Costochondritis pain and discomfort
Posted , 177 users are following.
I am a 39 yr old mother of a 5yr old daughter. I live in Newry, northern Ireland.
I was diagnosed with costochondritis 2 years ago this month. Like everyone elses case I have read on here I was totally convinced there was something more serious wrong with me and argued with my Doctor for a long time about it.
It started when I got a flu while on holidays and the only thing that I can think may
have brought it on was the coughing. It comes and goes every couple of months but there isn't a day that I don't get some kind of pain in my back or chest area. Just
before Christmas last year while driving to work I took really sharp chest pain and
felt like my heart was jumping around in my chest. This panicked me as I thought I
was having a heart attack. I pulled into the hard shoulder as I had my little girl in the car with me and I was finding it difficult to breath. The panic stopped after a while and I went straight to A&E. They did numerous tests, ECG, chest Xrays, blood tests, you name it and in the end they said they agreed with my GP that it was
costochondritis. They put me in Diclofenic tabs, which are anti inflammatory. They did help and the condition eased up after a few days but it wasn't long til it reared its ugly head again. so for me its 2 weeks of severe pain and maybe 4-5 weeks of bearable pain then back to severe pain again.
I am down at minute but this time its really bad, it seems each time I get it It is more severe. I am now on naproxin which to be honest I find useless. Pain killers are not working and even the hot water bottle which I found great is no use this time.
The majority of my pain in in my back between my shoulder blades and travels up into my neck and shoulders, sometimes down my arms. Although I have chest pain the worst is in my back, though if I were to press on my ribs at the front I could scream with pain.
I find this time with it being worse it is affecting my moods. I am snapping at my little girl all the time which I feel terrible about, and I just dont want to do anything. Work is just a nightmare recently. I am normally an upbeat person and very little gets me down, but it is really taking its toll. I have had this condition now for 2 years and it really in not understood. Most people I talk to have never heard of it, so when I found this forum and so many people suffering like myself it was a God send. So hopefully I can gain some knowledge from other people and anyone panicking about the pain they are feeling and thinking its something bad, can take some reassurance from my story.
Does anyone feel the pain is in their back more then their chest area. And if anyone has any advice or anything, please do share with me.
Sinead
11 likes, 604 replies
diego_32362 sinead_34836
Posted
Hi my name is Diego (26) i live in the city of chicago
By the way you guys describe all the symptoms i got to a conclusion that i might have the same thing as you guys i am actually glad that i am not the only sufferring...i been sufferring for the past 11 months
But in my case i got diagnosed with h palory is a bacteria in my stomach got treated but i been sufferring with alot of acid reflux in other word my stomach gets really bloated that get to a point that my breast bone hurts like really bad my upper back kills me. My symptoms are as fallow anxiety,panic attack "feeling of a heart attack" alot of pain in my upper back and in the middle of my breast bone close to the heart some times i have shortness of breath...the only thing i could think of making the pain to go away is by taking pantoprazole is acid reducer all the pain goes away within 10 minutes but when acid reflux comes back i cant hardly do anything like driving kills it even worse i can not be sitting because pain start coming to my back and chest and those heart attack symptoms come back...there sometimes i tell my daugther to crack my back by putting her weight on my back to crack it relives pain from both sides and my shortness of breath get better like right of way as soon as she cracks it...imma try fish oil see how that works for me in my case i know all those symptoms i still have because i bolive i still have h palory diagnosed 2 times with active h palory 2 time was trew andoscopy 3 test came negative but that was like the fist test after treament came negative did andoscopy and came back positive when i was at the antibiotic week later everything went back to normal few months later came back with the symptoms . got a gi fallow up on 8/9/2016 i am going to request for another andoscopy to get retested.. bottom line all this problem we having i think is really related with the stomach....please if any case like mine i would really apreciate getting back at me
diana_24852 sinead_34836
Posted
grace28398 sinead_34836
Posted
I 'm sorry you have this condirtion as well. I was d9agnosedcin Dec 2015. Started as pressure in my chest and now pretty painful in chest at times, shoulders, back, even abdomen. I have been in ER about 6 times for my costro. and have been on various pain killers. Neurontin does help and a tens unit helps numb the pain. But now finally mt dr has referred me to a rheumatologist for next month. I'm really looking forward to it. Supposedly they can rule out all auto imunr diseases and help with Costro as well.Also, n ice pack temporarily helps my pain. My pain mostly acts up in the evening. Nott too bad during the day. God luck to you. You are not alone!!!!! You will get well. Good thing is this condition isn't anything very serious, just painful and frustrating!!
