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Anyone else noticed this

Posted , 5 users are following.

youngatheart1
youngatheart1

Hi I am new to this forum, but have posted a few times on the GERD ones. Basically been having pain across top of breasts and chest area, especially between breasts and across the sternum/ribs where your bra goes. I also get palpitations but am 56 so could be menopause related. Have had lots of tests and GP said just GERD, it all started after virus and chest infection in January. I do have osteoarthritis in top of neck and fybromyalgia, not severe just aches and pains. Yesterday I carried a bag that was just a bit too heavy and kept swapping hands for about a 20 minute walk, when I woke this morning the whole of my chest area was on fire, it relieved a bit when I started to move about, I walk to work daily and carry bags around all the time and have only just thought that the two might be related. Does anyone with fybo have these types of pain across chest area and deep into ribs. I am not able to take any kind of anti imflammatory so rely on paracetamol but any other pain relief suggestions would be appreciated. I am in UK and unfortunately my GP practice seems to dismiss fybro and not offer any guidance. I am not taking pain relief for my arthritis as they say there is none.

2 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Patss
    Patss youngatheart1

    Posted

    I do not know if i can hellp you  but I will tell you my experience with this problem.  I went though test after test for heart, GERD(which i also have badly) and etc.  Come to find out I have costocondritis which is arthritis of the sterum and collorbone. (Not a lot of people have it but not unheard of) It is very  painful sometime with sharp pains.  It is really bad when i get GERD and this pain. If both have flared up take extra stuff for GERD (beside  your medication, like Zantac and chew some  tums to help right away)  All I can do for costocondritis is don't carry anything heavy to put stress on those joints. When it flares up and painful i apply ice and that seems to help.  However when it flares up I put ice on it and I do not do anything that required to use those joints until the pain lessened.  To help not make it flare up, if this is  your  problem, be careful what you carry.  When you start to feel that feeling again stop what your doing and rest the joint and do not put it under any stress , like carry something heavy, and favor it until it feels better. (sometime I have even put my arm in a sling so I won't use it till the joint calms down.)   But be careful the more stress you put on the joint (sternum and collorbone) the worse it will be.  I just try not to make it flare up because when it does i usually have to lay on the bed flat with arms to my sides with ice on my chest until the pain lessens. I never carry anything over my shoulder any more because that puts stress on the joint.  I use cross  you body purse to take the stress off the joint.  If this is what you have doing these little things w ill help a lot.  I still get flare ups but not as bad because I careful with that joint. As soon as i start to feel the pain i stop everything because I know if i continue i be in lots of pain. the most important thing is keep stress off your collorbone and sternm joint.  Yes it can be painful all the way down your sternm, between you bra and etc.  Sometime when i start to feel it i do not even carry a purse or anything I use pockets for everything.  I have to to keep the stress off those joint. Right now i have it only on my left side but when it flares up it painful all over that area.

     and both sides and your chest feels on fire.   Also be careful how far  you reach.  Just anything that put strain on that joint will make it flare up, if that is what your problem is.  It is  something that very hard for doctor to detect but my arthritis doctor was the one who finially told me what it was but this took years.  next time you are at your doctors ask him about costocondritis because it can cause all the probems you decribe.  I hope this helps and I hope you get relief. 

    Have any other question for me about it just ask.  I know a lot about it now I know what it is.  pat

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 Patss

      Posted

      Hi Patss thank you so much for your reply, the cardiology nurse did say that it could be arthritis of the chest as I do have osteoarthritis of the neck from years of typing, especially as I learnt on a manual typewriter. At the time I wondered whether that was possible but it clearly is and as you have had the same experiences as I am having I will definitely mention it to my GP. I also use a cross the body bag as I have found that easier, I also wonder whether being a larger busted lady that can be a cause of the pain also. The surgey nurse did mentioned costo when all this first started but did not offer any advise. I will try the ice and try not to carry to much about. I am thinking it may be arthritis related as I recently had physio for sciatica and whilst the tens machine was doing its thing, the physio worked on the top of my back and neck and this did help the chest pains for a while, until of course I ruined it all with the heavy bag. Will have to learn that I have a husband and teenage son for that. LOL. Take care
    • angelwings2u
      angelwings2u Patss

      Posted

      I really enjoyed all the information you shared and truly found it very helpful. Great tips and advice to pass on to fellow pain suffers.I have been told I suffer from tumors, gerd, fibromyalgia, diabeties, And I have such severe pain in my chest and back that I can't even turn over in bed by myself. My care taker has to help me. It's embarrassing to say the least. The pain in my back is getting worse not better.  I have had an MRI, Cat Scan, too many tests to mention  and haven't heard back anything much. Something about the Metastatic tumors on Spine in T5-T6 what ever that is to mean. Then they tell me my doctor will tell me and they will send me a copy of my test after doctor has gotten advised.  So in other words who knows but it sounds more like costocondritis to me by reading these messages on here. 
  • kaz_40
    kaz_40 youngatheart1

