Possibly sensitive aibu. About mental health and the impact that has on physical health care.

[giraffesCantDanceOnAllThisSnow]

Before I start can I state if you are suffereing mental health problems please get checked out and get some support, do not let this thread put you off in any way!

Ok first of all if I had posted this "I am having chest tightness, pains when breathe in, bad wheezing when laughing, some mild wheezing other times, feel spaced out, dizzy when bend down/stand up, palpatations and inhaler helped wheezyness but not other symptoms. And have been seeing a cardiologist for on going tachycardia and been diagnosed with asthma and last month was admitted to hosp twice due to heart rate" Would you have told me to see a Dr? So aibu for having gone to GP today with those symptoms? I woke up like it this morning, so went back to bed, then tried eating and none of that helped me feel any better. (I was most worried about the spaceyness feeling tbh)

Ok so go to Dr and see one I have never met. She immediately says well you look fine. You are not having a heart attack - I didnt suggest for one minute I was, and if I did I would have gone to A&E. Was just wanting to check not another chest infection, and some advice on when/how often to use inhaler as still waiting for asthma clinic appointment.

She said my pulse very fast (well yes...) and said it was probably because I was at Dr, I explained no its always like that and has been recorded on monitors as being fast even when asleep. She looked at me like this

Then she asked if I was on drugs - some drugs can make heart fast. I said no! I told her yesterday I was working at a Christening and then on evening shift as a counsellor, not out partying! Then she asked if I had taken any drugs like (something begining with T, one of those drugs that relax you)as she said that could be making me spacey. Then she asked if I had been drinking recently, christmas party season, maybe too much alcohol. No I dont drink at all. She looked like this again.

Then she made me blow in the asthma thing and after each blow I had a chest cough fit that was sore. So she heard that. (you cant fake a chesty cough it sounds different!)

Then she asked me if I was anxious about anything in life maybe thats why I was ill. I told her no I was actually quite chilled out and happy, nothing out of ordinary, and had just woke up this morning like this,, have been fine for weeks, apart from when go from being in cold to hot air then I get pain breathing in and feel tight chested.

She then started quizzing me on that, hot to cold air or cold to hot? which is it? thats unusual usually its hot to cold that catches breath and looked again like this with a smirk. Its defiently when I am out in cold then come in to house/shop I feel worse. I thought it was odd and posted on asthma thread - many agreed with me that although medical literature says other way they feel same.

I felt like she was dismissing the way I feel and trying to constantly pass me off as being anxious. Oh she also said with a smirk "you have had quite a few Dr visits about this" err yes! And on a few occasions have been admitted to hosp and been kept in becaus eof symptoms - because I have visable and recordable symptoms. Not because I am anxious!

I have a history of depression, which is fine just now. Honestly 100% fine. I feel normal, appropriate responces to every day situations. Not low/depressed and weepy AT ALL. (note I do not even have a history of anxiety! I just more got low, lethargic and found it difficult to function, but got counselling and meds and it helped hugely.)

I feel like because she has seen this she has decided thats what my chest pain/pulse is about. In that case I must be anxious all the time as in gym my pulse goes crazy high, when watching tv I still get pain breathing in! Oh and coughing up green phlem - I suppose thats anxiety coming out my body is it?!

I am not denying people have chest pain etc because of anxiety - my firend does. But she seemed unable to take my word that no I am not stressed. She sent me home to relax. She says I maybe dont have asthma - 3 hosp Drs and a cardiologist have said they think I do, and that was after being in hosp with them monitoring me lots, she saw me for 5 mins.

So AIBU to think in some cases a diagnosis of mental health probs, whether current or in my case past, on medical records can cause Drs to assume any symptoms as psychosomatic (if thats the right word?)

MIL lost toes (amputated) a few years ago because her GP insisted it was all in her head (she has bipolar 1). Turned out to be a closed vein and gangrene. But until half her foot turned black nobody would even take a Doppler to her. Despite me pointing out her foot was freezing cold to the touch and it was summer (in Milan, so about 30 degrees in the shade)

Last spring she almost died of pneumonia because three hospitals refused to admit her and tried to shunt her to psych...who refused her because they aren't equipped for physically ill people. At the forth hospital the oncology ward took her on only because we pulled some massive strings, not everybody has stings to yank on, what happens to them ? MIL pulled through by the skin of her teeth. She was intubated for six weeks and she has never recovered enough to get out of her wheelcahir since. Well she gets out when manic. And then falls over.

