Costochondritis pain and discomfort

Krista have you tried OLBAS oil I found it helps as it cools everything and heat is no good for it I've also had one treatment of aqua puncture and masage which I'm sure has helped it can be expensive but I will try anything to get relief I'm going again today and she said if it's no better (but it is ) she will contact my doctor to refer me to get a certain type of injection but would rather try to help I use OLBAS oil rub it in to my rib and sternum area it's cools don't use heat and try to rest don't do anything that makes you strain your chest hope this helps it's so frustrating my chiropractor said it's usually brought after a virus or infection but I can't remember that being the case 

Hi Krista.

I'be had this horrible thing for 7 months now which has me to the point of depression so my heart goes out to you dealing with it for 2yrs! Read as many of these discussion posts as you can. I have collected a lot of tips and advice. I am in a bad flare up right now and yes it's always worse before my period.

The Olbas oil does provide relief. I too, as suggested on this forum, have started taking a good fish oil, turmeric, drinking green tea... I hope you have a decent painkiller which is essential to give you a break. I do accupuncture too and use different essential oils for pain. I have a great deal of back and shoulder pain from this and these therapeutic oils do help a little with that. I've had steroid injections with no joy

It's awful I know. I'm at wits end already. Also starting taking Amytriptyline 2 wks ago so we'll see if that helps. Has it been constant over the last 2yrs for you or does it retreat sometimes?

Hi I had this for 2 yrs and seems worse in winter months then summer but I just found out my gallbladder is inflamed and that could be irritating the costachondritis or vice versa.Im having my gallbladder removed on July 7th and hopefully it was my gallbladder giving me all this trouble.We will see when it's out.

Hello Krista,

Jennifer here. I can relate to your frustrations! It is SO SUPER DEPRESSING feeling pain every day, all of the time! I sleep as much as I can to avoid the pain(which isn't easy to do being a single mom of 6 children!). And I am not suffering with depression, it just is draining always feeling pain.

Then to remember my past before I had these conditions and how awesome it was to be painfree. That is the part that sucks too

I have been diagnosed officially by a professional rheumatologist, with costochondritis. After 6 months of hospital tests of all kinds you name it, I have had it done! To finally be diagnosed with this(and also diagnosed with Myofascial Pain Syndrome). This year is going on my 4th year having both of them. And the pain has not eased up at all.

Feels like my entire rib cage in the front and in my back are made up of painful bruises. Sometimes when I feel around it feels like like bumps are in my armpits, all over my ribs, under my breasts, even in my arms. But every kind of doctor you can think of, including scans have told me there are zero bumps. However this can be more related to my MPS. But it hurts like crazy to wear a bra. My kids cant hug me unless its really gentle. It hurts to sit too long, or stand too long ...just overall my ribs are my worst enemy. Hence why sleeping seems to be my best option. The only thing which I have found to be relieving(which is very temporary) is standing in a hot shower with the shower head spraying directly on the pain. It takes the "edge" off of my pain in that moment. But once I get out of the shower the relief stops. Hot water bottles and heating pads do not do a thing for the pain. I read the gentlemans suggestion about the fish oil pills which I have never tried, but then felt concerned with the following post sharing some side effects to that, which arent very good. But I may try it still to see if it can help me out! Sigh! Yea so it sucks.

Initially I was prescribed NSAID's, and then they tried adding an additional medication (generally used for depression), that was apparentely heard of helping some bad cases of costochondritis. It is called Cymbalta. WORST DECISION I ever made! It gave me random suicidal thoughts! I was not suicidal at ALL previous to taking the meds. The doctor who prescribed me the meds (because my rheumatologist reffered me to him in order to get the prescription)said that it was a completely "normal" side effect that would pass with time. I was like NO THANK YOU! I cold turkeyed the meds(which btw were not helping with my costo pain at all)....I was also warned not to cold turkey the Cymbalta but to taper off slowly, but I just couldn't wait as the messed up suicidal thoughts were freaking me out! So that left me dizzy for 3 months because I cold turkeyed them But it stopped the suicidal thoughts within the first week and my stomach felt better. And after the 3

months of dizzyness I was back to being normal. The NSAIDS and anti- inflammatory meds killed my stomach(even with stomach coating protection meds they prescribed me). So currently I am on zero meds just living with this darn awful pain.

