Chest pain and diabetic utterly terrified of hospital what do I do

[AbsentmindedWoman]

Panicking very badly right now.

I have a tight muscle feeling, almost like a stitch, on the left middle side of chest between breasts, not constant but when I try to take a deep breath. I took a muscle relaxer and it hasn’t really worked though helped a bit. I’m type 1 diabetic 24 years and worried my heart is fucked and having a small heart attack.

But I’m in New York and the virus is rife everywhere. With chest pain they would bring me to a covid ward and there I’ll definitely get it and bring diabetic outlook isn’t ideal.

My wife is sleeping next to me and don’t want to wake her but I’m almost frozen in fear.

What do I do? Please help me to calm somehow

Take some deep breaths and wake your wife. You need to talk with a real person about what to do. If you call a dr or similar for advice, they wouldn’t necessarily bring you in, they’d assess, and it sounds like you need it. It’s ok to be scared

I can’t do this, I just can’t deal with more bad terrifying health stuff. I was muddling along ok but I can’t manage this.

I’m not trying to minimise your symptoms but try an antacid. I sometimes get this exact thing on breathing in deeply and it’s usually a bit if trapped wind. Worth a try. Hope you feel better soon xx

Take an aspirin. Ring the doctor for advice.

Yes it may not be what you think, how are you feeling now?

Definitely try taking an antacid. Heartburn can be severe enough it can feel like a heart attack. Stress can bring on funny pains too. The more frightened you are the worst it can get. Can you do a meditation app for 5 minutes and see if that reduces it?

Thanks everyone. I don’t think we have antacid but will have a look.

It has improved a bit since I wrote this, now the muscles around my shoulder are hurting more which is fairly normal for me as I have a very dodgy shoulder.

Certain positions make it feel better or worse, leaning forward or reaching my arms seems to tighten and hurt. I’m scared of being comfortable and falling asleep then rolling over and shocking myself awake if I move the wrong way while sleeping.

But I just want to sleep. Overwhelmed by everything now tonight.

Have you got any bicarbonate of soda? A teaspoon mixed into a glass of water will act as an antacid.

I was taught in basic first aid that aspirin can be given if you suspect a heart attack but I don’t know what has been said about aspirin and covid so you may have to weigh up your own risks on that one.

Absolutely ring your doctor in the morning (or now if it’ll give you a non-hospital out of ours service). I understand your reluctance to attend hospital there right now but your doctor may know of alternatives.

Well, thought I'd update as MN was my go-to when so scared. Spoke to someone at my doctors surgery (all appointments are on the phone now) thinks it sounds like it's probably muscular, because of how it gets worse moving or reaching for stuff. He hopes it resolves over the weekend.

Crossing my fingers it turns out to be that.

To try and reassure you, I've been type 1 diabetic for 32 years and I don't feel I'm going to die of CV. The statistics are still very much in our favour of surviving it

Not a doctor bit if it’s been going on a few hours it feels unlikely to be a heart attack. It sounds muscular. Best wishes

@Wetfloortiles sending good diabetes vibes to you as a fellow type 1

I don't think I have covid (not now, anyway, but I suppose who knows really as loads are asymptomatic) but worried about cardiovascular health. What could be treated with a decent chance of a good outcome in normal times becomes a different ball game now during the pandemic with less medical resources and big risk of getting infected with covid on top if you have to stay in hospital.

But hopefully I'm just overly anxious. It's just a shit scary time in numerous ways.