Frustrated don't know what to do...

I like to say i am happy to have found this website. Makes me feel so not alone.

I am 38 yrs old. Back in Feb I started experiencing a tightness in my left arm as if someone had a torniquet around my arm it was quite bothersome. Made a appt to see my doc. went in and he didnt know what it was and said perhaps I could benefit from physical therapy. I declined the PT because I just had a feeling it wasnt from an injury.

Two months go by it's now Apr and I make another appt this time for a full physical and bloodwork. Because that tightness was going now in my leg and causing numbness. Doc said I had high BP and prescribed losinopril. Few days later the labs came back and my cholesterol was high as well as my glucose. Doc said I need to start exercising, eating better and lose weight. He prescribed tricor for the high cholesterol and suggested I follow a low fat diet. As for the glucose they wanted to do a recheck in few weeks. He sent me to hosp to have a oral glucose test. That came back fine. Mid May I went back to doc because I was having chest pains, the tightness in my arm had not susided. He said to me all my symptom were weird and said it could be because of anxiety or depression. He prescibed me Lithium. I do have anixety problems and have tried all other meds for that without luck that why he pushed for Lithium. He said I may be SSRI resistent. I laughed inside and thought are you serious because I have dealt with my anxiety enough to know better. Most I get when I am anxious is my belly gets upset nothing else. I feel as that was my mistake in telling him I had anxiety because he's not taking me seriously. Needless to say I have not filled the Lithium im not depressed or overly anxious. He did refer me to a neuro doc which took a few weeks to get into. I also stressed my concern over wanting help to quit smoking being my risks for heart problems was so high and he said right now you need to focus more on your weight. I was shocked to hear a doctor say that. All other doctors will tell you to quit smoking...I had a friend with me on that appt and she could not believe he told me not to worry about it. I told him my mom had passed away from complications due to smoking at a young age of 46 and he said that is unheard of....

Few weeks before that appt I had experienced this weird sensation in my chest. I got all a sudden dizzy, naueous, and really confused, was getting hot and cold flashes. I called docs ofc and spoke to nurse. Told her what was going on. She says they are busy now and would call back. Two hours later she calls and asks me if perhaps I was just having heartburn and I said no. She then said if it happened again to goto e/r. That night I was incredibly tired and slept the next two days.

I met with neuro doc in beginning of June. He went through my labs and was concerned with my glucose lvls and I told him I have to go for another recheck end of month. He said I should start taking a low dose baby aspirin a day because of my risks. I told him that weird experience I had and he set me up to have a ct scan to see if I had a mini stroke. Thankfully that came back ok. He also wants me to have a emg test to see if that numbness I get in arms/legs could be a nerve neupothy or entrapped nerve. Which I am still waiting to have done.

Speed things up I go back to my reg doc end of June. During those two months I adepted to a low fat diet, began exercising daily and lost 25lbs :) Had my labs done and nurse called back with results that my cholesterol was still high. My HDL dropped from 30 to 24 - which I dont understand if I am eating right and exercising should be going up instead of down. She said doc wanted to start me on niaspan. I told her I didnt want to take that because of all I read about the flusing side effect could he maybe try something different and she said no. She said I could go without medication and retest in few months to see what my lvls are at. Continue with my diet she says...I tried to tell her maybe I was doing something wrong with that - could they perhaps refer me to a nutrionist and she said only if ya have diabetes my insurance would cover it...thing is they could have referred me when my glucose was elavated (pre-diabetes) back in May that way I am sure to be eating the right things and getting everything I need to keep those lvls in a good range.

I know i need to find another doctor....just really makes me lose faith in the healthcare profession...

~leyton

By lkay
Posted July 13, 2009 at 9:09 pm
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Hi Leyton,
RUN - don't walk - to find a different doctor. This one sounds so wrong for you on so many levels I won't even begin a rant about that.
Don't lose faith because there really are good doctors out there - keep searching because you need a good health partner.

And welcome to the womenheart site - this is a great community who will help you with your questions.

be well,
Laura

By Winglover
Posted July 13, 2009 at 9:44 pm
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I agree with Laura. RUN! Your symptoms just scream that you need someone else to take you seriously.
Welcome to this site Leyton!
Lisa

By leyton38
Posted July 14, 2009 at 3:20 am
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I plan on checking around for a different doctor. Hopefully I will have better luck because this tightness in my arm isnt getting better and im getting chest pains on and off.

