Costochondritis
Posted , 7 users are following.
I was diagnosed with Costochondritis yesterday! I thought I was having major heart problem and or possible stroke issues. Having an ekg, blood work, & X-rays done on Monday with great results I was released from ER with a stress test scheduled. The next day, (Tuesday) around 1pm my pain was till there, with new symptoms such as pain in neck and ears and new pain in side of ribs. I was scared to death. Again I thought heart. Rushed back to ER and had the same round of tests done for comparison. Once again they came back great!!! My Doctor was extremely positive it was NOT heart or stroke related. At that point he started to push on different spot on my chest and sides and WOW what pain!! He immediately knew what I had going on. A big relief that it was NOT my heart. MY QUESTION IS THIS do any of you get a fast heartbeat after walking or doing things around your house with Costo?
0 likes, 19 replies
JuditD tambolina27
Posted
Rapid heartbeat is a common symptom of other (and not entirely unrelated) illnesses, so worth investigating those as well - fibromyalgia to name one, CFS etc.
caitlin39841 tambolina27
Posted
Hi tambolina27.
it's good to hear that you've had such a timely diagnosis and hopefully the appropriate treatment has been commenced for same. Having had the condition for over 4 years without a diagnosis, I know how painful and frightining the condition can be and how it's symptoms can mimic those of a cardiac episodes. unfortunately, I wasn't as lucky as you with my diagnosis and had four years of excusiating pain together with breathing compromise, whilst being told ''it was all in my head''. eventually when I moved house and a new Doctor examined me, she immediately made the appropriate diagnosis and commenced me on the appropriate treatment with great success. I have tried unsuccessfully to reduce the medication a number of times, but am happy to be pain free. hope it works out well for you.
all good luck
?Caitlin
tambolina27 caitlin39841
Posted
I'm sure glad your new doctor found the correct diagnosis for you!!! What medications are you taking? I have pains meds but don't want to rely on them due to they can be habit forming. I'm on Prednisone as well. And an acid reflux medicine. Such wonderful news that you are pain free.
caitlin39841 tambolina27
Posted
Hi tambolina27.
apologies for late reply. my system seperates out my e-mails in a rather illogical manner and I miss many important communications.
The treatement, that I was commenced on, is callled ''Nortriptyline'' - it's a ''new generartion'' of the ''Amitriptyline'' drug family. these are now used for ''inflammatory nerve conditions''. originally these drugs were prescribed for depression with little effect. they were, however, shown to successfully treat pain due to ''inflammatory nerve conditions''.
My GP has informed me that they are not ''habit forming'', nor do they have the problem that the body may become acclimatized to them and the need for higher doses as times go on. we had to ''experiment'' with finding the optimal dose. I'm now on 40 mgs, that leaves me almost pain free. I have tried to reduce the dosage but the inflammatory pain exacerbated. however, there are days when a lower dose works effectively.
I've had the problem for 6 years. Four years without a diagnosis/treatment and two years on treatment. apparently a lot of nerve damge had occured during the ''undiagnosed/ non treatment 4 year'' period. so early diagnosis is important. the pain was so debilitating that I was housebound - I couldn't breathe properly due to the pain, so could do very little. I would have taken anything to relieve the pain at the time.
hope that helps.
Caitlin
tambolina27 caitlin39841
Posted
Thank you very much for your reply. When I go back to my primary physician in July I'll ask him about this particular medication. I hope you continue to be as pain free as possible. God Bless and have a wonderful day!!!!
caitlin39841 tambolina27
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C
deb81035 tambolina27
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My husband found this condition after I was injured in my right side chest. I've had all tests and they can find nothing. But this condition is strange. One thing I do know is that I get out of breath sometimes just from talking and my heart pounds hard and sometimes fast. Is that a symptom of this condition I wonder?
ray63269 tambolina27
Posted
Hi tam . Yes I've had that too . What meds have you been put on and how's the pain now . Hope your okay
tambolina27 ray63269
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ray63269 tambolina27
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I'm on tramodol but it's useless . I need something different . Does your medication help in any way at all
tambolina27 ray63269
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It takes the edge off. I don't like taking them because they can be habit forming.
ray63269 tambolina27
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caitlin39841 ray63269
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Hi ray et al. I'm on Nortryptline - a medication for inflammatory nerve pain that is not habit forming. it lasts for 24 hrs and can be taken in the evening or bedtime.
C
ray63269 caitlin39841
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Hi caitlin . Sounds very good . I've not even heard of it . Is it working well and can you get it in the UK
caitlin39841 ray63269
Posted
Hi ray.
Yes, Nortryptline is available and prescribed in the UK. It's one of the newer generation medications of the Amitriptyline family group. The latter is, in fact, quite an old medication that used to be prescribed for depression with little effect. however, they accidently discovered that whilst ineffective in treating depression it was very effective in treating inflammatory nerve pain. the Nortryptline is a refined, upgraded and more effective version of Amitriptline.
It worked miracles for me as I was bed/house bound as I could not breathe deeply enough to get sufficent oxygen in due to the excrusiating pain. I was permantly breathless.
when I moved house a new and rather discerning GP diagnosed and treated me on my first consult with her. she just applied pressure to a few trigger points and diagnosed the Costo/c straight away. I had suffered with it for 4 years without a diagnosis.
my sense is that GP's, generally speaking, have just been medical ''Gate Keepers'' until the recent Cameron NHS/GP reforms. much more is expected of them these days as they have to pay for hospital refferrals . many have not kept pace with the extra knowledge demands required of them. in short, many are ''rusty'' and not very knowledgeable beyond beyond treating colds/flues/cuts/grazes etc. etc. I had seen every Doc. in two GP practices several times over the 4 year period with referrals to the Cardiac department/consultants without a diagnosis. they latter just ruled out cardiac pain and left me to get on with it. have a google of the Nortryptline.
all good luck in getting the best treatment asap.
btw, a lot of damage had been done during my 4 years of non diagnosis/treatment, so the sooner the diagnosis/treatment the better.
tambolina27 ray63269
Posted
JuditD caitlin39841
Posted
Hi Caitlin39841,
It is very promising to see that you have found a treatment for your costo, we are all glad to read about it.
I have a question, and sorry if it is a bit dumb. From what I have read about costo, I had the impression that it is the inflammation of the joints in the chest. How are nerve pain or damage related? Please do not get me wrong, I am not questioning whether medication to treat neuralgia is the right thing (because obviously it very much is for you), all I am asking is why!
Or in other words: why or how does inflammation of joints cause nerve damage?
Or is it at all possible that what you (and many others, like me) actually suffer from something else like fibromyalgia, in which case it would all make sense? I am beginning to think along these lines and suddenly I can explain more of my weird symptoms than with costo only.
Many thanks for your thoughts!
(I won't be rushing to get nortriptylin prescribed as anything that hits hERG causes heart rate issues for me and nortriptyline seems a hERG hitter just like amitriptyline, so people beware.)
ray63269 caitlin39841
Posted
I just replied to your other message and asked about UK lol . Silly me not looking further then my nose and seeing your second message lol . I agree with you . I've had damage done too a's have had this five years and only had tramodol and steroid injections into sternum which at first did help but I think my chest bones have become immune to them . I think it has started to affect my back and shoulder / collarbone alot more then it used to . Have a great weekend and chat soon
ray63269 tambolina27
Posted