Chostochondritis or something else?
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hello, I was recently diagnosed with Costo about 3 weeks ago, but I'm not sure that's what it is because I'm not in a lot of pain. I have had a tender spot under my breast that isn't there anymore but not its a little tender spot in more of my sternum I also have pressure under my left breast that feels like it's pressure on my heart. I have had 3-4 ekgs in the matter of 4 months my last one was about 3 weeks ago along with a chest X-ray and blood work. The doctors always say my heart looks really good, but I'm worried that they are missing something. I also have anxiety and acid reflux idk if that has anything to do with this but any advice or if anyone has felt this same way before it would be really helpful.
0 likes, 58 replies
shayla81596
Posted
I also feel like I can't get in a comfortable position anymore unless I'm laying on my back and holding the area that is causing discomfort. I feel short of breath but my oxygen is fine and my heart rate is sometimes really fast but eventually goes back to normal. I occasionally have dizziness and a dull achy pain in my back. One night when I woke up to feed my baby I felt so much pressure on my chest like someone was sitting on me but I have felt this before so I just ignored it. I get a numb feeling down my left arm and tingling in my pinky and ring finger sometimes pain in both arms but mostly my left. All this is really scaring me but I'm always told my heart is fine. It scares me because I have read about doctors diagnosing women with Costo when it is actually heart problems. Any advice is much appreciated. Thank you!
quana64941 shayla81596
Posted
Hello sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with costochondritis vest advice I can offer is to stay off Google don't stress and try not to worry when I was diagnosed I thought for sure it was my heart because my pain was on the left side under my breast I worried so much I gave myself anxiety ibuprofen is your best friend love keep posting up here you'll beat it I promise
shayla81596 quana64941
Posted
Thank you! I'm horrible when it comes to googling! Is it unusual that I'm not experiencing really any pain just more of a pressure/squeezing feeling. It's also uncomfortable to walk or cough or laugh cause it adds to the pressure/squeezing feeling?
quana64941 shayla81596
Posted
No that's common I had pain on my upper left and pressure under my breast I don't know about walking or how severe yours is but I only felt uncomfortable when I slept on that side or turned the wrong way but coughing and sneezing was the worst I was diagnosed in July and sometimes when I wake up I still feel a little uneasy but I just brush it off and try not to let my anxiety take over
shayla81596 quana64941
Posted
Thank you for your reply! I'll try not to stress about it too much! Hopefully it goes away soon. This has been horrible!
jade18705 shayla81596
Posted
Omg this is me completely I've had the tender spot under my left breast for years but only recently got diagnosed with costochondritis when it started giving me pain in my ribs and shoulder. It's a nightmare I wake up stiff some mornings. I'm the worst person for googling!!! But don't do it it will only scare you! I google for reassurance but I've started doing it that often it's not even reassuring me anymore 🙄
shayla81596 jade18705
Posted
I know what you mean, I google alllll the time! Definitely making things worse now! 😞 I get occasional pains in my chest and back! But the pressure under my left breast isn't going away! I always sleep so horrible cause I can't get in a comfy position or it hurts,It's horrible! Have you gotten dizzy or light headed from this? Even just from sitting?
grace28398 shayla81596
Posted
hi Shayla,
I know that feeling can be very anxiety provoking!!!!! I have had Costro for about a year. Good and not so good days. I have ended up in ER several times...thinking it was my heart..they too took bloodwork, x rays. CT scans, and had a stress test also. I take Neurontin from my dr. It helps pain, anxiety, and helps me to sleep a bit better at night when Im in pain. I have that tender spot under both breasts..more on the right oddly enough. I was told by several drs since Costro is inflammation in your ribs, the pain can be in your whole upper chest, back, shoulders, and upper abdomen. This actually put my mind at ease..knowing its not life threatening. Also soft ice packs help, or heating pad. Hang in there! We are all in this together and will get well.
shayla81596 grace28398
Posted
Oh goodness, a year? I'm really hoping this doesn't last that long for me! It completely takes over your life! I have so many crazy symptoms it's hard to believe that it's all Costo. Have you had any strange symptoms with this horrible condition?
