Chest pain for almost 2 months now

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I am 29 female, 127 pounds, 5,4 foot

Don't smoke, Don't drink alchohol or caffeine, cut down on sugar, Don't do any drugs.

It started with a gastritis attack which landed me in hospital a few months ago, now that, that is cured after almost 3 months of using omeprazole (PPI) which indicates that it should only be taken for 2 weeks (doctors never told me) now I have this chest pain on the left which radiates to my arm and I also have a sinking sensation that feels like my heart is stopping. I have had 2 ECG's and a chest X-Ray, also ultrasound of abdomen and an endoscopy...Every blood test available and doctors can't find anything. I am not on any medication right now since nothing is helping me. I was prescribed valium when I had the gastritis (missdiagnosed as anxiety) so I tried taking them to see if anxiety is causing this pain and it does not help. Anti - acids do not help either. I am not stressed at all just miserable that something is going on in my chest and everyone is telling me that it is in my head. What could this be? Should I see a cardiologist or should I ask my doctor to book me into hospital to have a full checkup of my entire body? or am I being silly? I am starting to feel like I should just ignore my symptoms and if I drop dead then oh well too bad.

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  • Posted

    Thanks jody. I went to the doc this morn who ruled out anything serious to do with my heart or lungs. he said because the pain was spontaneous and in various areas of my chest and not one specific place he said it was impossible to pinpoint one condition or cause. he said he thinks my chest may be strained or inflamed from the pneumothorax and that my last xray proves my lung is fully healed. My blood work and scans show no blood clots or diseises etc. He said i could have costochondritus in one area that i get the ache more and is tender but it wouldnt normally be pain in different areas rolleyes So he told me to try anti-inflammatory drug ibruprofen 3 times a day for 1 or 2 weeks... and then... ??? There is just no answer or cure i asked everything i could think of.

    it's good your pain is subsiding.. i find some days i think it is..then it comes back like it was on day 1 3 weeks ago sad i hope we dont have to just LIVE WITH IT i refuse!!! haha x

    to answer your Q's smile x

    Can you describe the jerks, twitches, pulses with more detail? I get a dull ache usually top of my breast closer to the centre, some sharp stabbing quick pains randomly there, or in the centre, behind my breast or under (its very random rolleyes) The come on out of nowhere, last night i did get a sharp pain on my side that lasted a bit longer till i sat up though. but most the time its a quick 1 second stab. the aches tend to last a bit longer.

    What caused the pneumothorax and how did they diagnose and fix it?What were your symptoms when you had the pneumothorax? apparently it was spontaneous - i am a dancer and i was performing in a show so i was a little more exerted than normal & stressed. i had sharp very painful pain under my right breast and slight shortness of breath, it hurt when i breathed in and was constant not intermittant. i had an xray to diagnose it -it was only a small puncture with little air escaping at the top - which after 3 more xrays (over 4 weeks has healed itself completely) i had no drugs or treatment, just rest and was just down to my body to fix itself. - why i feel my chest was strained or tired from that extra work maybe..?

    Out of 10 what would you rate your pain? my dul; ache i'd say a 5 and the sharp twinges id say an 8.

    Does it hurt when you lay dow, eat, sleep or breath? - It aches or i get sharp twinges at the side of my breast bone near the middle, if i lay on my side - sometimes not always. It's usually better on my back. I can breathe fine and sleep.

    Any other sensations like burning in chest or getting dizzy or not feeling your body when walking? no other symptoms i feel like normal me.

    Do you drink alcohol or caffeine or do you smoke? no i barley drink and ive not had any for the past 3 weeks, i drink tea but mainly herbal with no caffeine, some black tea occasional coffee - again tried to just have herbal. None smoker.

    • Posted

      Do the anti inflammatory drugs help? My pain has changed now, it hurts when I bend my body while laying down and sometimes when I inhale very deep. It is not constant. My entire body also goes numb. This is so weird. What is your next option? A heart specialist? I also absolutely hate going for these tests too, such a waste driving there and sitting in the waiting room only to be seen for like 5 mins by someone who might laugh at your pain or who says that they do not know what is wrong...like wtf? Is that even legal? My insurance is being drained by people who do not care. I'd rather suffer and wait for my body to heal itself. They don't even refer me to a specialist, they want me to tell them which specialist so that my insurance can approve their request (dumb insurance policy) how should I know which specialist I should see? Endocrinologist? Cardiologist? Sorry I am ranting just so frustrated. Do you feel any improvement?

    • Posted

      As I'm in the UK I am fortunate enough to have the nhs or don't think I'd be able to have afforded all the tests I've had which is scary and I really do feel for you! Although it sounds like our doctors are very similar.

      I find when I take the anti inflammatory drugs it helps but only to mask the pain then they wear off. My sister says I need to build up the drug in my body to help any inflammation so I should take theme three times a day. I just hate takin pills! Or I forget wen I know it's no cure like a antibiotic would be prescribed cure etc.These are just over the counter drugs. So far my next option is to ride it out with or without taking them. They don't want to send me to any specialists as they know it's not serious I'm healthy through and through (with odd chest pain).