I forgot to add in my last post that I finally did get doc to give me chantix to help me quit smoking. He seemed hestitate to give it to me. I bring it to the pharmacy and his nurse he had write the script forgot to include any directions and sign it :(

I have a few questions. Ok for clogged arterties are they any symptoms ? Like could that tightness I have in my arm could that be due to clogged artery or only way to know is have a ultra sound? How bad is a 24 HDL ? Is that something i should be concerned with?
(My other levels were: total chol 164, trig 207, ldl 99)

Thx
~Leyton

By Beader34
Posted July 14, 2009 at 8:15 am
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Sounds as though you need to see an Internist. He knows alot about heart problems and it seems that you need to see an internist who will be like your primary care doctor as well, or get to an internist and PLUS a cardiologist. Good luck and keep up the good work with dieting and working out.
Mimi

By lvfrogs
Posted July 14, 2009 at 8:17 am
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Hello Leyton,
I agree with the other women, please find a new doctor that will listen to you. Do you have insurance that requires a referral? If yes, ask your primary doctor to refer you to a cardiologist for a full work up. If not, make an appt. yourself. What can it hurt?

I was put off time and time again, saying that I was stressed etc., offered anxiety and anti-depressant medications. Long story, but I had several issues going on health wise, had intestinal surgery and found out that I have cardiac spasms. If I hadn't pushed my doctors, I would never have found out I had the spasms and it is too serious to ignore. So, please push your doctor or get a new one.

Let us know!
Colleen

By Dgrant
Posted July 14, 2009 at 10:50 am
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I can't believe a doctor wanted to put you on lithium before doing any more testing to make sure these symptoms were not heart related. I am shaking my head in disbelief here.

I agree -- find another doctor. Unfortunately, the scenario you have described is not all that uncommon. Sometimes I really question what is being taught in medical school.

By iowachris
Posted July 14, 2009 at 5:26 pm
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Leyton,

You came to the right site - welcome. Everyone is right!!! Fire your doctor.

I did in January and I am so glad I did. I had one of those doctors that was good for a cold or an annual but that was about it. In January when I was in horrible pain and had to go to the ER with elevated liver counts only to be released with a follow up with this bozo.

He asked me how I felt - I told him I felt lousy - couldn't eat anything but clear liquids for the past 14 days and I went to the ER because I ate a small bite of banana and it threw me into so much pain I thought I was dying.

He tells me to continue taking pain meds and I will see you in 10 days. Wooow!!!! That's not the right answer. I fired him.

Another doctor in the clinic saw me 3 days later when my condition didn't change. He wasn't taking new patients but he took me on.

He sat and talked with me - he explained what he thought could be going on. He had blood tests and ultrasounds scheduled for the Pancreas and Liver along with MRI 's just to make sure he wasn't missing something. I never sat in a doctors office this long in my life. It was refreshing!!!!

Needless to say my problem got worse before some of those tests came back and they admitted me in the hospital after having to go to the ER again in severe pain. My liver counts where above the abnormal chart.

They tested me for all kinds of liver diseases. They did an endioscope (sp?) making sure I didn't have blockages in my bile ducts. (I had my gall bladder taken out 30 years ago). They found nothing - but after they put that tube down me and I woke up I felt fine. I really think there was something down there and what ever it was it moved when they were shooting air in me followed by the scope.

I went home painless and able to eat a solid meal after 7 weeks of not eating. I had lost 13 lbs on my Progresso Lt Chicken and noodle soup diet.

When I went to see that angel of a doctor (wish it was like the old days when the doctors made rounds at the hospitals). He sat down with me once again and we went over "what" could of caused all this. Because I left the hospital with a "unknown".

I asked him if he thought it could be my heart. He says "why do you think that". I said because during those attacks of pain I had an uncomfortable grabbing in the heart region. Then when I wasn't having the attacks I noticed I still had them, but they went away after resting about 20 minutes. They didn't hurt, but it just felt weird.

He looked at 4 of the EKG's that I had in the ER and while in the hospital and 3 of them showed normal. And one showed "abnormal" that was the second time I was in the ER and my pain was intense. He thought the reading could just be abnormal from the pain but to play it safe he wanted and echo stress test done ASAP.