stella26579 grace28398
Posted
I was diagnosed in May of this year after a lot of scary tests. At least it's not a serious illness but boy is it painful. I find it gets worse for me towards the end of my day as I have a desk job and sit in the same place makes it worse. I have inhalers that help as I get short of breath. Ican't believe there is nothing theycan give you other than painkillers. Funnily enough, when I am on holiday in the sun I am fine. Perhaps I should go live abroad or failing that pray for an end to this horrible thing
grace28398 stella26579
Posted
Hi Stella,
I agree its comforting knowing its not life threatening. I too use an inhaler at times. Im taking advil right now and Neurontin. And they definitely help. Also soft ice packs I use sometimes most of the day they help alot. And foods that are anti inflammatory help too. I also pray! Helps me. I think so many of us have this, that drs will come up with something to cure us. Also stress makes it worse. Resting definitely helps too! Good luck. Hang in there. We are all in this together.
Hope you have a great day
Mew123 sinead_34836
Posted
mrinmoy_20906 sinead_34836
Posted
I am Mrinmoy. I have chest pain for last 9months in left side.I went to GP.during this 9months I did 1ct scan with contrast. And 4 xray ecg and complete blood count.doctor told me that it is costrocondrities. All the test is normal.I am really worried. I have no other problems.
grace28398 mrinmoy_20906
Posted
Soft ice packs and a tens unit help. Neurontin I was prescribed helps too. I have had all the same tests as well. The good news is its not life threatening and gets better!!!! Have you gone to a rheumatologist yet? Im going for a cortisone injection in a few weeks. They have had success with these. God luck. Hang in there. You are not alone
mawmawof3 grace28398
Posted
grace28398 mawmawof3
Posted
Hendo66 sinead_34836
Posted
Well. Good news for me, I've been referred for steroid injection under local anaesthetic and ultrasound scan. Waiting for the appointment but looking forward to being pain free in 10 months. I'll keep you all posted on the result.
grace28398 Hendo66
Posted
Good luck!!!!!!
charlene00166 sinead_34836
Posted
Hi everyone,
I have been to the doctor twice with a sore chest and both times they told me it was costochondritis. However, my symptoms don't seem similar to what you guys describe. I never have severe 'pain' as such, and it's never felt like a heart attack. Mine more so is very tender to touch around the breast bone more to the left, and my chest usually feels very tight, it also 'pops' quite frequently if I move a certain way (similar to cracking your knuckles). Have any of you had these symptoms? Mine also feels like the soreness/inflammation is around my left breast and underarm, although they both feel fine to touch, if that makes sense! Have any of you ever experienced any kind of breast pain with costo?
Charlene.
grace28398 charlene00166
Posted
OMG YES I HAVE!!!!! thought i was going crazy, but i asked my dr and dr in the er..both said Costo can affect anywhere in your upper body. Right side too. Just depends on how bad inflamation is and where it is. Advil and neurontin help me alot, as well as cold soft ice packs!
Good luck. You are not alone.
charlene00166 grace28398
Posted
Oh thank God! I have my family driven demented over this!! Good to know there are people out there with similar symptoms, it's nice to not feel alone!!
Thank you!
grace28398 charlene00166
Posted
charlene00166 grace28398
Posted
Thank you so much Grace
cherralyn23710 charlene00166
Posted