the same for a long time. I think I have CFS/ME, but I have given up on getting a diagnosis - for now at least.

I think you are over reacting to feel you are dying. Well, you are dying, we all are...but not soon.

It's not an 'A&E' situation. It's not an accident, it's not an emergency.

I hope you can get it sorted soon though, because it's bloody awful.

[EggnogChai]

No you can't go to A & E for a second opinion book another appointment with a different GP.

[likepeasandcarrots]

Excessive thirst can be a sign of diabeties, did they check your blood sugars?
Also, are you overweight? I am and I know that makes me lethargic and sweaty and generally feel crappy.
Can you google for help with your inhalers? There may well be videos online that can demonstrate how to use them. Your GP should have shown you though!

[Birdsgottafly]

I had one of the Flu Viruses (Corona), the symptoms were similar. I ended up in hospital, it was diagnosed via bloods (wrist).

There are lots of Flu Viruses that leave you ill for months, or you can develop Pneumonia etc.

I was treated with anti viral meds, because I was so run down.

I've known people to go undiagnosed with TB, which produces similar symptoms (they vary from person to person).

Chase this up and report any symptom change.

[Birdsgottafly]

"Also, are you overweight? I am and I know that makes me lethargic and sweaty and generally feel crappy.""

But it wouldn't produce a sudden change in September.

[Valentine2]

Didn't want to read and run
Sounds like you are going through such a hard time. I camt believe how hard you are working through this and with such a clear mind too. You are certainly not pathetic. You are very brave

[Mummyoflittledragon]

For the thirst, your body cells need to be able to use the water. It's called the osmotic potential of the body. It sounds as if the water is passing straight through you without being used. Try drinking a couple of cups of marmite, bovril or vegimite a day. A teaspoon each time.

I have ME. I was very very ill and for a while I drank a can of Coke a day and I needed it to absorb the fluids. Once I hit a certain level of energy, I stopped. At the same time as I drank the Coke, I also was drinking a salt saturated drink called Sole. Instructions online. The two combined served as was a kind of rehydration fluid, which you can buy in sachets or make your own. Instructions online.

If the marmite doesn't work, you can try the Coke/sole rehydration protocol I suggested - with a view of not being on it long term or making rehydration fluids. Note this is full sugar Coke. Not diet.

[EmeraldScorn]

I'm not overweight, I don't smoke etc and I don't have any previous medical illnesses. I meant to say in my original post that I've lost a bit of weight unintentionally recently too, only about 4lb though.

It's just the fact that I keep getting recurrent infections without any cause and the other symptoms like the ridiculous face sweating.

As for the suggestion of anxiety, I know some people suffer horribly with it but I don't think it's the cause of my problem(s), I mean anxiety wouldn't cause an infection would it? It could be some type of flu virus, that's maybe a possibility.

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I am genuinely scared and worried but yes I shouldn't monopolise A&E when my situation isn't an emergency. I will keep "practicing" with my inhaler and see if I can get comfortable with using it and wait until Monday to have the bloods done at my own GP surgery.

[PleaseNotTrump]

How old are you, OP?

[daisychain01]

Just a hand hold please stay strong, I haven't any advice but sounds like you are going through a worrying time.

Do you have RL support?

[Sprinklestar]

I'm going to PM you, OP.

[LineyReborn]

I'm in perimenopause (I think) and sweat differentially around my body. So my armpits don't sweat at all, but a small section of my abdomen does, every night. It's very odd.

Have you had your hormone levels checked?

[Mouthfulofquiz]

A pharmacist can help you with inhaler technique - no need to be taking an inhaler incorrectly.

[tillytown]

I felt odd for about two years before finally being diagnosed with MS, and you seem to be having some of the same problems I did. That's probably not a helpful thing to say, but if you do have it too, once I started treatment, everything pretty much went away, and now I feel completely fine.
Hope you get some answers soon

[badgercat]

Google stop the thyroid madness and look at the very very long list of symptoms. Untreated I suffered with horrendous palpitations, the thyroid gland swells and gives the feeling or a sore throat, I get sores in the creases of my eyelids, hairloss, weight gain , night sweats, my bones ache, worst of all easily is the fatigue - when it hits I'm lucky to get out of bed and no amount of sleep eases it.
Hopefully those blood test results come back quickly !

[HeWoreAGirlsCardigan]

Some of what you describe is me at the start of menopause.

[DMDornot]

Same as tillytown
Have recently been diagnosed with MS.
Suffered with fatigue & general 'not right' feelings for about 3 months, losing a bit of weight....then started to pick up every virus under the sun for further 5 months before going to GP to say look, something isn't right. Can't keep going like this.
GP started deeper investigations & sent me to relevant different consultants for the symptoms I was having. They found everything normal. Very frustrating.
Then finally a further 2 months on (with everything continuing to go downhill, off work etc). I got really sick, bedridden. On day 8 (of being mis-diagnosed) GP sent me into hospital. Many different consultants later & more mis-diagnosis got sent home.
After a further 2 weeks of not getting better, used my Private Medical insurance through work to see a specialist who, mis-diagnosed again initially but DID do an MRI. MRI showed inflammation on brain. Got referred to a (brilliant) Neurologist who put all the prices of the puzzle from the past year together, with the clinical evidence & examination, did further MRI on my spine & was able to give me a fully confirmed diagnosis of MS! (Total shock!).
(Had also been diagnosed with ME 15 years earlier, which in hindsight was an episode of MS).

Don't want to scare you, could be a multitude of things, but do want to encourage you to NOT allow being fobbed off. Keep pushing!!
And hope you feel better soon.

[booox]

Hi Op, with the weight loss too I'm
Wondering if there's anything going on thyroid wise? It also causes muscle weakness and if going over, excess sweating. Were you checked for a goitre?

[Pigglesworth]

I think you should trust your gut if you feel that you are "not right" health-wise. It has always served me well. You sound very run down and your symptoms are not normal. It sounds like your doctor is ruling out/treating possible infection before perhaps proceeding with further investigation if needed. I don’t live in the UK but can you go privately to get a scan? You mentioned a family history of breast cancer, do you feel any lumps anywhere? It sounds like you aren't typically (prior to this) anxious about your health so I'd pursue getting answers. If there is something wrong there is no benefit in further waiting. I am similarly "stoic" about health issues but have always trusted my gut and it has proven to be literally life-saving (avoiding progression of early stage sepsis from kidney infection, and avoiding losing my bowel due to inflammation due to autoimmune disorder - to name two examples!) Your health is very important.

[Spring2016]

Regarding your inhaler use, check on youtube for a video tutorial. Your symptoms baffle me though. Hope it is nothing serious. Please update when you find out what is going on. Good luck.