I had that done one week later. The EKG part of it showed normal. The ECG showed possible blockages and a mild heart attach damage. (I don't trust EKG readings any more).

Long story short- they scheduled me for an angiogram which showed 100%, 90%", 80% artery blockages. I had a triple bypass 5 days later. The only good thing is they found no heart damage.

I'm so glad I fired Doctor one. Like I told my current doctor. I don't like going to the doctor, I will lay in pain for days hoping it will go away before I will call him. So put me down on record that I am not a cry baby. When I hurt something is seriously wrong!!!!!

I watched him write that in my chart. HA! He said I have been a refreshing challenge. I told him I hope the challenges end and I am only in here for regular routine things for many moons to come.

Fire that Doctor of yours there is always someone out there who still practices being a Doctor.

In regards to the Chantix - congratulations - I think that doctor should of congratulated you instead of denying you. Yes being over weight isn't good, but being overweight and smoking is worse. The doctor I have now told me he would rather I gained those 13 lbs I lost in Jan/Feb than smoke myself into the grave. Which I did - my brain told me to put food in my mouth instead of a cig.

I have been smoke free for 6 months now and everyday the challenge of "not smoking" is getting less. Thanks to Chantix. I did the nicotine patches the first month - but I like the ideal of the Chantix not putting the drug of "nicotine" in my body. When I was on the patches I could still taste that nasty taste in my mouth. Now it's just pure air and determination.

Good luck with that - and if you need someone to chat with and help I'm here for you.

Chris

By laurali
Posted July 14, 2009 at 11:50 pm
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Hi Leyton -- welcome to this site! You will gets lots of support and learn a lot too. When I read that the Dr. had prescribed Lithium, I almost fell out of my chair. I have a family member with mental illness -- the doctors tried dozens of other Rx before they even suggested lithium. When she tried it, she had to go in for regular liver tests at fairly short intervals. Besides, a lot of antidepressant Rx are not too great if you have heart-related problems as they can either slow down, or speed up the heart rate. Please find another doctor!! Also...if your insurance won't pay for appointment with a registered dietian, could you pay for it yourself? I don't think it would be that expensive and my experience with only 1 meeting was fantastic. I was told to go on low sodium, low fat, low carbs, diet (other than that, I can eat anything, right!!!). The dietitian laid everything out for me in a very understandable and easy to follow way. I learned soooo much in that one short meeting-- and I thought I was quite informed re nutrition. Anyhow, check it out. And if you have any more symptoms like the ones you had before, just go to ER at the most highly rated hospital in your area. I've been through the doctor's, "it's just stress" routine -- until I suffered a complete heart block that is. Now, they listen :) Hugs, laurali

By leyton38
Posted July 15, 2009 at 12:43 am
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Hi all :)

I wanted to update I looked around today and found myself a new doc. I meet with him on the the 28th. I hope he will listen...meantime if I have any problems I will just go to the e/r. Better to be safe than sorry. (shouldn't doctors think same???)

My insurance won't pay for a nutrionist so I will most likely have to pay out of pocket for the visit. To me it would be worth finding out what i need to eat. Only if one appt im sure i would gain a ton of knowledge to take with me :)

Well I am heading out on my nightly walk. :) TTYL

Leyton

By laurali
Posted July 15, 2009 at 3:55 pm
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Hi! GOOD for you finding a new doc! Re your diet, just be sure to go to a registered dietician, i.e. someone who works in a hospital or health care setting. There are a lot of people out there these days calling themselves nutritionists with very little education or training. Take care. Hugs, laurali

By leyton38
Posted July 15, 2009 at 5:06 pm
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Thx :) I can't wait to see new doctor. Maybe I will get some piece of mind and not be so scared all the time I am going to have a heart attack. Talk about stress.

