Does anybody else feel like their chest/ribs feel like they’re being crushed

[Chloelouise92]

I have posted about this before but it seems to me getting worse lately. It’s mainly when I’m in bed so if I wake up in the middle of the night, which I do quite a lot and in the morning it feels like an elephant has been sat on me and my organs feels crushed. It’s such a horrible painful feeling does anybody else have this?

I haven’t got a diagnosis yet, I’m still waiting for my laparoscopy. I ended up going private in the end because I was fed up of being fobbed off! But obviously with everything going on at the moment my laparoscopy was cancelled. Just wanted to know if anybody has a similar pain and why it would be causing pain that high up in that area?

Thanks chloe

[Thetealharp]

I get that but I'm not sure what causes it because of all the other stuff I have going on

[Chloelouise92 in reply to Thetealharp]

Do you mind me asking what diagnosis you have? I did have my gallbladder removed roughly 4 years ago as well because I had a sharp pain under my rib cage which they never really knew what caused it. Because they had found one small gallstone they said well just take it out and see if it stops but it didn’t. However I now have a mountain of other symptoms which all point towards endometriosis. Not sure if it’s linked or not!

[Thetealharp in reply to Chloelouise92]

I don't have one, I'm in the waiting list for gyno and gastric consultants. Well I do also have neuropathic pain, hyper joint mobility syndrome (sometimes my ribs dislocate) but I don't know what causes the chest pain because I don't have reflux or heart burn.

[Chloelouise92 in reply to Thetealharp]

Ah okay well I hope you find out some answers soon 🤞🏻 I do get heartburn but it’s never related to the pain in the chest or ribs. Well I’m just guessing that it isn’t related but by that I mean it’s never at the same time and one doesn’t seem to follow the other! Strange

[Hufflepuffsoph]

Weirdly enough I was suffering with really bad pain yesterday in my ribs on the side of my body that I have endometriosis.

[Chloelouise92 in reply to Hufflepuffsoph]

It’s such a strange sensation and so difficult to explain! The only way I can really explain is like I’m being crushed it feels like there isn’t enough room for my organs! X

[Violet159]

Could be diaphragm endometriosis, I've got similar symptoms and my GP suspects diaphragm endo but I'm also waiting on a laparoscopy to investigate which was cancelled for covid. I often feel like my ribcage is really heavy and it does get worse when lying down. I find when it's really bad that propping myself up a bit to sleep more upright helps. It's a horrible sensation isn't it!

Obviously everything's a bit hectic at the minute but it may be worth getting in touch with your hospital/surgeon to let them know of your symptoms and make sure they check your diaphragm when you have your op? (If you haven't already)

Could also be stress or referred pain, and there's probably other medical issues that might cause it too, so maybe check with your GP (whenever you can) if its worth doing any other tests. Does this symptom flare with your cycle at all?

You're certainly not alone anyway xxx

[Chloelouise92 in reply to Violet159]

Thank you for the reply! Weirdly I did look into this but it’s so rare I thought what’s the chances of me being the unlucky one!

It doesn’t seem to get worse around that time of the month...my pain generally can be worse around that time but To be honest I’m in daily pain anyway so sometimes I can’t always notice the difference and other times it’s totally random. This morning was horrendous and I’m not due any time soon.

I had a strange pain there before all the other symptoms started which is why I had my gallbladder taken out but it never really went away albeit I didn’t have it as often as before. But more recently it’s been more noticeable and it’s such a horrible sensation! It wears off fairly quickly after I’ve got up but I can get it throughout the day. Just mainly when I’m laid down!

Think I will make a point of saying to my consultant before the op that this particular pain seems to be worse lately.

It’s nice to know there are others who are similar makes you feel like you’re not going mad! Unfortunately some of the gps I’ve seen haven’t been particularly empathetic let’s say and one consultant I saw before was actually horrible!!! Xx

[Violet159 in reply to Chloelouise92]

Its interesting, from what I've read while nosing around online, some doctors don't actually think diaphragm endo is so rare - I've seen some estimate up to 10% women with endo could have it there! There's not a huge amount of research on it though. But it's certainly worth a serious consideration! It's so annoying when doctors don't listen, I was lucky enough to crawl into my GPs office after a sleepless night with the pain and she suggested diaphragm endo to me and knew quite a bit about it. Before that I'd began to feel very brushed off by other GPs I'd seen, as the tests I'd had all came up negative I felt they stopped believing me ☹

Mine began not linked to my cycle too, but after some months of constant, niggly pain and heaviness I started to get bad flares on periods. I think the worst thing about all this is not knowing for sure what's wrong, it's a nasty feeling and I'd love to know for sure what causes it! Hopefully you get an answer soon!

