Have I got PE?

Hi Peter, thankyou for replying, there has being no mention of a PE this is mainly because I have had another member of a different forum tell me I should have a V/Q test, cardio pulmonary tests and a few others as she almost died with being told she had anxiety when she had 3 PE's. The doctor doesnt even think it is my heart and begrudgingly sent me for chest xray yesterday. He is adamant it is anxiety especially at this time of the year.

I shall find out tommorow when I call them if I have am enlarged heartheart but the last chest xray in September didnt show nothing whatsoever wrong.

Thankyou for replying, and sorry to hear thst you have suffered with both PE and DVT. My heart rate has being perfect the whole time, I check it daily numerous times using my phone. My BP has being high (150/95) literally last Friday but yesterday at the doctors it was 126/85 and Doctor said theres no issues there it is when it is continuously high he worries

II live in a first floor flat so going up stairs is a daily occurrence and have run up and down a couple times to prove to myself its not my lungs (I read online something about if you start sweating and extremely out of breath after going up and down it could be lung related) but other than a bit of heavier breathing and a raised heart rate for about 5 mins I feel ok.

What other symptoms do you refer to? I did ask my doctor if I needed an MRI or a CT and he literally frowned and told me theres nothing to warrant one at the moment. Have had another chest Xray yesterday after tellling him I thought the chest pain was a sign off am enlarged heart......... he did say for my age 28 with no family history of heart problems he doubts it but would get an X-ray for 1) my peace of mind and 2) so he can see for himself

i have had a dvt and p.es and now on warfarin. yes i think anyone would know if they had them, it was so uncomfortable. can i ask you, did younfare ok afterwards. its just i seem to have developed anxiety and depression post events but i cannot take anti depressants they dont agree with me.

Oh Ann, I DID have anxiety and depression. I was afraid to turn over in the bed, afraid I would dislodge the clots and they would go to my brain/heart. 3 months later I awoke with pain in my chest and went to the ER. They did another CT and the PEs and DVT WERE GONE! But I was still anxious and I was able to take antidepressants but got off of them as they were making me gain wait! It has been a long and hard 2 years but am now off of Coumadin but still am being checked by D-dimer test. I got a wonderful vascular surgeon, in addition to my regular doctor and he has given me my life back. He actually let me fly to Isreal 2 yrs to the day of my clots! so, THERE IS HOPE ! I never thought that I would feel good again buy I do! Hey, write me here any time because I am here to tell you to stick with your medicine, do not stay in bed , walk around as much as you can. You WILL overcome it.

what did you take to overcome the depression

Ann, I do not remember as I only took it 2 months and gained about 10 pounds in those months. It was not just the gaining but it has been so hard to get the weight off. I THINK it started with an "S." If I can come across anything that has it on it I will let you know. I might can get it from my patient portal but will have to search it out. I think it was just time, more than the med because with each week that past I got my head on a little bit more. But I remember that for 4 months the only time I went out was to my doc to get my INR tested and my husband took me and we would go out and eat breakfast afterwards. I lost interest in doing many things because I got so self involved and these clots will do that to you. I ended up getting on a program with Coagulchek where I did self testing every 5 or 6 days. But time does pass and you do get where you can think of other things and people. I promise you that. I read and read and read. Never watch TV but love to read and that took me out of myself and back in a great world! I started back to church and was nurtured there. Just hang in there and you too will beat this!

Hi and thankyou for replying,I have got to call my doctor tommorow tonget results of the Chest X-Ray I had Monday. So providing that is fine i shall ask about this blood test. Is it just a simple blood test? I have being told by someone from a different forum that a blood test is not good enough so this has now made me anxious..... this is part of what has being said to myself from this individual

"They have not done even a 1/20th of the tests you need to rule out the serious stuff.

I take it your in the UK... how does your health system work there. Can you see another doctor?

I think you need the following immediatly,

• Pulmonary function tests, with Spriometry, Lung Volumes, DLCO and MIPS and MEPS

• A Cardiopulmonary exerxise test

• An echocardiogram with bubble study

• a V/Q Scan

• a chest ct/cta

Just to start!

Blood tests, xray and ekg SHOW NOTHING!"

I do worry though, not so much of dying but of leaving my children at a young age. I never have being like this and I want to believe it is anxiety but i just struggle.

I have also being in touch with BHF and they have sent me a contact number for a practitioner there aswelI as sending some info about healthy heart etc.

I have done about a 3 mile walk today but the whole time I was thinking I may have PE and shouldn't bw doing thethe walking around.

I hope you are well

Tom,

Don't panic...I don't mean to be harsh to whoever it is you are talking to on the other forum, but I think you are being wound up by an idiot.

