To be worried that GP surgery have it wrong?

[noneedforthat]

About eight weeks ago had a funny episode where I suddenly couldn’t breathe, felt heart was beating weirdly and felt like I was going to die . GP said almost certainly panic attacks . Normal ECG .

Since then I am permanently on edge and terrified it’s going to happen again .

I’m still having similar episodes every few days, but now also ears ringing, very dizzy and no balance . Can’t stand up well . Very tired when trying to walk and exercise . D&V for several days and I keep getting spots/boils everywhere.

GP has said it’s anxiety, panic attacks, low blood pressure and probably labyrinthitis . Possibly slightly anaemic from very heavy periods . Said once you get one illness you get them all .

Bearing in mind This has all been diagnosed over the telephone, not even FaceTime .

I’m now taking pain killers, anti sickness, beta blockers, and anti depressants .

Family hx of anaemia (pernicious and something else to do with oddly shaped RBCs) and heart disease . I’ve also got PCOS .

I’m terrified theres something they’re missing and can’t never settle anymore . Went to Boots today for meds, came over very faint and they had to help me back to taxi, said to phone GP again as very pale .

AIBU to be worried, or do I just need to calm down and try to stop overthinking?

GP surgery, getting bloods next week for anaemia, Stemetil for the vertigo, said meantime if can’t mobilise at all/black out it’s a 999, bed/sofa rest where possible and try to eat/drink as much as I can . Hopefully all settles soon . Glad they have a good idea of what’s wrong at least !

Glad you're getting sorted! Hope they're testing b12??

Is the stemetil working?
Take it easy and look after yourself

@museumum OP said herself she’s been referred to Cardiology, I assumed as they suspected anaemia she would be having blood tests, but have seen in follow up posts they initially didn’t arrange for any due to Covid. I personally don’t think it’s anything serious, like I said before, these are common symptoms are can be due to low blood pressure, anaemia, anxiety or a combination of all three, but just to be safe I think blood tests and a referral to cardiology (if blood tests are normal) would be wise.

@whatsbinhappnin

Glad you're getting sorted! Hope they're testing b12??

Is the stemetil working?
Take it easy and look after yourself

They are yeah, I’m relieved too . It is a bit , still feel a bit spacey and shattered but not so bad . Managed a very (very) short walk .

RE cardiology - I think that is just precautionary, a relative has an inheritable condition (ARVD) but we have all been screened for that, I had an echo/treadmill/72 hour monitor back in 2018 .

And dozens of ECGs since then too unfortunately .

Not sure how your GP can diagnose over the phone. Labyrinthitis has specific symptoms (the dizziness/lack of balance and ringing ears for sure) so possibly that, but wouldn’t cause d&v and boils.
I’d ask for a 24-hour ecg and bloods in the first instance with some of those symptoms.
I have spoken to 2 GPs this week regarding some symptoms DS has and they both said slightly different things. V hard to be precise on the phone.

@JustDanceAddict

Not sure how your GP can diagnose over the phone. Labyrinthitis has specific symptoms (the dizziness/lack of balance and ringing ears for sure) so possibly that, but wouldn’t cause d&v and boils. I’d ask for a 24-hour ecg and bloods in the first instance with some of those symptoms. I have spoken to 2 GPs this week regarding some symptoms DS has and they both said slightly different things. V hard to be precise on the phone.

Shes now been seen in person, and has the specific nystagmus associated with vertigo. It also sounds like shes already had a lot of cardiac investigations previously and theres no evidence of a cardiac issue.

It was never all in my head .

I am always so sad when somebody uses this phrase to illustrate that they felt 'fobbed off' - something 'being in your head' is a real as a chopped off leg and causes quite as many problems too. A functional problem that does not show up in any test can cause no end of misery and symptoms and what goes on 'in the head' is amazingly powerful.

As I said upthread, nobody on this thread can diagnose you, any number of things can cause any and all of the symptoms you mention, many of which are really quite non-specific.

Counter-intuitively, if you have had a a problem or an unpleasant sensation on and off for a very long time, it has been investigated in various ways over the years and nobody has come up with anything specific, there is unlikely to be a clearly defined conditions.

Sadly, medicine is quite often much better at telling you what is NOT wrong with you, what condition or illness you've NOT got, rather than making your feel well.
The wonderful feeling of well-being is hugely influenced by 'the head' and reframing of unpleasant experiences in your mind and how you think about them can have a very powerful effect on physical well-being.
We underestimate the power of the mind and body interplay at our peril IME and IMO.

Some of the stress hormones we produce are amongst the most powerful chemicals the human body produces, adrenalin and cortisol to mention only a couple. They have both instant and longer term effects on body and mind and produce very real symptoms even though stress/anxiety is all 'in the head'.
Some of the illest people I know still have a good quality of life because of what goes on 'in their heads', some kind of admirable resilience and cheerfulness of spirit that gives their lives meaning and enjoyment. It is awe inspiring at times, equally people who, on paper, ought to enjoy the absence of illness, have miserable lives and feel terrible.

Seek RL help and advice, I hope nothing dangerous will be found and you feel better very soon.

@Pacif1cDogwood

It was never all in my head .

I am always so sad when somebody uses this phrase to illustrate that they felt 'fobbed off' - something 'being in your head' is a real as a chopped off leg and causes quite as many problems too. A functional problem that does not show up in any test can cause no end of misery and symptoms and what goes on 'in the head' is amazingly powerful.

As I said upthread, nobody on this thread can diagnose you, any number of things can cause any and all of the symptoms you mention, many of which are really quite non-specific.

