Chronic severe pain in upper torso

[dlc123]

Hi I have been to many doctors and many xrays but no answers. It started 6 months ago. I started feeling a small ache on right side of chest,above my breast but below my collar bone. it went from an ache to a very sharp severe stabbing pain when breathing,moving or even talking,it was the worst and most helpless feeling ever,after 3 hours it faded,i went to hospital and they took blood and xray but it was fine. The pain would come like clock work every 3 weeks,same place. But not as bad as the first. the pain then started coming  every week and now it has not gone for a month, and it has spread to all of both rib cages,down my spine,into my right shoulder blade.the ribs hurt when pushed and  spine and shoulder feels like black and blue bruises.this morning I woke and for the first time the pain had moved to left chest and was swollen way out and hurts to breath in. I went to doc, blood,x ray normal,the swelling is gone now but still hurts,im not crazy, how can no one know what it is? Please anyone that can help, thank you

[dogmum]

I know it's not easy when no one can tell you what's going on. If Lupus is/was suspected, know that it's very difficult to diagnose and often doesn't show up on the first tests. I took the following from a thread about getting a lupus dx here. http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/Lupus---Do-I-have-any-takers/show/1711530

.............
A comment from Karajo, Community Leader of the Medhelp Lupus Forum, who was finally diagnosed with Lupus:

"I just spent about 10-15 min in the sun prior to going inside the doc office.  The lab was probably drawn about an hour later.  It made my ANA go from neg to 1:2,560."

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Lupus/Sun-flare-up/show/1263207
.............

I have something quite similar and at first they thought Lupus or Sarcoidosis. But those have been mostly ruled out and that particular pain has mostly gone away. I hope you will feel better and find answers soon.

Laura

[dlc123]

Hi dogmum thanks for responding.i have not seen rheumatologist yet, but will soon. I have kieser so they pretty much make the desisions,they want me to see a pumoligest and bone specialist  in june, I have no bumps on outside of skin. I thought it was lupus because I have dark spots that have come across both cheeks, and dont go in sun. But 2 ana test were neg. I have had esr test for inflammation which is a 10 from scale 0 to 20. Had a c reactive proein test but neg. A dimer test for clots, but neg. And a basic panel test and all was good. So I will see if these other docs can figure it out. Thanks again.

[dogmum]

Have you seen a rheumatologist?  Have they looked into auto-immune diseases?  It's good that the x-rays came out well.  

Do you have other symptoms as well? Bumps on the skin, etc? It doesn't really sound like thoracic wall pain, but it's hard to say.  Are the muscles between your ribs cramping?  If so, you might want to see a neurologist for an MRI of your spine.  

I hope they find what's wrong soon.  

[dlc123]

I forgot to add, when pain is in chest it shoot up side of neck into back jaw,ear and head,but think it maybe reaction to pain. If you ever had a terrible painful abcess tooth, thats the best way to describe, but its in my torso.