Im about to call the hospital and check on the nurtionist. :)

~leyton

By kimberly46
Posted July 16, 2009 at 11:04 am
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Hi Leyton,
Im glad about your new Dr. for you! I was just concerned because I had similar sxs and I went to the E.R. and and did xrays and an EKg and some blood work .Any way they had a Cardiologist see me and he said with my sxs he would like to do a Cardiac cath .Well he did and I had a 99%blocked artery.Any way I had numbness and ttingling in hands and arms and some soreness around my neck and some shortness of breath and I had a cold so I thought it was due to that.Well a nurse where I work at noticed this about me and said I needed to go go to the E. R.
Well im glad I did!!I just wanted to let you know that my sxs werent that painful.They were more weird feelings then anything. I also have high blood pressure and now high cholesteral.Please ask your Dr. about these sxs and if they persist please go to the Er. I was lucky I went to ER.I almost had a heart attack but didnt!! Please check every thing out and please take care!!Hugs ,Kimberly46

By leyton38
Posted July 16, 2009 at 7:10 pm
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Well I am set up to see nutrionist. I go on 8/4. They said they doubt my insurance will cover it. So i will be paying out of pocket. Sad thing is my insurance will pay if say I need a triple bypass but wont cover anything preventive. Makes no sense whats so ever!!!

It's really sad how doctors treat us. I'm scared to goto doctors because they just think im crazy and write me off. I feel because I do have anixety issues, thats all they see must be panic related. Then how do I get around not mentioning I dont have it so i stand a fair chance???? But when I meet with any doctor, work comes up and I am truthful in saying I am disabled. Its frustrating! From that moment anything that I say is disregarded. :(

~leyton

By laurali
Posted July 16, 2009 at 8:16 pm
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Hi Leyton -- I understand so well what you are saying. I have had periods of high stress throughout my life, but have learned not to mention stuff like that to my doctors. Anxiety can be a symptom of a lot of illnesses and the side effect of many Rx -- when I take antibiotics, I feel very anxious. In the couple of months before my complete heart block, my PCP kept talking about my symptoms being from stress. I told her: I know what stress feels like and this is NOT that feeling. A few years ago, I was having a LOT of bowl problems to the point it was affecting my everyday life. Again, the docs (and the counselor I was seeing) said, It's stress. I finally had a colonoscopy where they found and removed several precancerous polyps. Guess what??? After that procedure, my bowl problems completely went away!! I know that stress and anxiety can cause a lot of pain, etc.,, but I really believe from my experience that Drs. need to test and completely rule out other things before pining the stress label on. Take care and try to feel good about what you are doing -- you are doing the right things! Hugs, laurali

By HopefullySearching
Posted July 17, 2009 at 3:22 am
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Hi Leyton,

I am new to this site - joined July 8th and just read your posts and the replies.

I was 34 ( I think as it seems so long ago!) when my blood pressure rose fromn 80/60 to huge levels ranging from 150/100, etc...

Biofeedback was the stupid recommendation from my primary care(?) doctor.

Many doctors and quests for health over many years elapsed..................................................... with a decline in health in many ways.

Then when the blood pressure in my right arm was 120/80 and the other arm was 180/100 I was

prescribed PAXIL for anxiety

I took it and went into a haze. My sister finally put her foot down and said knock this off this is not what you need, thank god. One horrible thing is once I stopped taking it the withdrawl was just horrible.

I knew for the first time I felt and knew what it truly was to be depressed and anxious during the withdrawl. I called the doctor in tears begging for relief - she said hold on it will soon be over (I felt close to suicide - and this from withdrawl).

I finally lucked out and found a cardiologist who took one listen to my cardoid artery and sent me to the hosiptal - NO ONE has since suggested I need biofeedback or anti anxiety meds except ME when I have to deal with the doctors that have such a bell curve of competence that I would love to take a xanex when interviewing them.

I now have an interview and screening that works, but what dismays me is during my years of search I may find one but it takes a team and I have yet to find the one lead that can set up the team.

Don't mean to be negative but guess I am trying to say don't doubt yourself or give up.

What I found does work is to take care of yourself and find things that you enjoy.

Hugs

By spasmjan
Posted July 17, 2009 at 8:44 pm
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Hi Leyton,

Everyone's giving you good advice...especially about getting a Dr. you're comfortable with, especially one who listens and takes you seriously!