Counter-intuitively, if you have had a a problem or an unpleasant sensation on and off for a very long time, it has been investigated in various ways over the years and nobody has come up with anything specific, there is unlikely to be a clearly defined conditions.

Sadly, medicine is quite often much better at telling you what is NOT wrong with you, what condition or illness you've NOT got, rather than making your feel well.
The wonderful feeling of well-being is hugely influenced by 'the head' and reframing of unpleasant experiences in your mind and how you think about them can have a very powerful effect on physical well-being.
We underestimate the power of the mind and body interplay at our peril IME and IMO.

Some of the stress hormones we produce are amongst the most powerful chemicals the human body produces, adrenalin and cortisol to mention only a couple. They have both instant and longer term effects on body and mind and produce very real symptoms even though stress/anxiety is all 'in the head'.
Some of the illest people I know still have a good quality of life because of what goes on 'in their heads', some kind of admirable resilience and cheerfulness of spirit that gives their lives meaning and enjoyment. It is awe inspiring at times, equally people who, on paper, ought to enjoy the absence of illness, have miserable lives and feel terrible.

Seek RL help and advice, I hope nothing dangerous will be found and you feel better very soon.

Thank you

I know what you mean - my mum has functional illness - seizures . I’ve always been terrified of having mental illness as she’s been treated horrifically, and doctors have said horrible things before . Probably MN isn’t the place to go into massive detail but I’ve spent most of my twenties terrified I’m going to end up ill and told it’s ‘just’ anxiety ...

My previous GP and I have had long, long conversations about this ... it’s definitely very stress and anxiety related with me . Hugely . I’m constantly anxious and checking’ and seeking reassurance . I’m checking my pulse 250 times a day right now . Not great !!

I’ve got a referral for MH support and counselling just might take a while but hopefully soon .

Thank you though, what you’ve said makes a gray deal of sense 💕 and rather like what my old GP would have said !

I think it’s more relief, I thought I was just being stupid, and family told me as much so many times - to get a grip and pull myself together, grow up a bit, or try harder with mindfulness or something ... same things they’ve always said to mum - when in fact I’d never done anything wrong ... (and neither has mum!)

So just to update;

Had bloods today (FBC/UE/LFT/B12/Folate) and getting a 12 lead ECG tomorrow .

Also have to do a 24hr BP today .

GP is ringing me a week on Friday, cardiology on Thursday to review (as I’ve been tested by them before) .

Still taking the higher dose of propranolol which GP said might have a protective effect if it were cardio issues (they don’t think so but have to rule it out) and double dose of mirtazapine.

Still very giddy/lightheaded and ears ringing but interestingly so now is my mum (who I’m living with) . Despite that GP has said very little chance it’s covid as no fever/cough and not to self isolate ...

Glad you've finally managed to get the bloods!

Keep us updated on all your results

ECG done; nurse said nothing acute jumping out that they can see but the cardiac docs will get a look at it before appt on Thursday .

No bloods back yet ...

Nurse did say I’m very, very anxious and wondered how much of this is psychosomatic - eg severe anxiety and depression - but said let cardiac doc decide if they want to do more tests just in case .

That's good the ECG appears ok at first glance

When I first went to the doctor with all my weird symptoms (including constant physical anxiety symptoms and panic attacks), I told them I thought it was anxiety and asked about CBT/antidepressants (have had anxiety/depression in the past).

They insisted on doing blood tests anyway just to check, which is when they found my b12 was so low it was unmeasurable. I'm in the medical field and had never heard of b12 deficiency so never thought it could be a possibility!

After only 2 loading injections I felt like a brand new person! Thank God they did the bloods or who knows where I would be now.

Whatever turns out to be wrong with you, please seek help for your health anxiety.

The horrible thing about health anxiety is that of course sometimes things go wrong with us humans, but when that worry takes over things get really horrible, so you have every sympathy from me.

You need to accept that seeking repeated reassurance can unfortunately backfire and make the anxiety worse. So get your tests done, hopefully nothing major gets found and than prioritise your mental well being

@Pacif1cDogwood

Whatever turns out to be wrong with you, please seek help for your health anxiety.

The horrible thing about health anxiety is that of course sometimes things go wrong with us humans, but when that worry takes over things get really horrible, so you have every sympathy from me.

You need to accept that seeking repeated reassurance can unfortunately backfire and make the anxiety worse. So get your tests done, hopefully nothing major gets found and than prioritise your mental well being

Thank you . I’m on a seemingly endless waiting list for NHS mental health help, hopefully I hear something soon .

Bloods came back all normal/‘satisfactory’ except for inflammatory markers that are raised a bit . No anaemia or anything . I’ve no idea what that means at all (inflammatory marker) , receptionist just said they’ll do another round of blood tests first week of January to see if it’s back to normal .

I’m still very dizzy/off balance but I wonder how much of that is because I’m so anxious I sit down a lot and have gotten very used to not standing/walking . Won’t help much .

Pernicious anaemia - or at least, the beginnings of it . GP said whilst levels are ‘satisfactory’ based on guidelines she said based on family history, and symptoms, I’ve got the beginnings of B12 anaemia and quite low in iron too .

Apparently can’t justify jabs yet, if next test still low will be started on them .

Also been told will be screened every three years with echo/ECG for cardiac but not too concerned . Just not allowed to do endurance or competitive sports - walking, swimming, yoga, Pilates, etc all OK but no running on a treadmill etc .

Did you find out what your b12 level was ie. the number?

Some people can be symptomatic despite an apparently 'normal' level. UK guidance of 'normal' level is much lower than other countries

They didn’t say, just that it was borderline low . I’m assuming if UK guidelines are a bit off it probably is quite low ... Hopefully they are happy to get going with the injections sooner rather than later .