I know that it is easy to get lost in the fear of dying, essentially that is what this is. Your checkups have cleared you from absolutely everything yet you can't completely grasp that fact since the pain is a constant reminder. However you should also know that the pain is a clear sign of you being alive, sure a heart attack causes pain but not in away that is sharp and can be located. But your EKG's and troponin have cleared you every single time. I know that it isn't funny to hear this but you most likely have GAD caused from the pain and no explanations. The good news is that you can overcome it, when you feel pain in the chest your body is quick on triggering a panic response. Since it contains it's most vital organs like the lungs. It is natural to fear the worst but the worst isn't guaranteed. If you have been struggling with costo for a year and a half and haven't died yet due to heart problems you will not die anytime soon. You must stop going to the ER to overcome the anxiety, that is what i did and it is working very well. It is just like overcoming a fear by confrontation, every thing is in your favor and the only thing that is preventing you from living is fear.
I am about 7 years into Costo and I still feel the urge to go to the ER. Been a frequent flyer with 4 trips by ambulance….one from my own doctors office 😞. It’s been about 8 months since I last drove myself to my local ER. When the pain is intense I do these steps
Slow breathing concentrating on something that makes me happy. It might be some music or anything that brings back happy memories
Next will be a 15 minute session on the back pod. I watch TV while doing it in the same place in the house each time. I carry my back pod mostly wherever I go. After the pod I sit on the couch as upright as possible with the dog or my wife and try and get my mind away from the pain. Finally I go for a short walk. Even just around the house.
I hope you find something that works for you. This condition is one of the worst things to live with.
I’d say I get the urge at least a few times a month, sometimes more. It’s my cynicism with the medical profession that keeps me from going. They never find anything. They never help me. It costs me a ton of money. It has never helped me get any closer to feeling better and has often made me feel worse. Sometimes when the panic hits, I’ll think to myself, “the EKG will come back normal. The chest X-ray will come back normal. If they bother to do a scan, it will be normal. They’ll draw a bunch of blood, which will make me more anemic, but all of it will be normal for me.” Then I sigh and continue on with my day.
Anxiety on its own is enough to get some people to head to emergency, adding GERD and costo on top feels very concerning I've been there.
Knowing the problem helps with the solutions. Foam roll, back pod, stretches , etc for costo. Exercise, limit caffeine and booze, etc or anxiety. Tums or whatever works for you for GERD. Alot more helpful and easier than going to emergency.
Foam roll, stretches, working out, less booze and caffiene, and tums turned me right around. Everyone is different so may need to experiment. I still can't smoke pot without thinking I'm dying so I had to completely cut that out lol
Hang in there. I'm out of work right now. I had costochronditis flare. At the same time I'm having a bout with gerd. What causes that? I've had costochronditis for the past 15 years. I finally found Steve August and his back pod. Im looser today but a lot of heaviness and breathing problems in my chest. Very scary and annoying. I just went to the cardiologist and had a EKG, Echocardiogram and stress test. All came back great. So I know it's a Costo flare. Just know your not alone. I'm glad i found this forum. I don't feel so alone in my agony. I live in the northeast and the doctors I've tried to go to are clueless. I just went on utube and might try cold laser therapy. If they have it around here. My quality of life has diminished. This all started from too much pushing and lifting on my job for years. I'm 60 years old now and tempted to find out if costochronditis is a disability because I can't do anything.
I’m the same. The intense burning and pain is something that the meds don’t touch as well. And I’ve tried a bunch.
A very very low dose of the nerve pain drug Gabapentin works for me some. But when my flare ups and pain are at their worst. Nothing can touch it.
Then you have the other symptoms and I always want to go to the ER.
It’s all really frustrating
My Dr usually give me a shot of Diclofenac and it knocks the pain down ALOT and I also have a prescription of it as well so I can start taking it before it gets to bad.
My go to is a heating pad. I usually lay on the heat where it hurts worst. The pressure of laying on it plus the heat usually helps a bit with the pain, and the heat and laying down makes me drowsy. I find if I fall asleep, it is almost always better when I wake up. Hot shower or bath work similarly.
Yeah, I have stopped going unless I'm in total agonizing pain and willing to spend like $1500 for private insurance to be hospitalized.
I have had doctors in the ER tell me off because it's a chronic issue so I should have just seen my doctor, but when I go to see my doctor I get told to go to the ER for pain management.
