Severe Left Side Chest Pain

[JANE10]

I am so thankful to finally get in to post a question on this site!  I am a 30yr old female weight 110 and no previous health concerns nor any family history of heart problems.  Since age 15 I have been experiencing severe chest pain under my left breast(almost feels like it's on the top rib?) that does not move, radiate or cause shortness of breath.  At onset, for no apparent reason, I am only able to lie on flat on my back and not move or breath deep until it passes.  This pain has lasted for no less than 24-48hrs at a time but has lasted about a week when it first began.  I have been given lortab for pain, xanax for anxiety and vioxx.  I've seen numerous doctors over the yrs that have prescribed everything from antacids to beta blockers to zelnorm for irritable bowel.  I recently saw a rheumatologist who mentioned fibromyalgia and prescribed flexeril to take at bedtime.  None of the above takes the pain away and I have found zero relief with any of them.  My only option is to wait it out.  These pains have been coming more frequently and I'm beginning to wonder if they are in my head.  There has to be a medical reason why I am suffering from this excruciating pain.  I am afraid to exercise anymore and do anything that might cause it to come back and it is definitely preventing me from living my life to the fullest.  I'm so tired of popping pills and desperately want to understand why this happens to me.  In 15yrs I haven't heard of any other person that suffers from this and doctors always seem baffled.  Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated.

[Cleveland Clinic]

Jane,

I do not have a good answer for you. The chronic nature of your symptoms and the fact they persist despite what sounds like alot of different testing argue that it is probably musculoskeletal in nature along with a degree of negative conditioning that has caused you to dramatically change your activities. There are alot of muscular and bony structures in the chest wall and joints, cartilage and ligaments connecting them that could all be implicated.  Another possibility includes fibrocystic breast disease.

After revieing the data, the fact it has persisted this long would be somewhat reassuring to me as a physician to say that while quite bothersome, the symptom certainly isnt life threatening.  

Perhaps a supervised activity program, along with some stress reduction therapies can help get you back on track.  I would discuss this with your primary physician, as lack of activity can certainly impact your overall life.

good luck

[hankstar]

Hi,
  
   I think I might have commented to you before, I have ankylosing spondylitis and have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome secondary to the AS. I also have costochondritis related to the AS(what you are describing is exactly how my episodes/attacks of costochondritis act, on a scale from 1-10, sometimes it could easily be rated a 10, it literally freezes you in your tracks and disables you, can't take a deep breath or move, just lay as still as possible, it rarely is that severe for any longer than 24-48 hours , but the dull and tolerable pain can linger for weeks at a time, only return with weeks or months with a vengence.

I have found that valium 5mg (diazepam) twice daily and only one 325mg of regular aspirin helps me a great deal, also co-dyrammol 2 tablets about every 12 hours can ease the pain when it very severe, I only take co-dyrammol when the pain is very severe , but I take the valium and aspirin on a daily basis, valium is one of few anti anxiety that is used to relive muscle spasms and most find it addictive, I never experienced any addiction it and I have taken it for months before and stopped without problems , of course we are all different. These are the medication that help, in no way am I suggesting that you  take these same medications, i am only saying what I have been diagnosed with and what helps me, you might have something completely different, I am only saying that your symptoms sounds very much like the costochondritis I experience, glad to see you got your question posted.

Take care , hope you feel better soon.

[line]

I have Fibro and Costochondritis also. I know the pain you are speaking off. I have had the pain for months at a time already. Mine started in the ribs under the breast and into the breast but now get it in the front of the shoulder, the under arm, down the sides of my breasts. Sometimes my ribs feel like there is a tight belt around me. I also get so many sore spots in my upper chest and collar bone that even heayy clothes bother me. I do have some heart issues but the Dr. said this pain is not related to heart. I know a lot of people get this in the sterum also. Flexerol is a anti-inflamatory isn't it. If you Dr. put you on that for Fibro, Fibro is not inflamation (inflammation). I take an anti-anxiety drug, aspirin and use a lot of moist heat.

[Twiggymoney]

I developed pain in my back on the left side about 4 years ago. I thought it was stress as I was finishing up my BSN degree. Over the past 4 years the pain has changed in quality and quantity. The in is now in my chest and back in the same area and is present there to some degree at all times. It does hurt when I take a deep breath but at times just holding my breath hurts. I have tried high dose Ibuprofen for R/O costocondritis and the pain got slightly better but once the ibuprofen stopped, the pain came back. All tests have been normal IE CXR, Echo, UGI and blood work like ESR levels, thyroid panel, CBC with DIFF everything. I'm 37 years old and weight 155lbs at 5' 5" tall. Pleurisy has been ruled out as well and Ive seen a chiropractor 3 times with the return of the symptoms every time. I'm confused and turning here is another effort to understand what is going on.

[Sky422]

Hello!!

