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Costochondritis pain and discomfort

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shelle7belle
shelle7belle

Im 31 and was diagnosed with costochondritis about a year ago. Its kinda lasted the whole year, but recently, over the past few months its been really bad....went back to my gp twice in the last 2 weeks because was convinced it was something more serious.

The main tenderness has been on my left lower rib cage, just under my breast, but now I have pains on my upper right breast plate. My gp has requested ecg/chest xray and blood test to reassure me that there is nothing seriously wrong (still awaiting to have these tests done, but should be anytime soon) hence the reason im on this forum as even tho my gp actually said to me 'I will fall off the back of my chair ifit is anything more serious...I still can't stop worrying as the pain is so bad.

Im getting so anxious about it too, especially at night just before bed, then find it so difficult to sleep, the more anxious I get the worse the pains seems.

Does anyone else find themselves pushing onto the pain when it hurts? This is probably making it worse I know, but can't help wanting to hold the pain!

Im really glad to have read all the discussions on this forum, it really is giving me some reassurance that it isn't just me and that something that isnt life threatening can be so uncomfortable and painful sad

19 likes, 370 replies

370 Replies

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  • jennifer1972
    jennifer1972 shelle7belle

    Posted

    I have been going through premenopause and that's when I really started to notice this costochondritis. It flares up more right before my period starts. Has anyone else noticed that either. I've had this for quite a while now and wish it would go away.
  • dawn65924
    dawn65924 shelle7belle

    Posted

    hi i was diagnosed at the weekend with costochondritis and it is painful, apart from the breathlessness and not being able to breathe properly when lying down it has also caused me lower back pain. the doctors said that it should clear by itself and to take paracetamol and ibuprofen.i am scared to breathe too deeply as the pain is horrible, i guess all we can do is try and live with the condition. 
    • mrs._cathe29765
      mrs._cathe29765 dawn65924

      Posted

      Have you gone to the emergency dept. of your hospital? You said you were diagnosed on the weekend, was that by your family doctor. Remember NO PERSON SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN PAIN. I have been doing it for a number of years 16 now to be exact and I am fed up and my family doctor has been pretty good with me. It took me a long time to find him, I got him after I came home from Ont. sick with Congestive Cardiomyopathy with an ejection fraction of 24%, that meant my heart was pumping at 24%, it did not look good and I was told I was going to be put on the heart transplant list.....THAN A MIRACLE HAPPENED, and I believe with all of my heart it was the wonderful care of the doctors who took care of me in Ontario when I took sick with it, while visiting family and getting ready to go back to NB to meet my hubby for our anniversary. I was going out the front door of the house taking the cat to the vet and I was having serious chest discomfort, I saw aspirin on the stove as I was leaving and grabbed 3 of them and chewed them up right away. I got to the vet, found out the cat was very ill and I had her put to sleep while she was in my arms. I of course crying my eyes out at the time. My sister happened to get my message and met me at the vet, she followed us home and they took care of burying "Dusty" for me while I showered etc. When I came out of the shower after drying off it still looked like someone had a shower turned on over my head. I lived in Ont. previuosliy and had a family dr. there luckily and I called there, the dr. on call told me to get to the hospital right away and he would meet me there, I don't remember much, my sister drove me and got me admitted and I was in the ICU for a week, my hubby flew up the day after I went in, he was working in New Brunswick Canada, we live in Nova Scotia. While in the ICU they took such good care of me , arranged an angiogram, put me on some serious heart medication which I went home on , I flew back to NB. with my husband as that is where he left the van, we got off the plane, I barely remember the flight....sorry got caught on the phone with my twin sister just now......anyways went thru a lot of crap when I got home, I feel in my heart and I told the drs. 100% that It was the medication they put me on that caused this problem with my heart, I was on prepulsid. Quite a few people had died from this medication and Thank The Good Lord, I was one that had the doctors in the right hospital at the right time that saved me. And it wasn't at home in Nova Scotia, it was in my original home town of Hamilton, Ontario.  But I have had terrible health scares since that. Last year I was in hospital for two weeks in May where they thought a blood clot went from my leg to my lungs, but he came back and said no that wasn't the problem, but all of my lymph nodes in my chest were extremely enlarged and he thought I was full of cancer in my chest. I had to wait and go thru the turmoil of biopsys two months later and than wait 6 weeks for the results. One doctor says no it's not cancer it's sarcoidosis, the doctor back at my own hospital said the pathologist say it is not sarcoidosis and he will not tell me that it is because one of the other doctors want to call it that. So anyways they are keeping an eye on it, than I was told in August that I had two blocked arteries behind my heart after tests here at home in N.S. I waited again until November my nerves were completely gone by now, and the angiogram showed I have NO blocked arteries anywhere near my heart. So I don't know how this medical system can have you going like a yo yo but it is a scary thing to go thru and than you lay there and wonder ok which one is right?   But for yourself my friend, please keep after the doctor and ask if there could be a possiblility of when your stomach is full do you notice the pain start, and this may sound gross but until it goes thru your whole intestines and empty yourself than does the pain go away. Could it be your stomach pushing up into your chest causing this discomfort.  This is what I am going after the doctors about now.  I have an endoscopy booked for the 15th. Please keep in touch with me and let me know how things are going...I don't know if we are allowed to give email addresses or not but I wouldn't know how in the hell to find you on here again.........
  • mrs._cathe29765
    mrs._cathe29765 shelle7belle

