Is this Costo or something else??
Posted , 5 users are following.
I have been suffering for about 9 months with something that I at first thought was a bad back and indigestion which seemed to coincide with a very stressful time in my life (minor surgery, not related). This presented itself as mid back pain, which was made worse by sitting in a office type chair for long periods or by walking for a long time. What I thought was 'indigestion' was chest pains as opposed to the traditional heartburn, but I did feel I was burping a bit more than normal and the odd thing was the pain in the back felt worse after I had eaten, which the Dr dismissed
I have been through a huge amount of tests (MRI, Bloods, H Pylori etc.) & treatment (PPI's and Physio) and even had my gallbladder removed as it had a large stone in it - yet I am still in pain.
The pain seems to move around between my mid back, chest, in between shoulder blades, shoulder (mainly left) occasionally my arm. In my chest it seems to be left sided most of the time and there are specific areas which when I press down it hurts but the areas move around (on the front, under my arm at the sides, sometimes collarbone) and it really hurts if I twist my upper body. It's now progressed to the point where I am in 'ache' like pain from the minute I wake up. Through all of this I still feel that sometimes (not all the time) it hurts more once I have eaten something for a few hours as if it could be reflux related, but PPI's have no effect and the Doctors have all said that the area of the pain is not where it would be if this were a stomach issue.
I am currently seeing a rheumatologist who has mentioned Costo as a possible culprit but has sent me for a bone scan and more blood tests.
Does this seem like Costo? - I would be confident of this if it wasn't for the odd connection with eating which no-one seems to mention when discussing Costo and the fact that the sore spots on my ribs are often not in the middle of my chest and seem to move about day by day!
0 likes, 10 replies
JackStone15 g55398
Edited
Yeah that sounds like costo. I can't explain the digestive issue, but it's the same for me. And my occasional rib pain is in weird spots too. I'm going to a sports physiotherapy clinic and it's definitely helping me out. Give it a shot.
g55398 JackStone15
Posted
Thanks for the reply.
Its driving me mad and the fact that sometimes it increases the pain after eating makes me miserable about food!
I've had physio for 8 weeks last year but it had little effect. I've also bought a back pod which I am using every day, but the pain is still with me night & day!!
moon53540 g55398
Edited
People who have their gallbladders removed can get bile reflux after which can cause pain. Have you had an endoscopy?
g55398 moon53540
Posted
No - the Dr's have said its unnecessary due to the position of my rib & back pain and the fact that PPi treatment hasnt had any impact.
I did wonder about bile reflux, but the pain was here before my gallbladder removal and hasnt really changed.
moon53540 g55398
Posted
Which PPIs did you try and what dose? Have you had your vitamin levels tested? you may be deficient in B12 or D or both. Deficiencies in these can cause stomach pain and bone pain. You could either get tested or start taking vitamin supplements to see if they could help.
g55398 moon53540
Posted
I've had lanzoprizole (15mg and 30mg) and omeprazole 20mg. Tried these for 3-4 weeks but stopped them as they had no effect.
My Rheumatologist has taken bloods to check my vitamin levels, so should have the results back in a few weeks.
moon53540 g55398
Edited
Ask to try esomeprazole, lanzoprazole does not work for everyone and omeprazole isn't that good. I had both lanzoprazole and omeprazole and they didn't work that well for me. I now take esomeprazole, it is so much better and it is what good doctors usually give when the others don't work, as patients usually respond better to them. They are not usually offered first because they are the most expensive! Blood results should be ready before a few weeks, it should take about a week to get back to the GP, in the meantime try taking a multivitamin to see if it helps, even if you aren't deficient it isn't going to do any harm, you just pee out what you don't need!
JackStone15 g55398
Posted
Hmm, you should explore gastrointestinal options as a possibility. Someone else suggested an endoscopy.
g55398 JackStone15
Posted
Yes - if the Rheumatologist comes up blank I think I will push this with them, not that i relish the thought of an endoscopy!!
Brenda1961 g55398
Posted
I would ask to be referred to. a gastrologist look for gerd and ulcer . and stick with the other Drs . but I as having Costo for 15 years . I still get the back and between pain . almost like if. I move a certain way it shoots pain bewteen my rib bones and in back is a sharp knife between my shoulders and shoulders will hurt. I got costo from trying to life a huge picnic table up . felt it in my shoulders and knocked the wind out of me. I mentioned before to drs with no feed back and all kind of tests done. and than one day at my Drs office I mentioned it to another Dr and she told me what it was and told me to look it up . and wow it was like my picture should been on that page. do a lot of researching and you came to the right support site. its good to know that there is a true answer. and others with it can relate. hot and cold wash clothes . asprin and teach yourself to rub pressure finger tip on pain point sites. and always remember that you had to stain that chest sternum muscle somehow. I feel so much better when I tap lightly the sites spots. good luck and keep up on the reading and group.