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Constant Chest Pain for a Year

Posted , 6 users are following.

robert_19065
robert_19065

Over the last year, I’ve had constant chest pain to various severities. The pain occurs all across my chest almost  up to my shoulders and with deep breaths I can feel the pain get worse.  Also if I turn certain ways the pain gets worse and at night I usually get some palpitations trying to go to sleep. I’ve done all of the following tests and all have come back fine with the exception of possibly a gallbladder problem: blood tests, chest x-ray, EKG, echocardiogram, stress test, HIDA scan, MRI of head (had a headache for 2 months straight), chest CT, and abdominal CT.  Because the chest pain is constant and not linked to eating, my doctor is hesitant to remove the gallbladder. I’m having an upper GI scope in a couple of weeks to get a look at my stomach and esophagus.

Does anyone have any recommendations moving forward? After a year this constant pain is starting to wear me down.

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • lyn1951
    lyn1951 robert_19065

    Posted

    I'm wondering have you considered an osteopath, if you back is out you can get real pain where nerves are pinched.

    Has worked for me over the years, walked in crippled, walked out after adjustment, no pain.

    • robert_19065
      robert_19065 lyn1951

      Posted

      No, I haven’t tried that before. I also do get occasional abdominal pain every now and then all over my torso but nothing like the constant chest pain. I did have back surgery for a herniated disc 12 years ago.
  • moon53540
    moon53540 robert_19065

    Posted

    Have you ever been injured in the past, like being involved in an accident or something like a stressful event? What happened leading up to the pain? Have they looked at and listened to your lungs?
    • robert_19065
      robert_19065 moon53540

      Posted

      I did have back surgery 12 years ago for a herniated disc but this pain progressively came out of nowhere. The chest pain is constant and I feel it all the way across my chest and almost into my armpit when it is severe. The pain is the worse central and to the left chest but I still feel it on the right as well with deep breaths making it worse.

      I’ve also had some weird other symptoms over the last year that have come and gone occasionally - headaches and head pressure for 2 months straight, abdominal tenderness and soreness when I haven’t done anything, dizziness and light headed spells, palpitations, cold tingling in my neck and back of head. Some of these occurred 1-2 times and never again.   These could be unrelated but I never had them before all this started.

    • moon53540
      moon53540 robert_19065

      Posted

      Are you on any medication? Have you had your vitamin levels checked? I get pain across my chest into my armpit and a lot of your symptoms sound similar to me, but mine is down to multiple pulmonary emboli which if you had would have shown up in your CT unless maybe they are microscopic. Have you had a second opinion? I had 2 people check my CT because I was scared of going on blood thinners and sometimes people get it wrong. Unfortunately for me both doctors confirmed my diagnosis but at least I am getting the treatment I need. Have you had a D-dimer blood test to see what your clotting is like?
    • robert_19065
      robert_19065 moon53540

      Posted

      When everything started I wasn’t on any medications but am now. I am with a second GI doctor and have considered consulting with a second cardiologist. I did have my D-Dimer measured once with this  going on and it was 174ng/ml.
    • moon53540
      moon53540 robert_19065

      Posted

      Well good luck! I hope everything gets sorted for you. I had symptoms for years and no one thought to give me a d-dimer or ct on the nhs and kept telling me I was having anxiety attacks and musculoskeletal pain! So in the end the pain, breathlessness and palpitations got so bad, I organised my own ct scan privately. But it sounds like you are getting all the right tests so hopefully you can get the diagnosis and treatment you need soon.
  • robert_19065
    robert_19065

    Posted

    I did have back surgery 12 years ago for a herniated disc but this pain progressively came out of nowhere. The chest pain is constant and I feel it all the way across my chest and almost into my armpit when it is severe. The pain is the worse central and to the left chest but I still feel it on the right as well with deep breaths making it worse.

    I’ve also had some weird other symptoms over the last year that have come and gone occasionally - headaches and head pressure for 2 months straight, abdominal tenderness and soreness when I haven’t done anything, dizziness and light headed spells, palpitations, cold tingling in my neck and back of head. Some of these occurred 1-2 times and never again.   These could be unrelated but I never had them before all this started.

  • moon53540
    moon53540 robert_19065

    Posted

    There is a thing called a VQ scan where you breath in gas and they look at your lungs. Have you had anything like that?
    • robert_19065
      robert_19065 moon53540

      Posted

      No haven’t done anything like that but I may look into - thanks!
  • dawn68509
    dawn68509 robert_19065

    Posted

    Hi Robert you may have costocondritus if it's worse with movement it can't be heart or that wouldn't be effected by movement at all ,do you eat drink soya at all I know it may sound silly but I had chest pain none stop for 16 months it sent me to the emergency room 4 times I had so many tests thought I was dying I'd breath in and it would hurt more I was permanent walking around holding my chest it was all through changing from milk to soya within 2 weeks of stopping it it went it just shows how foods drink can effect your body look at everything honestly you cannot imagine how bad I was I was crying daily none stop pain just from.soya milk

    • robert_19065
      robert_19065 dawn68509

      Posted

      I go back and forth on what I think it could be due to the various symptoms. For example, even though I can make the pain worse with movement, this last week the chest pain has been worse and it makes my shoulders and elbows on both sides feel like they have decreased blood flow and go kind of numb. I have to shake my arms to try to feel better but it doesn’t really help. Other times the chest pain won’t be as bad but my torso will be sore. I don’t even know what doctor I should try at this point because my symptoms point everywhere.

  • ruben65669
    ruben65669 robert_19065

    Posted

    yeah im having similar symtoms with chest pressure and throat clearing. these are the test ive had done. stress test- breathing test- chest xray- stress test with echo- 24 hour sleep study with holster- numourous ekg's- nuclear stress test- and an upper endoscopy which they found h-polori all the others tests came back normal. keep me posted and I will do the same please

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