Chest pains associated with endometriosis

[Endo_This]

Hi all, I am really suffering with horrible chest pains today. I often feel this pain on the left side of my chest and worry it is my heart or my breast. I often have pain and discomfort under my rib cage but sometimes it is further up and almost in my arm pit and top of my arm. I have mentioned it to the doctor many times and they have put it down to anxiety or now my endo is confirmed they have said it could be displaced pain. It really exhausts me. Does anybody else have this?

[Katie22x]

I have this, this was actually the start of my symptoms. About 5 years ago I started experiencing bad chest pains on my left side as well as pressure feeling on my chest. The pain felt like a popping shooting pain (if that makes sense) and sometimes my chest would feel tender to touch. I went through so many different tests, with none really getting to the bottom of it. They put me on amytripyline and that really helped. Earlier this year though I started experiencing terrible pelvic pain and had my first lap 3 weeks ago, confirming endometriosis and mostly left sided. They now believe the chest pain was referred pain, i still experience it but not as intensely since I've been taking my pill back to back (I only took amytripyline for about a year). X

[Endo_This in reply to Katie22x]

Hi Katie22x, the popping shooting pain does make sense to me. It is so frustrating trying to explain how you feel don't you think? Because it comes from so deep inside it's difficult to describe. I guess that's part of the problem with diagnosis... I have an appointment with my consultant in Feb, following my exploratory laparoscopy and cystoscopy so I will keep researching until then. Thanks for the info on amytripyline, it's useful to know what has worked for other people. I am glad your pill back to back is relieving some of the chest pain. I am 34 and would like a family soon (this has halted that for the last 12 months) so I hope they will be able to help me with that and the pain will have to be looked into afterwards x

[Char411]

I have been experiencing this lately mine is also left sided(as are most of my endo pain symptoms) and goes into my left shoulder too. Like yourself I at first worried it was breast or heart, at times I could literally feel the pain moving about from my breast to my shoulder. My GP had told me about referred pain so I put it down to that. The worry this disease causes is just miserable... I never used to have anxiety now I have to battle with it weekly. Once again although it’s horrible we suffer it’s nice to know we aren’t alone xx

[Sam-28 in reply to Char411]

Omg I'm so glad I've seen this, I have been made to feel like I'm going mad, I'm

Getting awful chest pain left side and have done for a few weeks right into my shoulder and very heavy feeling too! My endo is left sided and didn't think they could be related xxx

[Endo_This in reply to Char411]

You are so right about this disease being miserable, I have to remember it's not me. I wasn't always like this. The sensations do make me feel crazy sometimes, if something causes this much discomfort why should we have to put up with it? It makes me angry. I sometimes feel a bubbling in my chest cavity, it used to scare me to death but it has happened so many times now that I figure it's nothing serious or is just my mind wandering (that's how I've been made to feel because the GPs look at me like I'm fibbing or speaking a language they don't understand!) Mine mentioned referred pain too but I am just not convinced.

It is reassuring to hear from others that feel the same or that have advice, just wish others weren't suffering x

[Judit999]

Hi, I have chest pain also, and scheduled for (pelvic and) diaphragmatic endometriosis surgery. Pls don't believe ur gp or general gynecologist that it's just in ur head or just anxiety or displaced pain or reflux or whatever they make up. Sorry but I'm so upset about how uninformed they are in their own field.... And we are surprised that they can't help us... Of course u can have endo in ur chest, most likely on ur diaphragm but not only there. It would require 5 mins of googling for drs to check it up at least if they haven't learned it during their 'precious' training. Swelling of ur abdominal organs due to inflammation can also cause chest pain as far as I know, but still it can be endo in ur chest. Many times scans don't show it on ur diaphragm, so don't let urself be ignored if they came back negative. Good luck, I hope u will get an appointment to a specialist who can recognize endo at less frequent sites.

Take care,

Judit

(p.s. sorry for my english)

[Endo_This in reply to Judit999]

Judit, your English is fantastic. no need to be sorry! I really appreciate your message, I can sense your passion and frustration. It is terrible that we are just supposed to put up with this discomfort/pain/sensations because it may be referred pain or anxiety or reflux. GPs should still want to help even if that is the cause but in my case and many others it seems they just don't want to. I have been sent away time after time, I became so low before my diagnosis. I hope treatment gets better in the future. I am taking all of the information I can with me in February to my consultant appointment, I feel optimistic that I will receive the care I need but it has been horrible getting to this stage. Best wishes for your surgery, take care and I hope it gives you some relief once you have recovered x

[Judit999 in reply to Endo_This]

Haha, u r right, many passion and frustration is built up in me

I really hope u will get proper care in February!! U know there always r successful surgeries healing even stage IV endo. Just a little more info, maybe u can benefit from it: pain between ur shoulder blades and pain in ur shoulders is typical of diaphragm endo, i don't know if u have it or not.

Thanks, best wishes for u too. x

P.s. Maybe if my surgery will be successful, I could recommend my dr to u.

Take care