scared22
15-07-08, 00:14
Hi There, i haven't really posted on here much before but im worrying about my health at the moment. Please bear with me, this might be a big post.
Firstly about me, i'm female, 23, no known health problems (if only i can believe that) no family history of any medical problems, don't smoke, i do drink once or twice a month but in no means to excess.
Almost 2 years ago i got diagnosed with something called costochondritis. If you have never heard of it, it is inflammation between the ribs and sternum which causes unbelieveable chest pain which can radiate to the arm or even the neck and jaw (all the heart attack symptoms!)
I was diagnosed after a night in the hospital with chest pain. Had ecg, chest x ray and a ton of blood tests - all negative. I saw the cardiologist couple weeks later just to confirm everything was good, also had an echo, results fine.
Although my heart was ruled out i could not get my head around it that something that was so painful was caused by something so harmless. Then begins the anxiety and panic attacks....these obviously made everything a million times worse as i was already feeling like i was having a heart attack with my chest problem, and we all know anxiety can cause heart attack symptoms also.
This persisted until about March 07 when the inflammation in my chest went away, so did the anxiety. During this time i had countless (and i mean countless....not enough fingers or toes to count on) visits to A&E each time an ecg was ran - normal. Sometimes blood tests - normal. Sometimes chest x ray - normal. I would see my own GP twice a week in a panic - he'd tell me i was fine it was just the costo or just another panic attack. At the weekend, if i wasnt at A&E i was at the out of hours GP, and guess what, they told me it was the costo or a panic.
So this chest pain rears its ugly head again a couple months ago. Great!
I haven't been so obvious with my anxiety this time, i dont want my family and friends to think im the unstable crazy girl i was last year.
Of course when the pain came back i went back to my GP to confirm it was the costo back again, im not the type to leave chest pain and not get it seen to. He listened to my chest, blood pressure etc and confirmed everything sounded in order, just the inflammation back again. I know deep down he's right, but there is still something niggling at me, that he's missing something. So i see another GP who says the same as the first one, then another who says the same as both of them.
I also go to A&E one night with the pain in my arm, chest and jaw. The doc seemed thorough and kept me there 2 and a half hours for a good check over. An ECG, chest x ray and bunch of blood tests were done, all fine of course.
I have totally zoned in on my heart again. I find myself constantly taking my pulse, or feeling for my heart beat to see if it feels 'right' although i dont know what that feels like, im no doctor!
I have been having some dizziness again, and shortness of breath. I find myself holding my breath or breathing real shallow sometimes, even when im not anxious. Just earlier tonight i wasnt worrying about anything, just sat chatting to my mum when my chest tightens and starts to ache all over the left side, my arm gets numb, i get the thoughts in my head. I was so close in running off to the hospital again.....but a couple hours later im still here. My chest has loosened off a bit, my arm still a bit odd but not so numb. If everytime i had these funny turns and it was my heart to blame, i wouldnt start to feel better again. Surely my heart would have packed in by now?
Out of all of the doctors i have seen surely they would have picked up on something by now? Wouldnt they?
Sorry this is such i long post. I congratulate you if you got through reading it :)
Just hoping, maybe someone can relate?
Firstly about me, i'm female, 23, no known health problems (if only i can believe that) no family history of any medical problems, don't smoke, i do drink once or twice a month but in no means to excess.
Almost 2 years ago i got diagnosed with something called costochondritis. If you have never heard of it, it is inflammation between the ribs and sternum which causes unbelieveable chest pain which can radiate to the arm or even the neck and jaw (all the heart attack symptoms!)
I was diagnosed after a night in the hospital with chest pain. Had ecg, chest x ray and a ton of blood tests - all negative. I saw the cardiologist couple weeks later just to confirm everything was good, also had an echo, results fine.
Although my heart was ruled out i could not get my head around it that something that was so painful was caused by something so harmless. Then begins the anxiety and panic attacks....these obviously made everything a million times worse as i was already feeling like i was having a heart attack with my chest problem, and we all know anxiety can cause heart attack symptoms also.
This persisted until about March 07 when the inflammation in my chest went away, so did the anxiety. During this time i had countless (and i mean countless....not enough fingers or toes to count on) visits to A&E each time an ecg was ran - normal. Sometimes blood tests - normal. Sometimes chest x ray - normal. I would see my own GP twice a week in a panic - he'd tell me i was fine it was just the costo or just another panic attack. At the weekend, if i wasnt at A&E i was at the out of hours GP, and guess what, they told me it was the costo or a panic.
So this chest pain rears its ugly head again a couple months ago. Great!
I haven't been so obvious with my anxiety this time, i dont want my family and friends to think im the unstable crazy girl i was last year.
Of course when the pain came back i went back to my GP to confirm it was the costo back again, im not the type to leave chest pain and not get it seen to. He listened to my chest, blood pressure etc and confirmed everything sounded in order, just the inflammation back again. I know deep down he's right, but there is still something niggling at me, that he's missing something. So i see another GP who says the same as the first one, then another who says the same as both of them.
I also go to A&E one night with the pain in my arm, chest and jaw. The doc seemed thorough and kept me there 2 and a half hours for a good check over. An ECG, chest x ray and bunch of blood tests were done, all fine of course.
I have totally zoned in on my heart again. I find myself constantly taking my pulse, or feeling for my heart beat to see if it feels 'right' although i dont know what that feels like, im no doctor!
I have been having some dizziness again, and shortness of breath. I find myself holding my breath or breathing real shallow sometimes, even when im not anxious. Just earlier tonight i wasnt worrying about anything, just sat chatting to my mum when my chest tightens and starts to ache all over the left side, my arm gets numb, i get the thoughts in my head. I was so close in running off to the hospital again.....but a couple hours later im still here. My chest has loosened off a bit, my arm still a bit odd but not so numb. If everytime i had these funny turns and it was my heart to blame, i wouldnt start to feel better again. Surely my heart would have packed in by now?
Out of all of the doctors i have seen surely they would have picked up on something by now? Wouldnt they?
Sorry this is such i long post. I congratulate you if you got through reading it :)
Just hoping, maybe someone can relate?