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Daily back and chest pain... Why?!?

Posted , 3 users are following.

scottymar10
scottymar10

You guys have given me great advice before. To give you a quick update on past issues, have had a bad round of health in past 2 months. Something put me down and out. Went to ER twice, fam doc 4 times, allergy specialist, and rheumatologist. The cumulative response is I have chronic fatigue syndrome issues, but they will not diagnosis me with fibro bc they feel it will do nothing but detour further medical evaluations in the future bc docs will just chop the reasoning up to issues with fibro. My family doctor said he thinks I have a physcosamatic health issue (as in I'm convincing myself I am sick, thus causing my symptoms) . I don't totally buy that. Though I do think by dwelling on the issues and letting the anxiety get the better of me, it does make the symptoms worse. I am working on all of this, but there is something else going on that definitely isn't an "all in my head" issue. I wanted to share my current symptoms and see if I could get some help/suggestions......

I'm a 33 year old male. About 2 months ago I went down to a virus or something, which I have since recovered. I have almost all my energy back. The one thing I can't kick is the daily upper-mid back and chest pain.

it hurts right around the spine and under my shoulder blades. The pain often shoots into my chest as well. I went to ER twice and family doc multiple times in past few weeks. They say my heart and lungs are fine. It's refreshing to know it's not life threatening, but I still have no answers.

my pain usually gets worse over the course of the day. By 5 or 6 pm I'm in full blown hurt mode, racing to get home to a hot bath or heating pad. The only time I don't hurt is when I first wake up in the morning. 

I had 2 massages. The first went well. The second left me in bad pain on my left side all the way along the front, following the path of a rib.

i saw my chiro yesterday, who said I had a rib out of place and the massage therapist had rubbed on it too hard mistaking the rib head as a muscle knot and inflaming the muscles around it. He "lined everything up" and sent me home. However, today I'm hurting worse than before. I'm so sore.

i do notice sitting for long periods over a computer or driving long distances aggravate it. 

Heat seems to help more than ice.

ibuprofen does NOTHING to help it

The pain is a constant dull ache in the dead center of my spine that I can feel underneath shoulder blades and into my sternum. When it is really hurting I will get brief and random sharp shooting pains across my chest as well.

not sure if this is related, but from time to time over the past few weeks, I'll get a dull/crampy pain in the back of my right calf muscle as well.

it hits me EVERY SINGLE DAY usually starts around mid day and by late day is in full blown hurt mode until I get heat on it.

My chest will hurt too, if I lay down and put my tablet or laptop on it for more than a few minutes.

​im a 33 year old  basketball coach who hasn't been able to be active for 2 months now since all this started, and it's making my life miserable lately bc I can't be active.

ive been dealing with this for about 6 weeks now. I thought made costochondritis, but I dunno if that would hurt mostly in my back. I'm not sure what it could be. Any thoughts? Or tips to relieve pain?

Thanks all:-)

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • deb97936
    deb97936 scottymar10

    Posted

    Fibro can begin in the strangest of ways.  It is related to the 'loading' within the body in it's weakest points first and it can be random there after through your body.  Even erupt in parts of your body that definitely have no damage/injury, and this is of course the 'mystery of the complaint'.   You can have other symptoms related to underlaying conditions that can flare up the Fibro, OR visa versa..!!

    Chronic Fatigue is very, very common with Fibro.  Weither Chronic Fatigue is the 'beginning' of the stages of Fibro is yet unproven, but I do know of past folk who began with Chronic Fatigue after infections eg: Tapanui Flu (here in NZ we had a high incidence of a chronic flu that put folk out for months with symptoms and chronic fatigue.  Apparently left most folk battling CFS and some also with aches and pains in neck and shoulders, headaches etc.  

    Folk who have broken bones, badly sprained ankles, pnuemonia, Ruematoid Arthritis have developed Fibro 'that I know of'.   Even an example of a healthy young chap, a doctor infact who participated in Marathons etc, wound up crippled on walking aids and he was only in his early 30's!!   He never improved, just got worse.  He had put it down to 'over exercising'.  He also had developed Chronic Fatigue.

    It certainly is a mystery illness, although great leaps and bounds in tracking the business to the 'Brain'...  Which of course is a definite overall 'proof' of having Fibromyalgia!  But sadly not many folk in our positions now, that cannot work could afford to pay for such a diagnostic tool as that type of Brain Scan/CT/MRI, that shows the changes in the brains of Fibro sufferers..   Scary really but it is a fact and I'm pleased they are making good ground on research, hopefully a Fix, or reliever may be found!..(?) ...soon!

