I'll cut to the point. I've been in and out of doctors offices for the past five years trying to deal with a moderate to severe back and chest pain problem.
I'm a 22 year old female with a past history of stomach ulcers, and no other major health problems other than the one I am describing. I eat well, weigh around 120 pounds, keep reasonably active (no high impact activities) and would consider myself healthy.
My lower back pain is deep in the tissue, not restricted to joints, but not restricted outside of joints either. I can't sit in one position for more than 20 minutes without the pain becoming unbearable, and most nights I am unable to sleep without medication. Though the pain is mostly confined to my lower back and sacral area, when I am having a bad pain day, I can feel shooting pains going down towards my feet when walking. I have also had weeks at a time where the pain has progressed up into my chest, making it difficult to breath, as if I had broken a rib. Most days it is manageable with ibuprofen, but occasionally it is so bad I need my boyfriend to help me walk to the bathroom.
Ok, thats the physical, now to the medical:
I have had tests for rheumatoid factor, they came back negative
I am negative for the HLA B27 gene that is implicated in most spondyloarthopathies
I have had X-rays and bone scans (to check for signs of ankylosing spondylitis) that show nothing more than diffuse inflammation
I have tried amytryptyline, to little effect, diclofenac to little effect, physiotherapy to no perceived benefit, and am currently taking celecoxib, which is helping a little, but no more than ibuprofen would.
I have an appointment with a rheumatologist, but I live in Canada, so this isn't until December!
In the meantime, can anyone help me? I have kept my chin up about this for a long time, but it is starting to get to me.
Thanks very much for your time and any help you can give!
Melissa