Anyone else suffer from Costochondritis?

Does anyone else suffer for costochondritis? What do you do when it acts up?

Replies

  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    No, but I've had something similar, like pleuresy or pleuritis. I've been prescribed 800mg ibuprofen and I just have to take it easy until the pain subsides. Since it flares up on one side, laying on the opposite side offers some relief.
  • Livhere
    Livhere Posts: 141 Member
    So sorry you get that! Thanks for the reply! I can't have ibuprofen. I have to be careful with it cause I was on it for years & it messed up my stomach. I ended up falling asleep with ice on me.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    Mine is paired with famotidine, I believe, to help protect the stomach. Since my pain is caused by inflammation in the pleural wall, a good anti-inflammatory is needed. I haven't had an episode since June, so I'm hoping it's gone for good!
  • shaumom
    shaumom Posts: 1,003 Member
    Physically, i slow things down. Food-wise, I up my intake on foods that have shown to have beneficial effects on inflammation.

    However, a couple things that might be worth thinking about- might apply to you, might not at all.
    1. I have now met quite a few people who have costochondritis that turned out to ALSO have something else that was causing lots of bodily inflammation that either trigger it or aggravated it. Auto-immune disorders seemed really common, often undiagnosed for years (I turned out to have celiac disease, for example).
    2. I have noticed that for me, some foods seem to make it worse. Have met a few others with the same. Might be low level allergies or food intolerance but wither way, that seems related for some of us too. Food journal helped me figure it ou- is usually around 12-24 delay for inflammation after eating, for me personally.
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    My fiance has this, coupled with fibromyalgia, fatty liver, and hypothyroidism.

  • Livhere
    Livhere Posts: 141 Member
    Hope so for you too Moosie!

    @shaumom I do have an autoimmune disease that I've been diagnosed with, but I had a severe allergic reaction to prednisone, so they had to take me off it. I was on gabapentin for a while, but it was such a low dose it wasn't doing anything for my pain. I can't get in to see my rheumatologist until January, he's booked solid, so my primary doctor doesn't really know how to help me right now. I've had the allergy blood work done & don't have an allergy to wheat, soy, or dairy. My Cr-P is always elevated because i'm not being properly treated right now. I was on meloxicam for almost a year I believe, but it made me really sick & landed me in the hospital, so I had to stop taking that as well. That medicine was helping a lot for my inflammation where my pain was still bad, but not nearly as bad, but clearly I can't take it anymore. The costochondritis is fairly new for me. I do keep a food journal now, but not sure what could be causing the inflammation of these attacks as they seem to be random. I'm not really sure what other foods are good for inflammation other than turmeric & garlic. I'm a vegetarian, so I eat that stuff already.

    So sorry to hear about your husband Emma. It's not a fun condition at all. When the attacks happen it's hard to breathe, sharp inhales from it might make it hurt more and sometimes I'll be sitting on my couch, but have difficulty getting up because the pain is so sharp in my rib cage or it kind of feels like a weight is on them. Sometimes pressing on my rib cage will help when I have an episode, but once I release it's replaced with a sharp pain once again.

    Thanks for the replies guys! :)
  • grinning_chick
    grinning_chick Posts: 765 Member
    edited September 2019
    Aye; sternal, primarily.

    It's not food related for me. Weight loss has made a difference for me as it seems every time I drop below ~190-195 lbs., it resolves. The fatter I get, the worse it gets.

    I have lived with an undiagnosed probable-immunocompromised issue for at least the past three years for sure, possibly simmering since 2012 based on history. MDs just shrug and say could be obesity related so until I am not, none are going to take me seriously; btdt with multiple physicians now.

    When it was particularly bad at 210 lbs. and up, I tried to move and breathe deeply as little as possible, lol. ;) If it kept me awake at night, or I needed to be functional in public, I took PRN a Rx'd cocktail I helped my latest PCP craft of a once-OTC-now-prescription-only-in-the-US NSAID that works very nicely for me + acetaminophen + tramadol since I don't experience opiate-like dependency/addiction problems concerning. I have a Rx'd glucocorticoid on hand, but to date have never pulled the trigger on as I know what exogenous 'roids do as well as it'd require at least a week washout period to eliminate the gastric ulceration/perforation complication of mixing NSAIDs and steroids.

    Meloxicam works great in my dogs, way better than carprofen in fact. Not so much in me, though, either. :\ Unfortunately, NSAIDs do come with suitcases full of complications for most mammals if required more than for short duration/occasional PRN use.