    • leeanneb46
      leeanneb46 deb97936

      Posted

      Hi I was wondering how people manage to hold onto their jobs. I'm an office manager and one (of many) pains I have is my hands .. I am so worried I will not be able to work. I have only been diagnosed past 3weeks but realise now this has been with me for several years to a lesser degree. I am just so sore and exhausted.

      I don't know how much longer I can cover this up ? Or should I tell my bosses now ?

    • scottymar10
      scottymar10 leeanneb46

      Posted

      I never miss work. This last round of bad health had me out 2 straight weeks. Now every single day by the end of the day my back hurts so bad that I run home to the heating pad. I'm a high school basketball coach, it's my passion, yet now I'm in such pain by 5-6 o clock I dread practices and games bc I hurt so bad
    • deb97936
      deb97936 leeanneb46

      Posted

      Sometimes stepping back and taking a break helps.  Ask if you reduce your hours for a while till you get over your flareup.  You maybe better off learning to pace yourself better now that you do know what your issues are.  Some folk go into remission/s.  Folk are still able to function at work reasonably well with aids and/or reduced hours when needed. 

      If you can have a little break now till your hands settle then try and embark on another approach for awhile.  Test the waters in various ways.  Once you leave your job, you may not be able to get it back or find suitable 'other work'...???  

      Work certainly is beneficial if you can stick it out.... All the best

    • manda08392
      manda08392 leeanneb46

      Posted

      Something I can tell you is that if you continue to do what you do (typing, lifting, etc) your body is used to it and the pain doesn't stop you the way some of your other pains may stop you. But if you stop for a while by taking a break or removing it from your daily routine, it can see impossible to start again. I do understand your fear of it getting worse.

      I would be up front with your bosses and make it clear that you aren't threatening to leave but that your recent diagnosis explains a lot of your pain and there may be days where you have to switch out tasks due the locking up and throbbing pains in your hands. Make it clear you just want to give them a heads up as to explain why some days are more or less productive. I wouldn't tell them you are scared that you will have to stop working or you may find yourself replaced before you are ready to be.

      Just advice as a fellow manager who needs to keep working, not as someone with fibro. As a person with fibro it's hard for me to say that to someone because I know how bad some days are. Since you are recently diagnosed there is a very good chance your gp may set you up with a good medicine for managing your pain.

      It may also help to know that the pain comes in cycles. Those days that you feel you can't get out of bed or can't go on because of the pain tend to last a few weeks to 2 months at a time before easing up a bit.

  • leeanneb46
    leeanneb46 scottymar10

    Posted

    My pain is from waking up and through the day. I struggle to make myself get up and have also been managing depression for a number of years.

    Today I have pain in my thighs and down my shins its just so random. My family are great but aquantences are sceptical that it's real.

    • deb97936
      deb97936 leeanneb46

      Posted

      Sorry but 'bugger the sceptical acquaintences'....  Just say to them, 'I'll tell you once, I suffer a painful condition and it can pull me down and wipe me out, render me painfully prone.  Now I have told you, please be respectful and don't burden me with your scepticism as I have to spend energy trying to cope of a day, thanks for inquirying, bye'..  

      Pain is a biarch, and it can render us into 'low moods'...totally natural and nothing to be worried about.  We have our down days and snap out of it better when our body behaves, when we are kind to it.

      You are going to have to make strategic changes obviously, sad but eventually true.  Try and modify your days and lesson the impact of the enviroment and the demands on 'mind and body'...  It comes to us all eventually.  Some quicker than others.  Some folk have coped better but then some folk haven't had the same level of disability either.  

      I've been in constant 'slow snail pace, for many years now and there is nothing I can do about it because my body won't allow me to.  I used to be a very fit, active functioning person.  Loved my physical ability to exercise well and loved the outdoors.  My brain disconnects to my legs 'especially if I try to push myself quickly in a rush' kind of thing.  I'm very quickly reminded that it's a no go zone and land in an embarrassing mess on the pavement or where ever.  I have no remission days or hours now either.. all pretty constant with add on Flares quite regularly.

      Take it easy on yourself and pace yourself.  Don't beat yourself up because the mental anguish does nothing but stress the body more and 'it hurts',,,,  All the very best to you...  take it easy

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