    Posted

    I've been suffering with this same type of pain and find it even more difficult to breathe if I have eaten a full meal, do you have this symptom along with the others? If your family doctor will not do anything insist and you have a right to see a breathing specialist, explain all that's been happening. This name that you describe for your illness who gave you that and what exactly does it mean if you do not mind me asking. ?   Cathy
  • momof3beauties
    momof3beauties shelle7belle

    Posted

    Hi,

    I'm assuming I have this as my physical therapist told me I have inflammation inbetween my ribs. My pain is on the left side (under my armpit) and also above my left breast, under my left breast and on my sternum. I was convinced I had breast cancer but I have had 5 different doctors check my breast and my lymph nodes (two of them being OB's) and they all feel like it's not a breast tissue issue. My question is this, do any of you get radiated pain into your breast? Does your nipple sometimes feel tender as well? When I push on the spots they are all super tender.

    I'm not sure what started this, my guess is my stress, and also lifting too much. It's really misrible as I've had it for about 7 weeks now. Sigh.

    • Guest
      Guest momof3beauties

      Posted

      I feel the exact same. I would have been back at doctors but feel they always just reply it's Costochondritis and Fibromyalgia symptoms x
    • karen08917
      karen08917 momof3beauties

      Posted

      Hi I understand how you feel I myself was back and forth to doctors because I was convinced it was breast cancer. The doctor assured me it wasn't . After months of going back to him he put me on Amitripline tablets and it definitely helped me I do get easily stressed out and I'm sure that doesn't help. I hope you feel better soon xx
    • momof3beauties
      momof3beauties karen08917

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply. Yeah all my doctors are sure it's not breast cancer. My OB also put me on aniexty medication. Going to start it soon, hopefully it helps. I wish I could trust my doctors, 90% of me does and then that 10% is what haunts me during this time of pain. What else did you do to help your pain?
    • karen08917
      karen08917 momof3beauties

      Posted

      I was just taking the strong ibroufen tablets with paracetamol it helped a bit for a while.I did find It worse if I wore a bra so brought a couple of soft sports bras but mostly went without wearing one if possible. I can see your point about doctors I think sometimes they make you feel like your wasting there time it took months of me going back to them before he come up with something and I'm sure it was because I had looked it up and mentioned it to him x
  • ben80688
    ben80688 shelle7belle

    Posted

    After one year I have finally recovered from costochondritis, from a point where I would get immense pain from even taking deep breaths, to now, where I can do a full push-up workout without my chest giving me pain. For those interested, read the following:

    1. Who my recovery plan will help:

    This will only help people who experienced the same onset of costo symptoms as I: a GRADUAL build up of pain, rather than a sudden onset. When my pain first started, I was doing exercise with gymnastic rings and there was a reasonable (6/10) pain in my sternum. I continued to do the same exercise and the pain increased to 8/10, but still not so noticeable whilst not doing exercise. I then avoided chest exercises completely, but the pain remained largely the same and then began to get worse. I made a point to strictly avoid doing activities that could be annoying my chest, but the pain continued to get worse, and all activities became painful, even just deep breathing and twisting my torso. If this type of gradual pain onset sounds familiar, then I am almost entirely sure that you will recover in the same way that I did, as I describe below.

    2. What I did to improve:

    First note that I found all types of antiinflammatory medicine (turmeric etc) to be ineffective, my recovery was purely exercise based.

