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Original poster

GP has told me to go to A&E but I feel a bit fobbed off.

133 replies

Sunshinesandice · 09/08/2021 16:25

longtime anxiety sufferer...

so I called my GP this morning, as I cannot shift my anxious feelings - it all started around 2 weeks ago when I had a sharp chest pain, followed by lightheadedness , fear, dizziness, but then it subsided and I felt normal the next day . but since then, I have had on and off days of feeling so anxious - but mainly physical symptoms. .

No more chest pains but I have been getting:

racing heart
palpitations
extreme worry that something terrible is wrong with me
every ache pain or niggle I think I am going to die
dizziness
heavy chest like a nervous feeling all the time

Hence my phone call this morning, in the hope he would call me in , do some bloods check me over .

But he didnt, he listened to around 5 seconds of my symptoms, and said just go to A&E bye, and hung up.

I mean, I am sat here now at home I am not unwell, I feel fine - working, up and about , eating, drinking etc , but I am still well aware of my anxious feelings.

What shall I do ? I don't want to waste A&E time if it is literally just panic and anxiety

OP posts:
Kittii · 09/08/2021 22:41

How are you doing @Sunshinesandice?

SingingInTheShithouse · 09/08/2021 23:00

Are you on any blood pressure meds?

They can lower potassium. Low potassium causes anxiety, heart racing etc

Original poster
Sunshinesandice · 10/08/2021 04:47

Only just got out, wait time was absolutely horrendous. ECG fine, bloods fine, chest X-ray fine . Anxiety it is!

OP posts:
LemonPeonies · 10/08/2021 04:53

I used to suffer myself but in the nicest way possible, no one ever dies of a panic attack. However wasting time at A and E may mean someone suffering a stroke or something might not get the care they need in time....

Original poster
Sunshinesandice · 10/08/2021 05:03

@LemonPeonies

I used to suffer myself but in the nicest way possible, no one ever dies of a panic attack. However wasting time at A and E may mean someone suffering a stroke or something might not get the care they need in time....
Hence why I didn’t want to go.
OP posts:
Sobeyondthehills · 10/08/2021 05:31

Hi OP

I have been feeling like this for a week fucking nightmare during the summer holidays

Its possible you might want to have a look at @deathnotquitewarmedup post again, as I have all those symptoms and just put it all down to anxiety

SD1978 · 10/08/2021 06:00

GO's usually won't do ECG and bloods at the practise, so if it sounds cardiac- which it can with anxiety, they also can't assume in the first place it's anxiety. Tachycardia- a cardiac arrhythmia due to its nature can present as anxiety as they both have an effect on adrenaline. You can't have anything ruled in or out- hence the need for a full history, ECG, and possibly a referral for a 24hr cardiac monitor. Your choice what to do now.

MrsSkylerWhite · 10/08/2021 06:19

Today 04:53 LemonPeonies

I used to suffer myself but in the nicest way possible, no one ever dies of a panic attack. However wasting time at A and E may mean someone suffering a stroke or something might not get the care they need in time....“

A layperson can’t know the difference, medical assessment is the only way to be sure.

Iseeyoulookingatme · 10/08/2021 06:22

Next time this happens op call 111 they will point you in the right direction.

Oblomov21 · 10/08/2021 06:26

Everyone knows that if your anxiety is this bad you probably need AD's and counselling and CBT etc. There are tonnes of options. You've done none of this, done nothing to address any of your issues. Why? You need to be held accountable for your lack of action.

helpfulperson · 10/08/2021 06:27

Noone ever dies of a panic attack but many, many people die of heart issues that they didn't want to make a fuss about or thought were indigestion etc. Especially women for whom heart attacks present differently. Your doctor did the right thing sending you and you did the right think going.

Potatoy · 10/08/2021 06:27

@Sunshinesandice

Only just got out, wait time was absolutely horrendous. ECG fine, bloods fine, chest X-ray fine . Anxiety it is!
You did the right thing though, you needed medical assessment to rule out heart issues. Now the GP can help with the anxiety.
Potatoy · 10/08/2021 06:29

@LemonPeonies

I used to suffer myself but in the nicest way possible, no one ever dies of a panic attack. However wasting time at A and E may mean someone suffering a stroke or something might not get the care they need in time....
The GP, the trained medical professional, heard enough red flags to send OP to A&E where there staff there decided it was worth doing tests.
Keepitonthedownlow · 10/08/2021 06:31

Well done OP got going. Next is blood tests for thyroid etc. Following on I hope your GP suggests medication and counselling.

