Fed up.

[Bluearsedfly36]

Hi there,

I have been unwell for 6 months now. Had an mri in January which and been told I have 3 bulging discs in my neck. Orthopaedics referred me to physio, been told by physio that because I'm not an urgent case to use self help on 111 website and they're taking me off the list due to covid.

My gp put me on nortriptyline in November but 2 weeks ago I started on fluoxetine. Since January I have been taking dizzy spells off and on. Speak to the gp and they don't seem concerned. I've been getting chest pains off and on for a couple of months. This week has been the worst, chest pressure and off and on burning stomach pain and breathless as well as feeling faint.

I phoned 111 yesterday to be told to wait until tomorrow and phone my gp. I've not had a blood pressure check since November. Anyway, this isn't letting up. Do you think it's worth a trip to A&E? Just to get checked, I have a family history of stomach problems. Last time I was at A&E a nurse shouted at me for wasting time, the paramedics took me in because they thought I could be having a stroke.

Thank you for reading, I just needed to get it off my chest and vent a bit.

Check your own blood pressure. You can buy a bp monitor for £20-30. Keep a diary for a week to collect information.

@Footle just ordered a monitor, should be here tomorrow. Thanks for replying.

@Bluearsedfly36 , glad to hear it. It gives you back a bit of power in the situation. You can print off some pages of a Home BP Diary to fill in, which may be taken more seriously than random jottings. Good luck.

I took a few similar medications so not 100% sure which it was that caused it but i have a suspicion it was nortripyline that gave me dizzy spells. At first I thought it was from jumping around the gym but then it started to happen if i stood up quickly and the morning I woke up with a resting heart rate of 112 and blood pressure through the roof I rang my GP who sent me straight to hospital for an ECG and other tests. They were all clear and I had to reduce my dosage gradually to come off it as you can't just stop taking it.

Thank you for the replies. Feel awful today, really tense on the left side of neck. Goes up my face too, my ear is really painful. I'm at the dentists Friday to see if I have tmj.