    It appeared that the pain seemed to get worse as I did less exercise, but this did not seem likely since when I tried exercising and doing more for a few days, the pain would come on worse than ever. I went to a couple of physios, who both told me to rest till the pain had gone (I now see in hindsight that this is completely the wrong approach). So I rested for months and nothing changed. Desperate, I then went to a new physio who gave me the following advice, which is the rule that I have stuck to ever since and is all I needed to know to improve:

    ''Do as much movement/ exercise as you can, but staying below 4/10 on the pain scale''

    When following this, the following are important:

    - 'exercise' can be absolutely anything that gives you a small amount of pain (< 4/10)="" -="" aim="" for="" about="" a="" 2/10="" pain.="" for="" the="" first="" two="" weeks,="" deep="" breathing="" was="" enough="" to="" give="" me="" pain="" and="" so="" every="" hour="" i="" would="" cause="" myself="" some="" discomfort="" forcing="" deep="" breaths.="" the="" following="" couple="" of="" weeks,="" i="" began="" doing="" light="" pec="" stretching,="" and="" pushing="" out="" my="" chest="" etc.="" in="" the="" following="" weeks="" and="" months,="" exercises="" would="" gradually="" become="" more="" intense="" as="" the="" pain="" allowed.="" note="" that="" my="" pain="" only="" initially="" got="" worse="" when="" i="" was="" doing="" dips="" because="" these="" were="" v="" painful="" (ie.="" significantly="" more="" than="" a="" 4/10="" pain),="" and="" i="" was="" not="" doing="" enough="" light="" exercise="">< 4/10 pain) on the chest otherwise.

    - the pain gets worse for a few days before it gets better: this is the tricky part, and the part that had stopped me from doing this kind of thing in the past. once you do 'exercise' for one day, the chest is a lot more painful for following 2-3 days. during this time, it is fine to ease off with the 'exercise'. but after this flare up, resume with the 'exercise'. there is therefore a cycle of exercising and subsequent flare up. after 2-4 weeks however i found that on the days that i was exercising, i seemed able to do slightly more with my chest without as much pain. 1-2 months after, improvements were definitely apparent (albeit slow). it then took me about 5 months of this to doing my first pushup without more than a 4/10 pain. and a few more months more till i could do a pushup with no pain.

    for those suffering with the same kind of pain as i had, i cannot emphasize how much i recommend following this plan, paying attention to the long time-scales involved. don't expect immediate improvement.

      4/10="" pain)="" on="" the="" chest="" otherwise.="" -="" the="" pain="" gets="" worse="" for="" a="" few="" days="" before="" it="" gets="" better:="" this="" is="" the="" tricky="" part,="" and="" the="" part="" that="" had="" stopped="" me="" from="" doing="" this="" kind="" of="" thing="" in="" the="" past.="" once="" you="" do="" 'exercise'="" for="" one="" day,="" the="" chest="" is="" a="" lot="" more="" painful="" for="" following="" 2-3="" days.="" during="" this="" time,="" it="" is="" fine="" to="" ease="" off="" with="" the="" 'exercise'.="" but="" after="" this="" flare="" up,="" resume="" with="" the="" 'exercise'.="" there="" is="" therefore="" a="" cycle="" of="" exercising="" and="" subsequent="" flare="" up.="" after="" 2-4="" weeks="" however="" i="" found="" that="" on="" the="" days="" that="" i="" was="" exercising,="" i="" seemed="" able="" to="" do="" slightly="" more="" with="" my="" chest="" without="" as="" much="" pain.="" 1-2="" months="" after,="" improvements="" were="" definitely="" apparent="" (albeit="" slow).="" it="" then="" took="" me="" about="" 5="" months="" of="" this="" to="" doing="" my="" first="" pushup="" without="" more="" than="" a="" 4/10="" pain.="" and="" a="" few="" more="" months="" more="" till="" i="" could="" do="" a="" pushup="" with="" no="" pain.="" for="" those="" suffering="" with="" the="" same="" kind="" of="" pain="" as="" i="" had,="" i="" cannot="" emphasize="" how="" much="" i="" recommend="" following="" this="" plan,="" paying="" attention="" to="" the="" long="" time-scales="" involved.="" don't="" expect="" immediate="" improvement.="">

