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Uncommon costo symptoms

Posted , 57 users are following.

shekme10120
shekme10120

Costochondritis is unfortunately, not widely known or discussed and I've got more information from here than my gp.

Although I'm lucky to say I'm 80-90% healed, I've reached a plateau.

I wanted to share some of the less common symptoms I've experienced in my healing process for those who may be scared/confused:

Dizziness

Head pressure on the side of inflammation

(possibly led to a slowing down of the movement in left eye, I now wear glasses to refocus, never had eye issues before)

Headaches

Swollen neck

Tightness in neck

Swollen shoulder muscles

Back pain in the middle of back

Inability to eat

Feeling physically full after half a meal but still hungry

Stomach pain

Burning sensation in muscles

Tingling sensation in muscles

Strange sinking feeling when breathing, comparable to the stomach drop you get in fear/on a rollercoaster or similar but it's more muscular/physical

Sensation of muscles suddenly "deflating" when falling asleep - possibly anxiety related as well

Constant palpitations

Fatigue

Tiredness

Generally weak

Arm pain on side of inflammation

Feeling like I can't breathe

Difficulty walking at speed - who knew swaying arms could be so painful?!

Feeling fine all day but swelling up when you lie down to sleep

Sinus pressure

BONUS: For those who have overcome the majority of the pain

general discomfort/awareness/heaviness/tightness of the affected areas

Feel free to share your uncommon/less discussed symptoms

10 likes, 172 replies

172 Replies

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  • lachastity04089
    lachastity04089 shekme10120

    Posted

    Hello. Yes I thought I was the only one who gets the pins and needle feeling down my arms, back, and shoulders. Very scary feeling.  My sternum is swollen from top to bottom and I also get the roller coaster bottoming out feeling too!! It's so weird... it also get twitching in my chest as if something is moving around in there. 

  • elaine16907
    elaine16907 shekme10120

    Posted

    Hello,

    I am new to this site and have found reading posts very interesting and of support too. This condition is very baffling and extremly worringly whilst experiencing and trying to lead 'a normal life'.

    The collection of presenting effects appear to be interchangable and evolving which is quite exhausting. The list provided above is comprehensive but I sure not exhaustive. Thank you by the way.

    I belive I've been suffering with this now since August 17 and feel it has been a slow journey in getting my gp and nhs services to refer and move me along to a specialist to date. I am only just now due to have an ultra sound on 14 December and feel miserable.

    Like most posts the feeling of anixety has been for me chronic and distressing as especially as I have a 9 year daughter who sees the change in me and is upset by this.

    I recently took time of work 3 days and notice that I had some respite to some degree. However I went back to work yesterday and by the end of it felt awful going to bed with an strong headache and worrying all night. I need to work,

    Tumeric tea is something Ive just started taking but I dont enjoy painkillers..... I have found out about the backpod and intend purchasing soon.

    Where do I go from here fellow suffers........

    Best regards

    • cici96233
      cici96233 elaine16907

      Posted

      Oh geeze. Sounds like we started at the same time. I think mine happened from an injury at the gym, as I used to be an avid gym goer. If I remember correctly,I also dropped a weight on my sternum, but I can’t remember if that was a couple of days before or after chest pain. It’s sharp, and scary . I’ve been to the ER about 5 times since September. I’ve had chest X-ray , EKG, and blood test. I’ve now developed muscle spasms every were, and I mean every where from my face, to my chest, arms, legs, stomach,butt. The spasms started DEC 19, by the 23rd, they were widespread. I still think I have ALS, and some type of heart problem. The docs are convinced I have severe anxiety, along with costochondritis. I’ve been given muscle relaxers ( don’t help) Ativan (helps with the irrational thoughts) I have an appointment tomorrow to see a doctor for pain and anxiety. Heating pads help sometimes. Anyone else find it easier to sleep on the chest. I get chest tightness, sore under breast, sore in color bones , armpit pain, pain in arms. I workout sometimes just to prove to myself it’s not my heart, only to be in severe chest pain the next day.  I just remind myself , if my chest has been hurting since August, it’s very unlikely it’s my heart, or lungs, or anything respiratory. Have you or anyone else experienced widespread muscle spasms though??
    • elaine16907
      elaine16907 cici96233

      Posted

      Cici its just awful right! Scary it was for me initially not know what the heck was causing this. I think my trips to Emergency Centres in August - October I felt like a time waster; being told your fine and not feeling fine is horrible. I recal I was packing up office due to moving to another jobs and had moved some heavy confidential bags that were very big heavy as well as boxes so possible brought on CC??

      November -December I have had so my much pain that has shifted around my entire torso shoulders, neck, head and left side of face and general unwellness has caused me to feel so disheartened. Yes I think it would be possible to to feel all these pains.

    • shekme10120
      shekme10120 elaine16907

      Posted

      Turmeric tea and stretches helped me soooo much! Continue and you'll see improvements - no cure, but improvements. I feel 100x better now than I did a year and a half ago compared to others who feel constant pain

  • daniel85431
    daniel85431 shekme10120

    Posted

    Wow I've just read this thread in astonishment! I've had costo since 2005! Had many of the symptoms. Pins and needles in hand and arm, fluttering in chest sometimes with very hard palpitations, chest pain which radiates down arm, pressure in head, dizziness, headaches, blurred vision in left eye... This really is a dibiltating condition. I actually remembered the injury which caused mine, i reached to grab a tv remote I'd knocked off a seat and caught under my arm with some force. It was like an electric shock. The intense chest pain started that night. I think I was in A and E about 7-8 times the following week thinking I was having heart problems. I know now it's not my heart after having every test going. I keep very fit and now do not drink alcohol as this really triggered my palpitations the next day. I suppose my advise is to learn to live with it without fear. Also if you can bear it an ice pack on your chest will stop the pain instantly. 