  • Livhere
    Livhere Posts: 141 Member
    Sounds like you may need a new Dr. It took me years before a Dr actually listened to me. A lot of drs kept saying I was just over weight too or would just give me pills so they wouldn't have to deal with me which happens more than it should to people. Hopefully you find a Dr who can get you testing & get you treated properly for what's going on with you!
  • Hollis100
    Hollis100 Posts: 1,408 Member
    edited September 2019
    Livhere wrote: »
    Does anyone else suffer for costochondritis? What do you do when it acts up?

    I used to have it a lot when I was younger. I had some frightening trips to the emergency room before I finally found a doctor who correctly diagnosed it.

    I can't remember how he explained it, because he used medical terms, but he basically said my colon would get aggravated and set off inflammation in the cartilage in my chest.

    In my case, the main trigger was stress. Meds helped. The deeper issue for me was to learn to cope with stress in better ways, meaning get out of stressful situations and away from people who cause endless stress. Your situation may be different, though. Good luck to you.
  • Livhere
    Livhere Posts: 141 Member
    Hollis100 wrote: »
    Livhere wrote: »
    Does anyone else suffer for costochondritis? What do you do when it acts up?

    I used to have it a lot when I was younger. I had some frightening trips to the emergency room before I finally found a doctor who correctly diagnosed it.

    I can't remember how he explained it, because he used medical terms, but he basically said my colon would get aggravated and set off inflammation in the cartilage in my chest.

    In my case, the main trigger was stress. Meds helped. The deeper issue for me was to learn to cope with stress in better ways, meaning get out of stressful situations and away from people who cause endless stress. Your situation may be different, though. Good luck to you.

    Wow that's pretty scary. Sorry you went through that. Mine usually affects my chest & ribs mostly. Sometimes it'll spread from my ribs to my back. I've always had anxiety, but haven't noticed how it affects it as they seem to be random attacks for me. I usually go to the gym if I'm feeling stressed.
  • Hollis100
    Hollis100 Posts: 1,408 Member
    Livhere wrote: »
    Hollis100 wrote: »
    Livhere wrote: »
    Does anyone else suffer for costochondritis? What do you do when it acts up?

    I used to have it a lot when I was younger. I had some frightening trips to the emergency room before I finally found a doctor who correctly diagnosed it.

    I can't remember how he explained it, because he used medical terms, but he basically said my colon would get aggravated and set off inflammation in the cartilage in my chest.

    In my case, the main trigger was stress. Meds helped. The deeper issue for me was to learn to cope with stress in better ways, meaning get out of stressful situations and away from people who cause endless stress. Your situation may be different, though. Good luck to you.

    Wow that's pretty scary. Sorry you went through that. Mine usually affects my chest & ribs mostly. Sometimes it'll spread from my ribs to my back. I've always had anxiety, but haven't noticed how it affects it as they seem to be random attacks for me. I usually go to the gym if I'm feeling stressed.

    My doctor said the costrocondritis started with an aggravated colon (my words, I can't recall exactly how he put it), which would then trigger the inflammation in my ribcage/chest. I wish I could remember his actual explanation. Stress, anxiety, and emotional upset often end up affecting the colon. The colon is next to the bottom of the ribs/chest.

    My colon didn't hurt at all, but my chest felt like someone had hit me with a hammer. It was very painful and deeply sore. Sometimes the pain and discomfort would include not only my chest and ribs, but one shoulder, and once, my left arm. The costrocondritis also mimicked the symptoms of a heart attack. I went to several emergency rooms for that reason. They gave me EKGs, medicine for upset stomach (which I didn't have), and once, an anxiety drug. The doctor who gave me that said, "Now, do you feel better?" I told him, "My anxiety is gone, but my chest hurts like hell."

    Once I understood that my stress could trigger this thing (and I was under a lot of stress at the time), I worked on that part of my life. Again, this is what one doctor said, which made sense to me. Other doctors might think something else. Drugs did help, too.
  • kleighsamboer33
    kleighsamboer33 Posts: 39 Member
    Yes, I have had a couple bouts with costochondritis. I also have fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome. I usually try things like taking extra magnesium, hot bath with epsom salts, use heating pads when I can, rest as much as I can, herbal teas, ect. It can be very painful. I suggest staying away from any foods that inflame your body. Especially things like nightshades, dairy, gluten, soy, even corn and eggs if you need to. Also, stay away from carbonated beverages. Hope this helps!
  • I gave myself Costochondritis by doing weighted dips and going to deep. That was about 6 months ago. I took chest workouts completely out of the equation for 6 weeks and then started back light. It came right back so I said screw it and have just been training as usual since. It's fine for the most part, just irritating.