To wait to see the doctor about chest pains rather than go to the hospital

[BlueEyesWhiteDragon]

For the last 3/4 days I have been having a sort of pain / tightness in my chest (well under the bottom of my left boob). It's not horrifically painful - sort of similar to a stitch pain. When it happens I feel hot and lightheaded and get a short sharp pain down my arm (it's been my right arm but just now my left). It lasts a few minutes and then goes. It's happened but whilst I've being doing stuff and also whilst sitting watching TV.

I have just sort of shrugged it off really and carried on keeping meaning to call the GP but just haven't got round to it.

I've been on a zoom call with a friend this morning and had an episode and she's got all stressy saying it could be a heart attack and sent me a WhatsApp pic of 111 advice about calling 999.

My original though was it can't possibly be a heart attack as it's gone on for days but I have resolved to call the GP first thing Tuesday. I then foolishly did the 111 thing and got call myself which is clearly overly dramatic but I am now wondering whether to go to the hospital rather than wait for the GP next week?

The downside with the hospital is my DF(ather) is completely paranoid about covid and will likely fall apart at the idea of me going in and possibly catching it there. I've only just had my first vaccination before Xmas.

I've told friend I'll go the GP on Tuesday but she's texting me every hour to check I'm still alive. She is also on here (waves) so I said we'd let you guys decide ...

So ..
YABU - go to the hospital
YANBU - ring GP Tuesday.

Go to hospital. Quick ECG and you will be out again and won't have to worry you are making a huge mistake - Go.

Heart attacks- particularly in women - can present as anything from a shoulder pain to what feels like indigestion. They can even be painless but the damage is the same.

Please go and get checked. Fingers crossed for you.

Just to add, my mum had two heart attacks about 10 years ago. Even the nurse at the go surgery thought it was indigestion and told her to go home. After she left the doctor looked at the ecg and sent an ambulance. Nurse rang the house asking for her and panicking when I said she wasn't back. She was kept in for 4 days and had a stent fitted. She wasn't aware she had had the first heart attack until they told her by looking at the damage to her heart and she thinks the first one was either painless or very mild pain. Always be safe rather than sorry.
I don't think 111 can tell you if you have heart trouble - as I said the first doctor and the ecg nurse both missed it and that was in person and with years of experience. Hope you are ok. Either way getting checked will take the worry away which is certainly important with heart and blood pressure related issues.

@Colleen92

Go to hospital. Quick ECG and you will be out again and won't have to worry you are making a huge mistake - Go.

Heart attacks- particularly in women - can present as anything from a shoulder pain to what feels like indigestion. They can even be painless but the damage is the same.

Please go and get checked. Fingers crossed for you.

OP posted on New Year's Day so hopefully she's been seen by now

@footballfootball Ah crikey ok, thanks - I didn't notice - just saw the post and remembered my mum's situation immediately. Fingers crossed she is ok now then

@Colleen92 yes hopefully she's OK now. It's always good to be reminded of the signs to look out for as it presents differently in women so thank you

Hope op is ok. My dp is 28 and has chest pain for over a week, tightness in chest, shooting pain in arm numb hands, he had a severe near fatal heart attack. Required 2 surgeries so far may need a 3rd. He isnt old or obese and it was random so people can't dismiss things because of age.

Op I had a heart infection that felt like this.

I had no fever or other infection symptoms and for the most part could just crack on.

Had it for weeks, then suddenly I turned red. No joke. Just pure red.

I got triaged immediately and put in ICU even though I felt fine, but I did need an ECG and antibiotics.

If I had the same feeling again I would just go to the hospital even though it felt like a faff, so I wouldn't dismiss your friends advice. It's coming from a good place.