Costochondritis

poppet84

Hey just wondering if any other people have this!
It's an inflamation of the chest wall,ribs,cartilage!When it flares up you feel as if you are having a heart attack!Of course when you are a 25 year old female ...they think that is very unlikely!

After undergoing all the heart tests ecg,chest x ray,holter monitor and echo and blood tests,they have ruled everything and diagnosed me with this.Been suffering with chest pain,left arm pain,shortness of breath for 6 years and now in the last 6 months a fast heart rate to add to the list!

Just wondering if there is anyone with any tips!:)

the magician

Hi this is something I have been diagnosed with, Im 28 male first diagnosed about 4 years ago .generally for me an anti - inflammatory and plenty of rest helps at it's worst but it tends to be sporadic for me.

Although in the last few weeks it has been coming back quite strong.
Unfortunately I don't really have any tips for dealing with it. The opinion seems to be suck it up, nothing can really be done.

The symptoms are very disconcerting though. For me as well I think there's an element that when It comes back I get worried thinking it is something more serious , which probably affects heart rate and BP.

Have never actually met anyone else who has it , I've found people just say never heard of it and assume you're making it up.

poppet84

Yeh I know what you mean, I got asked all the "are you an anxious person" questions!! I was only taken seriousley when my heart rate was like i'd just ran a marathon at rest!I've decided not to get worried about it anymore.A top cardiologist tols me it was that and he knows what he's on about so I know t ain't a heart attack or anything!

I just want to find more ways of coping with it!I've read tonight that there are certain food that can trigger inflamation in the body!

The magician: Do you excerise much and do you find that that helps?
Are you just on otc anti inflammatories?

Nice to know I'm not the only one!!!

the magician

I've been wondering about the effect of food on it lately as i've been getting indigestion a lot lately and that seems to be bringing it on. (possibly being gassy is putting some pressure inside.)

I found losing weight helped alot initially and now that i have put some weight back on it has become more frequent. So i have to try sort that out again.

I mountainbike usually once a week and havn't found that to be a problem although lately as it has been flaring up I don't feel up to doing much at all.

So I'd imagine exercising as should help but Straining yourself too much isn't advised especially when it has flared up.

kangaroo

I have this as part of my M.E. I’ve had it since I was in my late teens when I was still thin, mobile and had undiagnosed M.E. (I was previously very sporty).

I remember a few times having to lie down on my bed and grasp the left side of my chest as it was so painful – if I was older I would have thought of it as a heart attack. After a minute or two it might pass. I was being given the run around by doctors and other symptoms were more problematic so I concentrated on them more – I was trying to avoid the label of being a hypochondriac. When I finally got diagnosed with M.E. I read about it in the ME literature and have come across other people with ME who also have it. 21 years on and no heart attacks.

That’s certainly not to say it means any posters have M.E. I’m just mentioning my experience.

Here’s an article about it occurring in Fibromyalgia I just came across:
http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/whyfmscfsarelinked/a/costochondritis.htm

I have heard different terms for similar symptoms over the years e.g. “non-cardiac chest pain”, Bornholm’s disease (which connects this particular form of it to enteroviruses), etc. It can be useful to know different terms for things.

poppet84

kangaroo wrote: »

I have this as part of my M.E. I’ve had it since I was in my late teens when I was still thin, mobile and had undiagnosed M.E. (I was previously very sporty).

I remember a few times having to lie down on my bed and grasp the left side of my chest as it so painful – if I was older I would have thought of it as a heart attack. After a minute or two it might pass. I was being given the run around by doctors and other symptoms were more problematic so I concentrated on them more – I was trying to avoid the label of being a hypochondriac. When I finally got diagnosed with M.E. I read about it in the ME literature and have come across other people with ME who also have it. 21 years on and no heart attacks.

That’s certainly not to say it means any posters have M.E. I’m just mentioning my experience.

Here’s an article about it occurring in Fibromyalgia I just came across:
http://chronicfatigue.about.com/od/whyfmscfsarelinked/a/costochondritis.htm

I have heard different terms for similar symptoms over the years e.g. “non-cardiac chest pain”, Bornholm’s disease (which connects this particular form of it to enteroviruses), etc. It can be useful to know different terms for things.

Thanx for that article!Interesting read! My mam was actually diagnosed with Fibromyalaia years back but doesn't suffer with it ...in face she doesn't think she even has it!! Anti inflamatories and deep heat pads it is!

Oh and guys i'm going to research foods that cause inlflamation!

poppet84

Good site I found!!!

http://costohope.blogspot.com/2009/08/costochondritis-inflammation.html

Flojo

Sorry to bring this thread up again, but I just got diagnosed with this half an hour ago.. em docter never told me it was long term and prescribed me Ponstin. Which I thought was a little weird, I thought I'd at least need an antibiotic. I'm kinda worried now.

_Whimsical_

Hi Fojo. It isn't always long term. Some people have just one attack of it and it goes away then. Hopefully you'll be lucky with it.

Ponstan would be the standard treatment for it. Your doctor would know if you needed an antibiotic but you probably don't as costochondritis isn't associated with any bacteria. Itcan be caused by a virus but that won't respond to antibiotics.

Take lots of rest and take it easy while your feeling bad to give yourself the best chance of a quick recovery.

Flojo

Thanks for the reply! Ah ok not too bad so, must start looking after myself a bit better.

PKD

poppet84 wrote: »

Hey just wondering if any other people have this!
It's an inflamation of the chest wall,ribs,cartilage!When it flares up you feel as if you are having a heart attack!Of course when you are a 25 year old female ...they think that is very unlikely!

After undergoing all the heart tests ecg,chest x ray,holter monitor and echo and blood tests,they have ruled everything and diagnosed me with this.Been suffering with chest pain,left arm pain,shortness of breath for 6 years and now in the last 6 months a fast heart rate to add to the list!

Just wondering if there is anyone with any tips!:)

Hi,

I've had similar pains with the past 9 months, and no doctor can tell me what's causing it. If had every test done , and nothing showing up.

I'm meeting my doc again next week, and I'm going to suggest its Costo.

Gets good and bad. Like inflamed chest and upper abdominal, down to belly button. Especially sore, and usually starts off around my sternum area.Rest helps a lot. Flares up with I'm tired. I can feel my cloths rubbing off my skin all day when it flares up.

Does this sound like costo to anyone here. Would appreciate support / advice

Jo