Recurring chest pain for weeks

[Deepseathree]

So this past week my hypochondria has made itself appear after being "dormant" for awhile. Anxiety and I have picked the heart to worry about. My latest irrational fear is endocarditis. I came across a post on Facebook today about a younger guy who had died from it. So that's how the seed was planted. Google and vague pains in my chest for the past few days watered it. I have no heart abnormality that I know of. I had a stress test maybe 6 years ago that was fine. I've had pain that comes and goes on the left side of my chest and under my armpit. It's kind of sharp and isn't dependent on movement. So I've related that to being endocarditis. The cause of it is my lack of oral hygiene. Sometimes before work I'll forget to brush and when I catch up my gums bleed. So the germs and bacteria get in through my gums when I brush and my gums bleed. That's a simple breakdown of what I'm dealing with. Anyone care to offer some rationale? Or share their worries of this.

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

[Fishmanpa]

You've had several heart related (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=211532) threads (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=214004) recently. You know you have to address your cholesterol issue and start eating right and exercising. Other than that, if there were an issue, your doctor would have pursued further testing.

Positive thoughts

[Deepseathree]

The blood tests were done about three months ago. I was not having any of the worries or issues that I've been complaining about.

[Fishmanpa]

Are you doing anything to treat your anxiety?

Positive thoughts

[Deepseathree]

Well I'm getting back into exercising. A lot of the time my anxiety is fine and usually just writing it out on here helps rationalizing things and I also get to see how crazy my thoughts really are at the time. This one is tough to escape.

[Deepseathree]

So I went to a walk in clinic today because the iirritation in my chest has been bothering me, so if figured I get a strong anti inflammatory. While there, since I came in with pain around my chest, they wanted to do an ekg just to check. That same back normal. I spoke with the doctor about me previously being a bad hypochondriac and that I had an underlying worry of endocarditis. He said my heart sounded fine and that there were no sounds of a murmur and that my ekg came back normal. I bet you wouldn't believe if I told you that still didn't alleviate my worries. Thinking about Prozac again at this point.

[Deepseathree]

I recently started having some night sweats and also a pain in my chest when I breathe. I thought the chest pain could possibly be costochondritis, but it's hard to escape the worry of it being endocarditis.

[Deepseathree]

So I post awhile back about being worried about endocarditis(still am), but I've minimally rationalized myself away from that. It's still there though. What I've been feeling is a pain in the center of my chest a little on the left side. Kind of a sharp biting sensation. Mainly brought on during exhaling from a deep breath.

[jrcoleman]

I get those also. My doc says my tests are great and my heart sounds great. I attribute it to muscle pain or maybe a sore under my skin. Not sure what it is, but it hasn't killed me so I am not wasting anymore time thinking about it. Yes it still happens, but I don't give it the energy anymore.

[WiseMonkey]

So I post awhile back about being worried about endocarditis(still am), but I've minimally rationalized myself away from that. It's still there though. What I've been feeling is a pain in the center of my chest a little on the left side. Kind of a sharp biting sensation. Mainly brought on during exhaling from a deep breath.

It could be costachondritis an inflammation of the junctions where the upper ribs join with the cartilage that holds them to the breastbone, or sternum. It's a real nuisance and can be helped by taking anti-inflammatory meds, but is not a serious complaint.

I've had this and so has my niece, it's prevalent among those with autoimmune conditions.

[swajj]

Go and see a doctor. Nonee here can tell you what is causing your pain. It isn’t the sort of thing you want people guessing about anyway.

[Deepseathree]

I saw a doctor about it last week or the week before. Had an ekg done and it said it was fine. Had blood tests done and nothing was abnormal. Never said what it could potentially be though.

[Deepseathree]

The pain is still persisting and hasn't alleviated. I called the Dr. and they a cardiologist referral was put in. I want to think I don't need that being the ekg was fine and the blood tests looked good. I've tried to attribute it to being an inflammation in the area as it's only located in a small area on the inner top part of my pectoral muscle. I've just never had something persist for so long and not change in pain. Nothing increases it except for taking a deep breath and exhaling.

[NervUs]

I have had pains like this twice, once in the back, once in the front right side. Pain with deep breath could be pleurisy (itself can have a few causes), costochondritis, intracostal muscle strain. It's not only a heart thing.

THe first time I got this pain, they tested my blood for signs of a blood clot. I did have the sign, so I had to get a CT which was clear.

The second time, they didn't do squat, and the pain persisted for months, and comes back very occasionally. Since it has been so long, I am guessing it was a muscle strain of some kind.

