Is it Angina or Costochondritis

  Recently,  I have been having chest pain originating in the center under the sternum and radiating to the left side.  It really feels like a rib pain but when it acts up the whole left side of my chest hurts and it is very scary.  I have had several bad anxiety attacks,  one of which sent me to the ER.
  A visit to a cardiologist resulted in a normal EKG, normal stress echo and no solution.  An osteopath and internal medicine doctor decided it was Costochondritis.  Ibuprofen and and another mild anti-inflammatory did not help.  Two weeks on Indomethacin actually knocked the pain out but upon cessation of this drug,  the pain returned full force along with the anxiety.
  My question is this:  if the stress echo was normal and I have no chest pain or shortness of breath when doing intense cardiovascular exercise,  is there anyway this can be heart related?  
  If not,  what do you recommend for treatment of the Costochondritis.  The internal medicine doc does not seem to be taking this too seriously.  She wants to put me on Paxil for anxiety and says the Costo will go away eventually.  It has been five weeks with no end in sight.
  Thank you.
  Wally

[CCF CARDIO MD APS]

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Dear Wally,
A normal stress and echo test along with no symptoms of shortness of breath and or chest pain with exercise
makes it highly unlikely that the pain is at all related to your heart.  Of course as in life, nothing is 100%percent certain.
It sounds like you have a difficult to treat form of costochondritis, especially in that the indomethacin (an anti-inflammation medication)
relieved the pain.
Ask your primary doctor for a referral to a rheumatologist or just someone who specializes in difficult to treat cases of costochondritis.
As this is a cardiology forum, I do not have any further advice for you.
Information provided in the heart forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only, actual diagnosis and treatment can only be made
by your physician(s).