Pulmonary Embolism?

[foxforcefive]

Last Wednesday, 6 days ago, I woke up feeling bad.  Like I had the flu but I wasn't sick.  Later that night I began having a bad, deep throbbing in my right upper arm/shoulder.  My arm was slightly swollen and cold like ice and felt real tight.  This has happened before, but not accompanied with pain.  I had insurance then and went to the dr and he didn't think or do anything of it. Along with my arm, my left leg was really weird feeling.  I don't know how to describe it.  It was very uncomfortable.  Next day all that stopped and I still felt bad.  The next day I woke up feeling really bad.  Dizzy and could not breathe.  My chest I was tight feeling and I could feel it tighten and then loosen and tighten over and over.  No matter what I do, I feel like I can't get a good breath.  Like I have asthma or something.  Which I don't.  The next day was the same and I laid around most if the day.  Did get up an go to store and was dizzy a confused. Was not a fun time.  The next day, yesterday, Sunday, the same thing.  I wake up not being able to breathe.  I went to er.  They did EKG, normal.  Did an enzyme test for heart, normal.  Did a D-Dimer for lung clot, normal.  So, the doctor rushed me out and said it was a panic attack.  I don't agree at all.  Who had a constant panic attack that lays for 4-5 days?  I no longer have insurance and am eligible for Medicaid under the new healthcare laws, BUT good ole Georgia opted not to expand.  So, I'm out in the cold.  Can't go to the doctor.  My only option is ER.  I'm so afraid I really may have a pulmonary embolism and I'm going to end up dying from it if I can't get diagnosed.  I hope I dont have one, but the doctor sure freaked me out.  What do y'all think?  I am 38 female btw.  My father died at 51 from a heart attack a few years back.  My grandmother has had strokes and had an uncle die from a PE years ago caused from an injury.  Are those d dimer tests reliable?  I'm not better and I can't go on like this not being able to breathe.  I have had a few coughing spells, but I'm not sick.  No mucus, I don't smoke, not around smoke.   Help.  

[foxforcefive]

It got so bad I went to another emergency room.  One that treated me like a human being.  Did tests, put me on a monitor and took xrays.  Turns out I had broken ribs.  Broke them a few months ago, but never rested to let them heal.  Had a bad fall.  I believe my dog re-injured them and it caused pain and inflammation leading to this problem.  Doctor put me on pain and imflammation meds and told me to take two weeks off work with limited activity.  

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hi, please stop worrying, as the symptoms with pulmonary embolism are usually progressive. Embolism is more common in people who are immobilized. Besides if there is a clot in the lungs, it would have showed in the tests done. In the absence of which it’s unlikely that you have clot in the lungs. So, stop worrying. However, if you develop fever or cough or breathlessness, check with your doctor to rule out a respiratory infection. Take care.