Chest, Back & Right Shoulder Pain
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi folks.
There's a long(er) version of this story but I don't want to bore you all.
8 weeks I've had an intense stabbing pain that starts in the upper back, spreads to the right shoulder and shoots through to the sternum. Painkillers don't do anything for the pain, neither does Rennie, Rapidol, Zantac or Gaviscon.
The last 3 weeks I've also had intermittent tight chest and shortness of breath to accompany it.
So far I've been "diagnosed" with acid (prescribed omeprazole) and a stomach ulcer (told not to eat spicy, creamy, alcohol, pastry or hot). Neither of these diagnoses were accompanied with anything more than an explanation of the singular pain symptom, a prod at the chest and a blood pressure check.
I've since had an ECG, blood tests and a chest x-ray - all came back "normal".
I'm waiting for an abdominal ultrasound.
The shortness of breath started during my last week of omeprazole (4 week course) and has continued since (2 weeks off it now).
The pain isn't generally as strong as it was (8/10 down to 5 or 6/10) but it still happens multiple times a day.
The last doctor I saw admitted they weren't sure what it could be as the symptoms don't fit any standard box, but mentioned chostocondritis.
It seems to come on randomly. Not always after food, not always same time of day, doesn't matter what food I've had etc.
I now have people telling me that they think the pain is in my head and that when I get a clear ultrasound I'll have no choice but to ignore it and it'll go away.
Has anyone ever had anything similar, can someone tell me I'm not going mad?
0 likes, 42 replies
amanda951753
Posted
Well here's an annoying development.
On Thursday I decided that the next time the pain happened, I would just go to A&E.
So on Friday it happened twice while I was at work, but anxiety about not knowing where the hospital was and not wanting to go alone stopped me from going. So I told my other half that we'd be taking a trip if the pain hadn't subsided when we both got home.
The pain hasn't happened since.
I have very minor pressure at the top of the chest, but nothing like it was.
Any of you have periods of painlessness?
lauren02046 amanda951753
Posted
amanda951753 lauren02046
Posted
Good to know, thanks.
I'm not convinced that it's over.
Will definitely be sticking with "next time it hits, straight to A&E".
DMZABO amanda951753
Posted
No sadly it's probably not. I said the same thing. Feel good then bingo it's back. My doctor also told me to get off the internet as well. He called it Dr. Google. Good luck with all of the issues you are currently dealing with .
The_Postman amanda951753
Posted
I'm 28. Since I have woken up yesterday, I've had this pain in the upper right side of my chest, back and shoulder. It increases when I deeply inhale and exhale completely. It also triggers when I flex my shoulder and chest in a particular way. I've also had an upset stomach since a couple of days however, my stomach has been acting up for 20 months now. Sometimes I loose stool and sometimes I'm constipated. It doesn't stay normal for more than 3-4 days. Alcohol triggers it and sometimes milk too. Sometimes even certain types of fruits. I used to be a massive stoner but I have stopped smoking up. It has been more than a year now. I'm not even a seasoned drinker. Just a couple of beers over the weeked. May be pop a tab of mdma every 3 months, perhaps more. I used to be an army officer but then I resigned after serving 10 years. Was posted in Afghanistan for 3 years but I was young then and it was more adrenaline than stress. My last posting after which I got these symptoms was at Siachen, at 22000 ft above the msl. The air was very thin over there and since I was the only officer with a bunch of men, i had to stay alone in an 7x7 igloo for 7 months, with no electricity, or communication with the outside world. I did get very stressed there. Plus the food condition was horrendous and the temperature would never go above -40, would go below -70 during bad days (which were most of the time). I have had this problem with my stomach ever since I've climbed down in December 2015 from Siachen.
amanda951753
Posted
The latest in the bloody saga is that I now have tightness of the chest and nausea that stops me from having an evening meal. And breakfast. And often lunch...
5 days and I think I've had 3 proper meals.
The pain hasn't resurfaced as such, just an intermittent weird pressure-like sensation instead.
Annoyingly I don't consider nausea to be a valid excuse for A&E, so back to the doctors I am seemingly destined to go.
brittany17229 amanda951753
Posted
Request a hida scan! Do you have a gastroenterologist? One sure way to know it's your gallbladder... drink an ensure drink like a chocolate one I mean like chug it... if you get upset stomach and have to go to the bathroom, it's your gallbladder! I can promise you that. I had to drink that the day of my hida scan in between the scans and I got sick 5 minutes after drinking it I was a mess! Best wishes the surgery sucks! But I'm hanging in there all the horror stories you hear about gallbladder removal don't base yourself off of them! Lol it hasn't been that hard!
amanda951753 brittany17229
Posted
I asked about hida and was basically told "all the tests we've done have come back normal. we don't normally do more tests. Take painkillers for the pain, and the nausea is just residual anxiety"
Yes, it was yet another different locum. That I'd just told I haven't had anxiety for over 2 years and painkillers don't touch the pain.
I swear I'm starting to hate doctors.
Never hear of ensure drinks, though I will go investigate, cheers for the tip.
