Costochondritis?

[EMGreen]

Hi all! I'm a newbie here, so please have mercy on me!

I've had costochondritis since I was 6 years old, and I've done just about everything in the book to try and relieve the pain. Right now I'm 23, so I've had 17 years to try it all. From Naproxen to steroids, yet nothing has helped and unlike the "typical" costochondritis doctors come across, mine has been constant, never subsiding.

And on top of the pains in my chest, I have this other annoying symptom. Randomly I'll get this intense pain in my left rib, where I'm not able to take a deep breath in without the pain intensifying. I have to slowly breathe through the pain and wait it out since I'm way too scared to just take a deep breath in and get the pain to go away. The reason for that is because when I do that, it pops. Literally -- I can feel and HEAR whatever it is popping inside of my lung. I haven't brought this up with my doctor though, I always seem to forget (crazy, right?)

So anyway, my question is does anyone else have these issues? If so, how do you deal with it? Personally, it feels like my breastbone and upper ribs are rotting away and one day, it's going to collapse. I'm pretty desperate for a way to manage the pain at the very least.

[GRnads]

You have my deepest sympathies.

I've been diagnosed with Costochondritis for almost 3 years. So far I've found nothing to manage it but controlling my stress and anxiety levels does help.

Could a pain management clinic provide some help?

I also get that weird pain you get at the bottom of your ribs. I also always forget to talk to my Dr about it, next time you have an appointment write a little note to yourself, or send yourself a text reminder.

[mandyscott1974]

hI I have been suffering with this for just over a year and like u in constant pain I'm on morphine tablets morning and night and oramorph medicine in between which also dose not help my gp gonna try injections see if that helps me always back and forth to a and e due to my chest pain and the pain down my arm a and e keep referring me to the pain clinic but the gp keeps saying it's a last resort I've tried exercise hot baths cold and hot packs everything nothing ever seems to help and it gets you right down been in constant pain and u have had it for 17 years bless worse again I would defo mention to the gp what u are hearing and feeling more needs done to help you I love this forum as ppl understand on here better than my own gp xxx

[Vertigo92]

I know exactly how you feel, I've had the same for 3 yrs and it does't get any better.

I'ts also called slipping rib syndrom, when you turn quickly one rib slips under the

[katelee]

hey

I am so sorry to hear that you have had this since you were six. i was diagnosed with it at 21, I am now 38 and I thought I was young when it started!!!

I dont know if you have ever seen a chiropractor or Osteopath but their knowledge of anatomy is often better than a gp. My chiropractor diagnosed me six months before the pain team did!!

I still see my osteopath monthly as he helps with my pain and all the other shit that comes with it, like headaches, tense necks etc. The only other thing that has made a big difference to me is a type of therapy called EMDR. It's designed for trauma but they noticed it was also helpful for pain so they do what they call a pain protocol too. It enhances all your existing skills (visualisation, mindfulness, meditation etc) and link them with a word. So when you say the word your chosen visualisation starts working. I couldn't believe how much it helped so much so I plan to train in it at some point.

I am also on decent meds (fentanyl patches and oxycodone) which luckily work ok on me, they take the edge off which is helpful when the pain is a 9 or 10.

Sometimes coping is very difficult especially as its constant. It's worth trying to find out the cause of the other pain and it could be connected to your existing diagnosis or caused by it. There are so many muscles, ligaments etc around the ribs. It could even be what they call referred pain. I am guessing that this additional anxiety, on top of everything else you are dealing with, is probably not helping physically and mentally.

I have found this site helpful when I am struggling but the most important thing is to be kind to yourself. Treat yourself how you would a loved one who was going through what you are and that includes the critical voice we all have.

I also have counselling regulary to help deal with the impact of constant pain. I also let me GP know who often increases my appointments with her when I am really struggling.

There seems to be a lot of us with costochondritis so hopefully there will be some research done soon. And there are some new painkillers being tested at the moment which should work better with less side effects. The understanding of pain has increased rapidly in the last ten years which will improve treatment options.

Look after yourself.

x😊

[EMGreen]

Thanks, guys. It's comforting to know that other people have had the same issues. It sucks that they don't have a better way to help those of us who have this!

I have been to a chiropractor and I'm honestly terrified of getting further help since just a few days ago my chiropractor said that my spine is pretty messed up. I guess my virtibre (I think that's right -- my spellchecker sucks lol) are both too loose and too stiff in sections and there is only so much he can do.

Does anyone else here have spine issues? Like Virtigo92 mentioned it being called slipping rib syndrome, maybe sometimes it's because of a bad back?

Honestly I have no idea, but I'm going to be making another appointment with my general practitioner on Monday to talk about my poor lung! Don't know why but recently I've gotten the popping pain a lot... exhausting.

But you guys have my respect since even just a week of having costochindritis is terrible. But again, in a way this in itself is comforting to know how many other people know how crappy this is. No one in my family and none of my friends have costochindritis so they have no idea lol.