So.....a couple of weeks ago I went to the ER thinking I might be having a heart attack...but I also told them that I've been known to suffer with Costochronditis (sp?). Well they ran tests/ admitted me for a cardiac workup...and everything turned out to be okay with my heart...so they wrote it off to Costochronditis. So last Thursday I woke up with severe lower rib pain. I tried to ignore it! But Monday I went to the ER thinking I had another kidney stone or maybe was having a diverticulitis attack - again. After tests and xrays...nothing could be found so they gave me Flagyl in case it was diverticulitis. Still having pain...so bad that it hurts to breathe in... I went to see my GP yesterday. He asked where my pain was and I showed him. I told him the ER thought it was a kidney stone or diverticulitis...he laughed and said no...it's neither. I said what is it? He said it was inflammation of the blah blah Illiac Crest...e.g. costochronditis. ERRRRRRR. I have vowed not to go to the doctors, ER, etc.... for pain ever again. I'm gonna have to be bleeding or foaming at the mouth. I'm sick of everything reverting back to autoimmune inflammation!!!!!!!! >:(
I just read this brief article published by the NIH where they "think" costochronditis might be related to VitD Deficiency...which I know I have.....and I haven't been taking my vitamins because they give me a stomachache....but it might be worth a shot to start taking it and see if the problem resolves??!! Here is the article link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3384935/
I've only had costochondritis once--a couple of years before I was "officially" diagnosed with SjS. My rib cage was so inflamed and swollen that I couldn't expand my lungs enough to take a deep breath! My heart was thudding against my ribs and chest, and yes, I thought I was having a heart attack. They told me to take high doses of ibuprofen---which made me nauseated. But it really did help, and I was able to take less and get relief pretty quickly.
Calli
I'm so sorry, but I know how you feel. I get frequent chest pain, and was even told I might have diverticulitis a while back for severe abdominal pain (but I was not put on antibiotics and the pain went away so that wasn't it). It's my stupid body too just always being inflamed :(
I am so sorry to hear you have costochondritis. I have had two terrible bouts with it. Each time I have been put on NSAID's and Percocet. The first episode I ended up in the ER thinking it was a heart attack. The second episode I was given an ultrasound thinking it was my gall bladder. Now I know what to look for.
But it is a TERRIBLE pain!! My second bout was the worst, lasting for about four weeks. My rheumy told me it was from a virus, but I have never heard that or found confirmation anywhere that costo is from a virus. I definitely think it is some sort of autoimmune problem since a lot of us have had it.
Hope you feel better soon.
Liz D.
Thanks guys - our stories all sound so similiar!!! What's funny is my doctor gave me a steroid shot in my side and his nurse was patting my ankle telling me it would be okay. I was appreciative of her thoughtful nature but...the pain of a shot is NOTHING compared to the pain we endure day in and day out...right?!
Could costochondritis be misdiagnosed as pleurisy? I've had that several times. And then once in awhile, I just get a terrible sharp pain in my rib area until I take a few controlled breaths. It goes away as fast as it comes usually. Except the few times I was diagnosed with pleurisy because it wouldn't go away after a few days.
Is this pain you're talking about only on your chest? I have a stubborn pain on my left side, sometimes a bit to my front side, sometimes (but rarely) a bit to the back, but around where the lower ribs are. It's not a horrible pain, mostly I can live with it, but it is annoying. My doc hasn't said anything about it (maybe will have to complain about it tomorrow again).
I think you may be in need of an attitude change. While the other suggestions are valid, I think that you should put both hands on your side and think "I love my body" until it believes you.
Your post made me laugh..sorry. Love your subject line!!
Ive been to the ER so much......not in the last 2 years though, as I gave up. Everything is always autoimmune inflammation if most of the tests
come back ok. Even my autoimmune labs dont indicate anything either.....crazy isnt it? Im so sick in the head, wishing they would find a massive something going on in my body and just treat it already? Gosh, what I wouldnt give to have something normal (wrong) with me?
I also learned that I felt much better after they gave me some IV hydration as soon as I arrive. Might be some dehydration going on and because I have POTS, could be part of my problem. I also instructed doctors what labs to run etc, and they just love me.
Gursie
the title of your post made me think of some super sci fi fantasy of putting my consciousness into a cyber body lol...if only right?
But yeah the body is a mystery still even after all the so called medical science for decades looking at it. How I wish it was as easy as walking thru a security terminal and an alarm go off and pinpoint the problem
Dumb question how do they dd costochondritis? Does it show on exray? That,is where mg paim is im the lower 3 left.ribs hurt all of the time. They are doing ablations to kill the nerves was diagnosed as nerve pain now I wonder??hmmm curious!!!!
Quote from: Joe S. on November 14, 2012, 12:31:03 PM
I think you may be in need of an attitude change. While the other suggestions are valid, I think that you should put both hands on your side and think "I love my body" until it believes you.
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Joe is right!! I am guilty of saying those things about my body too sometimes!! But I have to stop myself and say "I love my body" too!! Your body DOES listen to you!!
:)
Quote from: Iwantmylifeback on November 14, 2012, 04:10:13 PM
Dumb question how do they dd costochondritis? Does it show on exray?
With me, the doc just pressed down firmly on my sternum (ow!). That was it.
C
Same here, as Callie. I think they diagnose it by the process of elimination and then press specific parts of your rib cage. I yelped when the doctor pressed on my right ribs. The first case I had was in my sternum.
Liz D.
Yes that is how they diagnosed me after ruling out a heart attack, diverticulitis, kidney stones, etc.etc.etc. Why is it everytime you tell a doctor you have a pain somewhere the first thing they do is poke their finger in the area! "Does this hurt?" ...."oh no....it feels really great....could you keep poking your finger in it so I can either cry or vomit?" LOL. Yes my pain is in the very tip of my bottom left rib...and it does radiate to the back. It is killer to turn at the waist or bend down to pick something up. The shot helped a bit...it's not sharp pain...now it is a dull aching. I love my body, I love my body, I love my body....(it's not working Joe...; )
Quote
I love my body, I love my body, I love my body....(it's not working Joe...; )
Haha! I know, it doesn't work very well for me either. In fact, tonight it's blessing me with mystery skin rashes and chest pain right in the sternum. Maybe I need to hug harder??
I have to agree with Joe --- you may want to jump over Toni Bernhard's website and spend some time reading her blog. http://www.howtobesick.com/index.html
She's very inspiring, and one of the suggestions she makes is to put your arms around yourself and give yourself a hug, and forgive your body for betraying you --- it's only doing what it was designed to do, and it's doing the best it knows how.
The first time I did this, I actually started crying. It was very healing.
(But you guys know what a big crybaby I am anyhow...)
I will have to try the hugs and love for my body too I guess, because right now I feel like everyone else - angry that my immune system is so stupid and can't just work the way it's supposed to. :( I'm tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop and something else to go wrong - as it always inevitably does.
It's frustrating, especially when I think a lot of us have taken good care of ourselves all our lives.
But, I also have read a lot about the importance of mind-body connection, so...I'm willing to try anything once!