PE symptoms for 6 days, ER doesn't take seriously.
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hello. I'm 18 years old male. I have been experiencing PE symptoms for 6 days now. It all started on monday with very bad leg pain. It felt like there was a belt tied around my calf. This was also associated with feeling dizzy. Fortunately the pain went away. But like 30mins after I started to feel like I had shortness of breath. It got worse over the day and I couldn't sleep at night because of it. Shortness of breath was much worse when lying down. Also started to develope some pretty bad back pain. I do get some sharp feelings when I breath deep. I have seen 2 doctors and I have gone to the ER 2 times.
Doctors think I don't have PE. The second doctor also said that my leg and chest symptoms are "seperate things". in ER I had my vitals taken, blood pressure is good and heart rate is around 70-80. But It has been once over 100. It might have been because I'm so anxous about this. Oxygen saturation is at 99%. Chest x-ray and ECG are normal. After xray and ecg ER doctor said that "ECG didn't indicate any sings of PE and xray was normal too" "we can rule out PE".
I'm not getting any help. I have still all the symptoms. It hurts to breath, Impossible to sleep because of shortness of breath, back pain.... It's a nightmare. My own doctor comes back to duty on monday, so I have to wait and call him. Maybe he can do D-dimer blood test for me. I'm scared because I think I might not make it to monday. This has been going on already for 6 days. Also the tight feeling in my leg is back. Hurts mostly when climbing stairs.
I know this post is just a mess, but I'm so anxious. Sorry guys.
1 like, 31 replies
danialss anton75712
Edited
X-rays and ECGS cant tell if its PE. I had the same symptoms and they did all investigations and they came out normal. D-Dimer test caught clotting and CT Angiography confirmed it. Go for a CT-angiogram, convince your doctor to get it done. For over a week i saw at least 5 doctors with different diagnoses before my Pulmonologist caught it.
Guest anton75712
Edited
Hi! My daughter had PE when she was 14 and after that she had a few scares and every hospital visit the first thing they did was the D-Dimer, but you need a CT scan with contrast and a dopler machine to scan your legs asap! If it is a PE, heparin injections asap! Go back and say you will not leave unless they do all tests possible! Go to A&E, emergency services, this is extremely serious!
Cocochanel2910 Guest
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yes i defintly agree its very serious !
Cocochanel2910 anton75712
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Hi Anton, you must press your doctor for more tests, it sounds like a clot ! someone has missed something its not normal to be so short of breath. I had a PE 3 years ago and was admitted to hospital strait away. please get more advice its very serious !
karen47506 anton75712
Posted
Go back to ER and insist on a CT scan Then u will know for sure . Not worth taking a risk .
marie48074 anton75712
Posted
You CANNOT drop this. Beg, cry, do whatever you can to get a CT scan. I had bilateral PEs plus a DVT 3 years ago. Was treated for bronchitis, had a xray which was clear so dr assumed that with the steroid shot, antibiotics it would go away. Never did. His PA listened to my chest and said I had a PE. Went straight to hospital for 9 days. Had a friend who had your symptoms. she went to the ER FIVE times before they did a scan. Now, 3 years later she is on oxygen 24/7 to live, has pulmonary hypertension, which is deadly. ALL because 5 ERs turned her down.
marie48074 anton75712
Edited
I just replied and then read ALL of the posts which concurred with my opinion. Do you live at home? Get someone to TAKE you to the ER and stay with you to insist that they do this CT scan with contrast. DO NOT WALK AND DO NOT DRIVE. Have someone do it for you. AND LET US KNOW. You are of the age of my grandsons and we are worried about you.
anton75712 marie48074
Posted
I'm at the ER right Now. Waiting for a doctor.
marie48074 anton75712
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Please God, let the doctors there treat this young man with respect and let him have this scan so he can have Peace one way or another. Amen.
peter54321 anton75712
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Good you are in the ER - best place to be. Now you are there, don't panic. They may take a d-dimer test first, followed by a CT scan. Good luck!
carrie27300 anton75712
Edited
i am a survivor of multiple bilateral emboli. I had really bad charley hourse pain in my right leg one morning. When it passed after half an hour i got up from bed abs started feeling very faint. About 2 hours later i collapsec with very painful chest and back pain and could not breath. Husband said i was very grey and sweating. When paranedics took my blood presuure it was 78/35.I was very ill and had to be thrombolysed. My ecg was abnormal at hospital as the clots were causing right hard strain. it woukd be worthwhile getting a d dimer level done. Normal reading should be under 500 and mine was 6000
marie48074 carrie27300
Posted
I had the same hellion of a charlie horse .I though that I was crippled. Now when I have even a tiny one I panic.
carrie27300 anton75712
Posted
Glad you have gone back to get seen again. Do let us know how it goes
anton75712
Edited
ER doctor took d-dimer test for me. It was negative. He reassured me that I don't have PE. I was so relived that I completely forgot to ask him about CT. But I think false negatives are quite rare with PE?
peter54321 anton75712
Edited
The d-dimer test is not a binary test (i.e. it is not "positive" or "negative", but a sliding scale). Given your high level of anxiety, I suspect the doctor would have taken this into account and even the slightest above the norm would have prompted a CT scan. Enjoy your sense of relief and I hope you are feeling better!
danialss anton75712
Posted
this definitely is good news. however if symptoms persist dont hesitate to go back and ask for a re-test and CT . Keeping you in my prayers
marie48074 anton75712
Posted
I am bothered by the diagnosis of a "negative " as those tests are not done as a negative or positive. They go by numbers. I still want you to have a CT. Do you have insurance? it should not matter. Please, assure this grandmother who had them 3 yrs ago, who was in the hospital 9 days, that you will go back if you are not better by the first of the week. I did a d-dinmer test for 6 weeks, then one monthly, after 2 years of being on Coumadin as nd then taken off. My reports were always numbers.
anton75712 marie48074
Posted
Yeah sorry, It was my bad. Doctor said that D-dimer came back low. Don't know the exact numbers but I trust him.
I live in Finland so healthcare is "free". Tax payers pay for it. But some tests can be notoriously hard to get. Like a CAT scan. But I'm sure that if I call my doctor tomorrow and tell him that I'm not any better, he will probably order a scan for me.