grace28398 shayla81596
Posted
jade18705 shayla81596
Posted
I have had the dizziness on quite a few occasions I was in work the other week and couldn't catch my breath, I was taking deep breaths but it felt like it wasn't doing anything! I have anxiety though so I struggle to know what's caused by Costo and what's brought on by anxiety! I'm so so so bad with google, I was that worried about it that my doctor thinks I've made mine worse as I'm always prodding and poking my chest seeing if the pain is still there 😳 The pain made me convinced I had a serious illness meaning I'm constantly prodding and checking for lumps and things I definitely haven't done myself any favours that's probably why I've had it so long because I'm not letting it heal at all 🙈
shayla81596 jade18705
Posted
Omg I do the exact same stuff!! I always poke to make sure that it's still there because it reassures me that it's probably not heart related but then once I start to feel a lil better something new happens like the squeezing and pressure under my left breast that makes me google again and start to panic all over! It's so hard for me to tell what's Costo and what's anxiety too. I have have been pretty convinced lately that this is my heart and that if I eat any bad foods it will give me a heart attack so I have been losing weight 😕 And I feel like it's hard to swallow foods and sometimes get pain when eating so I try not to really eat ugh
jade18705 shayla81596
Posted
Anxiety keeps you in that vicious circle doesn't it. I'm struggling to control mine at the minute, had a bad few weeks. Mines like a constant ache/ pressure makes my breast feel heavy against my ribs, I only get the sharp pain sometimes when taking a deep breath or if I've been lying on my chest while sleeping, I always have the tender spot behind my breast though. I thought for so long the pain was actually coming from inside my boob I worried myself ill about it! I used to google all sorts and was living like I was dying it's not nice at all. I really need to teach myself to stop googling everything I dread to think if anyone saw my search history they'd think I was crazy haha x
shayla81596 jade18705
Posted
Haha yeah that's me too I google the littlest craziest things! That's pretty much exactly how I feel too tho! It's so nice to know that someone is experiencing this crazy stuff too! Anxiety makes it so so much worse! I gotta get it under control. This all started 5 months ago after I gave birth to my baby he was 2 months early and I think that's what brought on all the stress and anxiety it has been a long road then shortly after having him about 6 weeks after I had to have my gallbladder out so then I started worrying that more was gonna keep going wrong with my body! 😕 Just hoping it gets better and not worse 🙏🏼
cricket1982 shayla81596
Posted
Hi There! I'm just reading through this and i'm feeling like I have a lot of the same symptoms as you! I have been dealing with constant chest pain/pressure for over 4 months. Sometimes it's on my right, sometimes on my left. It's usualy close to my breast bone, and when I press on that area, it is very tender and sore.... I have been to emergency several times, so much so that they think i'm nuts, i'm pretty sure! All of my ecg's are normal, ct scans normal, holter normal, stress test normal, xrays normal, bloodwork normal. Yet, the pain persists. I take tecta for GERD, but I really don't even think I have GERD. Apparently I have mild gastritis as well.
I feel like the chest pain is driving me absolutely crazy. It's all I think about.... I worry constantly that i'm gonna have a heart attack and die, leaving 4 small children without a mother. I cry, I'm anxious, moody.... all because of this constant chest pain.
To top it off, I decided I needed to get some extra weight off from having my twins 14 months ago... so I started an exercise video... well about 15 minutes in, I developed a fist like tightness on the right side beside my breast bone... I stopped exercising, and within 3 minutes the pain seemed to have subsided. I tried again two nights ago and the same thing happened. I went to Emerg, where I am now being sent to a cardiologist. I was really worried at first about it being cardiac, but then I got used to the idea it was probably costo, but then this exercise thing happened and i'm panicking all over again.
My question is, did you ever develeop worse pain with exercise?
Thanks! And sorry for the long winded post
shayla81596 cricket1982
Posted
Hello! So sorry you are going through this. I know how scary it can be! I have actually been super scared to excercise yet due to the constant squeezing/full feeling under my left breast. My chest pain seems to mainly be in the center or left of my chest. I'm always so tired and dizzy. I just had a baby 5 months ago tho so I'm not sure if the tiredness is coming from waking up with him, but it's just constant! Last night I slept horrible with chest discomfort and woke up with my left arm tingling like it had fallen asleep but I wasn't laying on it or anything so I have been stressing about that all day! With every thing I have going on im so worried that it's more than just Costo! I can definitely sympathize with you, all I have done today is cry over all this because I too have 3 small children and I'm so worried I'm going to have a heart attack out of no where. I just don't know what to think and how this couldn't be my heart 😭😭 it's driving me crazy!!
shayla81596 cricket1982
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Also when you do you see the cardiologist? Can you keep me updated on what happens? I'm going to the doctor in the morning and I'm going to see if my doc will send me to one for more testing!
