More problems
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June 11, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Hi all ! I have been doing quite well, in fact we just moved into a new home 1 month ago! Quite well except for chest pain, which krept up in early april sending me to the doc’s office where they did an EKG which was normal, and also to the gastro as I also have fun reflux. 🙁 Anyway, the doc suspects costochondritis, a swelling of the cartilage that attaches ribs to the sternum. I am supposed to have an xray tomorrow. However, I am starting to question my doc. I am turning into a nervous wreck over this – I feel she should re run my rheumatoid panels, etc etc. I think I am going to ask my chiropractor about doing this. I have had pain in my Lower ribs on the left side for many years, and no one ever found anything, but now that we are in the heart/lung region, I am a wreck over it. I think they should order an MRI too. Am I overreacting??
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June 11, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Hey Cara,
I have costochondritis which was diagnosed post-CIDP. My Dr. ruled out all the other possibilities before settling on that diagnosis. They did an x-ray but never an additional MRI. Have they said what treatment they are going to use for yours??? I take Naproxen/Naprosyn and that controls the pain.
Jerimy
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June 11, 2007 at 4:20 pm
You mention rheumatoid. My mom has r.a. and about every 6 months goes to the emergency room with chest pains. Each time, it’s blamed on the arthritis being in the lining of the chest. The dr. told her she would not be able to tell between that and a heart attack so she goes each time to the hospital for ekg just in case.
Good luck.
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June 12, 2007 at 8:28 am
Yes, rheumatoid can cause the costochondritis. I think I am going to ask to re run my rheumatology panels, since they havent since I was in the hospital. However, they did rerun ANA and it was normal. But just for my peace of mind, I’d like to do it, as I also have a finger that occasionally swells like a sausage and gets joint pain.
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June 12, 2007 at 11:32 am
Cara, When the pain changes is the time to overreact. I have had similar problems for over 18 years, there isn’t anything I haven’t tried to give me relief from the rib/chestwall pain. I had a Super D.O. until he moved to Virginia a few years ago, who would do his VooDoo on my ribs and get the pain reduced along with realigning the ribs. It did nothing for the chestwall pain, but it made my life livable none the less. Like Jer said try nsaids or whatever your dr thinks you can take to relieve the pain. My ana was a bit elevated, my r values were a bit elevated at times, but that never changed the way I was feeling, or what the dr could do to help. Actually I have been in a flare up for afew months now and I have noticed Neurontin helps a bit more then any of the other meds and narcotics that I was on for it. Don’t stress out about it, there really isn’t a whole lot that you can do even if you get a different dx. Stressing out about it can make it last longer. When the pain changes from your everyday pain, thats the time to seek medical care, even if its caused by a change in weather, exercise, stress, or whatever. Warm daily showers helps me control my discomfort most of the time. Take care.
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