      As for the pain I feel it's up and down as usual yesterday my right side at top was sore and under my armpit and round to back. Today it's tender and got an ache inside with a few occasional spasms on other side rolleyes it's just a never ending circle I'm trying to just get on with my life normal. But it's like an unpleasant niggle or reminder n that's not normal or fair to have to put up with! How r u?xx

    • Posted

      Hi Dee after 2 months of chest pain, dizziness, tightness and jerking feelings in my chest it seems to be subsiding, I am not 100% sure what caused it or what I am doing right to help it go away. I came back to mention that I am taking a supplement, it seems to be helping me. My symptoms did start to subside before I started taking these tablets but I still feel it helps me recover faster as my pain still comes but it is more bearable and even disappears sometimes after I take 1 tablet. It contains Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, Magnesium and zinc. I decided to try it after I read a comment from a med student with my symptoms...he claims that he has done a lot of research and found that it is either Magnesium difficiency or anxiety pains. Please consult your doctor before you take any medication. I hope I am not posting too soon and then my pain decides to come back full force but I just had to mention this as I have been feeling better everyday, maybe I should also mention that I have been applying muscle rub to the affected areas...but I don't feel like this is muscle related at all.

    • Posted

      Hey hin I'm glad to hear it's subsiding! smile how r u now?

      I'm having a theory about my chest pain. .. It had eased off last week to the point I barely noticed or forgot about it with odd Lil ache now n then. This was on my 7 day break from my pill. I took my first pill from new pack on Fri night and sat eve I felt a noticeable ache and this morning it's like back to how it was! Bit of a coincidence huh!? (I don't beliebe in coincidences)

      I started taking cilest from microgynon 2 months ago and funnily enough I got this pain after my first pack was complete! The docsame said no its not your pill once they knew it wasn't a blood clot. But now I feel it must b related! Y wud I feel better on the break then the same after taking 2 pills from my next pack! :s

      I can only find a couple of things people have commented about chest pain n being on the pill... nothing concrete other than blood clot (which my scans showed none) so I can't help but point my finger in the direction ofor the pill. My fiance thinks I shudder give it a few days just to feel really sure it's back n then go back to docs... yay! I'll be so angry if it is my pill after all that it could have been stopped.

    • Posted

      Sorry about my auto correct haha 🙈

    • Posted

      I think you have just found your problem!! Read up on some of the side effects of your contraceptive and it said if you get chest pain discontinue use immediately...birth control is not very safe I gave up on it myself after it gave me constant nausea a few years ago. My pain is back I am finding it difficult to lay on my left side. Don't let doctors tell you that it's not a side effect of the pharmaceutical, unfortunately they are paid to prescribe these medications to us so you can't always take their word for it. You know yourself better than anyone else does and you can figure out what is making you sick. I am not saying do not go to the doctor but I really think you have found the issue...if you still feel pain after the pill is completely out of your system then you will know it was not it.

    • Posted

      Possibly yes! Although my leaflet says nothing about chest pain other than with a potential blood clot... which I know I didn't have after my scans & tests 5 weeks ago.

      Not sure weather to come off or just change back to my old one. Coming off scares me from things I've read and I'm worried to just stop taking for next few days in case it messes up my body until I can get an appointment. They only see you that day if you say it's an emergency :s

    • Posted

      Do you mind me asking your experiences coming off completely? Do you just stop or are you supposed to wait till the end of your pack...? Has your body regulated as I've read you could go a yr without a period or vice versa and have one none stop for weeks 🙈

    • Posted

      No I don't mind, I think it is always good to consult your Doctor about these things but I will tell you my experience. I used Yazz for about a year and stopped cold turkey in the middle of the month...I felt no difference. Then I started Ginnette also took it for about 1.5 years and stopped cold turkey but that time I finished the last pack. I saw no significant changes...I was mostly just taking it for clear skin. I feel they stopped working for me. Apparently Yazz and Ginette isn't very strong though so I don't know if you can stop cold Turkey with yours but I never experienced any changes I actually feel better off of birth control. You should read up on your specific brand.

    • Posted

      Jody same problem for me also can u suggest some supplement which u used ? please.

      currently iam using Ciplar 10 mg and Stress nil  0.25 mg tablets but not seeing any results.

    • Posted

      Jody same problem for me also can u suggest some supplement which u used ? please.

      currently iam using Ciplar 10 mg and Stress nil  0.25 mg tablets but not seeing any results.

  • Posted

    Jody I hope you have fully recovered and can share with us how you geeked you "remedy" or healed yourself.  Your symptoms are spot on with mine.  I almost cried after reading your post.  It's been about 5 weeks now and my symptoms still exist.  Pain on my left side or middle of my chest.  Sometimes it radiates toward back, sometimes it's a dull ache, sometimes it's a sharp pain.  Sometimes it causes Shortness of breath!  

    I have went to the ER three times , doctors and specialist several times.  This is a constant pain that has not went away.  My cardiologist has said I was fine.  I have had an echo, holter monitor, nuclear stress test, and a plethora of EKGs.  All came back fine.  

