Costochondritis...

[LornaAnne_X]

Hi all I've had ME & Fibromyalgia 14yrs just wondering what the association is between Fibromyalgia & Costochondritis is please & what your experiences with those are? Just lately having a lot of upper back & neck troubles that seen to be affecting my arms/hands massively my right hand particularly lost the feeling in fingertips now incredibly clutsy is all of this normal for how fibromyalgia progresses the rheumatologist awnser is to send me to Sheffield to have my nerves tested don't actually see how that's going to help me thinking I might pay privately for physio am I a little deluded to try fix it asking sufferers who have more experience than myself please xX

[Hazel_Angelstar Administrator FMA UK Staff]

Hi, costochondritis is a co-morbid condition that many people with fibromyalgia have. There's no direct link between them that we are aware of at present.... Not why it's so common in people with fibro xxx

[Hidden]

Yes unfortunately it is,I have it right now,the more nerve endings get damaged it can be that way in tips I'm same,I asked my Dr but Dr told me no it wouldn't take feeling away,so I google most recent publication on nerve damage and its been realised either this year or last that what I just said to be true,its like thier numb, my thumbs and index fingers are the worst for some reason.

[Hidden]

It's well worth you have nerve conduction tests. I'd also ask for a B12, folate and Vit D blood test. Check the results yourself as most GPs will say they're fine when they can be right at the bottom of the range.

Now I know more about fibro I realise I had signs of it as a child, including costochondritis. When I complained of chest pain my GP did order an ECG and chest X-ray and the consultant at the respiratory clinic I was referred to ordered a chest CT scan, extensive blood tests and respiratory tests. Nothing was found wrong with my heart or lungs so I decided the pain must be costochondritis. The breathlessness I had had for months was low B12, which I cured with B12 injections.

[HeartBShep in reply to Hidden]

I've had the same thing with my doctor telling me test results are fine when they are at the low end and have been for the last 3/4 blood tests. But they refuse to do anything about it.

[Hidden in reply to HeartBShep]

If your B12 is low ( mine was 198 so GP said it was in range) it can cause shortness of breath, dizziness, clumsiness. I hadn't realised my fingertips were quite numb until I dropped my phone, found I couldn't hold a sewing needle etc..I also had tinnitus I tried B12 patches with a little success but bought needles and B12 serum and self injected, following advice on the Health Unlocked Pernicious Anemia forum. Tinnitus went within days, within 2 weeks my fingers and toes were almost normal and my breathing improved. You need folic acid to go with the B12.