To go to A&E whilst on holiday about my chest pains?

[Albadross]

I had an ECG this morning, booked by my GP because I've been having chest pains for a while on and off, and I have a benign arrhythmia diagnosed a few years ago. I also have anorexia and have had some symptoms of low potassium (weird bruises and cramps).

I've had loads of ECGs in the past and they've always told me at the time that it's all normal, but this time she kept asking me if I was relaxed (I was as relaxed as I can be whilst semi-naked in a room full of people, albeit inside a curtained cubicle) and then she took the result to consult with her colleague before coming back and handing it to me in an envelope. Of course I opened it and it said 'abnormal ECG', but I was allowed to leave and nothing more was said about it. She might have been a trainee or something, I had heard someone outside the curtain mention needing to check another person's analysis and it sounded like that was because they were still learning. There was also a letter in the envelope with the results telling the gp that the machine is really sensitive and so abnormals come out a lot.

I then had to drive 3 hours to see family, and had quite severe pains during the journey, which made me feel I couldn't breathe well, but my DP told me it was probably anxiety because of the ECG. I've now arrived and had some painkillers, but I still have this pain accompanied by a funny cold feeling in the left side of my chest. My lips are a little blue looking too.

So would IBU to drive myself to A&E really early tomorrow to get checked out again?

[Cocolepew]

Id phone for an ambulance

[LeChien]

I'd phone for an ambulance too, or at the very least, get someone to drive you through to A&E now.

[Younique]

Persistent blue lips and blue extremities are not uncommon in cases of Anorexia Nervosa.

[Albadross]

I had the ECG in hospital in the walk-in.I had bloods done too but the results take a while if you're outpatient.

My BMI is currently 16.2 which apparently isn't critical yet

[BlackeyedSusan]

are you on meds that lower potassium? unusual otherwise. may have difficulty finding someone who knows about it.

[breadstixandhommus]

Jeez get your arse to A&E! Chest pains should never be ignored and coupled with being cyanosed should definitely not be ignored.

The worst, or best, whichever way you look at it, thing that can happen is that they do lots of tests but tell you everything is fine.

If I knew how to link I would link a picture of the poster that was rolled out when 111 came in, that shows very clearly how seriously chest pain is taken in A&E.

[RockinHippy]

I aFree with ringing 111 & getting help - better safe than sorry

But it may not be anything to worry about, I've had very similar happen in the past & they rushed me from another hospital appointment, to & through A&E as they were convinced I was having a heart attack

Thankfully I wasn't, it turned out to be a sort of panic attack caused by low potassium, in my case a BP drug was leaching the potassium from my body & caused these symptoms.

So it can be something & nothing, BUT they are not symptoms to mess around with, I was shocked at how seriously they took it

I still remember 3 yr old DD having the waiting room in an uproar as she was bored & wanted to go home - hands on hips, announced loudly "but it's only a little heart attack mummy, put your big girl pants on & get on with it, I need my tea" - I don't even know how she managed to know they were thinking heart attack, let alone the phrasing she used ????

[breadstixandhommus]

blackeye a low potassium can be caused by anorexia and can throw the heart into dangerous rhythms, which can then cause it to go into arrest obviously worst case scenario

[GeraldineFangedVagine]

Anyone suggesting a gp walk in centre or waiting till the morning for chest pain and cyanosed lips should keep their opinions to themselves. If you phone 111 now they will suggest an ambulance. Go to A and E, no one there will think you are a time waster. Preferably get a taxi or someone to drive you. Phone 999 if the pain intensifies or radiates, you feel sick or short of breath or become pale and clammy. Take care op.

[Wolfcub]

Blue lips - a and e now

[Younique]

I do think the OP should seek immediate medical advice. However, anorexia can and does cause blue lips, so it is not necessarily a medical emergency. Nevertheless, OP needs to be seen NOW.

[msgrinch]

op you need to get yourself to the hospital, ambulance if needed. This needs checking out.

[PerspicaciaTick]

Albadross, in the kindest, gentlest way, I hope you've stopped fannying about and are now sitting in A&E.
Hope you feel better very soon.

[atticusclaw]

I said I would go to the walk in centre given that the OP had already been to have an ECG and had been sent home by two doctors without any issues being raised. The question was whether A&E tomorrow was a good idea I said go to the drop in centre because the OP could go immediately and they would set her mind at rest.

The symptoms could be serious and the drop in centre will tell her whether A&E is necessary. She'll probably be seen far more quickly than if she hangs around A&E for hours.

I'm not a medic and this is just what I would do but we have a drop in centre very close by where you are always seen pretty much immediately and I accept this might not be the case for everyone.

[bigbumtheory]

Blue lips= not enough oxygen= immediate A&E or walk in clinic. A first aider would call an ambulance if you had bad pains and blue lips/poor circulation.

[somemothersdohavethem]

I hope you're getting some help xx

[ltk]

If you dial 111 and give them that list of symptoms, they will send an ambulance. I would cut out the middleman and either have someone drive you to a&e or call the ambulance yourself. All the best, op.

[SaucyJack]

I hope you get the help you need tonight, and in the future.

Please consider this your rock bottom/wake up call.

Choose life x

[TheRealNightsWatch]

I really hope you're in A&E. If one of your friends or family had these symptoms, you would be telling them to get to hospital now.

I don't think this is anxiety related at all. Possibly exacerbated by it but you have blue lips, tingling etc and are known to be at risk of cardiac problems.

999 is the only sensible option in a case of chest pain so that you can get close monitoring etc instantly.

I hope you're ok. Be strong, you need help now.

[RockinHippy]

I hope you are okay Albadross & that you managed to get some help ??

[Younique]

How are you? I really hope you've been assessed medically and that a long-term plan is made for you to support with your eating disorder.

[Albadross]

I'm alive, I felt better so I didn't go. We're in a very rural area so walk in clinics not really an option. I've been to A&E for similar symptoms before and it's been gone by the time I arrived. I know it sounds silly but the treatment I had put me off ever going again unless I was actually dying. New plan is to see my GP monday and if I have pain that bad again over the weekend I'll go to A&E. I have regular odd symptoms like numbness in my limbs, blue/grey lips and fingers and dark purple bruising as well as weird red spots on my skin that never go away. Maybe all related to my weight but nobody seems that concerned about it. The waveform on the ECG looks regular but when I had the pain I used an app I have that normally shows the same form and it measured a load of random squiggles. It's an app so obviously not a clinical device though

[LammilyDoll]

Actually an ECG can appear normal even during a heart attack (called non-STEMI), I've seen it happen.
Thanks for updating your thread, but please get yourself properly checked out.

[Albadross]

Lammily how do they diagnose heart attack if that happens?!