Best of luck xx

[Chloelouise92 in reply to Violet159]

That’s more frustrating is not having any answers, makes me feel sometimes like I’m going mad and maybe there isn’t anything wrong but there has to be!

That’s really interesting cos I thought it was very very rare! I haven’t looked much into that side of Endo so perhaps I’ll do a bit of online searching!

I’ve come up against some really nasty gps and consultants to the point I think had my mum not demanded she was coming in with me after the first horrible encounter with her I’d probably have left totally deflated and I’m quite a strong person! She actually rolled her eyes and tutted at my mum when she said that the gp had said about a laparoscopy and basically threw the paper work on the desk for me to sign!!!

I’ve had blood tests an ultrasound and internal ultrasound done but that was March last year I haven’t had any tests done since then, I have no idea how rapidly things can happen though!

Thanks for taking your time out to reply to me and hope you’re keeping well during this very strange time! Xx

[Hidden]

I have pleural endometriosis which causes the horrible chest and rib pain. Sometimes I can't even speak for long.

[Chloelouise92 in reply to Hidden]

Interesting I’ve never heard of that before! I’ll have to look it up. I feel like it takes my breath away sometimes or can make it feel like an effort to get a deep breath.

[Lily1986]

I have stage 4 deep endometriosis and I get what you have described too but yet to have it investigated.

And this ripping sensation under my ribs, it is so uncomfortable.

I also get severe heartburn everyday so don’t know if that is related.

Best wishes xxx

[Chloelouise92 in reply to Lily1986]

Yeah it really is uncomfortable and so hard to describe!

I do get heartburn sometimes but nothing that seems to link to that pain. Usually I have a bit of gaviscon and it tends to help!

Hopefully you get some answers soon too, thank you! Xx

[EndoEffect]

Hi Chloe! Yes, I have this too. It’s horrific isn’t it? It feels like my lungs and ribs are being squashed. This symptom is always during the night with me too. X

[Chloelouise92 in reply to EndoEffect]

It’s horrible isn’t it! Literally feels like something really heavy has been sat on that area and completely crushed it. Does yours ease off fairly quickly? Most of the time it doesn’t take very long to go once I’ve got up but other times it lasts for ages and the only way I can make it feel slightly better is just curling up x

[Hidden]

I also have heartburn. I have repeat prescription for Gaviscon Advance Aniseed. I've tried all sorts of things, they all had side effects and upset me in other ways. This is the only thing that helps me with the heartburn.

[Pippin1914]

Hi Chloelouise92, this was one of the main symptoms I had building up to my period and during my period. The problem is is that most endometriosis pain is in the lower pelvic area (which I also had) but mine was so bad in my abdomen and lower chest that I couldn't breath sometimes. I don't have periods now due to early menopause (a whole host of new symptoms but thankfully a lot less painful). The only explanation I ever got from my specialist is that the endometriosis on my bowel was causing it to push 'air' back up into my stomach and cause it to contract, kind of like peristalsis. He didn't think it was endometriosis lesions that had planted themselves on my ribs and upper GI tract, but as he had never performed surgery higher up (he had done several lower down) he couldn't be sure. Is your pain associated with different times in your cycle..? Does it seem worse when you lay down..? I felt better sitting up, hugging a pillow and warm wheat bag, it sort of eased the contractions a little for me. Does this help at all..? Big loves x

[Chloelouise92 in reply to Pippin1914]

It doesn’t tend to flare at a particular time of the month it’s just totally random. It most definitely is worse when laying down as I get it In the middle of the night and almost every morning when I wake up so I can only assume it’s laying down that tends to make it worse!

Just hoping I can have the laparoscopy done soon to get some answers! 🤞🏻

I do use a hot water bottle quite often it does seem to make it feel slightly better but not always! Thanks for the advice x