Costochondritis what a nightmare!

Youngatheart - I can go for 4-5 days dull ache, then omg the real pain starts, yesterday was horrendous I was in pain from waking to going to bed.  It's worse when it's in my breast bone, I really can't cope with the pain,  doc gave me meloxicam, which are useless, I've Also taking co codamol, which don't take pain away, but make me feel ill, so going to ditch them.  I am 52, feel like my life is on hold, put so much weight on, feel like I'm never going to be well again!

Thank you both for replies, good to know, if you know what I mean that it does affect older people, have an appointment at 10.15 so hopefully get an answer then, like you I have never been so unwell this year, started with a virus in early January, beginning to wonder if all this is connected to menopause. The soreness when I press in between breasts is bad, I wondered whether it was a bad fitting bra as I am a larger lady,

I have become very anxious about my health lately and google everything, stupid I know, but I am trying hard not to look at everything, the symptoms also sound similar to cancer of the osophegus according to Mr Google, so as I can feel food and drink going down sometimes had convinced myself it was that, but having read your replies am sure it is costo. I do suffer from diverticular disease so cannot really say whether it affects stomach, but hurts in that area when pressed. Will let you know later when I have seen GP. Hope you both have a good day.

My advice is that if tired, lie down and relax.  It will eventually help you.  If you are overweight just eat much less.  I have lost nearly 20 lbs by just eating small meals even though I cannot take much exercise due to pulmonary fibrosis, and a friend has lost over 36 lbs by eating less though taking little exercise.

relax. As a friend says, " it will all come right in the end.  If it has not come right it is not the end yet!"

Hi! I have been dealing with Costo since July of last year. After reading all of the responses, I can say I agree with them all. My pain started in left ribs but now it is on both sides and in my back and shoulder blades. My stomach is also affected. I have been on pain pills~didnt help. I try heat occasionally and I do ice regularly. I am now doing a form of physical therapy called carniosacral therapy. I have tried everything else so I am hoping this helps. It has been a horrible 8 months of pain! I feel for you and all our fellow sufferers.

Hi All, went to GP yesterday turns out I now have a lung infection following my virus and the coughing which has be going on for weeks has caused my pains, she pressed all down front of chest and into ribs and it was really painful, sort of burning and stinging pain when I explained about pain in left underarm and left breast she did a check on my heart which apperently shows some sort of blips, which I did not have last time in January when it was done in the A&E. GP said it was due to infection but to go back after antibiotics finished to check and not to worry, easier said than done. But day 2 of antib's and I do feel a little less like someone is sitting on my chest. But I think this pain has been there for a few weeks now and will probably go eventually. I did have a massage a couple of weeks ago and the girl was really aggressive so what should be relaxing probably did not help either. Oh well, at least the sun is shining here anyway.

Hi jacqui and others here, I have lived with this for 20 years plus! Some doctors say it gets better over time I think we get used to it having flare ups and we learn how to not annoy it. Over the years I have had many different tablets and in all truth I don't think any helped much. I have a, t.e.n.s pain relief machine that helps a little. I had cortisol injections into rib area, painful yes successful, no! However only last year I had a new doctor at the hospital who explained about the xphoid process(its that little pointy bone at the bottom of the sternum) . If you google it it will explain better than I can. My doctor said that it has a very poor blood supply so taking oral anti inflammatory meds doesn't help much , this after I've taken them for 30 years upseting my stomach in the process. It explained to me why I've found the best treatment is the ibuprofen gel ( the stuff that costs £1in the shops is just as good as the branded stuff) .put it on a few times a day especially in bed last thing and let it soak in. It also seems to help on other areas of the ribs too. Wish I knew this a long time ago. Good luck everyone. P.s alternate heat pack cold pack helps too.

Hi jacqui glad you're improving a bit. Not everyone has it recurring i don't think so you might be ok but in future I would make sure you don't over do things. If it hurts stop! Yes driving and anything that involves raising arms up high seem to aggravate it. Good luck hope you continue to get better. Yes cold and damp weather seem to strike right to it.

Hi following on from my last post, have taken antibiotics and no change, I have this pain on and off and when I press in the sternum area between breasts and follow down the boney bit it is really sore and stings and the sternum feels a bit rounded, is this what you feel as some people say it is deep inside where as my pain seems closer to the surface, I am getting myself so freaked that I have oesophegal cancer as the sternum is in the same sort of place, although I am not sure whether your oesophogus would cause under arm pain and pain across top of breast. Driving myself mad with worry about this especially as I have bad problems with acid.

I'm having exact same issues what did the doctor prescribe for the pain or did the doctor prescribe, it hurts so bad how long did yours last mine been here for about two weeks now. It's getting very annoying. Around Kids all the time seems like I've kept s cold of course coughing it that doesn't help at all. Seems to be getting more intense over the week.