Go get a second opinion, being fobbed off once somebody has decided it is MI is not an unknown quantity and you are not BU to be concerned that this is what has happened in your case.

Even if you do have anxiety issues (not saying you do, just saying hypothetically) that doesn't exclude the possibility of infection or a chronic condition.

MIL has a host of MH issues, a flotilla of them. But she also has diabetes, circulation issues, Parkinsons, chronic heart failure and numerous other more minor health issues that could turn nasty without much warning. The head stuff isn't some kind of immunization against the body coming under attack. Although I meet far too many doctors who appear to be under the impression that where MH issues are known they need to look no further in terms of diagnosis and shout "Next !"

I know many docs don't have that much experience with mental health conditions, I appreciate it takes longer and is more complicated to diagnose\treat physical conditions in somebody who has mental health issues, but to fail to provide that same care in diagnosis and treatment is a way bigger deal for us in terms of coping with the prejudice against "nutters" than insensitivity from your average lay person.

I used to work for an organisation for parents with disabilities and long/short term illness including mental health issues.

I have heard this over and over and over again.

Many without MHIs found it difficult to get diagnosed ( many from BME backgrounds go treated in the most appalling way). Those with the merest sniff of mental health problems were on the brink of having their kids removed, losing their housing (due to inability to work and claim disability benefits), about to break up with partners etc.

Particularly true of conditons like MS, ME, fibromyalgia.

The more you insist you are ill , the more this seems to prove you are a nutter

I have heard of this happening to people whose children had cancer but the GP wouldnt listen to their concerns. One poor mother was offered antids. Her DS turned out to have luekemia. I heard this story more than once.

I do really, honestly have an almost awe like respect for doctors. But not all GPs bother or have the time to keep up to date on medical developments and some are just bloody arrogant and/or bored with their jobs.

Sorry giraffe s'not fair .

yep Giraffe-
when i go outside in the cold i get a bit wheezy if out in it too long-but even if its a short time when i come back im coughing
to the point of being sick-and breathless
and having to take quite a bit of ventolin!
[this sorts it out]
yes-so being out in the cold isnt much of a problem but coming back into the warm is!

Giraffes,
I would go back and see different a different doctor if you can.

I dont know if Asthma works the same in adults as in children but if it does I woould request a brown inhaler as well as blue (DSS's is called Beclometasone). When DSS was first diagnosed he seemed to be constantly in need of Ventolin, and when we saw the ashthma nurse she said it was pretty useless without the brown inhaler.

I would also have a word with the permanent doctor, as this doctors attitude is pretty dangerous either way, If you were suffering from a Mental Health difficulty being sent home and told to relax is as useless as what's happened with you.

AND Pixie how is DD?

YANBU Some doctors are remarkably ignorant towards the mentally ill.You have a right to change GPs.

Hope your dd is out for Christmas pixie!
(not sure if I've got it right, but assuming it's asthma she's in for?)

Hello, forgive me if this is a rather long post but I really hope you read it and that it is of some help.

I am a psychiatric nurse who has suffered with depression over the years.
As I'm sure you know anxiety is strongly linked with depression. My job aside, my personal experiance has been anxiety that I didn't even realise I was suffering from, giving me chest pain, rapid heart rate, a pounding chest, hair loss and god knows what else.

I felt completely unstressed and despite working every day with people in exactly my position, was unable to recognise that I was indeed having panic attacks linked to depression.

All of this doesn't mean your doctors attitude was appropriate as they don't appear to have offered you any help in understanding what's happening to you and what you can do about it.

For me, once I understood that the medics weren't missing anything and that i was physically well, I was able to overcome what had been overwhelming physical symptoms

It did take an ambulance coming out to me in the middle of the night and doing a heart trace on me while i was in the middle of one of these episodes, only to find that apart from a sightly raised pulse, I was completely fine.

I hope you find a solution as I know how frightening what you have described can be. Good luck. x

Well, you probably have a virus if it isn't psychosomatic.:o

They can be such cunts can't they ?

Phil Hammond indicates it's fairly normal for a doctor to send patients away 3 times before taking them seriously.

Actually I found his rant quite enlightening for a medics point of view of things.

It might be worth looking at your own breathing - I am quite anxious generally, and my meds exacerbate that, and if I'm not careful/ aware then I will habitually hyperventilate, which can bring on a panic attack, which can then bring on an asthma attack.

