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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To request emergency GP appointment today?

43 replies

sailorcherries · 31/07/2017 07:32

Last night I woke up at midnight with horrible chest pains. It felt like someone had put each side of my chest, just under my breasts, in a vice and tightened it. There was a horrible pressure spreading through to my back, I felt sick and could hardly catch my breath. Sitting down made it worse and talking was in short bursts.

My DP and I were about to phone my parents to watch the kids and head to a&e when it stopped. By this point it had been half an hour, if not slightly over.

Obviously the worst rubs through your head at this point: heart attack. However, I also thought about other heart related issues (I have a heart murmur diagnosed at birth, no issues since) and things like a panic attack. I've never experienced anything like it but became too scared to sleep properly afterwards.

Going by the NHS website I should have called an ambulane last night and it does say go and see a gp if things aren't as severe. DP works through the week and I'm terrified of being left alone with the kids and it happening again.
Wibu to request an emergency appointment today, to get to the bottom of it, or wait and see if it happens again? I hate the thought of wasting NHS time.

OP posts:
Merrilymerrilymerrily · 31/07/2017 07:34

Not unreasonable. Get the appointment.

StealthPolarBear · 31/07/2017 07:34

Can you call 111 and see what they recommend? But I'd err on the side of caution too.

BusterGonad · 31/07/2017 07:36

Forget 111 and book a doctors appointment asap.

Sairelou · 31/07/2017 07:36

I would get at least an emergency GP appointment today, especially as you were diagnosed with a heart murmur as a child.

If it happens again then get yourself to a&e, if the pain is so bad that you can't move call an ambulance

NeilTheSloth · 31/07/2017 07:37

It's not wasting NHS time, even it turns out to be nothing! You experience an event that could be heart related, it is always wise to get that checked out. Like you say, you don't know what caused it (likely to be harmless, or at least, not dangerous, I'm sure so don't stress!) but you need a professional opinion. I would ask if you could get an appointment today.

pinkdelight · 31/07/2017 07:37

Do it. And ask them if it's gallstones. I had similar issues for 2 years and it was constantly misdiagnosed. Get an ultrasound and don't be fobbed off with indigestion etc.

RatRolyPoly · 31/07/2017 07:42

Yup, get thee to the GP.

Littlebelina · 31/07/2017 07:44

Def GP. YANBU

Oncandystripedlegs · 31/07/2017 07:46

Definitely go to the doc today and hopefully they can do an ecg and some bloods to rule out a heart attack . I would also see if they think it could be gallstones. The pain you describe sounds exactly like it .

MrsMozart · 31/07/2017 07:47

GP soonest.

UserThenLotsOfNumbers · 31/07/2017 07:47

Absolutely make that apportionment asap. Good luck op Flowers

UserThenLotsOfNumbers · 31/07/2017 07:47

*appointment lol

Pollydonia · 31/07/2017 07:48

Fuck, not being u at all - get to a doctor !

YorksMa · 31/07/2017 07:49

Say 'chest pains' and they will see you - in fact they will probably call you an ambulance - rightly so.

Fairylea · 31/07/2017 07:55

Of course you're not wasting nhs time! Chest pain is something they consider serious, you need to see someone today. They need to do bloods to check for a heart attack and run an ecg. If your gp isn't able to do this you would be perfectly reasonable to go to A n E in my opinion. You don't mess about with chest pain.

humblesims · 31/07/2017 07:56

I agree. GP today. Chest pain is always taken seriously, you may have had a small heart attack. Not saying that you have but you must get it checked.

onadifferentplanet · 31/07/2017 08:01

Please do. my ds (21) rang me from work on Friday asking if I could get him a GP appointment as he has nagging chest pains and had fainted. I was lucky and managed to get him one that day and he was immediately sent to hospital where he still is now having tests. By the time he called me he was feeling a lot better and could so easily have not bothered. Chest pain should always be taken seriously

Original poster
sailorcherries · 31/07/2017 08:01

Thanks everyone, as I said we were set to head off to A&E last night and then it just stopped. Neither DP or I slept much in case we were up again but, thankfully, nothing so far.

I'll phone the doctors when they open and see what they advise.

Thanks everyone, I didnt want to think the gp would think I was being ott.

OP posts:
Fairylea · 31/07/2017 08:04

Good luck, hopefully it's nothing serious.

Just to share- I had a very similar experience except that I rang the gp when it happened and they told me to come straight down. They saw me right away (we live rurally and nearest hospital is 24 miles away) and they ran an ecg and did various tests etc. My heart was fine, thankfully. However - I was diagnosed as having had an asthma attack! I haven't had asthma since I was a child. I was given inhalers and steroids and slowly I got better over the next few weeks. So it may be something other than your heart - or even having pulled a muscle! But always better to safe than sorry.

Goingtobeawesome · 31/07/2017 08:05

I had all the symptoms of a heart attack twice in quick succession. Turned out my heart was fine and the doctors said I was stressed.

liverbird10 · 31/07/2017 08:05

YA definitely NBU. With chest pain it is always better to get it checked out ASAP.

Miserylovescompany2 · 31/07/2017 08:26

Better safe than sorry with anything related to chest pain - hopefully the GP will send you for an ECG just to be on the safe side. (Especially given your diagnosis at birth)

MrsMozart · 31/07/2017 18:32

sailorcherries how you doing now?

RedSkySuperStar · 31/07/2017 18:59

Sounds like gallstones to me, ask for an ultrasound!

SeaToSki · 31/07/2017 19:23

It cant have been a panic attack as you were asleep at the start of it. You should definitely be seen by someone today and bloodwork should be done to check for cardiac issues. These test have to be done within (I think) 24 hours to check for a heart attack. If you did have a little heart attack, you need to know as they can happen in a series and they can put you on some medications to mitigate any more that might be brewing.