Chest pains.....a weird one this.

[KnittyNorah]

Thinks he’s wasting their time…even though the medical profession and allied services ultimately exist to treat people with health issues
(I don’t get it either, especially after a couple of weeks and clear concern, otherwise why ask a bunch of strangers on t’internet?)

SO MANY people think they're 'wasting our time'. I spent most of my career in oncology for heavens sake, and people have said to my face that they are sorry for wasting my time. I would sometimes get quite cross with them (in the nicest possible way!) to try to make it perfectly clear that NO they were NOT wasting my or anyone else's time. To throw that notion right away and to not allow anyone they know, family or friends, to hold that notion either.

One day I bluntly told someone that the sad truth was that her illness and its treatment gave us job security so there was not and never could be, any time-wasting involved.

 

[Dave7]

What did the pharmacist say… ?

Just got back from there.
She is confident it is/was a temporary blip with the nerve endings around the chest.
She has ruled out shingles or actual heart problems.
The pain is still getting less by the day.
Again, thanks for all the kind thoughts.

 

[presta]

I would sometimes get quite cross with them (in the nicest possible way!) to try to make it perfectly clear that NO they were NOT wasting my or anyone else's time

On the day my heart arrhythmia first made it's presence known I crawled around the house on my hands and knees for ~9 hours until it went away. I knew I needed an ambulance, but I didn't want the risk of it going away before the ambulance arrived, and being seen as a time waster. I didn't know I was at risk of a stroke.

One the second occasion two years later I did the same again, only this time it didn't go away, but rather than dial 999 I called the GP, and he immediately sent an ambulance. When I got to A&E the consultant in resus ticked me off for not calling sooner, so after that I called within 15-20 mins as advised.

That was fine at first, but on the 6th occasion I was witheringly told I was a 'frequent flyer' by the doctor, so next time I called the GP again. Unlike the first time, there was no call back in 2 mins, it took about 2-3 hours, but when I spoke to her she told me to call an ambulance. The paramedics were fine (as they always are) but when I got to A&E I was told to stop keep calling ambulances, and sent home with an untreated arrhythmia, so I had to call another ambulance later the same day after I took a turn for the worse.

The paramedics were a little surprised to say the least, but when they took me back to hospital I was just put in a room and left to 'calm down' by doctors who thought I was just having a panic attack. "You're not having a heart attack", - something I already knew, thanks. It took until the end of the following day before a doctor who wasn't blinded by his prejudice recognised atrial flutter, and sent me for a DCCV. There's a 48 hour time limit for DCCVs, so I was only just in time.

Within a couple of months my heart was off on one again, but in view of the pantomime last time I went back to waiting and doing nothing, this time for several days, but by the time I got to the point where I couldn't stand up I had to call 999 again. Nothing was said this time, but as I had missed the 48 hour limit I ended up in hospital for a week instead of just overnight.

I'm not in any doubt whatsoever that I'm a timewaster.