Has anyone experienced this sort of pain?

Duffle said...
Sorry you have this at all. From my experience there is no definitive test for costochondritis ... Rather it's an assumption made from symptomatic pain with a lack of clear injury. I've had three times ... read that if you have it once and it's more likely to happen again. Once I don't know what I did to cause it, second time I just twisted in my seat ... Both clearly negligible things. Most recently caused by the impact of a car accident ... Seat belt damage. It was excruciating whenever I laid down... Initially had to sleep upright. But even standing up from a chair was agony ... Every movement thAt used the chest muscles was painful (and you find out you use them a lot!). Unlike most injuries, you can't rest your chest muscles! Each time it's got better on its own ... Just takes time. If it is this ... It will improve. Hope it improves quickly for you.

Thank you so much for replying. This has definitely happened to me before. I've been in and out of hospital many times for this pain. The longest was when I was admitted in hospital for around 5-6 months. Breathing, eating, sneezing, coughing, talking; they all made my chest hurt SO much. I was on IV pain medication the entire time. I lost around 30 pounds because I wouldn't eat because it was insanely painful to do so. The last few times this happened, it got better miraculously on it's own. The doctors had no idea how things got better and neither did I. We just accepted it and I moved on with my life. My story sounds very similar to yours which is why I think it might be costochondritis. Thanks once again for sharing your story with me and thank you for your well wishes!

UPDATE: My doctor has no idea why I'm in pain. There doesn't seem to be a clear cause. He wants me to go see a psychiatrist to see if there is a mental health component so I will be doing that and hoping for the best. He thinks my poor mental health is the reason for my pain. In my opinion, the horrendous pain I've been dealing with on a daily basis is what caused my mental health to decline in the first place, not the other way around. I think it is a reasonable response to be upset when you have poorly managed, daily pain and no one knows the cause. I'll see the psychiatrist and we'll see what he/she says.

I'm sorry to hear that your doctor is still at a loss as to what is causing the pain. It must be frustrating for you that you doctor has suggested seeing a psychiatrist as most of us with this disease just know how unpredictable it can be and therefore have experienced all sort of unusual problems because of it. Seeing the psychiatrist might be helpful, if only to get things off your chest!!!
Keep us posted on how you get on.

Poppie said...
I'm sorry to hear that your doctor is still at a loss as to what is causing the pain. It must be frustrating for you that you doctor has suggested seeing a psychiatrist as most of us with this disease just know how unpredictable it can be and therefore have experienced all sort of unusual problems because of it. Seeing the psychiatrist might be helpful, if only to get things off your chest!!!
Keep us posted on how you get on.

Thanks a bunch, Samantha. It was really upsetting when he told me to go see a psychiatrist. I feel like whenever this pain returns, he starts telling me that I'm stressed in life and that's why it has appeared. Most of the time, I feel so happy in life despite the pain. Things are usually going just great. I feel like my family doctor actually starts taking my happiness away by telling me how I "actually" feel; how I am suppressing my true feelings. When I saw my psychiatrist last, he discharged me from his care. The last 3-4 times I went to see him, he kept asking me why I was still seeing him as I was no longer depressed and I was fine to deal with things on my own. I was seeing him because my family doctor kept insisting I wasn't fine which is what he is doing now again -_- I'm going to go see my psychiatrist and tell him exactly what has been happening with my family doctor and see what he thinks about it. Thanks for your comment and support, Samantha. I really appreciate it!

Poppie said...
No worries, perhaps a note from your psychiatrist to your doctor to explain some things...

I completely believe you, and it is upsetting that your own doctor doesn't. Keep us posted on how you get on.

Thanks a bunch, Sam :') That's a great idea. I'm going to ask him to write my GP a note if he thinks my mental health is fine. I'm going to ask him to really stress that in his note. Fingers crossed, my GP backs off and let's me stay happy instead of putting all of these things in my head LOL. Thanks again for just listening and caring. I'm sure you know how much that means especially when you're not feeling too great.

hateuc said...
I like the note idea and I agree that it is offensive that the Dr. is blaming your mental state just because he doesn't know the origin of the pain. I hope you feel better!!!
B

Thanks for your comment and support, B! I really appreciate it :) The note idea is sounds promising, ay? :D

Hello Everyone,

Just posting a VERY late update. I got on a medication to control my UC and the pain is gone now. I'm on XELJANZ now. My GI said he doesn't understand why I get this pain because it doesn't really correspond with UC but every time we get my inflammation under control, all of the pain goes away. I don't think this is going to be of much help to anyone but I thought I'd post an update because someone had asked.

Thank you,
Gina