Please tell me I am a bonkers hypochondriac. I have totally convinced myself I have heart failure

[Kenworthington]

I know I know I know so before I take myself off to the gp I thought I'd put it by you lot and you can tell me what you think :)

Symptoms:

Massively swollen feet ankles and legs, they stay 'pitted' and white where I press them and stay like it for quite a while. Legs and feet are kind of 'purple'

Huge weight gain. I have gone from 13 stone which was still hugely overweight to 15 stone in approx 3-4 months . I am 5'9". I used to be a size 10-12 I am now a 20. When I first reached 13 stone I felt so depressed and I joined weigh t watchers and I literally had to starve myself to lose one stone. I have never been as enormous as I am now I feel really uncomfortable.

I have been a smoker for 22 years. I gave up last fri.

I do not over eat at all. I have written down whAt I eat in a day and it is hardly anything. Eg today I have had a wholemeal toasted muffin for breakfast, a special k bar for snack in morning, 2 coffees all day, prawn sarnie for lunch and a really small portion of scrambled
Eggs and smoked salmon for dinner. I often don't eatunch at all. I eat well and I don't eat huge portions.

My knees and legs often ache and my lower back. Prob due to the weight thing.

I am ashamed to say I don't do exercise it was on my 'to do' list for this yr but I have subsequently started my own business and what with 3 kids I don't have time plus I think at this stage it would almost certainly kill me.
I get breathless easily even just climbing the stairs or trying to do up my shoes :(
I do walk to and from work every day (equals about 2 and a half miles per day)
The thing is this is just not me, I am fun loving and vivacious
And I feel like crap. My mum commented on it today and said how she wants me to go to gp and said she would go with me. People must think I'm just really greedy but I'm really not :(

Oh and I need to wee constantly. Almost as soon as I've been I need to go again.

I have asked the gp about my weight gain before and all they do is check my thyroid which apparently is fine.

Please tell me what you think. Be kind

Um, have you taken a pregnancy test?

There's not a snowballs in hell chance I'm pregnant! Dh had snip 7 yrs ago, I have a crap sex drive and I believe he actually finds me physically repulsive atm so no action on that front :(

I am 36 if that helps.

When I said in my op I feel like crap I don't mean I feel unwell I mean I feel crap with how I look and how my body 'feels' because I don't feel like me iykwim

unfortunately I agree with your mum, it sounds like something is not right if you are too breathless to walk up the stairs, and think you do need to see the GP. I have been your weight at 5ft 3, so was fatter than you, and whilst it wasn't terribly pleasant, I didn't have swollen legs, weeing issues or breathlessness. another thought re:weeing is could it be diabetes, as that can also make it harder for you to lose weight. I would start keeping a food diary as well, to prove to GP that you aren't overeating.

I'm sorry you're having a horrible time of it. In that case, definitely get yerself into the gp's, something's not right and obviously you want to get it sorted ASAP.
No ideas on an armchair diagnosis, but sending you lots of get well wishes.

Thanks light passenger :)
Hmmm I don't think it's diabetes ... My mum (she is my adoptive mum) is a diabetic and she does sporadically test my blood and it always seems to be within the normal range.
Oh something else is that my pulse rate is really really high and always has been. Over 100bpm at rest. But oddly my blood pressure is fine

The swelling bothers me the most I think

Somethings not right, so take thee off to the GP. It may be something easy to sort out so don't go panicking yourself with what ifs.

Oops crossed posts thank you. Oh gawd I've too much on to go to the and I know she thinks I'm a right hypochondriac because I only ever go for weird and random things!

or sometimes being anaemic can make people breathless? but no good me armchair diagnosing, with your mum along as moral support get to the GPs and have a full range of bloods done.

Make the time and go to the GP. She won't think you're a hypochondriac.

Thank you will try and make the appt tomorrow. Am going away Next tues back fri then start business opening the next day so really full-on at the moment.
I'm slightly scared what the gp will say :(

have you made that GP appointment /gently chivvy