    My PCP said because the pain was in areas of my chest, that I should go to a neurologist and Gastroenterologist.  I went to GI doc and they scoped me, all came back negative.   I am waiting on colonoscopy and a Mida scan.  They have ruled out enlarged spleen (the spleen area is where most of my pain is, hover center of chest as well).  The neurologist wants to check my thoracic area of my spine to make sure nothing like a slip disc is pressing against nerves, creating the pain and pressure in my chest.

    While I did have a false positive on a DDimer test (test for PE,.510).  The chest X-ray showed nothing according to the ER.   All of my blood work and scans show no blood clots or diseises etc. My RBC was a little low 35.6. But not ridiculous especially for someone not eating.

     

    Can you describe the jerks, twitches, pulses with more detail?

     I have a dull ache usually in the middle of the epigastric area of my chest that usually radiates to left.  Accompanied with some some sharp stabbing quick pains randomly there, or in the centre, behind my left pectoral muscle or under it.  

    The too come on out of nowhere, last night i did get a sharp pain on my side that lasted a bit longer till i sat up though. but most the time its a quick 1 second stab. the aches are constant.  They are there from when I wake up until I go to sleep.  Making my sleep very difficult .  Nothing like dreaming and thinking of heart attacks, splenic aneurysms, aortic infarctions, and cancer before you go to bed

    Out of 10 what would you rate your pain? 

    My dull ache i'd say a 5 and the sharp twinges id say an 8. However a couple a days ago I was at a 9!

    Does it hurt when you lay down, eat, sleep or breath? 

    I notice more pain when I lay down.  However it hasn't been as bad lately. I too get aches or i get sharp twinges at the side of my breast bone near the middle, if i lay on my side - sometimes not always. 

    Any other sensations like burning in chest or getting dizzy or not feeling your body when walking? 

    I get a weird burning like symptom among my chest area.  Like a fibromyalgia type feeling(not that I have ever had fibromyalgia!).  Sometimes I get a second of dizziness but I just try to focus my best.

    Do you drink alcohol or caffeine or do you smoke?

     No, I rarely drink and ive not had any for the past 3-4 weeks.  I don't smoke.  I have limited my caffeine since November.  This problem occurred in first week of December 2017.

    Please keep us updated and if you have healed let us know how you have gotten better!   How old are you,  have you had any cardiac or gastro problems in the past?   Anymore information will be very welcoming!

    Thank you for sharing!

    Anthony

    • Posted

      Anthony, i hope you're doing better.  My symptoms are a bit different but very much relatable.  I am a 20 year old man, (21 next month) 5"10, 125 pounds, i smoked for about 4 years but quit a couple weeks ago due to this pain (which is a very good thing).  I used to drink coffee pretty much everyday but have stopped since, i do not drink alcohol.  I have been experiencing this chest pain since the last week of december 2017, almost about 3 weeks now.  It comes and goes on it's own and it's mainly on the left side but will go away and come back on the right side sometimes.  I get pain on both sides pretty similar places.  Sometimes it's a sharp pain, sometimes it's a dull pain, most of the time it's sharp.  One of the main places is a couple inches above my left nipple and also below it, and sometimes a couple inches right of the left nipple(closer to center).  I've been to the ER twice and have had 3 EKG's, a blood test, chest x-ray, and a chest ultra sound, all of which looked good.  First time i went they said acid reflux disease(which i had as a child), i was taking pepcid for it but it didn't seem to help so i ruled it out.  I went to a cardiologist last week and he "thinks" it's costochondritis, I on the other hand am not so sure, reason being it wouldn't be moving to the other side of my chest.  He also did schedule me for a "precautionary" stress test but it isn't until february.  I try taking two 500mg tylenol but it doesn't seem to help.  I have even tried a 25mg xanax considering I do have anxiety and was told it could help but that did not help the pain at all, only relaxed me.  Hopefully someone has some light to shine because all this does is keep me up all night until my body can't stay awake anymore and just makes me worry, nobody seems to have answers.  Any reply is appreciated as i've been in hope of talking to someone whom has had similar issues.  Regards, Tyler.

    • Posted

      Hi tyler,yours is the recent thread so I must say I am very happy to see someone with the similar symptoms as me.I was diagnosed with pneumonia somewhere in jan 2018,2 weeks after that I starting having this chest pain.only dull aching and heavy soreness feeling and tender when touched,in the chest area,all over.since then,I have been to the we which since they have revered me to a cardiologist.Since then had been taking ct scan,2 xrays(was discharge and lung was clear from pneumonia in late feb),stress test,blood test.Test from ct scan on heart is clear.However blood test was a little high on sugar and slightly high cholestrol.since I am a smoker(5 sticks per day) doc wish to see the cholestrol level drop.Need to go back for a diabetic test in May.But the main problem is I still have the aches almost everyday ,but not throughout and I do can sleep at night.Besides,the discomfort,it's really frustrating when the cardiologist couldn't give me a diagnosis for now on why I am having this frustrated chest pain.Only have to wait till May to have result of my diabetes to see if it's affecting the chest pain.Do let me know if you have been diagnosed.

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