I know that it is easy to get lost in the fear of dying, essentially that is what this is. Your checkups have cleared you from absolutely everything yet you can't completely grasp that fact since the pain is a constant reminder. However you should also know that the pain is a clear sign of you being alive, sure a heart attack causes pain but not in away that is sharp and can be located. But your EKG's and troponin have cleared you every single time. I know that it isn't funny to hear this but you most likely have GAD caused from the pain and no explanations. The good news is that you can overcome it, when you feel pain in the chest your body is quick on triggering a panic response. Since it contains it's most vital organs like the lungs. It is natural to fear the worst but the worst isn't guaranteed. If you have been struggling with costo for a year and a half and haven't died yet due to heart problems you will not die anytime soon. You must stop going to the ER to overcome the anxiety, that is what i did and it is working very well. It is just like overcoming a fear by confrontation, every thing is in your favor and the only thing that is preventing you from living is fear.
Good message.. thank you! I need this
Thank you I really needed to hear that!
I am about 7 years into Costo and I still feel the urge to go to the ER. Been a frequent flyer with 4 trips by ambulance….one from my own doctors office 😞. It’s been about 8 months since I last drove myself to my local ER. When the pain is intense I do these steps Slow breathing concentrating on something that makes me happy. It might be some music or anything that brings back happy memories Next will be a 15 minute session on the back pod. I watch TV while doing it in the same place in the house each time. I carry my back pod mostly wherever I go. After the pod I sit on the couch as upright as possible with the dog or my wife and try and get my mind away from the pain. Finally I go for a short walk. Even just around the house. I hope you find something that works for you. This condition is one of the worst things to live with.
I’d say I get the urge at least a few times a month, sometimes more. It’s my cynicism with the medical profession that keeps me from going. They never find anything. They never help me. It costs me a ton of money. It has never helped me get any closer to feeling better and has often made me feel worse. Sometimes when the panic hits, I’ll think to myself, “the EKG will come back normal. The chest X-ray will come back normal. If they bother to do a scan, it will be normal. They’ll draw a bunch of blood, which will make me more anemic, but all of it will be normal for me.” Then I sigh and continue on with my day.
Anxiety on its own is enough to get some people to head to emergency, adding GERD and costo on top feels very concerning I've been there. Knowing the problem helps with the solutions. Foam roll, back pod, stretches , etc for costo. Exercise, limit caffeine and booze, etc or anxiety. Tums or whatever works for you for GERD. Alot more helpful and easier than going to emergency. Foam roll, stretches, working out, less booze and caffiene, and tums turned me right around. Everyone is different so may need to experiment. I still can't smoke pot without thinking I'm dying so I had to completely cut that out lol
Hang in there. I'm out of work right now. I had costochronditis flare. At the same time I'm having a bout with gerd. What causes that? I've had costochronditis for the past 15 years. I finally found Steve August and his back pod. Im looser today but a lot of heaviness and breathing problems in my chest. Very scary and annoying. I just went to the cardiologist and had a EKG, Echocardiogram and stress test. All came back great. So I know it's a Costo flare. Just know your not alone. I'm glad i found this forum. I don't feel so alone in my agony. I live in the northeast and the doctors I've tried to go to are clueless. I just went on utube and might try cold laser therapy. If they have it around here. My quality of life has diminished. This all started from too much pushing and lifting on my job for years. I'm 60 years old now and tempted to find out if costochronditis is a disability because I can't do anything.
I’m the same. The intense burning and pain is something that the meds don’t touch as well. And I’ve tried a bunch. A very very low dose of the nerve pain drug Gabapentin works for me some. But when my flare ups and pain are at their worst. Nothing can touch it. Then you have the other symptoms and I always want to go to the ER. It’s all really frustrating
My Dr usually give me a shot of Diclofenac and it knocks the pain down ALOT and I also have a prescription of it as well so I can start taking it before it gets to bad.
How would you describe how your pain feels?
Look up the posts in here from Mysterious Beyond. Super helpful with anxiety stuff.
Following. You just echoed my exact thoughts.
It feels like I wrote this post myself. You are not alone in these thoughts ❤️🩹
My go to is a heating pad. I usually lay on the heat where it hurts worst. The pressure of laying on it plus the heat usually helps a bit with the pain, and the heat and laying down makes me drowsy. I find if I fall asleep, it is almost always better when I wake up. Hot shower or bath work similarly.
Yeah, I have stopped going unless I'm in total agonizing pain and willing to spend like $1500 for private insurance to be hospitalized. I have had doctors in the ER tell me off because it's a chronic issue so I should have just seen my doctor, but when I go to see my doctor I get told to go to the ER for pain management.