Upper back and chest pain.

[Mouse61]

I've not been diagnosed with lupus,, but got all the classic symptoms, plus more, I've had sclritas in my eye,,, and now I've had chest pain and I'm getting breathless,,, I've had both nuclear scans, and now they have asked me to go for a echocardiogram , is this normal? I've still got the pain on and off and not feeling at all well , I've also been started with blackouts and migraines, , and I'm really worried if its lupus it's attacking my heart ,,

[SarahHeney]

Highly unlikely. It could be costocondritis, google it. It could be anxiety, anaemia, low blood pressure, underactive thyroid. I am afraid you just need to keep pushing for answers. Diagnosis can take years unfortunately. Good luck though. Its tough and weve all been there xx

[Shann07]

Hiya i get chest pains all the time on-off. I have an echo at least once a year its pretty routine really but very reassuring as a full examination of your heart is done. I have SLE, MCTD & APS so any of these conditions can attack the heart which have done in the past but im ok at the mo (hopefully) scan results next week! Chest pains can be very symptematic of lupus, so keep pushing for answers

[Mouse61 in reply to Shann07]

Oh thank you for taking time to answer my post, it does help a lot, that people have/are going throw the same symptoms ,

[marcie]

I agree with the others .. your symptoms could be 'anything' at all right now .. which is terribly frustrating I know, and the others all know too, as we have all been there and done that .. some for years, prior to a successful working diagnosis, making the symptoms treatable, even if not the disease, curable... I pray for your sake that it is not lupus in any form nor MCTD/Sharp's syndrome which is an 'overlap syndrome' of: lupus, scleroderma, RA, myositis and dermatomyositis as well as polymyositis ( I have MCTD along with spinoffs Raynaud's & Sjogren's). I hope for you that it is simple and easily treatable and above all, curable!! Good luck with your end result regardless of the label and most importantly, attempt to be positive always, especially when you are sick with symptoms of an unknown ailment! Attitude is everything in the autoimmune system, as if it can read your mind and it will IMO make a huge difference to your quality of life and in the end, quantity of life! Again, good luck!!

[Mouse61]

Aw thanks,,, yes my mum had RA, from a very young age, and I no the pain she went throw, when I was a small child, and it was only months before she died they realised she had lupus, Aswel , so I'm not sure how long she had it for, and my older brother has RA , but he's alway smiling,, :-)and keeps me posative , that things will get better,

[marcie]

RA has a genetic predisposition, meaning it is passed along so don't focus on any particular illness; just let your specialists do their jobs and be the ever 'patient, patient' LOL, hard to do but a must do for successful living with chronic/incurable illness(es). Wishing you and your brother both, the best of luck and being there for each other will make all the difference to your 'bad times' ~~Peace!

[Lillal]

Thank you to everyone posting here. I'm new to the site and when I went looking for answers I was of the opinion that I may have cancer. Now I believe I'm not alone with these symptoms and it makes me feel less anxious to know this is more or less a syndrome, unfortunately cause unknown but not what I was afraid it was. Thank you again for posting this discussion online it has helped me tremendously.

[Mouse61]

I've been I'll for 3 and a half years,,but that's not long when most of the people on here have waited much longer , to be diagnosed ,, even tho my family and I think it's a life time ago I was well ,, I'm sure we will get to the bottom off it very soon ,,,

[Mouse61]

Thank you Marcie, for your kind words and wishes

[KeiraMcC]

Hi, Also get the bad chest pain & breathlessness (thankfully right sided or would be living in a cardiac unit!!!) have the bad upper back pain shoulder etc continually (and lower back pain with abdo pain). Strangely mostly right sided. My

Rheumatologist hasn't done many investigations/scans (other than bloods!) so when Im feeling

really bad you can't help thinking irrationally (ie 'C')

I hope you get some answers soon but it seems to be a symptom that a lot of people with Lupus have. Best of Luck x