Constant Chest Pains

[rysie80]

I have been having chest pains for about 6 months.  It started out as a heavy feeling in my chest when I was breathing.  My doctor diagnosed me with Costochondritis, but since there is no true way to diagnos this, I am leary.  I have been to the ER 2 times and had two EKG's, two chest x-rays, CT Scan, Exercise Stress Test, Upper GI Scope, Sonogram on Pancreas and Gall Bladder.  All of my tests have come back fine.  The ER said it could be GERD, but it is not triggered by any food, as I have changed my diet.  I keep getting dismissed because I am a 28 year old female with good cholesterol.  But, I am overweight, smoke and on Birth Control.  I recently took myself off of the BC because one of the side effects is chest pain and heaviness.  My doctor has pretty much given up and said she does not know what is wrong with me.  The chest pains have changed throughout the past 6 months.  I now have a sharp pain in the center of my chest, in the breast bone region.  I also have a tightness in my throat and shooting pains in my left breast.  These pains will last throughout the day.  The past month I have been having jaw pains as well, but my doctor dismissed these as sinus problems.  When I wake up in the morning my chest feels very tight, almost as if a muscle has been pulled.  I am in the process of getting a referal to the Cleveland Clinic, but in the mean time this is all I can think of.  Could this be Angina or anything heart related?  I need peace of mind!  Please help!!  Thanks!

[Cleveland Clinic]

This does not sound like angina at all.  I would be more inclined to treat this as musculoskeletal chest pain, not necessarily costochondritis.  Of course, when you come to see us here at the CC, bring all those test, actual films, with you so that we could review them all.  A physical exam is very diagnostic for this condition especially if the chest pain is reproducible with certain maneuvers.  Also, keep in mind that in cardiac chest pain does not only come from blocked arteries.  Sometimes pt have chest pain because of abnormal valves, abnormal rhythms or structural problems with the heart.  Again, the only way to assess that is via reviewing all your previous test and occasionally ordering additional ones.  

[rysie80]

Hi Rob, sounds like we are in similar positions.  Sorry to hear you are going through the same thing.  I don't know about you, but it is very frustrating for me that I keep getting brushed off because of my age.  I am thankful that they say it is nothing heart related or anything serious, but I still have a hard time believing it.  What was the CTA Scan?  For the CT Scan I had done at the ER, they shot some sort of iodine through my viens before they did it.  Is this different than what you had?  This was to check for clots.

They keep telling me it could be heartburn or GERD as well, but I know that's not what it is also.  It's all very frustrating and scary!  Thanks for responding, hope you find some relief soon!  Take care.

[Rob2008]

I was also given the heartburn routine, even though I do have that sometimes, I know it's not that.    What I feel is too specific and constant.   I don't know

[Rob2008]

I don't know what's wrong with you,  but for about the past year I've had heaviness in the center of my chest along with occasional extra heartbeats felt in the same spot.    I also had many of the usual tests done, and was dismissed because I'm a 31 year old guy with good cholesterol.    One test that I had that you didn't was a cardiac CTA scan.  Which was a waste of money and radiation exposure.   I don't know what is wrong and may never know.    Sometimes my pulse races while I'm standing up for no reason.

[rysie80]

Thank you for reviewing my question and giving me suggestions.  You are the 3rd or 4th doctor to mention Costochondritis.  I try to keep telling myself that is what my problem is, but chest pains are hard to ignore and I can't put myself at ease.  I will definately bring all of my test results when I visit the clinic.  Hopefully I am just overreacting to all of this, but I have to be proactive.  Thanks again!