I also have had 3 what I call costo heart attacks. One took me to the hospital as I thought it was a real heart attack. But of course it was not. Doctors couldnt find anything wrong with me. After learning after reading on the web it was indeed my costo. So the last two costo heart attacks I had, I remained curled up in a ball on my floor crying gently(as u cant cry hard even though you want to, as it will hurt like heck!)..and just had to breathe super crazy shallow and just wait for it to go away(took about 15-20mn). I couldnt move at all and it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and I was going to LITERALLY die. But oh no, it was just a costo heart attack that ZERO doctors have a sollution for! Ugh frustrating! And apparentely costo will "go away with time". Yea. No. Not happening. Going on 4 years...how much time does it really need to go away!? So I just want to THANK EVERY SINGLE PERSON who has posted on this thread!!! I dont even know if anyone will read my post as I think this thread was over a year ago. But in a strange way it brought me deep joy to read all these posts. Because its soo EXAUSTING trying to explain it to non sufferers, and not knowing anyone else who has it. And it is so comforting to know I am not alone in this world with this pain, that no one else seems to get(except everyone else here!) And the fact that majority of doctors are ignorant to what it is, and also there is no current cure for this(or my MPS which is also an AWFUL condition!) And no scans can proove what you have. It just sucks!

All I can conclude that for myself and if anyone else can see the light in this... is at least we dont have a terminal condition. We are alive and living and maybe not to the fullest. But I am here to see my kids grow up, and I just try to be thankful for that.

Signing off, and all my love...

Super super gentle {{{{{{hugs}}}}}} for everyone here.

Love jenn&6

Hello Jen ! 8 have just read your post ( posted over a year ago ) but it's so helping

Me cope today and I so thank you ! My short story it's been 3 years with this and no diagnosis yet . I was always a worrier but since getting this it's now some days "panic " . My dad is currently in the hospital. Suffering with heart , disease so this condition has really panicked me

Into thinking that's I am heading in his steps . I have had some

Heart exams , ekg , chest X-rays , blood work , now I am going to a rheumatologist. How did they come to your diagnosis ?'was it simply on what you told them ? Or blood test ? Your symptoms are so similar to mine . Heart attack feeling , shallow breathing , so scary. Sorry so long hope you have found some relief . Please respond ! Thank you

Hello Simone!

I am so happy to hear that my post was able to give even one person some form of encouragement.... although it is not really what we all want encouragement about. We all want the pain go go away and to be healed and whole again!

Please try your best not to be anxious and assume that you have the worst case scenario possible(real heart problems).... and I am not saying that this is an easy task, considering that your dad is fighting this right now!! BUT! Please also make sure you have followed up with the proper doctor to confirm that your heart is okay. Once they say your heart is okay, let that worry go.

I am so sorry for your pain having to carry this worry about your dad {{{{HUGS}}}}. I am going to pause right now and pray for him in Jesus name....................done! (......and anyone who is not a believer in God/Jesus please dont take offense that I am praying/hoping/believing for healing for Simones Dad. This is all I know to do, and I really just believe in that!

Also worrying,stress,sadness,anger, anxiousness(basically "not positive" emotions), usually causes costochondritis to be way worse. It just somehow irritates the inflamation and makes everything feel worse physically. This can then make you feel worse emotionally! Its like a vicious cycle. It takes a lot of strong will power to "choose" to think positively, so that the pain wont be even worse than the normal daily pain. I hope that made sense!

And in regards to my diagnosis. The rheumatologist I seen was a very proffesional one from one of the better hospitals in my city (Sunnybrook). She physicaly examined me in strange places on my ribs and my entire body etc that no other doctor ever did before(which made me yelp and yell OWWW! Depending where she pressed), and she also asked me a lot of questions that I answered in person and on paper. So this was how she diagnosed me, also in conjunction with the negative results from all of the other millions of tests she gave to me. At one point they thought I had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, but it was a false positive.

I am fairly confident that if you are meeting with an exeperienced rheumatologist, you should get some answers finally.

I am so sorry that you have had to carry your pain for so many years with no answers. I had to carry mine for only one year, which felt like a billion years not knowing what I had. Having an answer to what you have, will make you feel much better emotionally. Just to finally have that closure at least.

I will be praying for you simone.

Love Jenn&6

Can I ask you ladies do you suffer heartburn along with costro

No I have never had hearburn. And I have been officially diagnosed with severe costochondritis(it is severe because it has remained with me longer than 12 months), and Ive had it for 4 years.

I've had it several years the heartburn is new for me ??I get daily costro pain

You are an angel ! You don't understand . I have scrolled through hundreds of these messages from the patient forum . Something about your spirit just spoke to me . I am a believer yes I am ! I have several blood tests to take and then I guess my rheumatologist will provide me with " prayerfully " an answer. I have had heart related test s however , I am going to re-evaluate this again with the hospital or one of the cardiologist , from the hospital that my dad is in . He is in a very good heart hospital in New York . Thank you for

Your prayers foemmy dad . I am so thankfully for your support . If you don't mind can I keep I touch from time to time ? Prayerfully , you have kept your condition at bay. Thank you so very much . Well wishes to you and God speed.