NOT saying I don't believe you are ill, but what you are saying about the tachycardia rings a bell with me - I have had that since childhood, as well as the fast shallow breathing. I have to really focus on being calm, it has got easier with practice! And I have needed far less salbutamol.

I haven't been hospitalised for nearly 2 years, and the last time was with 'flu related asthma, in the old days I was in a couple of times a year. Obviously the change of meds helped (Symbicort and Montelukast, as well as salbutamol) but also taking control of the illness.

When I saw the consultant, I got a "rescue pack" to keep in the house, I keep a close eye on my peak flow, and have trigger levels/ symptoms for the anti-biotics and steroids I have in the house. I also have written advice for when to go to the GP, when to go to A&E and when to call an ambulance. I find it really helpful - when you have a chronic illness it is easy to feel out of control, those small things have given me the control back. I am often in the position of knowing more than a given medic about my own condition, so will only see the asthma specialist GP now.

It's worth pushing for referral, despite being asthmatic since childhood, I didn't see a hospital consultant until after an attack that required treatment in resusc, and a near intubation - 20 years after asthma diagnosis!

Hope any of this helps, asthma is quite misunderstood I think.

I've had exactly the same experience.

Over five years of doctors (and ultimately, I accept, myself) insisting that my alarming symptoms were simply stress-related or maybe anxiety or depresion or just me being a bit mental. And then a new GP refers me to a cardiologist, which seems to me a bit extreme. And then said cardiologist rings me on my mobile at 7pm one evening asking me to come in the next day because my test results have shown something potentially life-threatening...

So no OP, YANBU. And I hope that you can get some proper answers about your asthma (or whatever it is) and that those answers will lead to real reassurance, or at least more effective treatment...

Pixie have she been in all this time? . I have been looking out for updates but assumed she was home. How are you coping with everything? How is she?

Everysinglelittleandbigthingcrossed for a Christmas at home for you all. I know they do try and get everyone home. We spent every other blumming special occassion in hospital but always had Christmas Day at home (well most of it).

Give her a cuddle for me x

I saw a dentist once who before even examining me decided it was stress related

I woke up feeling worse, saw another Dr today who took my temp - she didn't. I have a high temp (well did have, have had para now) and have a chest infection - sent to hosp for ecg because of heart rate, its fast (124) but regular and had xray and shows another opacity on lung. Have antibiotics. AIBU to want to shove them at original Dr and say told you so?!

No YANBU. Hope you feel better soon...

Only if they're not suppositories

I'm glad you've gotten the care you needed. When you're feeling better please make a complaint to the surgery.

"AIBU to want to shove them at original Dr and say told you so?!"

Not in the least. I hope you feel much better soon. Do shoving when your stregth comes back (;

OP this GP sounds hopeless.

you say you are seeing a cardiologist for tachycardia - have you been given a specific diagnosis or any treatment?

I have a condition called SVT which presents as "attacks" with similar symptoms to what you describe, but is your tachycardia constant?

If the GP did think your symptoms are due to "panic attacks" then she should not have just sent you away anyway. Panic attacks are treatable, with drugs or other therapies. Did she suggest anything?

No just sent me homme to rest/relax. I am perfectly relaxed, not been at work fr 4 week sbut been paid for it lol, how much more relaxing could that be?! No they don't think its SVT, it is constant, never seen it below 110.

I'm now writing down all my symptoms with dates and will take it to the asthma clinic. Last night woke up at 11pm and was coughing and whistling noise when breathe out, felt spacey and chest pain. Took ventolin and it stopped the whistling noise. That doesn't sound like a panic attack to me?! Took until 6am for me to feel non spacey again. Been to sleep since then and feel myself again but just coughing and sore tight chest. Friends coming round to visit, shes the one I was with when wheezy laughing the other day, she was with me in hosp when Dr diagnosed asthama - we were laughing at doc cos he was a big beardy funny man and he was chanting "you got asthma" least my friend was there so I feel I am not hallucinating that!

Sorry you are going through this.

The asthma seems "straightforward".

But you really want a diagnosis for the tachycardia.
I would request the hospital cardiology notes (or even just all your notes!).
This should clarify precisely what their diagnosis(es) are and what picture your GP is being given.

You must have had two or more ECGs by now, and they must have shown something, which will be in the notes.