Help! Should I go to A&E

[Gloooooo]

For two weeks I have struggled to take a deep and satisfying breath. I just can’t, it’s a horrid feeling and it leaves me constantly yawning, sighing etc all the time. Near the start I went to the nurse at work who said blood oxygen levels, blood pressure and pulse were fine. I had no fever etc, Covid negative. As I had zero other symptoms she said it was probably stress.

The breathing thing carried on. Often waking me at night unable to breathe deeply but otherwise felt fine. Last week I took a long haul return flight for work. Since coming back I keep getting mild chest pain. I thought it was heartburn as it’s in the centre and feels like a mild burning pressure pressing down lightly.

Overnight tonight the breathing has been bad again after a really good day yesterday where it was much better. Overnight the full chest pain has been constant, worse when I try and take the deep breath, but not awful. I keep feeling my heart beating oddly, like fluttering for about 30 seconds then the sensation goes away. That fluttering thing woke me up three times in the night but is gone now. The breathing thing and pain have not gone.

can this wait for a GP next week? I’m fine to walk around, talk etc, I don’t come across as ill at all but my husband is freaking out that it’s a heart thing.

Go to hospital to be on the safe side. Could be a pulmonary embolism.

Hospital, given the history.

Yes I think you need to be checked out.

If you have central chest pain and breathlessness then a heart attack is among the possibilities. The only way to rule this out is by going to A&E to get blood tests and an ECG done. Waiting until next week would be a gamble as if it was a heart attack and it went undiagnosed you could become more unwell very quickly.
Go to A&E, hopefully it doesn't turn out to be anything serious but it is not worth taking any chances.

OK interesting, I thought you would also A&E is overwhelmed and don’t waste their time. I honestly can walk and talk and act totally normal, I’d go to work if it was a work day. It feels so odd to walk into A&E looking fine and feeling much better then everyone else there.

I should add I am early 40s, reasonably fit, good diet, but my father died of a blood clot hitting his brain when he was in his 30s so there is a family history of that kind of thing.

Could be stress. Could be serious.
get checked out. I recommend starting a diary now of the pain, palpitations and breathlessness. Times, what you were doing where you felt it etc so if A&E say you’re ok you’ve started a record to take to GP

I’d be worried about a P.E. Now is the quietest a&e will be all day. I’d go in.

Especially after this go to A&E. Like now.

Women don't present heart attacks like men do. And I've watched grown men have heart attacks sitting in a chair having a normal conversation like nothing was wrong. You could also have a blood clot.

It's not a waste of time. That's why it's there. For stuff like this.

There was a thread on here a few weeks ago from a lady who had an odd shoulder pain. She was certain it was muscular but after some convincing she went to A&E who found out she had a blood clot. Just go.

Yep don't hang about with those symptoms. They are relatively easy to rule out anything serious and it's their bread and butter but 100% needs assessed ASAP.

A blockage in the liver / biliary ducts can cause breathlessness the way you are describing. I had something similar a few years ago, but most medics won't think of this and will only check heart/lung function. If they rule out the obvious, then you might have to suggest it. (mine turned out to be intestinal parasites, easily fixed with course of medication, but I saw nine doctors in 12mths who all took the same bloods and chest xrays).

Ok, with the late detail about a blood clot in the family, breathlessness and pain since flying, I hope you’ve gone to A&E. PE is not something to be fucked about with.

I had similar symptoms and ended up in A&E in fast AF. Several months on still not right and under cardiology. Check your pulse, is it irregular?
Go to A&E anyway. You need an ECG at least.
Nurse.

Yes. Dd had similar symptoms and was riddled with clots in her lungs.

And all her observations were normal btw. Pulse, oxygen levels, etc. but she would have died if I hadn’t taken her.

I had similar symptoms and it was anxiety. But you must get checked out.

Yes, go to A&E. It's possible that some additional stress about it could make it worse.

They will be able to reassure you at least.

Go to A&E now, they are titerally there for breathing problems and that is what you describe.

If you leave it till later you'll have all the Saturday sporting injuries from children's football etc to contend with so just go when it's quieter.

You need to get checked out medically, but I occasionally get costochondritis which sounds similar to your symptoms. I use ibuprofen and a heated pad on my chest (recommended by GP).

Definitely go to A&E.

I came here to suggest costochondritis or precordial catch syndrome.

I was thinking no, it can probably wait until the GP can do an ECG next week. But then you said you have a family history of blood clots and I think you should go. Your symptoms are getting worse, not better so I think go now.

I had similar and went to a&e. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed. Please go and get checked.

I'm going to get blasted for this but it sound like anxiety where you have become too aware of your breathing.

I would go to be checked out.

@Museya15 it may well be anxiety but with a family history of blood clots she should still go to A&E to be checked properly.