maryfw Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 My husband thought he was having a heart attack Monday afternoon driving home. He had such sharp pains in his chest and he could not breathe. He almost passed out. When he got to the ER they thought he had a blot clot in the lung or a collapsed lung. After many hours and tests he was diagnosed with Costochondritis and given pain killer and anti-inflammatory meds. They told him the 2 blood tests that check for a heart attack..........the main one showed normal and the other showed some muscle damage but just not heart muscle damage. Evidently this 45 minute attack actually damaged or bruised the muscle tissue in his chest. It was scary but we are so relieved that he is going to be ok. I did not know that you could have such a severe case of costochondritis. I have it at times but nothing like this.mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DADofPotsSon Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 My Daughter had this happen to her, she was a cross country runner in high school and continued running for years even after college (vet school). One day she had what she thought was a heart attack while running, after being taken to the ER and after several hours it was diagnosed as costochondritis. Apparently she had damaged her stenum and or cartlidge too, if I remember correctly she said they told her it was over use, and she was in very intense pain. It took 12 to 18 months to recover and is now beginning to run lightly again. She still complains now and then about it. This is also the first time she was told that she had severe MVP!DADofPotsSon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryfw Posted April 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 Thanks for the response. It was such a relief that it was not a heart attack or a blood clot in the lung or a collapsed lung. I was out of town because my Aunt had died from a heart attack when my husband called me, so you can imagine my relief of the diagnosis. mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4cem Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 My daughter is now 11, 2 years ago she started to have pains in her chest. Pediatrician first thought it was reflux. It would come and go and it would hurt her out of the blue, and hurt when she would breathe in and out. She is very much into sports, plays soccer,softball, basketball and the like. The next diagnosis was exercise induced asthma since it seemed to come on mostly when she was doing sports, even gym in school. Finally we took her to the pediatric cardiologist to make sure and she pressed on the area where she said it hurt her mostly and with her description of the pain, she was diagnosed with costchondritis. She still gets it to this day, off and on. Takes advil. Best thing is to start slowly again and try to avoid things that aggravate it, easier said then done I know.Glad to hear that it was nothing more serious and tell him to take it easy for a while! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryfw Posted April 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 It has been a week now and my husband is still suffering severley. They gave him a steroid shot yesterday and steroid pills to take. They have ordered a full body bone scan for Monday to confirm the diagnosis. The doc said they could give him shots in his chest if this does not work. And he can hardly breathe or talk today. The doctor told him to go to the ER or urgent care and get some oxygen. There is not alot they can do for him except pain meds. Keep him in your prayers for a quick recovery. mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 I am praying!Meg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzygirl Posted April 10, 2008 Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 for the entire winter of 2002-2003 i had Costochondritis and plueryse (sp??)... uhm I remember a nurse telling me that you can get injections in between your ribs and stuff of contisone or a steriod of somesort???It took me about 6-7 months to reocer from both of these things... uhm warm compresses on the chest help... motrin of course... and steriods..uhm medrol pack worked nicely for me.... I hope that you hubby feels better soon.. this stuff bites... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryfw Posted April 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2008 We spent the night in the ER again last night. The new finding was that his potassium was elevated and we have no explanation for that either. His CPK was normal last night which was what too high last week at the ER. I appreciate your prayers. He would feel so much better if he could breathe without so much pain.mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat57 Posted April 11, 2008 Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 sorry to hear that.I hope tomorrow finds him improving.....I wanted to mention that I had something similar when I was very young. Unless they change his DX- that is. Anyway suggest to him that he sit up straight in armless chair, turn his upper body the the right and see if there is any relief, try again turning to the left. I think this shifts the ribs, it helped me.Also I think I was put on antibiotics. I had fallien about 2 stories, and 6 months later the pain started. Infected, inflamed ribs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryfw Posted April 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 anyone have any thoughts on why his Potassium was elevated. I am worried that there is more going on and it is being overlooked. His BP has been up since this started. Today it is 154/104. His bp has always been great. When he went to the ER 2 days ago, his potassium was up, his bp was up and his legs were swollen. I just dont feel like we are getting anywhere. When I asked why his potassium was up they just said, "Good questions". He is being rechecked today but I am just worried. They wont have the results back until Monday. maryDr Guest. What are the possible causes of elevated potassium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryfw Posted April 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 He is also still having great difficulty breathing and losing his voice.mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat57 Posted April 12, 2008 Report Share Posted April 12, 2008 I don't know if this is good info or not, but they had alot to say on the subject. Maybe something will ring true and help you understand you husbands situation.http://members.tripod.com/~charles_W/blood.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryfw Posted April 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2008 The doctor ordered a Full Body Bone Scan so I will let you know how that turns out.mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryfw Posted April 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2008 Some good news. The bone scan showed NO bone cancer. mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat57 Posted April 14, 2008 Report Share Posted April 14, 2008 whew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan Posted April 15, 2008 Report Share Posted April 15, 2008 I'm glad you have some good news in all of this!Meg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryfw Posted April 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2008 I am taking him to the doc tomorrow and asking/demanding that the doctor either put him in the hospital or referr him to someone else. The original diagnosis of Costochondritis made since for a few days when he had chest pain. But it has been two weeks and he is having very little chest pain now so his BP should not still be high from pain. His heart rate was off the charts last night as well. He is hoarse like he has been yelling at a football game. His potassium and creatinine levels have been high. I will find out tomorrow if they are still high. Keep him in your prayers that we find out what it is and are able to treat it soon. Pray for the doctors to have wisdom and ears to hear what we are saying. Thank you,mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megan Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 I am praying!!!Meg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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