possible blood clots?

[ciara7245]

Someone please give me some insight here on what I'm dealing with. I'm 18 years old and starting at the beginning of this month I began to experience chest pain/chest discomfort. I had several episodes where my chest felt as if it was beating out of my chest, tingling limbs, shortness of breath, etc. Within the course of this year I've been to the ER five times (at three different hospitals) searching for a diagnosis. Everytime I've been pushed away with the it's anxiety or indegestion speech. I typically do not feel anxious until the symptoms begin, then it's like a feeling of sudden doom. However at my second to last ER visit (about a month ago) for the first time I had an elevated d dimer value of .90. They continued further testing performing a CT scan of the chest and lungs and said I was not suffering from a pulmonary embolism and sent me home with the same anxiety speech. Ever since this elevated d dimer result I have been unable to continue my daily life, I feel rather depressed and anxious. Since then I have experienced continuing chest pain, shortness of breath, and muscle cramps (mostly in legs). I also would like to mention my significant weight loss, I rarely have an appetite dropping 15 pounds. I have had three EKGs, an echo stress test, several d dimers (one being positive), three chest x-rays, and 24 hr halter monitor. I discontinued my depo provera shot hoping this was just negative side effects from the birth control two months ago. May I mention I've had constant bleeding/spotting for four months. Needless to say the symptoms continue and I am just concerned that they never searched anywhere else in my body for clots or research as to what caused my elevated d dimer. HELP PLEASE.

symptoms experienced: Chest pain, palpitations, piercing pains in sides, random pains between shoulder blades, cramps in legs, sharp pains in arms, indegestion, and weight loss.

I know you shouldn't consult the internet but I'm terrified and my doctors, ER doctors, and parents think I'm going crazy! (talking to a psychiatrist).

could it be anemia or would that have shown in my blood work?

[hollycaplan]

Hi! So sorry to hear what you are going through. I too have every symptom you have and more. Pneumonia every year for 6 years. Chronic lung swelling and pain. Knee swelling to twice its size. Pain from head to toe. Systemic. At times seeing 5 specialist, all saying tests came bk OK.two miscarages. Sooo much chest pain. Especially below collar bone like in between ribcage. Etc. Aft 6 yrs. I found the answer to my illness that doctors seem to know NOTHING about. TOXIC MOLD EXPOSURE.Hidden in the wall. Also had an air sample done and found in other areas of house. Still struggling with my not so good insurance to get into the correct doctor. Environmental and occupational medicine. Even a lot if allergy specialist have no clue when it comes to testing for toxic indoor mold. There is a book called ...Your guide to mold toxins, when traditional medicine fails. Written by Gary Rosen & James Schaller. Email me if you need or want to talk. I hop you are better. ***@****

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
A negative d-dimer test rules out a clot (high negative predictive value), but a positive test is not specific for clot (poor positive predictive value). Hence d-dimer test alone is not of much value. It needs to clinically correlated, and also correlated with other tests and investigations. An elevated D-dimer test apart from indicating a clot in the body could also be high due to any condition that increases fibrin content in the body such as recent surgery, trauma, infection, liver disease (cause clotting factor abnormalities and raise d-dimer test), pregnancy, eclampsia, heart disease, and some cancers. An elevated D-dimer alone is not significant. It needs to be followed up with other tests.

If all heart and pulmonary embolism related causes have been ruled out then other causes should be looked into. At times structures in the abdomen can also cause pain in the chest. These are pancreatitis, gall bladder stones and hiatal hernia. Coexistence of two or more conditions is possible such as acidity with GERD along with gall bladder stones. Pancreatitis too can cause pain between shoulder blades. Electrolyte imbalance is another possibility. Please consult your doctor regarding this. Take care!

The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.