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Posted 10/29/2013 10:42 AM (GMT 0)
New to this forum. Short question would be- does anyone with costo. have mild tingling in left arm?

It's the main symptom that gives me panic attacks thinking it's my heart :(

I've had CFS for 20 years and chest pain for 6 months+ although used to have it mildly with colds. Have had heaps of test to discount heart- ECG, triponin blood test (I think that's what it's called), stress test...

I'm pretty sure it resulted from coaching/demonstrating discus for the first time in YEARS- without warming up (clever!). I also have an old left shoulder injury from diving in touch football and am wondering if this is contributing.

I am so over it and just wish I could have some kind of proof of injury to help me stop panicking about my heart :(

Thanks for letting me share.

P.S. Pain mainly in sternum, radiating across ribs- keep changing where it is but when bad it hurts to breathe. More recently cramping in my back and pain up my neck. Not much fun, especially when I've finally just gone back to work after years and years.
Posted 10/29/2013 12:50 PM (GMT 0)
Actually, yes! That is the very first symptom that woke me up that something was very wrong. A limp, tingling, numb left arm - the chest pain alarmed me! I went to the ER and all was fine. I have since had an EKG and a ... what's it called where they do the ultrasound on your heart? And a chest x-ray.

Anyway.. yes, I do have these pains/symptoms and finally feel assured that it is, indeed, not my heart. This has relieved much stress and panic.

Jen :)
Posted 10/29/2013 12:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Jenster, and welcome. I just bet the tingling pain in your arm is from your back and neck. I have costo and get the pain in my sternum and the tightness where it hurts to breathe so that's pretty normal. I take ibuprofen with food to help that. I also take a muscle relaxer called Robaxin that helps with my overall fibro pain.

I have a back problem and if I sit wrong, my legs will tingle. If I lay wrong ,my hands tingle. Your nerves all go to your spine.

I use trigger point therapy for myself. I even healed my frozen shoulder by using trigger point therapy and massaging myself. If the trigger point is in my back, I use a tennis ball against the wall, against my back, and press and then move slowly to simulate massage. Much of our pain is referred pain. For my shoulder, there were trigger points around my shoulder but also in my chest and my neck!

I bought The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook and that will show you exactly where the trigger points are for the area that is hurting and it does this through diagrams. You can find this on Amazon and a member said she saw it on sale at Barnes and Noble, too.

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the first thread on the forum. There are links to good info about fibro and you will learn a lot there. There is a link all about costochondritis there, also.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better. Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you. Hope to hear more from you soon.

Sherrine
Posted 10/29/2013 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you two. That is really reassuring! Funnily, I have never been diagnosed with fibro- never chased a diagnosis though. Do you think the combination of CFS and costo means it's likely i do have fibro too?
Posted 10/29/2013 9:16 PM (GMT 0)
Perhaps. Some doctors think fibro and chronic fatigue syndrome are basically the same thing. We really won't know until we find out the causes of these illnesses.

Do you have pain in all four quandrants of your body and do you have cognitive memory problems? If so, you very well could have fibro.

Sherrine
Posted 10/29/2013 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
That's impossible for us to say, Jenster. Some doctors even think CFS and Fibro are two sides to the same syndrome..you very well could have it...

about the fear with your heart - of course, sometimes that's justified, but let me tell you my story:

I used to have that fear in spades.  I'll get slight chest pain, lightheaddedness, pressure in my head and arm....(the symptoms they tell women not to ignore.)  Twice, I thought I was having a heart attack and headed to the ER, where I was kept overnight and given a nuclear stress test the next day...the 2nd time I almost left, but the dr on duty assured me that if I were his relative, he'd recommend it, so I stayed.  My heart checked out fine, thankfully. 

Later (after the 2nd one), my own doctor said he wished I had run it by him - he would have told me I didn't need it, because I'm low-risk. And because one of those tests give you as much radiation as you'd be exposed to in 20 years just living on Earth!!  shocked


The 1st time it seemed to be related to a non-functioning gallbladder, the 2nd, who knows....I do get Tachycardia at times, but now that an EKG found it's a benign type, I just grin and bear that.

I now know that if you show up at the ER complaining of any kind of heart symptoms, they have to run you through all the tests available (or at least offer them to you.) I definitely think it's a CYA situation.

Debbie

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