LymeNet Flash: Chest pain

This is topic Chest pain in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by SteveInMinnesota (Member # 6661) on :

This is another one of those "weird symptoms-anyone else have 'em" questions.

I just had a picc line inserted last week and have been experiencing chest pain ever since. It is on the upper right side (opposite from the picc) and seems to be worse late in the day and when I lay down. The pain is sharp and restricts my ability to breath deeply.

I guess it is possible that I pulled something during the procedure or sometime afterwards but I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar. I saw a thread of similiar symptons in kids a while back. Thanks in advance.

Posted by henson2 (Member # 463) on :

Dear Steve,

Do contact your doc if you're worried about your picc line or have trouble breathing.

But if you are on new IV abx, I bet it's bringing out a Lyme symptom.

chest pain is a common symptom for Lymies. Acc. to my LLMD, the Lyme bacteria party in the nerve roots in the spine and inflame a nerve that wraps around the rib cage. It can be on either side. This results in sharp pain where the nerve ends, on either side of the sternum.

Check out the archives for many past threads on chest pain (many written by me. )

Hope you feel better soon. Anti-inflammatories can help, but you might need some temporary meds for nerve pain if it continues or gets worse. Avoid nerve block injections at the site, as this made my chest pain worse.

At least it's a sign you're probably getting at the Lyme!!

Let us know how you're doing. Feel better soon.

Posted by henson2 (Member # 463) on :

Ps

I forgot to mention that there can be sharp pain all along the nerve route around the rib cage, and also soft tissue and rib pain, too.

Ask your doc if you're worried, but this is a common Lyme symptom!

Posted by SteveInMinnesota (Member # 6661) on :

Thanks, I've also seen some comments that chest pain can be related to an associated yeast infection. As long as it's just pain, I don't care. I was worried that the tip of the picc line had wandered somewhere that it shouldn't...

Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :

Steve,

Your pain sounds common to me. I had quite a time with chest pain from Ld before I started RX and then it flared again after I had my port installed.

If the pain is not lightening or getting worse, call your LLMD. It could be the Ld or die off from the IV abx getting to a new location.

Remember to do all the self care things like watch your lifting , soothing detox bathes, plenty of good water to drink, and weak organic green tea. Caster oil compresses and heat on your chest may help too.

Hope you're feeling better soon!

Posted by SteveInMinnesota (Member # 6661) on :

Thanks Achey/Hensen/et al. I could not get the search function to work here yesterday but it's working fine today. I see that there is an abundance of information on the message board regarding chest pain. Seems like it is just another one of those strange LD-related annoyances.

Posted by Foggy (Member # 1584) on :

Steve, 2 thoughts:

I had chest pain a few days after the PICC went in. It was a sharp pain under the pec on the heart/PICC side. It was very alarming. I went to the ER and they did an EKG and chest xray. LLMD said that PICC can cause a muscle spasm if it shifts.

Before the PICC went in, I had a stabbing pain in my sternum. Lyme treatment alone didn't help. I was treated for Babs with Mepron and a Macrolide and that chest pain has deminished significantly.

Be sure to mention this to your LLMD

[This message has been edited by Foggy (edited 12 April 2005).]