Thank you so much for your loving and kind words to me! You also are a wonderful person! And it is my pleasure to pray for you and your dad and my hope is you will both be healed and whole, one day soon!

Unfortunately my condtions are not at bay at this time. They are very alive and a daily pain in my entire upper body...As you know I have severe costochondritis and I also have Myofascial Pain Sydrome too. Both of them love to team up against me and make life really hard sometimes. But I refuse to let them steal my joy of living!

Of course you can keep in touch with me!

Please keep us all updated on your results!!

Love Jenn&6

Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the email address as we do not publish these in the forums. If users wish to exchange contact details please use the Private Message service.

http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

Hello again . Did you ever feel like your heart was beating fast when you felt the pain with this condition ? Or like your breathing was labored ?

i definitely have had that!!!  Even went to cardiologist  for tachacardia, and take meds for it. I know its from Costro

Gee whiz am getting so scared now .

My

Heart races at times too because I am so anxious when o feel this way . So if you are on meds for racing heart rate then it's your heart ? No ? Am so being driven crazy by this mysterious condition .

Well no. Not my heart specifically. Just the crushing, sqeezing, intense pain. Which yes brings EXTREME labored breathing, it's actually as if you cannot breathe&have to breathe extremely shallow...... otherwise the crushing pain feels like the particular area is going to collapse by an elephant! It is AWFUL! Scary! I guess in the moment of having what I call and have heard others call a "Costochondritis Heart Attack". Which is not even truly a medical term, or have anything to actually do with your heart. Its just any part of your ribs front or back(doesnt have to be near your heart-it can be left or right side-front or back).... that area siezes up and can even be described as a snake squeezing that area painfully.

I think I have only had 3 in total of these attacks. Almost had a total of 5-6 of them. I have now learnt when I feel it coming on, I have to literally FREEZE and do not move my body at all. And breathe shallow and slowly until that restriction feeling leaves. Which usually takes 2-5 minutes. But this whole thing is not a daily thing for me, it is very random. Like I said its only happened a few times. But it 100% is not my heart. Its a complication/reactio of the Costo, doctors dont fully acknowledge it or have a name for it. But I have read and spoken to many people online, who have had these costo

Heart attacks as well. As that is what it feels like!!! So in regards to my heart beating fast, I guess yes that happens because I am in pain and nervous and am anticipating the attack ending! Hope that makes sense

Jenn&6

You are very thorough ! Yes it makes sense totally . I pray we get better soon! This can be so depressing. And people are saying that there is like no real "cure." I remember when I did not feel this way . When I felt Normal and good , just 3 years ago. Once I get my dad on his feet again am going. To seek a cardiologist, and get another set of tests. Then I will take it from there . My GP ( who has a specialty in cardiology ) is older now and although he did give me

Several ekg's and chest X-rays and blood test I want another set of exams to be sure . He dismisses me as a nervous girl etc anxiety. Now I feel I so have anxiety with this stupid condition , unreal .

Hi Simone. I'm sorry I didn't mean to alarm you at all. What happened was I was starting to have palpitations(From anxiety) then my BP would go higher then lower. So when I was diagnosed with Costro..over a year ago I finally was put on a medicine called Neurontin..which really helped me alot. but when my costro was really bad my heart would race..Both pain and anxiety brought this o  Im sure. After a few months..I was feeling dizzy, fatigued, and anxious. So my dr wanted me to see a therapist and  a cardiologist. Im on a very low dose of  a beta blocker and weaning very slowly off of neurontin..because its afecting my heart rate..sometimes too fas  sometimes too slow. But Thank God its slowly  getting better. Sorry If I skipped around, but I wanted you to know all the details, and didnt want to leave anything out. My cardiologist thinks once Im down to a low dose of Neurontin I probably wont need Heart meds. I have bad days and great days (Thank God for these)with this Costro, but the bad days make me pretty anxious. This is something Im working on. Again, Im sorry If I alarmed you. I tend to be a worry wart and like to be better safe than sorry.

Yes I agree. I have been to the ER many times thinking it was a heart attack. These Costro attacks really stink. So glad we all can share our stories though. Makes you feel that you are not alone. I pray alot more than I ever have. I believe the prayers help give me stregnth. These also a natural gel called Arnica gel, or Ben Gay and soft ice packs help as well.   hope youre having a good day  

No need to apologize I just am really unsure about this condition altogether . And my dad is having heart issues and a procedure Monday so it really has me anxious . Anxiety will cause a high heart rate as we know , and I have always been a little hyper all my life . Now with Costo and my dad's heart condition I feel my nervous energy is through the roof . Doctors are sometimes so quick to prescribe . Was just confused as to why they would give you heart meds if the palpitations were anxiety induced . I will be seeing a cardiologist myself . Am officially exhausted with worrying about these mysterious symptoms . I also have to get blood work done for rheumatologist . To test for inflammation . Am over this condition already . Have no ide how I got it but I have to pray that it will subside. It's scary and draIning . Glad that you are getting some

Relief but you say it's still there tho ?