    • elaine16907
      elaine16907 daniel85431

      Posted

      I agree the syptoms are dilbitating and there is a degree of learning to live with such chronic pain as I am sure the majority of us will need to work and look after families etc. I have hear about ice and heat pack being very helpful as well as other alternative ways. I feel I am at the stage of wanting to explore as many remdies and therapys in assiting in my healing the lady and the beginning of this thread wrote about tumeric that I agree has been helpful I also like ginger too. I think forum has reassure me I not alone or imagining all the syptoms I have been experiencing jus need to now implement a plan of healing interventions rather than just pain killers.

      All the best.

    • elaine30973
      elaine30973 daniel85431

      Posted

      Hi daniel

      Since 2005? Poor you! I started with it april last year and after 3 months it simply disappeard until late december. This time worse with more symptoms, thr dizziness terrifies me! Ive been off work 5 weeks and now too anxious to go out. How on earth do you cope? X

    • daniel85431
      daniel85431 elaine30973

      Posted

      Hi Elaine.

      Firstly please please don't let it control you. You need to learn coping mechanisms fast. Go for a walk, get some fresh air, whatever it takes to distract yourself. I for the most part have lived a normal life, however at times the symptoms are frightening. I'm a 6ft 3 strong man but when they strike they are horrible. I know what you mean regarding the dizziness, it can be awful. I get it with no rhyme or reason I just wake up with it sometimes. The worst for me are the palpitations. Sometimes feels like my heart is gonna burst out of my chest! Also many doctors have ignored my symptoms. I've been laughed at by a couple of doctors!

      I've learnt to cope and I have had many periods of remission sometimes no symptoms for years. I have a very physical job and I love sport and keeping fit so I guess I aggravate the affected area sometimes and reproduce the symptoms. 

      My latest symptoms for about 10 days over Christmas were awful headaches, I mean AWFUL!! Shooting pains around my head and had a full blown migraine with slurred speech. The docs have been checking for a stroke and of course no sign of it!! It's all related to this condition!

      I'm now aggressively pursuing with doctors the idea that I have damaged my brachial plexus. Possibly Costco and Thoracic outlet syndrome. Google it.... I think remembering my injury all those years ago the symptoms appeared straight after a chest trauma injury originating in the left armpit area. Lots of cases where people have injured that area and it causes chaos in the body!! 

      Anyway i hope your symptoms improve. I know it's hard to ignore but as a doctor said to me years ago. It's not your heart so don't panic. Those words do get me through sometimes! 

    • shekme10120
      shekme10120 daniel85431

      Posted

      The slurred speech etc sounds AWFUL! Sorry yours has been so bad. I get headaches, tenderness in the left side of my head so I totally understand the fear when you get pains/symptoms in seemingly unrelated parts of the body.

      I literally have to convince myself I don't have a brain tumour/aneurysm and that I had never felt these pains until costco came into my life. 

      You're right, we must live without fear!

  • elaine16907
    elaine16907 shekme10120

    Posted

    Hello

    Your post has been very informative and one I refer to in relating to symptoms would really ke to know how your recovery.

    Best wishes

  • lindsay_72987
    lindsay_72987 shekme10120

    Posted

    Hi! Im so happy i found this site. I have had it since may 2015 and it was badfor a while and then i started taking supplements, krill oil, magnesium, turmeric caps, ginger caps and B complex and apple cider vinegar . It felt like it was almost gone for about a year but now it is back with a vengeance. My symptoms are:

    Chest tightness

    Short of breath

    Flutters in chest and sensastion of a weird drop feeling

    Burning pain in ribs

    Neck pain

    Shoulder pains

    Tingles in arms and feet both

    Blurred vision ( had to get glasses in 2015 bc of it)

    Eye twitching (left)

    Headaches

    Sensation of falling when laying down

    Just wondering if anyone else feels like this??

    Thanks for reading smile

    • elaine16907
      elaine16907 lindsay_72987

      Posted

      Hi Lindsay

      I posted a few weeks ago to find out Shekme progress is still going well. I'm sorry CC has returned for you. I belive my onset started last year summer and intensified around October to date. I do recognise and have had/and am having the same symptoms:

      Chest tightness (between October -November very intense)

      Short of breath (between October -November very intense)

      Flutters in chest and sensastion of a weird drop feeling (heart palpitations are mostly what I am experiencing)

      Neck pain & shoulder pains (on a daily basis the left side of my neck feels strained (also have 2 lymph nodes up) and pulled along my shoulder too. I have been icing area daily and using voltarol for inflammation - some days are just worse than others)

      Tingles sometimes in left foot mainly in toes.

      Left eye has vision become strain and I although wear glasses for reading and PC work recently I have an eye test and now need long distant glasses in particular due to left eye vision. Sometimes eye feels inflammed acrossed the eyeball.

      Headaches are occuring almost everyday first thing in the morning and throughout the day its awful.

      Can I ask in your first time recovery where you taking these supplements then ? What do you think cause the return (cold, virus etc...)

      Ongoing healing to you.

      Best.

    • ray63269
      ray63269 lindsay_72987

      Posted

      Hi I have most of the symptoms you have mentioned . I find it very stressful . I also have the added symptoms of sternum pain and pain in spine between shoulder blades . Has anyone experienced that too . I really feel for you
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