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Costochondritis hell, what can i do?

Posted , 8 users are following.

dan52815
dan52815

Hi all,

so about 4 weeks ago i had a nasty chest infection with terrible coughing, since then i have been in what i can only describe as my own personal hell. symptoms were crushing chest pain, feeling like my chest is constantly being electrocuted, sensations of something crawling around in my chest, severe stabbing pain through my sternum, shortness of breath to the point i cannot wall far now, heart palpatations , nausea. i feel like an 80 yr old who is dying, but i am a healthy 35 yr old man. i have been to the walk in centre 5 times and emergency room twice and gp 3 times, ecg, chest x-ray, bloods all fine, i am a healthy fit young man i keep being told.have spend the last month on google, most likely fit appears to be costochondritis, i have suffered anxiety different periods in my life and while this is causing anxiety these symptoms are a whole different level, i have read up on tons of forums etc and this diagnosis really seems to fit. can costochondritis really be this bad? i would not wish this hell on anyone. normally im very active gym,running, long walks, sports, fitness is basically my life. so not exercising for even a month is making me very low, im also in a state of pain and uncomfortable basically 24 hours a day, i cannot sleep as i cant breath properly when i lie down, i am also in a state of perpetual panic as it feels like my heart is coming out of cheat and like an animal is crawling inside my body,it seems from what i have read for the most part this condition is often long term lasting months even years, if that is the case there is no chance i will make it that long i would have to make the decision to opt out of living as every minute is hell currently, i cannot focus on anything else at all, i cant work, i can barely hold down my relationship now with my partner of 6 years who i love very much, im considering leaving her just so im not such a burden. i beleive symptoms of this have been coming on over the past year when i look back i have had episodes of chest pain etc then the cheat infection just really kickstarted it, i understand there is only so much people can say to help but just thought i would see if anyone else had experienced anything similar as im really desperate and its only been few weeks, thanks for reading sorry its such a long depressing post, merry christmas.

0 likes, 27 replies

27 Replies

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  • joanne78005
    joanne78005 dan52815

    Posted

    hi dan

    this condition is debilitating so here some advice from who has suffered for 2 years i am older than you but so healthy i practice yoga excercise daily so biggest thing for some reason with this condition is scary cause anxeity so here some tips to make your xmas good .

    ice heat alternate every 15 mins on back use water bottle ice pack.

    take paracetomol anti inflamtory no alcohol and get deep massage with deep heat hot showers no excercise for a week

    good lyck

  • deborah19985
    deborah19985 dan52815

    Posted

    aww so sorry your going through it too

    I get pain in my sternum and left side of chest

    I've had this for 3 years and I'm so depressed by it

    so I feel your pain

    I'm sure you aren't a burden your partner loves you regardless

    I'm attached to a hot water bottle indoors all the time

    hope you manage to enjoy your Christmas

  • shelley_11097
    shelley_11097 dan52815

    Posted

    Im so sorry but don.t lose hope. iv,e also suffered for 3 years i.m still in pain but iv,e learnt to manage it. i really miss my pain free days but my doctor has been really good. i,m with pain managment and i,m due accupuncure soon. please don,t lose hope i promise you will come out the other end. i still have bad days but i learn to get around them. We are always here to listen find yourself a good g.p. and don,t give up

  • shelley_11097
    shelley_11097 dan52815

    Posted

    I'm not sure if it works but worth a try. Yes check if you can have this kind of treatment i will let you know if it works x

  • Brenda1961
    Brenda1961 dan52815

    Posted

    **maybe take a wash cloth and run it under hot water and rinse it out and put it over your chest area. you triggered your sternum muscles some aspirin . if you had a infection in your chest you should have been given antibiotic . it will lighting up after the couching lets up . merry Christmas to you . try to focuses on other things . which I knows is truly hard when you have something making you in pain. and giving you anxiety. been down that road just yesterday .felt like I could have jumped out of my skin.pray a lot .

  • nancy36508
    nancy36508 dan52815

    Posted

    i had costochondritis for at least three years. i would get stabbing pains, and I would get sharp pain on the left side of my chest. i went the doctor and the ER countless times. i saw specialists - lung specialist, arthritis specialist, urologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist - and had so much testing and imaging. i finally changed primary doctor because the one I had kept putting me on different medicines, and I had side effects from some of them. The new doctor (actually the PA) asked if I would like to try physical therapy. i was skeptical, but I tried it, and it worked! i had stopped doing all kinds of upper body exercises and yard work that involved upper body. That and the PT worked! I have been much better, although I still get flare ups occasionally and have to do the PT exercises when that happens. If you haven't tried physical therapy, you may want to ask your doctor for a referral. Good luck, and please let me know what happens.

    • deborah19985
      deborah19985 nancy36508

      Posted

      does anyone else get real pain in their breastbone? sorry if I've asked before

      I forget lol

    • joanne78005
      joanne78005 nancy36508

      Posted

      interesting to read your journey you mentioned lung is that because shoulder pain as i get that in blade and through chest and under rib classic symptom lung cancer also what tests did they run ?

    • nancy36508
      nancy36508 joanne78005

      Posted

      My pcp referred me to the different specialists. The lung specialist ordered many blood tests and ruled out lupis as well as other conditions

    • Starblzd
      Starblzd deborah19985

      Posted

      I get extremely sharp pains in my right breast bone from the sternum to my spine. Not much seems to help either. At this point my whole right side aches and is very painful.

  • deborah19985
    deborah19985 dan52815

    Posted

    yes it is 😥

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