New to Costco.. Struggling with anxiety and disbelief

We have the exact same symptoms. I've had 10 EKGs, 5 chest X-rays. And nuclear stress test, a treadmill stress test and a ton of blood work. Everything came back negative. I was diagnosed with chest wall inflammation/ Costochondritis. I'm in disbelief also. And it has my anxiety through the roof

Hey Julia, Iv had costo for 2 years this month and every time it flares up it hurts in a different place but I always know when it's costo as it has that same dull pain, Iv had it this last week and it's been really sore and even the painkillers don't help, the only thing I can think of that brought it on was wheeling the bin out last week! Pushing, pulling and sometimes reaching up to a high cupboard are all ways to bring it on, I understand how u feel and the worry of it is awful but it defs fades away again after a few weeks so take it easy and get plenty of rest and itl wiill go away again x

I have pain daily behind my breastbone my ribs feel constantly bruised and my shoulder blades hurt it is scarey I often feell like I'm going to drop dead ????

Hi Julia.

please don't worry. what you're experiencing is a classic ''Costochondritis'' symtomology. it's not cardiac eventhough, it often follows the ''cardiac route'' and symptom picture.  I'm an ex Midwife (Nurse/Midwife) and was convinced I had cardiac problems, eventhough I wasn't in the age bracket for cardiac compromise.  eventually (after 4 years of excrusiating/debilitating pain) i was diagnosed with CostoChon. and commenced on Nortryptline with great relief. I feel that the CostoChon. does in some cases impinge on the myocardium & causes cardiac irregularity and consequently anxiety.  once I was treated, the pain dissipated as did my anxiety. I'm convinced the anxiety was of physical orign rather psychological. 

 

Thank you everyone for the comments!! Really helps a lot!

Hi Julia. My 1st attack of Costo I was taken by ambulance to the ER certain I was having a heart attack. I spent 3 days in the hospital and had a full cardiac work up. Everything was normal and the cardiologist told me that constant pain that had lasted for 3 days would not be heart related. That's when I got the Costo diagnosis. I had never even heard of it before. I spent another week in bed at home with pain meds and muscle relaxers recovering. Fortunately, mine subsided.

Then 2 weeks ago, out of the blue and 1 1/2 yrs after my 1st episode, I was hit with a horrific bout of it. This time it was actually Tietze Syndrome as I have extreme swelling on my left rib cage. It has been indescribably painful. I went to my primary care physician who did several X-rays and then told me I won the gold star for the worst case of Tietze/Costo they had ever seen in their office! They prescribed a steroid dose pack as well as narcotic pain medication and instructed me to get a sports bra to wear to keep the weight of my breast off my rib cage. I have done all of this as well as spent the last 8 days in a recliner because laying down is way too uncomfortable. Finally, today I can take a normal breath without moaning in pain and move without flinching and vocalizing pain. Rest, medication and heat and ice are about the only options you have. It is a wait it out thing and hope it doesn't last too long. The swelling on my rib cage is still there so I am hoping it doesn't flare back up once I start moving about again. The good news is it isn't going to kill you - it just feels like your dying because the pain can get so severe! Know that you are not alone and there are lots of us on here who really understand what you're going thru. 

You are not alone! I defenitely was scared out of my mind when it first happened. I had been moving things like furniture and boxes because i was moving into another apt and for two nights straight i couldnt breathe and i was sweating and my heart was racing and i had pain mostly on my left side and my right arm and left leg were tingling and kinda numb and I was having all types of thoughts and I went to the er and they costocondritis and I was like what the heck is that?I also had a lot of stressful events this year back to back and my son is really heavy for a a two year old. He really didnt explain much bascially because I wasnt having a heart attack he just dismissed me. I have been to the ER 4 times in a month because I was sure I was having a heart attack. My doctor says Im fine and he hears nothing wrong with my heart and the people at the ER said all my EKGS and blood tests and everything was fine. I still am scared that the doctors may have missed somethig because I still hurt but not like I did and its mostly on the left side still but I think someone said you think its your heart because of the nerves or muscles that cover the heart or something, I dont know anything about the body unfortunately. MY doctor finally put me on anxiety meds because I was having so many panic attacks and so focused on the pain i am missing out on life and I have all these horrible thoughts so he just finally put me on meds but I just started taking them so we will see!

Hi Julia I

Just come across ur post and just wondered if anything has got better for as I feel and sound to have similar pains in the same place and scare the living hell out of me.

I do have fibromyalgia which just heightens the pain for me I don't exercise or join in the activities with my kids I also have a son and daughter I am a single dad just wish I had something to go of to help get my head around it hope u sorted something and life is no better 12 months on