With that list of tests, he is doing you not favours whatsoever. All he is doing is frightening you - probably to satisfy some need to show how "clever" he is by spouting a few medical terms. He's not - watching a few episodes of Grey's Anatomy doesn't make him a doctor.

Sadly, I can speak from experience about the ailments you are worried about, as I have, or have had, most of things you speak of. I had large clots (PEs) 3 years ago and they hurt. An exercise test was irrelevant, as I could hardly walk across a room. Every breath was so painful, I had to bite down on a towel. I had a number of other symptoms which were pretty clear. Most people with unprovoked PEs present to the emergency room in a pretty poor state. I am soooo happy that you don't have those symptoms. Yes, it is possible to have PEs with less dramatic symptoms, but that is less common and less life threatening.....and you would still be short of breath if it were a threat to your health.

For the enlarged heart...I have one of those too and they CAN see it on a x-ray. Also, an enlarged heart is not really a condition, more of a symptom. Mine is that way as I have a congenital heart valve problem that causes the heart to work harder. Been there for 60 years, so not really sudden. Again, that can be seen on an echocardiogram.

I reckon your doctors are doing OK.

Health issues aren't much fun, so grab you kids and give them a cuddle instead. Try to limit the investigations....as the internet is a pretty awful place for research (there is so much inaccurate information out there). Also , information on the net is replicated many times so people think it's true because there is corroboration. It is usually just a copy..

Have a great christmas and chill with your family. Come back in the new year and tell us what a good time you had 😮)

P

I would be so surprised if your doctor ran all of these tests! But the 1 test I think you MUST have is a CTScan which is about the only thing that would show if you have one in your lungs. And it is accurate. The other one would be a D-dimer but I think that you should have the CT scan first. if neither shows anything I wish you would try yoga for relaxing. or a glass or two of a really nice wine! If your insurance would pay,you might want to talk to a professional.

Thankyou for responding again,

i am sorry for the issues you have had and I do feel selfish for thinking I have these issues but I really refuse to accept it is all anxiety. for example today I have had pains around my left breast area and also around my back shoulder blade and shoulder area which I have instantly assumed is my lungs or heart. this has now been on and off for the last 4 months now almost so I know in my heart of hearts it isnt heart attack but I always check Heart Rate (Daily)

But then I have being out Christmas shopping and reading your symptons regarding shortness of breath and being in excruciating pain this isn't the case.

I had a bit of a disappointment this morning after contacting my doctors for the Chest Xray Results that I had Monday (Was told it would be a day or 2 to be sent electronically to my GP) but have now being told that they probably wont be there until the end of next week so of course I have now got to do Christmas with this in the back of my mind. But if it is an enlarged heart I would like to know why and address the problem. I would take a punt that it is due to high Blood pressure which is due to being obese.... all a vicious circle that i have got my mind set will be addressed in 2 weeks time. I am 28 (almost 29) so can sort my life out and I know I can. I just need to kick the anxiety in the backside, listen to not one, two but three doctors plus people like yourself who speak from experience and as you say enjoy Christmas..... I keep on fearing that I will end up in Hospital on Christmas or over Christmas but then I tell my self and pray that if I have to go in hospital can it not wait till the new year. I am a nightmare to myself.

Thanlyou again for responding it is nice having some reassurance rather than being scared and nervous, I try to shrug it off but for some reason sub consciously its there in the back of my mind, I cant even watch House, Holby City at the moment as I feel worse (Stupid I Know)

I asked my doctor about having a Ct or an MRI last Friday and he literally frowned at me and said there is no need as all other test have come back perfect and it doesn't warrant these. he begrudgingly sent me for a chest Xray this Monday as he doesn't like putting his patients for these checks due to the radiation.

I really dont want to bother my doctors again this side of Christmas but seeing as these pains/Sensations are still around chest/back and left arm I may and I shall ask about the D-Dimer blood test as im sure he will send me for that. failing that maybe I can look online at getting one of these privately

Tom,

Don't be too hard on yourself. Even if it is anxiety, that isn't easy to deal with either.....and you are very kind to sympathise with other people's problems whilst dealing with your own.

I have been bumping around with all manner if problems for many years (more that 60 now) and the only times I have had major issues, it has been pretty obvious. The two times I had urgent needs (meningitis and PEs) my GP diagnosed on the spot and sent me off in an ambulance. I guess what I am saying is that if nothing is jumping out as an issue, it is likely there isn't one.

We have too much information these days....when it comes to worrying, ignorance really can be bliss.

Good luck and I hope you manage to relax a bit over the coming weeks.

P

p.s. I am pretty sure someone always looks at the x-rays immediately and alert the GP if there is an issue.