IMW, though, you should probably get it checked out properly, i.e. not just focusing on the heart. BUt, it is very likely to be muscular.

[Deepseathree]

I went to a walk in clinic. The doctor there is affiliated with the hospital that the cardiologist is at. So he basically asked me what I felt he could do. Which there really wasn't anything. I just do like the persistence this has continued with. Unfortunately I'm in the worry of lung cancer now. Anyone? Anyone?

[Akoto]

I'm no expert on this, so I can only offer my opinion, like anyone else here. :)

My mom has had two heart attacks. I was there during both of them. The second was just last year. She describes it as feeling like a crushing pain on your chest, like somebody's put a huge boulder there. She even looked like she was being flattened out! So, in my experience, it's much more physically dramatic than pain in one spot when it's actually a heart attack.

My brother had a heart attack scare and went to urgent care just this past weekend. They did an EKG on him. His heart rate was high, but no abnormalities otherwise. The doctor said he was drinking *way* too much caffeine, and he also needed to somehow cut back on the stress (which he has a lot of) from his work. Gave him a referral to a cardiologist, but it wasn't because he suspected anything sinister. The doctor was just being thorough, like any good doctor should be. He also has untreated anxiety issues which aren't doing him any favors.

You seem to know that you have anxiety issues, so I don't have to tell you that. If you aren't getting any professional help for it, it would be a good idea to try. I'd also stick with your actual GP, or if you don't like them, try a new GP. You might also consider taking up that cardiologist referral just for peace of mind. One thing I'll grant you is that any doctor who comes in and asks *you* what you feel *they* can do is not the right doctor for you. It's their job to decide what to do or not.

[Deepseathree]

I worried it was heart at first and when they did the cardiologist referral that didn't help. But I feel that's unneeded. I really don't think it's heart though. My mind has went to Lung Cancer and I can't exscape that fear. Just the way that it's been persistent and hasn't faded in pain and is now seemingly becoming more constant with each breath.

[Deepseathree]

I post awhile back. Still kind of have no answers and am looking for anyone that has experienced it. For the past month and a half basically when I take a deep breath and breathe out I have pain on the left side of my chest. It's a sharp pain it seems. Sometimes the pain is constant even when not exhaling, just not as severe. I've had blood tests and an ekg a couple weeks ago. Though when I exercise the pain doesn't increase. In fact I don't seem to notice it. Or when I'm preoccupied with work. I don't want to relate it to anxiety due to how long it's last and how bad it hurts. My primary doctor set me up for a cardiologist appointment in April. I think that's a bit much though. Or at least I'm hoping. I'm still young and healthy.

[jrcoleman]

Probably allergies causing some mucus in your lungs that dries and then stretches when you breath deep.

[NervUs]

There are a few things it could be if you feel pain breathing in and out- costochondritis, intercostal muscle strain, or pleurisy. Pleurisy would be the most worrisome, as it can have some nonserious causes but some serious ones.

My doc told me to always check in if i feel chest pains. One time, I was having pain with inhalation, and I had elevated D dimer. That can indicate a clot in the lung, so they scanned me. Thankfully, it was clear. Recently, I went through several months of pain with inhalation, and they didn't do squat, lol, because I had had a clear chest xray in the preceding mon th or two. (I went through a year of bad pulmonary issues and had a few xrays). I think I had pulled an intercostal.

Pain with breathing in is probably not usually sinister, but it is something to call your doctor about, though. Just talk it through and see if you need to come in, esp since you are noticing improvement or think it might be psychosomatic.

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your thread was merged with another of your threads.

Please when posting on similar topics add it onto your previous post rather than starting a new one.

It is nothing personal it is just to make it easier for people to follow your story and to give you advice as a whole.

[Deepseathree]

I've almost got past my first initial worries as a hypochondriac. Pulmonary Embolism as that wouldn't last this long. I don't understand how it could be heart problems as I can exercise fine. I thought costocondritis but the pain doesn't increase with movement. The pain isn't increased with exercise or coughing. I thought Pleurisy as well. The pain again isn't increased with exercise or coughing. I can breathe fine except for the pain, which isn't stopping from taking a deep breath. Sometimes I won't notice it. When I'm going to sleep or wake up I don't. Price it until I'm up and moving. When I'm exercising I don't notice it. It's very irritating. I still think the worst like Lung Cancer or PE or something else sinister though.

---------- Post added at 22:47 ---------- Previous post was at 19:47 ----------

Just saw where a young guy died from complications of a lung infection. Guess where my mind is now.