How's your recovery going?
brittany17229 amanda951753
Posted
Hmm, I wonder why they're not helping you... even with said anxiety I know the mind can do powerful things but you can differentiate between anxiety and real pains, I can anyways I'm sure you can! When I first started having issues it was following a kidney stone procedure I had done back in March, and I haven't been right since... it's caused me so much pain and upset and that's when I first started having anxiety at 26 years old I don't think i just decided to jump on the looney bus! The only thing playing in my factor is I've been with my doctor since I was a kid so he knows this is not like me to come in telling him I'm having pain. To be honest I'm still having pain on my left side I'm sure the gallbladder was causing a lot of problems but there's still issues there! As far as recovery goes the first few days were hell the night after I had to go back to A&E & they kept me overnight I was in so much pain, but I'm starting to get back to normal now or not normal but how I've been since my surgery in March. I hope they figure out what's going on soon. Ensure is like a morning breakfast drink! Honestly I have a lot of health issues going on well I feel like I do non confirmed! 😂 Doctors all thought this was gallbladder and end of story but I'm still having these pains on my left side so it's not! I go back to my doctor Thursday I thought I'd try and recover and make sure that I wasn't still just needing to heal but a week post op and still having pains that I had before is annoying, don't let that discourage you though it does sound like your gallbladders not working well. What does your liver functions look like? Request copy's of your blood work.... my liver enzymes were sky high! lol that's the only thing that's really been off on blood work!
amanda951753 brittany17229
Posted
I have mild anxiety and have had panic attacks in the past, but not for about 12-18 months. Yet when I tell anyone this, they just come back with "well anxiety can manifest in different ways, you could just be stressed". This from both doctors and non-doctors.
There was nothing that triggered this, at least nothing I can recall. When it started I was sat at my desk just about to go get my lunch. An instant 8/10 on my pain scale, and I have relatively high threshold.
I now feel like I'm reduced to either wasting A&E time, waiting until it's bad enough that it warrants A&E, or potentially spending thousands to go private.
My GPs are clearly not interested. They've never given my any of my results other than saying "it's normal". Even when they take my blood pressure they don't bother saying anything.
I had one doctor when I first went there 6 years ago, but she retired. And since then I pretty much see a different doc every time I go, even when I specifically request the one I saw the time before.
I might phone up the reception and see if they can post me copies or something, I really just don't want to waste any more time with ignorant GPs.
brittany17229 amanda951753
Posted
I would suggest trying to find a new doctors office... or look up highly recommended doctors, ask friends where they go, etc. you can request copy's of your health records law they have to give you a copy if you ask usually you just have to sign a release. I was told once it might be stress well a few times by ER doctors and I'm like listen this isn't stress... prior to my surgery and they all thought it was, and unfortunately when I go to the one ER they have on my medication list Ativan so everytime I go in there they try to give me Ativan and I'm like NO! Or pain meds I refuse pain meds 9/10 I don't like pain meds I just wanted to know the problem stop trying to drug me up! Lol find a doctor who takes you serious... any test can come back normal if they're not doing the right test. I have lost most hope in doctors these days I can't figure out if they actually care or it's about money? Well I hope you get answers soon! I had to realize that the ER doesn't do anything for me because to them there's no emergency. To top it off before they realized my gallbladder was having issues I went for 10 ct scans I'm sure I'm doomed for cancer one day! Lol
amanda951753
Posted
So the pain is coming and going again, not quite at the level it was before (thankfully!)
I've managed to get back in to see the only Doc that ever seemed to listen to me later on today.
I'm going to ask about HIDA again, but did any of you have any symptoms other than the chest/back/shoulder pain?
If this doesn't go anywhere, I already have my new doctors selected. I just need to go and register next month..
brittany17229 amanda951753
Posted
amanda951753 brittany17229
Posted
Well.
He's never heard of a hida test.
Told me I seem emotional (I'm in pain, in a doctor's surgery for the 6th time in 3 months and no closer to knowing what's wrong!!!)
Sent me for another ECG (normal).
Then decided he thinks it's related to my mood/emotioms so had given me beta blockers (to manage symptoms).
Tells me to go see him in a couple of weeks. I go to make the appointment to find out it's his last day today! 😒
brittany17229 amanda951753
Posted
Oh I see! I wonder I'm in the US but you guys have to have something like a hida scan to check how your gallbladders functioning and at what percent but I guess if they don't think it's that then maybe it's not! Beta blockers? 😅 That stinks I can't be on those my BP and heart rate run to low. They tried to give me those early on but then I had to tell them I couldn't take them on avg with out beta blockers my BP will run as low at 95/55 and heart rate around 60 when I'm sleeping in drops down in the 40's so they decided a beta blocker wasn't good for me because it would drop my BP & heart Rate even lower.
amanda951753 brittany17229
Posted
I've googled hida and it seems we do have them over here (UK) but they don't look to be very common.
I've never had beta blockers before, but I'm going on an active holiday next week so I really hope I don't have any side effects with them!