Pains in my chest.....

Greeneyes11

Gold Member
Okay as a follow on to last Thursday's post about the pains in my chest... Friday they had worn off a bit so I didn't do anything about it, the pain was there by only noticeable not painful over the weekend. When I laid down in bed last night they were quite painful, but today had gone off again. This evening I had to take my little boy to cubs and I really dont know how I drove there and back, I was in so much pain with tears pouring down my cheeks and just in so much pain I didn't know what to do. Luckily DH came home about 4 minutes after I arrived home. I made him eat his dinner whilst I looked up causes online but could stand the pain no more and we went to the walk in centre. The doctor has checked me over, said my lungs, heart, blood pressure etc are all absolutely fine and he has no idea what it is, but it seems to be more muscular/skeletal, or even viral.... I told him that I had taken ibuprofen and paracetemol together and they hadn't touched the pain, so he prescribed co-codamol and ibuprofen. I haven't been able to breath or talk properly coz breathing in or out caused such bad pains in my chest (I have a very high pain tolerance too, so for something to cause so much pain it had to be bad).... I have now got home and taken some of the co codamol and the pain is wearing off thank goodness, I am so sleepy as I haven't been breathing properly but feel much better now the pain killers have started to kick in. Hope it feels better tomorrow, am cooking a 3 course meal for 20 people!!

Oh yeah I told him I was on a diet, though didn't tell him which one and he said that shouldn't cause any trouble.
 
Its not in the centre of my chest, its to the left hand side and radiates through to my back and the top of my arm.... he did listen to my chest and said it was clear, wondering if it might be left over from a cold I had about 2 weeks ago... I have no cough tho. He also said if it didn't go away I would need a chest x-ray.

Hope you feel better soon....
 
There seems to be a lot of viral costochondritis going around which is inflammation of the muscles between your ribs which is aggravated by breathing and can radiate around your chest to your back and up your side etc. Only treatment is regular painkillers and anti-inflammatories until it settles.
 
ive had costocondritis and its sounds the same...bless you, darling - put yer feet up xx
 
Well I hardly slept as I could only lay in one position. Have to keep laying down as I feel like I am going to pass out. Only had 2 shakes plus a meal yesterday as I felt so sick last night with the pain. I did drink over 3 litres of water during the day but I have put on eve more weight. So since Sunday have put on weight each day and it is not even that time of the month. Don't know if I should have a break from the diet until I feel better or carry on.
 
Hey hon

Are you taking painkillers regularly? We have a mantra in medicine that it is easier to prevent pain than it is to treat it and with any sort of musculoskeletal thing it's always advised to take the painkillers "on the clock". It will take up to 24 hour to get the pain under control too once you start this regime (if not already on it). Don't be tempted to skip a dose until you feel a lot lot better. If you are already on the max amount of regular painkillers you can take a day then you need something stronger so speak to the pharmacist (you can ring them if need be).

Care of Rib Injuries | Health | Patient UK might be of interest.

This "virus" seems to be going around: i know lots of people who have had it and it seems to settle after about a week or so.
 
Thanks GG, I have taken another dose a while ago, am trying to take it regularly, but need to make sure I dont take it before the school run as I feel really strange just after taking it, trying to get it regular though. Thanks for that...
 
If the codeine is too strong during day time we usually advise switching to plain paracetamol and adding in an anti-inflammatory. Then you can use the codeine-paracetamol combination for your bedtime dose to help sleep etc.

Heat packs and ice packs can also help (ice is an anti-inflammatory).
 
The pain from gall stones, if I remember rightly, tends to be in your right side, not the left. So hopefully not gallstones in this case.

You poor thing, Greeneyes. :hug99: Hope you feel better soon x x
 
Gallstone gang.. do you remember the "Murphy's sign" where they got you to inhale while their fingers were pressed into just under the ribs? The junior doc had misdiagnosed me with food poisoning and was all ready to discharge me but had to run the results past the Senior Reg first. He questioned my liver results and then asked her had she done this test (she hadn't). He did and I nearly hit the roof!!! And that was the start of a week in hospital.
 
Greeneyes, hope you are feeling a bit better tonight. :hug99: Please go back to the doctors and find out for sure what's causing the pain.

While on holiday during the summer of 2009 l had sudden severe pain in the middle of my chest & upper back, had to get paramedics out it was that bad, they thought it could be gallbladder related. Saw my doctor when l got back from hols, he said it wouldn't be gallstones, was fine for 4 months then in Nov last year l got the same pain again, totally excruciating, had to go to A&E, kept in hospital & put on morphine, after a scan it turned out it was gallstones, my liver enzymes were affected and l had risk of pancreatitis, a few days later l had surgery to remove my gallbladder. So relieved that l'll never have that pain again. My consultant did mention that people who have lost weight quickly can develop gallstone problems (but then again overweight people get them too). Years ago my Mum had to have her gallbladder removed too after she had lost quite a bit of weight.

Greeneyes, it might be something totally different but please get it checked out because the pain could come back.
 
Last edited:
Hi Linda
How are you feeling this morning.
Been thinking about you.
Lynne
x

I was just about to post the exact same comment Lynn.

lol... great minds think alike or fools seldom differ? ;-)

How ya doing Greensleeves? Still tripping on the codeine?
 
Hi Girls, pain isn't so bad this morning and I got a bit more sleep last night, dont know if the pain is subsiding or the painkillers are working better.... dont really want to stop them to find out, so will continue with them today. Yesterday afternoon I took only one of the cocodamol and I felt fine, so did the same this morning and I went all spacey again. May try and just take the paracetemol and Ibuprofen today and see if the pain stays away.

I am also gaining weight, all week I have been gaining weight, even before the painkillers and my WI is tomorrow..... have stuck to SS+ 100% though, it is not TOTM not even close so no idea why I must be retaining fluid....
 
The pain from gall stones, if I remember rightly, tends to be in your right side, not the left. So hopefully not gallstones in this case.

You poor thing, Greeneyes. :hug99: Hope you feel better soon x x

Nope-I have gall stones and my pain when I get an attack is either on the left or in the centre.
 
Glad you've been a bit better and the pain relief is working. Hope you get a good night's sleep tonight too. :hug99:
 
Back
Top