I to suffer from some sort of "PHANTOM" pain on my upper left side which started about a year and a half ago. The pain started in front on my left side just under the breast bone and would go through to the back. It was almost like my gallbladder attacks before I had my gallbladder out 6 months prior to this happening for the first time. The pain was so bad I went to the ER thinking it had something to do with the gallbladder but didn't. I have been to the ER about 7 or 8 times since it started. After the 4th time there seemed to be a pattern, it would ALWAYS happen with my periods. They keep me each time I go to the ER and do tests the next day, so far I have had 2 scopes, ERCP (I think that's what they called it), upper GI, colonoscopy, many CT's, X-ray's, EKG (every time I visit the ER) and tons of blood tests and the only thing they found is that I am anemic. I started taking prevacid and zelnorm a year ago and did very well until Feb. 2004 when I had another attack. This time a CT showed a cyst on my left ovary and the Gastro Dr. decided to have me go be checked for endometreosus (SP?). I started having lots of tests on that and decided to have the cyst removed along with a D&C to help the heavy periods and animea. I had this done in May and it showed no signs of Endo. I quit taking the prevacid and zelnorm to see what would happen and did fine until September 1st when all all hell broke loose (that was 7 months pain free). As usual it happened just one day before my period started and was stronger than ever before but this time the pain focused not only in the front but also the side and back...almost like it's on a rib and just keeps spreading around but never reaches the right side, it always stops in the middle (front and back). The ER once again told me they thought it was peptic ulcers but all tests have never shown anything. I started taking the prevacid again and waited on the zelnorm. October and another period came along with the pain so I started the zelnorm as well. November, another period and the pain once again, went to the ER again and this time they test me for blood clots (blood tests and lung-CT) still nothing. The pain seems to be starting more in the back now instead of the abdomen. The Dr. has given me Vicodin to take when it starts but it don't even take the pain from a 10 to a 8...takes about 2 Dilotted's. The pain has never lasted more than 24 hours, it goes away as sudden as it comes on and seems to mostly come on at night (just like the gallbladder attacks did). Eating don't seem to bring it on...onlgy my periods. Now we're in December and it came back again but this time about 5 or 6 days after my period started. It was all I could do to not go to the ER again (I'm sure they think I'm nuts). BUT...something is different this time. After the main left I'm still very sore on my left side just above the bra line and have also noticed some aches in different areas under the breast and yesterday started to get a little sore in my left arm pit. I just had a mamogram (mammogram) and ultrasound done 3 weeks ago and as usual I have benign findings. I made them do an ultrasound just to be safe. I am 39 years old by the way. I just don't know what else to do and where to turn. I'm so scared that they are missing something and it's going to get worse and maybe become serious. I have thought about having my uterus out to help not only my anemia but to see if no periods would fix it. I also get mouth sores with my periods, they have checked my hormone levels but say everything is ok, I have a hard time with that...something has to be really off when this happens. It's so hard to have testing done when it's not hurting and you can only have so much done in the ER because they're only looking for life threatening illness's. Someone help me please, I feel like I am going insane.
I currently take Altace, zelnorm, mirapex for restless leg syndrom (syndrome) due to the anemia, prevacid, 2-324 mg iron, stool softener, xanax as needed and vicodin 750 as needed.
I forgot to mention I also seem to get bloated with these pains.
Any clue?
Thanks

[hankstar]

Ask your doctor about Behcet's syndrome or disease and see what he thinks.

Good luck.

[TraceyN]

I to am currently dealing with Costochondritis. A few days ago I was rushed to the Emergency Room with severe chest pain, fever, and chills. I am 34 years old.  However, for over 10 years now, I have been dealing with the chest and back pains you all have been talking about. None of the doctors seem to be able to fix the problem. I had my gallbladder removed 9 years ago...and still I have the pain. I am currently taking Ibuprofen for the pain due to the Costochondritis....but, these doctors don't seem to understand that although the " chondritis" escalated my symptoms , the symptoms have always been there. It is a horrible, undescribable pain ( accpet to say, it feels like you're having a heart attack). Although, my sympathies go out to all of you who are suffering with the same thing, I am glad to know that I am not by myself and I am not crazy.

[Cipo77]

Hi Jane,

Sorry to hear about your problems.  I'm not a doctor or anything but your symptoms sound similar to something my sister experienced.
Since you've had so many tests and doctors have ruled out a serious heart condition, it sounds to me like your problem may be musculoskeletal like my sister's.  

4 years ago, my sister had chest pain that was brought about mostly when sitting in one position for a long time and then moving or bending her back and straightening back up quickly. However at the time, she didn't notice that the pain was associated with these actions. It started off with the pain not being very noticeable but she began to notice it more. The pain was usually relieved when she lay down for a while.  She saw a doctor and the hospital did all the usual tests to rule out problems with the heart or a blood clot in the lung etc. They eventually said that the pain was due to an inflammation of the chest wall. Why the chest wall was inflamed, they did not have an answer for at that time.