cricket1982 shayla81596
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yes, i will for sure! i'm still waiting for them to call with an appointment. but at this point i feel like i'm the only one who seems to think this is urgent!!! people just don't understand what it feels like to live with this every single day! good luck tomorrow... keep me posted! by the way, where are you from? i'm from ontario, canada
shayla81596 cricket1982
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Ok great thank you!! Makes me so mad they always seem to take their time! I will for sure! I am from Idaho 😊
grace28398 cricket1982
Posted
 I havent ben to a cardiologist, but have been monitored and admitted overnight and had to do a stress test. Thank God all was ok, but wondering if I should go to see a cardiologist as well.Â
shayla81596 cricket1982
Posted
Hello! Thought I'd update, I went to my doctor this morning where she said the next thing she would want to do is send me to a Cardiologist to rule out any heart problems, but then said she doesn't think it's my heart and is putting it more on my anxiety and wanting me to talk to a counselor... I'm going to be getting a second opinion because there's no way what I am going through can be just anxiety. I'll keep posted on everything else!
grace28398 shayla81596
Posted
Hi Shayla,
I think its a good idea to see a cardiologist. If even just to rule out any cardiac issues, and put your mind at ease. I'm going for an echocardiogram next week. Then seeing a cardiologist in a couple of weeks. I do go for therapy, which helps immensely. I also take Neurontin..which helps the pain, anxiety, and helps a bit with sleep as well. Good for you! You should definitely go for a second opinion. You're in charge not the drs. Good luck to you. We are all in this together.
shayla81596 grace28398
Posted
Hi grace,
Thank you! I told my doctor I would still like to see one just to rule all of that out but she insisted I try a counselor. I'm very frustrated that I have to wait even longer now to get a second opinion. When something just ain't right with your body you know it and I'm very worried by waiting too long something bad will happen. I do think counseling may help with some stuff but I also think it's very crucial the bigger stuff is ruled out 😊
grace28398 shayla81596
Posted
I agree totally. This Costro is in such a bad area of the body. Sometimes you feel like its your heart, or something else. I have my echocardiogram Tuesday morning. I'm now having shortness of breath and higher than normal blood pressure. Have you experienced these symptoms? I'm sorry that you have to wait. When I go to my dr. I've learned to become much more assertive. I don't leave until I get the referrals I need. Its our money and our health...So we gotta do what we gotta do..Right?
shayla81596 grace28398
Posted
You're totally right! I definitely need to be way more assertive! Yes the shortness of breath almost everyday and I was struggling with high blood pressure a while back and I think I e got that under control now I don't take anything for it it just eventually went down once I calmed my nerves a little bit! I've been struggling with a racing heart when I stand but when I sit it seems to slow right back down to normal. Do you have any of the racing heart stuff? Sneezing, coughing, and laughing really hurts my chest and upper back and that scares me thinking it's either my heart or a clot somewhere! I'm trying to keep calm and not rush off to the ER where I don't have insurance 😬
grace28398 shayla81596
Posted
Holy cow... Yes i have the heart racing stuff as well. And it totally slows down when I sit. sneezing doesnt bother my chest, but coughing does. I'm sorry you don't have insurance. But in the US an er or hospital has to treat you whether you have health care or not. Do you live in the US?
shayla81596 grace28398
Posted
Yes I do live in the US I'm just trying not to wrack up so many medical bills, where I have been there so much these last few months I actually had Medicaid for the first 3 months after my baby was born so I've only been without for a couple months I just hate being in debt lol but at the same time I don't really care when my health is at risk here or I think so anyway... I think that's why my doctor suggested I try other things like the counselor to see if my symptoms go away which I'm pretty certain they won't but so I don't have to pay so much money to the cardiologist because she thinks that there really isn't anything wrong with my heart but like you said it's better to rule those things out which I would really prefer doing... I wonder what causes the racing heart? Mine will even happen in the middle of the night when I'm half asleep just getting up to get my baby a bottle...
grace28398 shayla81596
Posted
I totally understand. If you know and trust your dr. then i'm sure he knows best. I know Costro and anxiety are very closely related. So maybe the racing heart is a bit of anxiety. I know I'm a worrier, and think about things way to much. This is something i definitely am trying to work on...not easy lol. plus sllep deprivation can cause heart palpitations. hang in there. all will be well. let me know how you are doing. not easy feeling like this and having to take care of a baby!
shayla81596 grace28398
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It definitely makes it harder! I'll keep you posted for sure tho
let me know how ur doing as well!
shayla81596 cricket1982
Posted
Hey I haven't checked in, in a while how did everything go with your tests?
I had my heart monitor for a couple weeks then it didn't pick anything up so they had me redo the whole thing and I was in a bit of pain and recorded practically every little thing I felt I didn't take my time with it I had it for 3 days the second time and it showed everything was normal...
I'm having a hard time believing it but I want to.