Chest pain ... where to go from here - told to take painkillers

[Chestpain]

I don't know where to go from here.

Abit of context..

Beginning of November I had bronchitis. Was given anti biotics and it cleared up within a couple of weeks.

Fast forward a couple of weeks I started getting pain left side & centre of my chest, more of a stabbing sharp pain which was very intermittent. I called doctors, the nurse practitioner listened to chest/heart rate, told me I had anxiety, I told him I didn't (i work in mental health) and he asked me what I was worried about, I said my heart, he told me his checks didn't point to anything and sent me home.

The following week (may or may not be related) my hands, feet and nose were/still are, as cold as if they have been in ice. Developed chilblains on my toes for first time ever twice over throughout december/january. My feet, particularly my toes are grey/blue anytime I have a shower/bath or go out in the cold (even with thick socks) was also feeling very tired. Chest pain continued but was increasing in terms of not so intermittent.

Come January, 2nd doctor tested iron levels because of blue toes and sent me for ECG as I mentioned the chest pain. I looked at ecg, It said at top, non specific ST abnormalities. That was 10 days ago. On that day doctor confirmed iron levels low, started iron tablets. (Had low iron levels several times)

Fast forward 10 days, nurse practitioner whom ordered ecg has been off sick, no one called me with results. Over yesterday and today the pain is in my shoulder blades, shoulder, jaw. It is stabbing intermittently in my chest with feelings of heaviness & pressure and a dull ache. Called docs again, got a 3rd practioner. They said ECG is normal, got me in again, listened to chest, told me they don't think it's anything and to take painkillers and call back in couple of days (for the fourth time) Got asked again, what I think is wrong.

I have called nhs 24 tonight for further advice/opinion. They said to listen to gp amd that it isn't serious enough to go to A&E. Does it sound like nothing? Should I push further with them? I am 36 and genuinely worried about this.

does the pain relief help?

With those symptoms you go to A&E.

This sounds like health anxiety to me. Im not minimising - I have health anxiety myself. You have had extensive testing - if there was something wrong with your heart which was serious enough to cause constant, persistent symptoms, then there would be signs of this in the tests you have had. Several medical professionals have agreed. What do you think these symptoms point to?

Also this ALL points to anaemia rather than a heart complaint

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/iron-deficiency-anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355034

Chest pain is a symptom of anaemia, so maybe it will resolve when you've been on the iron for a bit. Did they check your vit b / d levels too as they can have similar symptoms if low?

Anxiety doesn't turn your toes blue

I agree.

Any chest pain radiating up to shoulder and jaw should not be ignored.I personally would go to AE for ECG and observation.

Nhs24 told me not to attend A&E. The reason I called them was so they could advise if they thought I should attend. I am tempted though. I am hoping that iron tablets will help although been on them a week now and no difference. Not sure how long it takes for them to work. I feel like I'm harassing the GP's. Someone asked if b12 had been tested, only iron & thyroid were tested.

Chest pain in jaw and shoulder needs A &E, I get costochondritis which can causes the type of pain you have. My GP always sends me to get it checked out at A&E.

I would go to A&E. The problem with ECGs is unless your heart is misbehaving during the test, it is very easy to miss any evidence of heart trouble. Especially with the bias being towards only men having heart trouble. You really want to have an ECG when you are experiencing the symptoms….so I would definitely go.

Dont worry about NHS24, they are going by a checklist and they always caveat things with “unless it gets worse…”….it’s gotten worse, so I would go.

I’m not saying it does - but anaemia does. Which OP has been diagnosed with. To link that to potential “heart issues” (inverted commas because these have been ruled out by several medical professionals)

The linking of potentially unrelated symptoms and catastrophising, plus unwillingness to accept medical diagnosis is classic health anxiety.

I spent about a year convinced I had lymphoma - I genuinely DID have symptoms - night sweats, extreme itching, swollen lymph nodes, chest pain near my spleen, lymph node pain upon drinking alcohol, repeated infections - i spoke to several medical professionals who carried out various tests and sure enough, I’ve not got lymphoma. It took me a CBT course and lots of counselling to finally believe them.

Aside from the chest pain.

Iron tablets do take a long time to work to help anaemia.

do you get arm and jaw pain with costo

No @Lina15 if you do go to A&E

I had middle/left chest pain pretty much daily for over a year. Had EGC and a echo-heart scan which showed no issues. Drs put it down to anxiety. Recently had some other health concerns. Dr has tested for vit deficiencies. Test shows deficiencies in B12, vit D and folic acid. Been taking high dosage supplements for 1 weeks. I already feel like a different person and my chest pain has also gone. Definitely worth getting checked for vitamin deficiencies. You'd be surprised how much deficiencies effect you.

You need to ask for a chest xray.

If you go to A&E they will do a troponin blood test to establish whether anything is happening with your heart. You will have to wait for it - a long time in my experience! And then they like to repeat it 4 hours later if it is a bit raised. And they will x-ray chest.

They will look at different diagnoses, including oesophageal spasm, or something musculo-skeletal.

You can either do that or wait and see what the iron does, but that will be a very slow option.

I know how difficult it is when you have chest pain - it is bound to make you anxious - but it is always worth remembering that heart problems are not the only cause.

I can only say that if you are not happy about the advice you have been given, you do have the option to go to the hospital. I hope that it will settle soon.

i’ve had it 4 weeks now

I came on to say this.

Look up costochondritis OP. Extremely painful, often mistaken for a heart attack.

I did have jaw and some shoulder pain once it turned out to be a PE.

what’s a pe

can it cause arm and jaw pain too?

PE is pulmonary embolism, I had 3 blood clots in my lung.

did you have any shortlness of breath with blood clot ? thanks