pain in my breastbone, ribs and chest

Posted by happyat76 @happyat76, Oct 30, 2019

I have had every test there is on my stomach to find out what this pain is. I kept saying it wasn’t my stomach. Someone told me it may be Costochondritis and I looked it up and think it may be. The only thing is, this has been going on for years, not days, weeks or months. How do I find out exactly what this is. My Dr. isn’t sending me to anyone else and isn’t requesting any more tests. Should I see some kind of Specialist? I can’t breathe properly and am in pain most of the time. The pain is where the breastbone meets up with the ribs. I hope someone understands and ca shed some light on this for me. Thanks very much

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charleneb | @charleneb | Aug 22, 2021

It isn't always easy here to reply to some comments, but this is re the post by happy76. I see you found the cause for your pain, but thought I might mention something in case anyone else has that type of pain.

Any remote chance that the pain is being cause by Shingles? That sounds like how it felt for me . I would get that pain for a few weeks and then it would stop. Several times a year. I was given Flexural which didn't help much. Finally got diagnosed with Shingles 10 years ago. After that outbreak I had the Shingles vaccine and stopped getting the outbreaks. I think they didn't identify it properly because I was one of the lucky ones who didn't have nasty pus filled lesions. They did get worse each time so maybe I would have started getting the lesions.

I am planning on getting the latest Shingles vaccine.

happyat76 | @happyat76 | Aug 22, 2021

In reply to @amandajro "@happyat76 what a wonderful update and relief for you! What do you plan to do with..." + (show)

I am going to laugh at everyone and everything that I think is funny. I feel so different now without pain 24/7. Thank you for your words of encouragement..

Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Aug 22, 2021

In reply to @happyat76 "I am going to laugh at everyone and everything that I think is funny. I feel..." + (show)

I'm so happy to hear that. What a wonderful relief.
Sue

happyat76 | @happyat76 | Aug 22, 2021

In reply to @charleneb "It isn't always easy here to reply to some comments, but this is re the post..." + (show)

I have had this pain in my chest constantly for a very long time and Dr’s. have tried different meds on me with no relief. I did see a Dr. once a while back who said he thought this pain was Costochondritis. I did not get any meds from him at the time. Sometimes I could barely breathe the pain was so bad. I don’t believe this pain was from Shingles as it was constant every single day all day for months and months with no relief. I wish you much luck with getting rid of your pain.

happyat76 | @happyat76 | Aug 22, 2021

In reply to @sueinmn "I'm so happy to hear that. What a wonderful relief. Sue" + (show)

Thank you sincerely Sue

kaptainkat | @kaptainkat | Aug 22, 2021

It was a LONG two-years, and nearly half a dozen 'oscopies' ere discovery of an esophageal 'stricture' just prior to the SPHINCTURE that allows passage to the stomach.

The STRICTURE had apparently (we are hoping) to have been the origin of years and varieties of 'discomforts', including those mentioned and suspected here.

He is 'the best in the Valley', and has said he 'successfully accomplished what he was supposed to do, and many post-procedure tests have only shown NOTHING WRONG with my esophagus or swallowing operation.'

Nevertheless, I either won't or can't eat. Everything that goes down the tube results in a MASSIVE belching session, leaving me with a head ache. And 'just shoot me' when the clouds roll in. 'It's not the wet of the rain that brings on the pain, it's the level of the mercury that elicits the hurt in me.'

I know (now) that there is a metal 'clip' in my esoph, and i can feel a lump where i used to not. So i imagine that is all being normal. But SOMETHING from the 'procedures' has left me VERY susceptible to air pressure.

The eso issues were long to track down and difficult to find. And though 'mended', still give me the same grief.
Shadowcat

momofawesomeson21 | @momofawesomeson21 | Oct 4, 2023

Did you get answers to this?

havingfun71 | @havingfun71 | Mar 8 6:40pm

In reply to @happyat76 "I don’t think so as it has been going on for years now, but thanks" + (show)

@happyat76
Hi, I will be getting a CT scan for a similar problem. Pain on breastbone between breast for four years. I had a mammogram, but it showed nothing. Now I am being told I need a ct scan for the pain. It starts on the breastbone with pain to the touch, has moved to under the right breast with pain and pinching from wearing a bra, and lately the pain has moved to under the right arm. I will see on April 8th what the test shows. I do have osteoarthritis, so I will find out if that has anything to do with the pain. I will share. Take care.

sandrac | @sandrac | Mar 9 9:44am

Has anyone suggested that it might be Myofascial Pain Syndrome? It took over two years for me to get a diagnosis working with Rheumatologist and a Pain specialist. That pain on the breast bone attached to ribs is common with that, but for me it goes all the way around my ribs. I hope you find an answer .

loyd1957 | @loyd1957 | Mar 11 11:02am

I have had that on and off for years. Once, it was so bad, I couldn't take a breath and called a hotline. Told me to take 600mg of Ibuprofen and it subsided. I went to doctor next few days and all he could think of was Pleurisy which can also go along with Costochondritis. I think it was just inflammation that I now have with my autoimmune disease. I just recently had it when having an endoscopy. My whole breastbone and upper back hurt from the positioning. Gastro thought it was GERD and gave me omeprazole but that wasn't what it was. It comes and goes for me.