To panic that there's something seriously wrong with me

[FeatherySquawkington]

For a few weeks I've been feeling breathless on and off, increased ectopic beats (had these regularly for a couple of years now), occasional dizziness, occasional headaches and bizarrely a very sore hip joint. I finally got a drs appointment last week and they took some blood which I won't hear back from until early next week. Over the last couple of days I've started with a dry tickly cough and a sore, tight chest.

I'm so worried this is something serious but surely they have tested my blood and if there was something to worry about I would have been contacted already?

Run down?
All those could be symptoms of anxiety if you're prone to that.
And getting older. Nobody ages without some wear to joints.

Don't worry...it's probably just the weather....this time of year gives me a tickly cough too.

Sounds a bit like health related anxiety this.

I was having awful palpitations and breathlessness after a period of ill health with something unrelated. Mine turned out to be caused by low ferritin (iron protein). I’ve started on supplements and I felt much better within a couple of weeks. It could be a variety of causes, many easily treated.

Palpitations, breathlessness and anxiety were all symptoms I had when I was low in iron. It also makes you ache like crazy. I’d expect it was that, if there was anything alarming then they aim to contact you within 2 weeks but I’m sure they would have alluded to what it could possibly be/not good news if that was the case. Sorry you’re feeling low, hopefully you’ll be sorted soon.

Thank you for the replies. I did have low ferritin 18months ago and was treated for it. It could be the same again this time but I don't remember feeling this bad last time.

I had the same symptoms when I had pneumonia a few years ago. I felt okish, just very tired and rundown as well as breathlessness and chest pain.

The blood test will flag this up if so, and they'll prescribe antibiotics which will sort it out.

Or could it be asthma? I'd definitely want the doctor to rule out anything relating to the lungs first of all.

Have they checked your B12? It's not usually included in a standard blood panel. But it could cause all of these symptoms.

None of it sounds that serious tbh and you do seem a bit unreasonably worried about it. I’m sure the bloood tests will
Come back soon

Make yourself a couple of really rich in nutrients meals, e.g. iron, b12 as suggested above. Might help. Try not to panic before the results, worrying won't change anything!

Ask for vit d levels to be checked. That can make you feel very odd.

I had some bloods done a couple of months back and they showed highly unusual results. My GP surgery and local hospital aren't known for their admin skills BUT having had the bloods taken at lunchtime, I was telephoned at 2am, 4.30am and 6am to report that the results were abnormal and I needed to be seen (unfortunately my phone goes on aircraft mode overnight so didn't answer any of these calls).
When I called back at 7am they were just about to send someone out to my house to force entry. And I didn't even feel that ill and am fine now!
Anyway this whole story is to say- if there is something seriously wrong with your bloods they'll generally let you know.

surely they have tested my blood and if there was something to worry about I would have been contacted already

Anything serious in yr bids- depending on what they tested- they would have been on the phone within a day or two. As the chest thing has just started that could be totally unrelated to your previous symptoms. Did they test thyroid function, ferritin, B12 and Vitamin D do you know?

Hope you were ok Ker alarming number of phone calls!

I know! I was alarmed to put it mildly.
All fine now, it was sky high liver function tests which would usually only be seen in someone v seriously ill. For me it was a rare reaction to a medication my gp had put me on - disappeared as quickly as it arrived thankfully.

I had v low Vit D without knowing it. Found through routine bloods. Also had palpitations, anxiety, weird pains. Since taking the high dose for a week I’ve had none of it. I’m taking in natural sunlight with the good weather but will go back to normal supplements after the holidays.

How are you @featherysquawkington