posted
Has anyone had this strange sensation before? It hurts like hell. I woke up this morning like this.
I'm trying to describe WHERE it is: Right at the collarbone, all the way across, and then down into my chest about 3", all the way across.
I woke up with this today. It hurts when I breathe, and when I don't breathe. It feels really achy or bruised.......almost crushed in, sort of.
It's worse when I lay down or bend over, I noticed. It feels sort of the same way your chest feels when you've been coughing your head off for several days ----- but I don't have a cough.
My throat isn't particularly sore and my glands aren't swollen more than usual.......maybe even a little less than usual. This is just so strange and I don't know what to make of it.
Could the Acyclovir be causing some type of side effect like this? I've been taking 800mg/day since 9-3-09. It's definitely been causing me other side effects.......aches, pains, major joint pain and stiffness, bouts of nausea, head pain, fevers/chills, stiff neck, cyst break outs on face, bumps on tongue, fatigue, mood swings, sleeping problems ("wired but tired"), red butterfly-like rash on face, neck, chest, ears,etc.
I'm sure I've forgotten some sx, but you get the picture. It's like Lyme sx again that started to finally lessen in intensity..........great!
Treat the Lyme? Treat the HHV-6, EBV, CMV, etc.? It's like you have to pay attention to whoever the "Ring Leader of the Party" is inside your body!
ANY SUGGESTIONS on what this strange chest sx I'm having? Of course it's Saturday. I don't want to call one of my doctors and have them tell me to go to the ER. My immune system is already down and I don't feel like catching the rest of whatever is going around!
THANK YOU TO ANYONE WHO MAY BE ABLE TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS "CHEST" SX!!!!!
terri3boys Posts: 268 | From Texas | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
YES! This has been one of my weird symptoms that has driven me nuts! Have you tried Advil? I finally did, and it has helped a lot. In fact I woke up this morning with this. It happens when I flare.
Also, muscle movements do make it worse (like turning my head while driving to look for cars!).
-------------------- Lyme, Bart, possible Babs Currently on IV Doxy, Bactrim, Zithromax, Nystatin, Mepron Been on nearly every antibiotic since 10/09
posted
it SOUNDS like costochondritis which is inflamation in the ribs...it is very very very painful and i have struggled with it for years....
BUT if there is any chance it could be from heart issue please dont hesitate to go to the er or call 911!
-------------------- Seeking renewed health & vitality. --------------------------------- Do not take anything I say as medical advice - I am NOT a dr! Posts: 830 | From TN | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Well, I spent the entire afternoon in the ER. The pain/tightness/difficulty breathing sx in my chest ended up getting worse and worse.
I called the pharmacist and asked if the Acyclovir could cause this and she said: no, I think you should go to the ER.
I called my neurologist, who wasn't on call so I had to talk to a neurologist who didn't know squat about me and the tangled web of dx's.
I tried to explain that my neurologist was finally able to to dx me with Small Fiber Neuropathy --- after MANY tests.
I asked this doctor on call if THAT could cause these sx. He said: no, I think you should go to the ER to rule out a possible heart attack. He told me to let him know which hospital I was going to, and to have the ER doctor call him when I got there.
Like any other ER adventure, this one was NOT good. Too many details to even go in to, but this ER doctor decided to zero in on the Fibromyalgia.......what a surprise.
I kept insisting that this was NOT a Fibro tender spot or trigger point type of pain. I told him I knew very well what that felt like. Also, I told him it wasn't costochondritis pain either, because I was very familiar with THAT kind of pain.
I was trying to make it crystal clear that this was a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT KIND OF PAIN, and that I was familiar with all kinds of strange pains. Never convinced him. I don't think he even read all of my dx's or he would have seen I've had heart issues in the past and even take Toprol every night.
Anyway, it turns out that he only did ONE blood draw to check my cardiac enzymes (which one was high), and didn't do the standard protocol which is to repeat the test.
The machine that monitors your blood pressure, heart activity, O2 sat rate, etc. wasn't working properly either.
They kept on re-doing my electrodes, unplugging & re- plugging in the machine............then they decided to bring in a different machine to monitor me. Well, it didn't work properly either. They never got any good readings on me.