4 years later and she still periodically experienced the pain but it was getting worse. Once it woke her up in the night and this was when she decided to go see the doctor again. The first doctor gave her an anti-inflammatory cream, which helped when applied to the area of her chest (just around the top rib to the left of the centre of the chest). But once she stopped applying the cream, the pain would come back. So she went to see another doctor. This doctor checked her back and found that her spine is slightly curved to the left. Her pelvis is also slightly misaligned on the left hand side, resulting in an increase in pressure to the left rib cage.

The chest pain she experienced was actually a result of her spine being slightly curved. Something that unfortunately was never noticed till now and she's in her late twenties. The spine being curved put pressure on her chest wall, leading to it being inflamed and eventually also some ribs becoming inflamed, which was the severe pain she experienced more recently.

I don't know if this helps but just thought I'd tell you as it took a long time for doctors to find the answer to my sister's chest pain too.
Does the area where you feel the pain feel tender when you press on it? If it does, this could suggest the pain is related to the muscles or skeleton.

Anyway, best of luck and hope you get an answer and get better soon.

[MarieS]

I was so happy to come across this board because the story of Jane I believe it was sounds exactly like mine.  I am 25 years old and have been suffering with pain in the left side of my chest right under my breast for about 3 years now.  The pain is absolutely horrible and almost unbearable at times.  I also can only sleep on my back at night.  I have been to many doctors and physical therapists who either dismiss me all together or try to send me to psychiatrists.  I had started to feel better to the point where I was feeling almost normal again and then was hit this past November with the aweful stabbing pain again.  It feels like once it happens it takes months and months to feel relief.   I went in to the doctor and they finally told me that it was probably costochondritis and that it would go away with strong antiinflamatory drugs.  I have been taking naproxen for 8 weeks now and they aren't working as well as I would like.  I'm afraid when I stop taking them the pain will come right back.   I am having a tough time dealing with this and at times think I might be crazy.  This board has helped me to realize that I'm not crazy at all.  If anyone has any tips on relieving the pain etc.  please pass it on.

Thanks,
Marie S

[MarieS]

I was so happy to come across this board because the story of Jane I believe it was sounds exactly like mine.  I am 25 years old and have been suffering with pain in the left side of my chest right under my breast for about 3 years now.  The pain is absolutely horrible and almost unbearable at times.  I also can only sleep on my back at night.  I have been to many doctors and physical therapists who either dismiss me all together or try to send me to psychiatrists.  I had started to feel better to the point where I was feeling almost normal again and then was hit this past November with the aweful stabbing pain again.  It feels like once it happens it takes months and months to feel relief.   I went in to the doctor and they finally told me that it was probably costochondritis and that it would go away with strong antiinflamatory drugs.  I have been taking naproxen for 8 weeks now and they aren't working as well as I would like.  I'm afraid when I stop taking them the pain will come right back.   I am having a tough time dealing with this and at times think I might be crazy.  This board has helped me to realize that I'm not crazy at all.  If anyone has any tips on relieving the pain etc.  please pass it on.

Thanks,
Marie S

[MarieS]

I was so happy to come across this board because the story of Jane I believe it was sounds exactly like mine.  I am 25 years old and have been suffering with pain in the left side of my chest right under my breast for about 3 years now.  The pain is absolutely horrible and almost unbearable at times.  I also can only sleep on my back at night.  I have been to many doctors and physical therapists who either dismiss me all together or try to send me to psychiatrists.  I had started to feel better to the point where I was feeling almost normal again and then was hit this past November with the aweful stabbing pain again.  It feels like once it happens it takes months and months to feel relief.   I went in to the doctor and they finally told me that it was probably costochondritis and that it would go away with strong antiinflamatory drugs.  I have been taking naproxen for 8 weeks now and they aren't working as well as I would like.  I'm afraid when I stop taking them the pain will come right back.   I am having a tough time dealing with this and at times think I might be crazy.  This board has helped me to realize that I'm not crazy at all.  If anyone has any tips on relieving the pain etc.  please pass it on.

Thanks,
Marie S

[Repunzel]

i am 17 years old and durring my junior year started have=ing pains in my chest under my breatsbone. It feels like it is on my ribs. The pain went on for almost a year before i went to see a doctor. I just thought it owuld go away. My mother didn't think it was real because she said we always have something wrong with us. When i finally went to see a doctor he preesed his hands on the spot where it hurt the most. He said something about having the beginning stages of Chest Wall Syndrome. I was taking Naproxin if that's even the right name and it didn't really work. He had some xrays taken and nothing showed up. I know I'm not making up this kind of pain but there's really nothing that i can do. He gave me these gel pad things that just soothed the pain. It went away for a few weeks but it's back now and it's disrupting my work. Please if anyone knows why it hurts let me know.

[Timmay69]

A related discussion, Sharp Chest Pains was started.