Unexplained chest pressure

[fluffness]

Hi I'm wondering if any of you had unexplained pressure right below rib cage. I've been having this issue for a while. I've been taking mtx for over half a year. It became better for a while. But now that I stopped mtx (due to family planning) it's back. I've tried to diagnose via doctor but GI tests didn't yield any explanation. So far I've been off for 3 weeks. No major pain in the joints. So I'm wondering if it's related to inflammation or something else. Please help

[allanah]

I gotta similar pain egen I got costochondritis. Worth going back to doc xx feel better soon.

[fluffness in reply to allanah]

Thanks almana. Did you find the pressure to subside when you are walking? Like u can't say it's painful just feeling like pressure

[allanah in reply to fluffness]

Mine did eventually spread along other ribs and was painful then . Ended up.on steroids.

If Of course it could be loads of stuff do.yeah I would go back to docs as it's not settled. Xx hugs

[fluffness]

Well I've checked my hear before and it was fine. Also did some GI tests that didn't show anything. Maybe lung issue?

[Nettac]

I've had that feeling of pressure in my chest recently. Turned out I was anaemic. Are your bloods OK?

[phil_54]

Hi i have a similar complaint and was hospitalised for 2 days after numerous tests they diagnosed Chostocondritis which is an inflamed cartlidge in my chest and it can be really uncomfatable at first it was a real worry as it presents itself as heart problems, They prescribed me Naproxen which does help but doesnt cure it when im out and about i just make sure i keep wrapped up with a scarf etc to try and keep the cold off my chest.

I dont know if this helps but good luck anyway.

[Talmalmo]

Hi. I had a similar thing a few months back and after many investigations in turned out to be sarcoidosis in the lungs..something it appears I have had for a long while but was 'woken up' by a new RA drug I was trying out. Once I stopped the infusion, the sarcoidosis pain and the lymph node in my lung, shrank back down. Now I'm okay (ish) Good luck with it all

[dwsurquhart]

Has your doctor checked your spleen? My spleen was enlarged due to inflammation and I had a lot of pressure below the ribcage. May be time to ask about a thoracic and abdomen CT scan. Would be useful to rule out anything else more serious.

[fluffness in reply to dwsurquhart]

Was it something that was treated with painkillers or was it something specialized? I would go back on methotraxate but we are planning on a baby and don't want to lose the three weeks I've been off.

[dwsurquhart]

Mine was from an over active immune response to the DMARDS. Mtx made me very sick, leflunomide and plaquinil made me sit in the wc for up to 6 hours a day and sulfasalazine made my joints hurt worse than before starting them.

I also started seeing an oncologist due to the enlarged spleen and lymph node issues. I had surgery to remove a couple enlarged nodes and they have not been able to find anything. Infectious disease specialist says he feels I fought off lymphoma but cannot say for certain.

Once I started on tocilizumab everything started getting back to normal.

So still not sure what caused it besides my crp being way out of wack.

[fluffness]

Just wondering did you rheumatologist investigate the issues you've been having or did you see ur GP?

[dwsurquhart in reply to fluffness]

I only really see my rheumatologist. He is great and will send me to other specialists if he cannot address an issue. He has even called other specialists to his office to see me so I would not have to wait for an appointment.

My GP is good to see when I need meds other than the biologic and pain killers. She tends to send me back to my rheumatologist as she says she cannot understand everything the rheumatologist is doing. Tends to default to rheumatology.

Scott