My blood pressure was taken once in triage (142/94) and never again once I was in the "treatment" room. They had the cuff on me, but the machine wasn't taking it.
Right before they unhooked me to discharge me, the blood pressure cuff started working ------ but no one was in there to record it. My vital signs were never taken except in triage!
It goes on and on...........it was definitely not a productive visit. The doctor got stuck on this "strained chest wall" as my dx. Nowhere does it say anything about shortness of breath, etc. It wasn't a thorough visit AT ALL.
There's more crap to tell, but I'm too tired and I'm hurting again. They gave me a shot of Toradal and it's worn off.
I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight because it hurts when I lay down or bend forward. The base of my throat doesn't seem to feel as swollen right now either.
At least I'm not breathing as shallow as I was. I hope that doesn't return. If so, I'm going to SOME hospital! I think I'll go figure out a way to prop myself up in a sitting position and see if I get any sleep that way........
Wish me luck. I'm soooooo tired and I DO NOT want to go back to a germy ER tonight!!!
Good night, terri3boys
Posts: 268 | From Texas | Registered: Aug 2007
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aklnwlf
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5960
posted
Hi Terri,
Sounds like the costochondritis the other poster mentioned. I've had 2 bouts of this so far this year. Both while outside doing yardwork.
I thought I was having a heart attack both times.
Mine hurt around the upper center of my chest and moved over my heart and left back.
Costo is a more left sided ailment.
You can do a search here in Medical, just type in costochondritis and you'll get quite a few posts.
I also googled it and got some great info that way to.
Pain pills, muscle relaxers and babying the area helped me alot. Oh, advil too will help with the inflammation.
Hope you feel better!
-------------------- Do not take this as medical advice. This comment is based on opinion and personal experience only.
Alaska Lone Wolf Posts: 6145 | From Columbus, GA | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Thanks for all the comments! Honestly, this did NOT feel like costochondritis at all. This was completely different. I've been through the costo episodes, and this was painful, unusual and worsening as I tried to do just normal things very slowly and gently.
I'm so tired of explaining it to those doctors and friends and family.................I've just been trying to make sense of it all. I mean it got to the point that I really couldn't get a breath ---- it was so shallow, they could hardly detect it.
The lower part of my throat would periodically start to feel "fat" and made it that much harder to breathe. Even when my throat wasnt' doing that, I was only able to barley speak in a whisper.
My lips, face, back of head, left & right arm, etc. would get numb. I couldn't lay down flat because I couldn't breathe. I had to stsy sitting up.
Anyway, I'm over it today............. just tired and weak. I j=have no idea what all of that was, but it wasn't my Fibro acting up. I'm going to get my medical records from them tomorrow and fax them to a couple of my doctors.
Who knows? It could hae been nothing, or it could have been a major warning sign. I will never go to that hopsital again............ I'm so tired of bad experiences there.
Anyway, sorry to bore y'all with more of th details again.............I'm tired, cranky and need to go to bed right this minute. Thanks for letting me rant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good night and MAKE it a GREAT WEEK!
Love to all, terri3boys
Posts: 268 | From Texas | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Costochondritis can also cause shortness of breath and pain upon taking a deep breath. I have this also. If it turns out to be that, Emu Oil works well to get rid of the pain.
I'm wondering if the swelling isn't pushing on a nerve? Just a guess.
-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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I know this is an old post but I am wondering if you have ever figured this out or if it has resolved as I have been experiencing the same thing for the past month.
Thanks. Posts: 12 | From NJ | Registered: May 2017
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Bartenderbonnie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 49177
posted
Hi rueyroo,
This reminds me of one of the very first symptoms that roared its ugly head in my struggle with Lyme.
It first happened when I was at work, scared the #### out of me and brought me to my knees. Then it progressed to a nightly thing, where I would sleep with my phone dialed to 91, just waiting to add the other 1 for help.
They call it the MS Hug, but can be caused by other autoimmune conditions.
I am not a doctor so I only post this as my experience. It lasted about 1 month and haven't had another episode while on treatment. I had all the necessary heart tests, including wearing a 24 hour heart moniter, all negative.
Hope this helps.
Posts: 2977 | From Florida | Registered: Nov 2016
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