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Original poster

Pulmonary embolism (or just a cough!?)

27 replies

NickMyLipple · 05/03/2018 12:43

I'm 36 weeks pregnant.

I've developed shortness of breath, a cough (sometimes productive with white frothy/blood streaked mucus and sometimes dry), sometimes I can't catch my breath, sometimes breathing in is agonising, sometimes I'm wheezy, sometimes my chest is bubbling, I don't have a temperature (but have been sweating hugely at night to the point that I'm up every hour), I have persistent upper right sided back pain which started about 2 weeks before this cough/unable to breathe gubbins. My heart rate is normal but I have a pacemaker so it's controlled mechanically anyway. I can't walk to the bathroom without feeling dizzy due to being short of breath.

I am an asthmatic who has been very very sick with asthma in the past. I know my condition well and this doesn't feel like asthma. My inhalers don't help the wheeze or tightness in my chest.

98% of me says I just have a virus and I'll be fine. 2% of me expects to keel over any second with a PE. I've made a doctor's appointment for 3.40pm but I actually don't feel like I'll be able to walk from the car to the surgery!

I'm a nurse for goodness sake - okay, a children's nurse with virtually no experience of PE, and I always eye roll a little bit at threads like this when clearly the OP needs to seek medical help...

Anyway, advice gratefully received 😂

OP posts:
MrsJoshDun · 05/03/2018 12:48

I'm a midwife. Hospital now.

MrsJoshDun · 05/03/2018 12:50

A&e or pregnancy assessment unit if you have one.

Original poster
NickMyLipple · 05/03/2018 12:52

Right you are, @MrsJoshDun. Should I call the midwife unit and ask for advice and they can tell me if they think A&E or straight to them? My nearest hospital isn't my booking hospital (I have complex medical history and am booked at a larger hospital) I actually have 3 A&E's closer to me than my booking hospital.

OP posts:
MrsJoshDun · 05/03/2018 12:54

Depends how far away your booking hospital is. But no harm ringing them first and asking.

HippyChickMama · 05/03/2018 12:55

A&E nurse here. Go to your nearest A&E now. If it's a PE that's an A&E problem not a midwifery problem. Best of luck

MrsJoshDun · 05/03/2018 12:55

But any a&e should be able to deal with you and the sooner you're seen the better incase it is a PE.

Sanderz · 05/03/2018 13:00

I'm asthmatic. My doctor told me if your chest is so bad that you don't think you could walk from one room to another (as was the case for me) then you need to be calling an ambulance, and I wasn't even pregnant! Would you be proposing to drive yourself there? Alone? I don't think that's a very good idea to be honest.

Sanderz · 05/03/2018 13:04

I've just reread your OP:

I can't walk to the bathroom without feeling dizzy due to being short of breath

This is the exact scenario I described to my doctor and he told me AMBULANCE - no arguments - ambulance. On that basis that's my very strong advice.

unintentionalthreadkiller · 05/03/2018 13:05

You need to go to hospital. Sounds like it could be pneumonia not necessarily POE.

I hope you are ok.

Hotpinkangel19 · 05/03/2018 13:19

My mum's Large PE symptoms were the streaked blood. Please go to A&E as suggested above. Hope you are okay OP

BikingBeatrix · 05/03/2018 14:09

You need to just go to nearest A & E. Now. They will sort you out, transfer if required.

MrsJoshDun · 05/03/2018 16:43

Hope you’re in hospital getting seen. And fingers crossed it’s not a PE, but always best to think worst case scenario I reckon and get seen ASAP.

minmooch · 05/03/2018 18:41

Hope you have been checked over and all is ok.

notapizzaeater · 05/03/2018 18:42

Hoe,you listened to the advice and are being checked over

FrostiesMum · 05/03/2018 18:49

I got sent to hospital with these exact symptoms yesterday for query PE. They sent an ambulance. I hope you’re being seen.

Original poster
NickMyLipple · 05/03/2018 20:06

I'm in A&E - been here since about 4pm. I called the midwife unit who said to go to my nearest walk in, which I did, getting there about 2. They were obviously not very used to seeing poorly people (coughs/colds/twisted ankles) and there is no doctor, so they basically did some observations and called 999.

My oxygen levels are rubbish and I'm in 10 litres of oxygen. I'm waiting for a chest xray. We shall see what happens next!

OP posts:
retirednow · 05/03/2018 20:22

Hope you are okay, keep us postedFlowers

ggirl · 05/03/2018 20:29

wonder why they sent you to a walk-in ?

I hope you are ok Op.

unintentionalthreadkiller · 05/03/2018 21:16

I'm glad you're there!

MollyHuaCha · 05/03/2018 21:55

Hope you're ok.

apostropheuse · 05/03/2018 23:18

Your symptoms sounds like mine if my pulmonary oedema isn't controlled.

I hope all goes well for you.

Tantpoke · 06/03/2018 02:47

An asthmatic, with a productive cough, feeling dizzy with Shortness of breath whose inhalers aren't working, yes you are definitely in the right place now, Hospital, what took you so long OP.

I hope youre feeling better and it's nothing that cant be solved sooner rather than later Flowers

unintentionalthreadkiller · 06/03/2018 12:55

How are you op?

Pattylogic · 06/03/2018 14:07

Goodness, I hope all’s ok?

BarryTheKestrel · 06/03/2018 14:09

Hope you're OK and they've figured out the problem.