Our health care system is in such a mess and a lot of the providers in this country are NOT happy that Obama is trying to fix it, (i.e. possibly losing money in their practice if they have to lower fees to take care of indigents like me!) I saw my Cardiologist for the first time in 18 months today (I finally swallowed my pride and applied for charity care through our Catholic hospital here since I have no job and no insurance!) I had only seen him one time after moving back here from Kansas, where I had a 98% blocked RCA in 2005 and 4 heart caths in 1 year before my wonderful Cardiologist in Kansas diagnosed me with Prinzmetal's Angina, and never treated me like I was some kind of wacko hypochondriac.

This Dr. I saw today was so nice to me the first time I saw him here in Illinois (when I had a job and full coverage insurance!) Today was a totally different story. I saw him for 15 minutes; he had a resident shadowing him; he treated me like crap; he tried to tell me things that totally contradicted what my recent bloodwork showed, and completely ignored my concerns about my left arm and leg suddenly falling asleep with certain movements, then aching and tingling. I had to BEG him to give me an EKG, so I could have some peace of mind from having so many coronary artery spasms over the last 18 months. (I hadn't had an EKG for 2 years).

When he was rushing to get out of the room he told the nurse to have me come back in a YEAR and see a "nurse practicioner", as though my condition didn't warrant HIS time and attention. He asked if I was still smoking, I told him I had cut back to 10 a day after smoking for 40 years and was doing the best I could. He got snippy and said that smoking was probably the only reason I was having spasms!
Bull%#$@!!!! There are a lot of other things that can cause them. He nastily told me to quit...period. No offer of a prescription for Chantix or anything. Didn't even mention a Nicoderm patch. Before I left his office I went out front and asked what my charges were for the visit. I was told it was $230 for the consultation (comes out to $15 a minute!), $100 for the EKG, and $45 for the "smoking cessation consultation". I threw a fit and said I would call the billing office on Monday and tell them that the $45 fee was OUTRAGEOUS because all he did was say "Quit smoking". Oh...and BTW, the brand new medical building looks like the Taj Mahal!! Marble floors, etc. These Dr.'s have GOT to start realizing that THEY cannot continue to charge these outrageous fees for what they do! It's no wonder the public health system is beyond control. Greed. pure and simple. I'm going to ask my Internist to refer me to a different Cardiologist, as I worked for over 30 years, pay my taxes, and don't deserve to be treated like a dog because I'm considered "indigent" now. Sorry... didn't mean to get off your topic and start venting about my own problems! But guess that's where we can all help each other out by talking about our own experiences, and it sure sounds like you've had your share!

I know it can take many Dr.'s and many combinations of meds and tests to get the 100% correct diagnosis, but I'm with everyone else who's told you not to give up. Don't let any Dr. talk down to you without letting him know that YOU know what's right and not right within your body and ASK for what you want. If you feel you need an anti-anxiety med,, ask for a low dose of one. Don't let these Dr.'s intimidate you and stress you out, because stress is SO bad for your body. I hope you find the correct answers you need and that you can start feeling better soon. Stay with this great group of women who welcome you with open arms and understand your concerns. I've learned a lot from others here, and need to check for new discussions more often than I have been in the last few months.
Best of luck to you....
Jan

By leyton38
Posted July 21, 2009 at 6:28 pm
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Hi all,

Im debating on if I should call my PCP. I have been having chest pains on and off last few days. My room-mate has been trying to get me to goto er but I wont go because I am scared they will say its anxiety related. What plays back in my head was about 4yrs ago I went to er for chest pains. They did a ekg. Er doc came back in to say it was normal and said I should talk to a pysch doc. Few seconds later a doc from the pysch unit came in to speak to me. I was so humilated. I mean the hospital curtains are so thin and everyone hears your business. I was so upset I left the e/r. That experience has pretty much changed the way I look at health care and I now avoid it.

Now my room-mate went to the hosp few weeks ago just recently for chest related pain. The thing I don't understand she kept stressing to the doctor that she had chest pains. They never did a ekg. They thought it was her gallbladder and did a ct scan. That came back ok and they said she had GERD. Which she thinks she doesnt have. Now my point is this they never had anyone from the pysch unit come to speak to her. Is it because she wasnt on an anxiety meds? Why was I treated differently...bottom line I think because of my anxiety no one takes what I say serious. It's a stigma I cant get past.

About the chest pains now I know deep down inside I should goto e/r...but im afraid...im taking gas x and mylanta to rule out if that could be causing them. :(

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