I did the same ..same  saw a rheumotologist as well. My Dr also has me seeing and endocrinologist too. Shes very thorough. Yes pain is still there. But today isn't a bad day, just some pain in chest and burning. So sorry abut your dad. Would you mind if I said a prayer for him? I agree this condition is anxiety provoking, but it sounds like you have a lot on your plate..with worrying about your poor Dad as well. Hang in there. Let me know how your Dad makes out and you as well. I'm here. So grateful to have found this website. Hope your feeling well today!!!!  

Thank you for your prayers. Another memever Jen4 Christ also prayed for my dad . Am grateful for this forum . My dad does in for heart surgery Monday . This is so stressful but I am praying . Will keep you posted . Thanks so much .

I totally agree with that Grace! Not feeling alone anymore, knowing others understand what it is like! They do stink!

I have a horrible cold at the moment so I could be having a better weekend lol But otherwise I am alive and spending time with my children, nothing could be better than that xoxo

Jenn

You are absolutely right!!!!!!! Enjoy your weekend. Kids make everything more bearable!!!  

<3 thank you! Have an amazing weekend yourself Grace!

Love Jenn&6

thankyou!!!!!!!!

Hello have to had the flutter in chest feeling ?

It's a new symptom everytime. It's a weird sinking feeling in chest . My dad is home by the way , but surgery did not go as well as expected . Thank you for your prayers . My nerves are totally frayed . Have to get a cardiologist just to be sure .

Sorry that your Dad's surgery didn't go as well as planned.  Will pray that he will improve soon.

You are under a lot of stress and this may be contributing to your symptoms.

You are wise to have yourself checked out with your cardiologist.

 I do get this fluttering thing as well, especially when under pressure.  I also have other health issues which contributes to the problem.  I will put you on my prayer list as well.

Hi Simone,

That fluttering is possibly a high blood pressure indication! My Mom has this, she just started medication for high blood pressure and it doesn't need to be super high to treat this condition. It is important to be checked..💖

Sharon

Thank you so much I appreciate the kind words and prayers .

Thanks I will look into this.

Hi Krista,

I was wondering if removing your gallbladder helped you!????

My Doctor said the symptoms are similar.!! Thank you!

Hi Simone,

I was diagnosed at the Hospital. Ekg was clear, about 6 blood tests for heart attack enzymes for 2 days clear, x-rays clear, even a CT scan was clear. So by process of elimination, I was diagnosed as costochondritis. It would be funny/ odd that no one has ever heard of it, but the pain is intense!!! So My Dr. needs one more test for gallbladder ultrasound even though the pain doesn't always starting from the right side.

Hi Kelly,

I did not have heartburn however you need to be careful on NSAIDS and anti-inflamatories because your stomach can get painful or ulcers. Just take with food if you do.

Also, I do take tums for calcium with D3.

Good luck!

I'm so sorry about your Dad Simone! Will he have to go back for more surgery? I just said a prayer for both of you.  Yes I've had that feeling many times. This condition seems to change as time goes on. But we must keep praying for answers and god health and be grateful its not something life threatening. I'm so sorry you're going through this with your Dad. This condition has spiked my anxiety on a daily basis. And I have a disabled husband that has to drive me everywhere right now. I feel badly for him, but I cling to my faith, and know this will get better!!!! I'm so glad I found this site. Its a Godsend!! Hang in there. Please let me know how you are both doing  

I agre about the Nsaids. I have ulcerative colitis as well as Costro. So for pain I use a cold soft ice pack, Ben Gay muscle cream and Tylenol. My dr prescribed Zantac 150 mgs 2x per day. I get heartburn from coming off of nexium and Costro can cause heartburn at times for me from pain. Hope this helps. Love that I found this site. We can all share experiences and help each other as well. Also Arnica gel(All natural) helps inflammation and pain. Good luck !!!

Hello Grace am going to email you privately on this site check when you can thanks

Grace please check the private emails there is a little envelope on the right side of the message thread. If you click on it

It should allow you to see a message ( private ) that I sent you . Thanks .

got it thankyou sooo much

Hello again my friend .

How have you been?

I tried

To contact you to no

Avail . Hope all is well

Hi,Jenn, wrote to you private message, take a look in yoour mailbox  

Hi I have same exact symptoms also wasn't heart attack noone understands not on any meds yet cause no doctors no what it is only a walk in Dr im glad im not alone crying as a type this thks at least someone understands are you still in pain hope your feeling better