    - the pain gets worse for a few days before it gets better: this is the tricky part, and the part that had stopped me from doing this kind of thing in the past. once you do 'exercise' for one day, the chest is a lot more painful for following 2-3 days. during this time, it is fine to ease off with the 'exercise'. but after this flare up, resume with the 'exercise'. there is therefore a cycle of exercising and subsequent flare up. after 2-4 weeks however i found that on the days that i was exercising, i seemed able to do slightly more with my chest without as much pain. 1-2 months after, improvements were definitely apparent (albeit slow). it then took me about 5 months of this to doing my first pushup without more than a 4/10 pain. and a few more months more till i could do a pushup with no pain.

    for those suffering with the same kind of pain as i had, i cannot emphasize how much i recommend following this plan, paying attention to the long time-scales involved. don't expect immediate improvement.

     >

    • sara3t3t
      sara3t3t ben80688

      Posted

      One thing that some people might consider or ask the doctor about is a hiatal hernia...I went to have a lapband installed and before they could do it, they saw that I had a huge hole in my diaphragm...they repaired it and then laced the lap band...the lap band nearly killed me, but that is another story.

      I had notced pain in my rib cage, under the lef rib off and on for maybe 20 years...it seemed to get worse when I was either angry or was under stress of some sort.. I had also noticed that diong water aeribics, I could not be in deep water because I could not breathe very well...I thought it might be the chlorine, and that my nose needed to be firther from the water by being in more shallow water...no..it trned out to be the hole in my dia[hragm; the water pressure made it harder for my diaphragm to work against the water outside my body

      After two lap band procedures and a thrid to remove it and save my life, I now have "holes" in my abdominal wall, called hernias. They repair what they see whenever you have a surgery, but the surgery itself leaves holes, however small.  The intestines can push through, causing a little o alot of apin...

      My doctor told me if it is excruciating pain, go to the ER...If nly bad pain, lie on the floor, put my feet up onthe wall, and gently push on the pain..this pushes the intestine that is squeezed r pinched back out of the hole in the abdminal wall... she did it for me once as I was on my way to the ER and guess what...never happened again...it got cured right away, within minutes.

      So, now I do have a pain under my left rib cage, which is why I came on the forum, but this monring it moved to the top of my breast...I am headed in to the doctor later today to check if it is a blood clot, since it moved.

  • joel1988
    joel1988 shelle7belle

    Posted

    Hi, I have had sharp pain in my back left rib area and would feel like my heart was building pressure ... My doctors didn't know what was wrong with me ..my last resort was going to the chiropractor to see if they could see something was wrong with my back... He suggested that my ribs could be pinching a nerve causing discomfort .. he adjusted my spine and rib and it worked .... It works for about a year so once a year I have to get that area adjusted .. hopefully this helps because I know the frustration of doctors not knowing what is wrong. Wish I could get my money back every time they don't know .
  • shirley_007
    shirley_007 shelle7belle

    Posted

    Hello shelle7belle, like you I too have suffered hell with these symptoms. Mentally as well as physically. Convinced myself that the doctor was missing something and spent many sleepless nights worrying myself stupid. Mainly through self-help....... the library and Internet sites..... I have finally believed what I have been told!!! There is so much that you can do, irrespective of the doctor so I sincerely hope that you give it a try. Very good wishes to you.
  • jen98249
    jen98249 shelle7belle

    Posted

    This is week 6 for me since the start of the 3 Emergency room visits with test after test after test. After being diagnosed with costo I find all these people online that can empathize with what this means. Reading these posts in the middle of the night when I wake up with the heart racing helps tremendously with another anxiety attack. The higher dosage of ibuprofen helped some with my stabbing rib pain (both sides) but am trying to wean off since my doc didn't want we on for more than 2 months due to liver. Back pain down spine now occurring I am trying to adjust diet which seems to help some and really need to concentrate on resting, very hard to do with 2 kiddos. I have had only a couple pain free days and am waiting for it all just to go away. Thank you to all the previous posters who have helped me by just writing about your pains and made me feel less alone with this this condition.
    • ashley31209
      ashley31209 jen98249

      Posted

      Just curious do your pains go all the way down your spine? My dr hasn't exactly diagnosed me with this but just keeps saying I have inflammation, my pain/discomfort keeps moving around on my left side, have had eggs, chest X-rays, ultrasound and blood work and all come back good. I get back pain off and on as well and my abdomen feels like I have a belt or something snug across it most of the time.
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