    Posted

    Hi youngatheart1 It could be costcondritis which is a fibro symptom.Would you be able to change to a different surjury. where you might get better help support. our gp service refers you to a pain clinic CBT 12 weeks free acupuncture and so many weeks hydrotherapy in our local hospital. also see if  where you live has a support group for fibromyalgia. Gps need to be educated in fibro and stop saying it doesnt exist. it does exist end of. I have had on off what you have had I was told by my gp it was costcondritis. take care
    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 kaz_40

      Posted

      Hi Kaz, Thanks for replying, costo was mentioned when all this first started back in January, but I was not given any advice, just found out what I had googled. My GP is great for some things but unfortunately like a lot of GP's fibro is something they either do not believe in or have limited knowledge of and my GP has offered no support, one GP from the surgery did give me tramadol which causes other side effects, so unfortunately I just deal with it, now the weather is warmer I do feel better, but once winter comes that is a whole differenty story. I did notice that whilst swimming on holiday recently I felt better, so I am going to start going a couple of times a week once the school holidays are over as I think that will help my arthritis as well. I am going to have to stop lugging things about and take a bit more care. Bye for now.
  • Meg53
    Meg53 youngatheart1

    Posted

    Yes I do get those similar chest pains, especially where the breast tissue attaches to the ribs. I recently went to the GP and asked if she thought it was just part of the fibro. She sent me for mammograms Xray and scan and it came back clear. My deduction from all that is that it must be fibro related as I am post menopause. If it is worrying you please get it checked out just to make sure something else isn't going on. I don't get the palpitations, sounds like you need a good check out.

    i am sorry your GP won't refer you to a rheumatologist and/or give you appropriate pain relief. Generally in case of fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain over the counter analgesics just don't cut it. If you scroll back to some of the conversations had on this forum you will be able to compile a list of medications some people take, though not everyone can tolerate the side effects. To find the right regim for you takes a lot of patience and trial and error. Good luck and hope you can sort it.

    Meg

     🌺

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 Meg53

      Posted

      Hi Meg, I think it looks like it could all be related as you say, the palpiations I think are linked to my hot flushes as I am still having them so may not be connected at all. As I mentioned to Kaz above I have one of those GP's who does not understand fybro and gives me a glazed look when I mention it. I was sent for tests for my arthritis so I expect it is all connected. I will look back and see what people have found helpful as you say general OTC medication do not really help. Thanks
  • derek1979
    derek1979 youngatheart1

    Posted

    i do have costocondritis which causes pain in the bone at the centre of the ribcage and inflamation and tenderness in the 4th,5th and 6th ribs and the pain mimics a heart attack and i have had a couple of trips to hospital due to it just to rule out a heart attack but see your gp and get it looked into cause they could say its down to this it could be down to that but until they actually check and do tests then they dont know so demand to have further tests done to rule out other things then you would proberbly no doubt get told its costocondritis but to be on the safe side i would have though your gp would have given you an ecg and blood tests to rule out other possibilities
  • angelwings2u
    angelwings2u youngatheart1

    Posted

    Hello Youngatheart1

    i also have fibromyalgia. I have noticed myself the older I become and the more I carry the more I hurt. If your chest is on fire it has a lot to do with a combination of factors. I am no doctor but I have had some nursing. I too get pain across my chest area and deep into the ribs. I also can't take anti inflammatory due to being a diabetic. I have many other health reasons that prevent me from being able to take certain kinds of medicines. I tried this stuff that's a cream rub called " 2 mules and a goat"   I have no idea what country it came from but a friend of mine was traveling and she bought it for me because of my fibromyalgia and arthritis and it worked pretty good. It worked so well another friend of mine stole it from my house. But it comes in like a 16 ounce bottle that is dark blue. I will get the other name of my other friends stuff she let me use it was awesome my pain went away in a few moments and stayed away for almost a week now no pain.

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 angelwings2u

      Posted

      Hi I want some of that goaty stuff sounds great. Nice friend pinching it LOL. I also struggle with anti inflammatories as I have GERD, but did start taking ibuprofen with food and it does help. I just take more esomprazole. My GP justs wants to give me tablets for depression which she say's help the nerve endings for arthritis as well. I did try some but felt so spaced out just gave up. I find that a heated wheat bag and really stretching out my chest, easier when lying back in a chair helps, but knowing what it is helps as I was convinced it was heart related. If you find out the name of your friends cream please let me know. Take care
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