Decades of this ...

Posted , 8 users are following.

I was diagnosed with this when I was 25. I had already had it for over two years. I went to doctor when it first happened at 23 - after I had called ambulance for them to come check me out - My doctor hooked me up to 14 pointer and said he saw irregular rhythm and put me on Ismo(sp?). Pharmacist was amazed and said my doc must be crazy! I took for a month before stress test  - passed stress test and stopped Ismo. Relieved that my heart was OK, I lived with pain. Two years and it got worse - I had since moved to same state as Mayo - so I went there.

After countless tests - Costochondritis was diagnosis. I was given

Toradol because it hurt so bad - but it did not help. I was never told that there was more treatment possible and still live with the pain - which manifests itself all through my ribs and chest area. I am now 48 ....

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  • Posted

    I was given methylprednesone for the inflammation and told to take Tylenol for the pain. Which doesn't really help I think I have had this for a while but it really got bad and I thought it was my heart relieved it wasn't. It helps knowing there are people to talk to about it. I thank this forum it has helped me. Stress really aggravates it. I try to avoid it as msuch as possible. It bothers me to wear bras I am uncomfotablewith anything wrapped around my chest and back I wonder if anyone else has this problem.some help on this would be appreciated

    • Posted

      pain medications for costoC are a temporary measure and they don't really work, not to mention they slowly destoy your liver ... the only thing that seeme to work for me when battling the Costochondritis pain is addressing the immune system ... making your immune system stronger, curing is as if you had a flu ... lots of vitamin C, CoQ-10, vit D3, etc ... reducing stress and anxiety is a second part of the equation and removing any stimulats  (ie: coffee) from one's diet is paramount ... also toxins such as alcohol must go ... basically anything that impacts our immune system has to go bye-bye ... so far I've been successful in treating my Costochondritis through this method many times and every time I'm reminded that I have stopped paying attention to keeping myself healthy and in good shape

    • Posted

      This is my problem exactly!!! My ribs so under left breast and sternum area hurt. Anything tight (even just a tank top) aggravates it. I wear bras out of necessity but they make it so painful. I have some shortness of breath not the bra thing is the worst part!!!!! I am actually thinking of getting a Breast lift and small implant so I can go with minimal bra and not look like saggy Maggie. I am 44. I've had it for 2 1/2 years. Not sure how I got it. Maybe working out. It causes me anxiety which makes it worse. I'm never 100% convinced it's only Costco. I wish I could find a solution!!!

    • Posted

      I'm 42 and I can't stand having anything tight or wrapped around my chest I feel like my breast pull on the area then I put a bra on thinking it might help but somehow feels worse wearing a bra.

  • Posted

    Hi Jem.

    I was in excrusating pain for 4 years that followed the cardiac pain route i.e. chest to shoulder tip, down left arm, up the side of my neck and face.  I was eventually diagnosed with CostoC.  and commenced on Nortriptcline, starting with 10 mgs and working up to 30 mgs.  the pain went in 72 hrs.  this medication was  once used for depression actually works on nerve pain. 

    hope this hepls.

    C

    • Posted

      I will ask my doctor about that medication ... not much works for me including narcotics which led me to addiction. Thankfully not anymore ...
  • Posted

    The only way I could sleep at night for many years was to lie on my left side and put my hand under the part that would throb all night - basically applying pressure all night to lessen the severity ....
    • Posted

      Didd you ever have it where your chest felt out of place?LIke something wasn't sitting right and if you moved the wrong way it caused a kind of shortness of breath feeling or heart palps? That's the best way I can describe it. It's very uncomfortable. Doctors as well keep telling me it's only Costo. It usre can get the worries running though.

    • Posted

      THAT, and also sudden "crack" sound and sensation I get when I try to stretch out my chest ... that sound / feeling though is a strange reassurance that it is, in fact, Costo and not a heart attack ...

  • Posted

    when it comes to Costochondritis the medical community is comletely useless ... there is no money in it ... cancer gets reserach money, diabetis get research money etc b/c there is money to be made from those illnesses ... Costochondritis is a major pain in the butt and I took it upon myself to find a cure ... well I'm not a Dr. but I approach this form a research point of view ... meta analysis of all existing info out there, and the only real info we have is people like us who suffer from Costochondritis reporting their findings ... I have stopped trying to mask the pain with useless medication that don't work long time ago ... I have since been always trying to treat the underlaying causes ... at this point in time I trully believe that Costochondritis is caused by a virus ... some kind of virus related to the influenza virus, just a milder version of it ... the only thing that seeme to work when battling the Costochondritis pain is addressing the immune system ... making your immune system stronger, curing is as if you had a flu ... lots of vitamin C, CoQ-10, vit D3, etc ... reducing stress and anxiety is a second part of the equation and removing any stimulats from one's diet is paramount ... also toxins such as alcohol must go ... basically anything that impacts our immune system has to go bye-bye ... so far I've been successful in treating my Costochondritis through this method many times and every time I'm reminded that I have stopped paying attention to keeping myself healthy and in good shape ... I also think that whatever virus causes Costochondritis is capable of retracting and laying dormant within our body till the next time our immunity is weak and can be compromised once again, rearing it's ugly head ... so try all these things I've mentioned to boost your immune system and hopefully it will help you!  Good luck!

    • Posted

      Hi Paul

      I think there maybe some truth in what you say re a virus being involved. I've ME/CFS and during a very stressful period acquired CostoC. as you say treating the cause is key and that's usually about maximizing the biological etc. environment whereby the organism can optimize it's natural self-healing potential.  

    • Posted

      Anxiety and stress are running my life right now .... I do see a relationship with anxiety and the pain ....
  • Posted

    I can relate to the stress and anxiety part...but when everything is calm there is still this pain...so maybe the stress is a trigger?

    • Posted

      have you tried taking aspirin? Arthritis patients take it daily for their pain, I've been 88% pain-free for the last few days by taking aspirin the moment pain starts to emerge ... but I don't recommend taking every day as it may cause stomach issues ... let us know

    • Posted

      Not sure if it is "the" trigger - but certainly seems to be one of the main triggers ...

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