Sobeyondthehills · 10/08/2021 06:33

@Oblomov21

Everyone knows that if your anxiety is this bad you probably need AD's and counselling and CBT etc. There are tonnes of options. You've done none of this, done nothing to address any of your issues. Why? You need to be held accountable for your lack of action.
There are tons of options if you are willing to wait for them.

When I got really bad, I had to wait two weeks for a doctors phonecall and still waiting for counselling and CBT.

There is a good 18 month waiting list in my area. ADs dont work for me

Gunpowder · 10/08/2021 06:42

Obviously it was the right call from the GP and chest pain should be taken seriously. Don’t feel guilty about that.

In terms of the anxiety, you can refer yourself for talking therapy now. There isn’t a big wait if you don’t mind having the therapy on the phone: www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-psychological-therapies-service/

I’ve never been able to meditate but I’m finding yoga really helpful for dealing with anxiety. The more I do it the less I seem to be anxious, and if I get physical symptoms of anxiety running through a few vinyasa really helps. Might be worth a try. There are so many classes online now.

Winemewhynot · 10/08/2021 07:05

GP’s do this all the time, fob patients off to ED instead of seeing them themselves, ED check the patients over and then tell them to go back to their GP. Shit for the patients. I wish we could charge the GP’s and hold them accountable for their poor patient care!

onelittlefrog · 10/08/2021 07:07

If you ring your GP complaining of chest pain, dizziness and palpitations then they are going to send you to A&E because they can't physically see you to know that nothing is physically wrong.

If you knew it was anxiety and there was nothing physical really wrong, you should have just asked for anti anxiety medication and to be put on a waiting list for counselling.

Mental health services are pretty poor in the NHS at the moment and this is the extent of what they can really do, but it can help. If you have the money I recommend private psychotherapy as you will be seen much faster.

hashbrownsandwich · 10/08/2021 07:09

As someone who works in GP practice I can tell you anyone who mentions chest pains of any form, regardless of duration, we have to advise 999 or a&e. It's in the guidelines.

Confusedandshaken · 10/08/2021 07:13

@Sunshinesandice

So who does have the capacity for mental health patients?
Speaking as both a recently retired mental health professional and the close relative of a recovering anorexic. - Nowhere in the NHS has capacity the capacity to treat mental health adequately. Unless you are actively suicidal you will get fobbed off unless you or an advocate are very, very, very persistent. Even when people are actively suicidal they will still often get sent home from A&E with no treatment plan.

This is not the fault of the GPs or the hospital psychiatric teams. It is down to chronic underfunding.

Slashandcut · 10/08/2021 07:13

Does anyone remember that advert of a queue of people waiting for A&E with non-emergency issues and then the last person in the queue dying of a heart attack?

We need a new one which is just a queue of people saying “my GP sent me”.

eeyore228 · 10/08/2021 07:14

@ Winemewhynot I agree that people are being sent more frequently to A&E. In this case however the symptoms could easily be mistaken for a number of ailments, including heart issues. GP’s more often than not do not have ECG’s and would have to wait.for blood tests to come back. Although the wait in A&E is lengthening all of this will still be done in a quicker timeframe than waiting via the GP. Now they are happy its not a life-threatening condition they can focus on what to do now. Had OP not been taken seriously and fobbed off with anxiety meds everyone would pull the GP to pieces about not being thorough. They just can't win.

frumpety · 10/08/2021 07:14

People with MH illnesses can also suffer from physical illness, you shouldn't automatically discount one because of the other.

Hope you are feeling reassured having had the tests, anxiety is awful, you just now need to find the coping strategies that work for you. Flowers

Franklyfrost · 10/08/2021 07:18

The doctor needed to make sure you didn’t need medical attention. What do you want? Your symptoms were cardiac.

Do you want to be medicated? In which case book an appointment with your doctor to discuss it.

Would you like non medical mental well being advice? You could find a charity or ask online. There’s lots of lifestyle stuff that is a big effort but can, over time, produce big changes.

If you know what you’re asking for you’ll be more likely to get it.