Last year I was having pains in my chest and down my arm for a few days/nights in a row. I went to the doctor and expressed concern that it might be my heart (I'm 28 years old, about 30 pounds overweight, and on the pill). This doctor (not my normal one) basically scoffed at the idea and sent me home without any tests or anything of the sort. I ended up going to the ER a few days later scared to death since he hadn't put my fears to rest OR give me any idea of what the problem was. Turns out I had something called chest-wall syndrome. No big deal, it wasn't my heart. So I was satisfied, but the process left me very stressed and I had convinced myself that I had a heart problem.

Whenever I have random pains, I always seem to attribute it to something serious. The past two days at work I've had some minor leg pain, it's just a dull, achy feeling. I sit all day at work and cannot get up much (I'm a receptionist). So of course my first thought is that I have a blood clot. I always look things up on Web MD and I think the biggest problem is that I'm reading that woman many times have very little or no symptoms when they have clots and heart attacks. So I'm paranoid, but I don't want to run to the emergency room every time I have a pain. I'm waiting it out, but it's always in the back of my head.

I just needed to vent!

Um, Chest Wall Syndrome is SCARY stuff (I understand your pain, can ya tell? I've gotten DOUBLED OVER with the pain of it before, so please don't minimize that it would be scary!)

Other than that, though, I can only say that I have the same problem, and it relates to a general anxiety disorder that I have. I've learned to check myself in various ways (examples - I am constantly convinced that I am getting appendicitis, so I learned the check for that...if you can bounce up and down without excruciating pain, you probably don't have appendicitis. I also have some lingering panic over allergic reactions after having a medication reaction and going into anaphylactic shock a few years ago...my tongue swelled and I couldn't breathe. If I start freaking out that I'm having an allergic reaction, I fold my tongue in half...if my tongue was really swollen, I'd be unable to do so).

I check my pulse if I think I am having a heart attack. If it is steady, consistent, and not fluttery, I figure I'm probably OK.

Some people think that such behaviors are "crazy"...checking your pulse and folding your tongue all the time (though I don't do either, really, in mixed company...lol). It is a little odd, I guess, but it makes me more comfortable. If folks have issues with that, well...too bad!

At least I know I'm not the only one. I have also had an allergic reaction scare and I often think I have appendicitis when it's really just gas pains. I don't know of a way to check for a blood clot other than getting an ultrasound, though.

The sad thing is, I look things up on WebMD to calm my fears and it ends up making them worse because everything is so vague when it comes to women's symptoms. It said some people never knew they had a blood clot at all until it comes loose and ends up as a pulmonary embolism! I guess I should stay away from that website altogether. I'd like to be able to live like a normal person and not worry about every ache and pain I get.

Blood clots in legs...the leg is warmer than the other one, almost invariably, and slightly swollen, since some fluid is trapped behind the clot. No, it isn't 100%, but if neither of those things are going on, you're probably just having a garden variety leg cramp (especially the temperature difference)

I've also spent some time with one hand on each leg, trying to detect temperature differences.

ONCE ~ I know how you feel ... I have a well-meaning friend who keeps sending me HEALTH WARNINGS (esp for women), but some of them scare me. So now I just read the top few lines, then move them to a health file. I think if the site is scaring you, it's best not to go there right now. There is almost too much information out there, it seems.

When we have had a real scare, or someone we know or love has, we can get anxious about our health. I did have a clot and am now on meds for the prevention of them. MANDELINN has some really good ideas on how to CHECK for some things; that is a terrific idea. Wish we had those for almost all major problems; and doctors would share them with their patients. That would save a lot of grief and unnecessary trips to the emerg.

BTW, as we get older, we do have more random aches and pains in our bodies; and with menopause, odd new feelings like fluttering in our chests and rapid heart beat. If you are really anxious or panicky, check things out; then make a list of your concerns and take them with you the next time you go see your regular physician.