Hi, I've just been diagnosed as having costochondritis and it kills! Please tell me am I the only one that thinks that their heart is just going to give up on them, that their chest is in a vice constantly and then the pain will peak and really really hurt. I was given tramadol by the Amubulance people and it worked wonders, but the doctors won't give it to me because it is a replacement for morphine. Can anyone help me I've had three lots of tablets and so far, none have helped!! I have to be careful what I take as I need to be fully aware as I have two young children.

Hi everyone,
A few months ago i was told by a doctor that i had Costochondritis.
After a year of being in pain and being told time after time that i had a chest infection they came up with saying i have costochondritis.

I done some research on the internet about Costochondritis and it says that people suffer from it for about 7-8 weeks but i've had it for over a year now so i sometimes doubt i have it :confused:
I've had loads of tests done, ECG's chest x-rays, blood tests and the first 3 times they said it was a chest infection but the 4th time i went to the hospital they came up with saying i have Costochondritis and Asthma. I sometimes think that they say i have that because really they haven't got a clue and can't be bothered to look into it :dizzy:

I've had to leave my job because of the pain being so bad, my social life... well haven't really got one anymore as i can't do much with out being in pain and as i'm only 20 it's kindof hard for me not being able to do anything, seeing all my friends out and thinking why can't i be doing that.

The pain is constant, some days its really bad and some day its there but isn't as bad.
It feels like someone is sat on my ribs crushing me :eek:

My doctor said if it gets any worse i will have to see a chest physican has anyone been to one?

The doctors have given me so many different kinds of medication iburprofen, codeine 15mg, co-codamol 30mg, tramadol 50mg, and the latest tablets i'm taking are Diclofenac an anti-inflammatory drug which doesn't seem to be working. The painkillers i had to keep changing getting a higher mg as they wasn't working. The Tramadol ones were very strong and i wasn't in pain but i got loads of side affects from them. I had to choose weather to be sick every minute, going, dizzy, being weak, not being able to eat or if i did i would just throw it back up again or bein pain so i chose being in pain as i couldn't even talk my throat was that sore through being sick all the time :dizzy:


Well its good (well not good but you kindof know what i mean:) ) to find people i can talk to who have the same illness, i felt so alone being the only one i new.

Has anyone found anything that helps?


Hope to speak to some of you soon and i hope someone finds a good cure so we all dont have to suffer anymore :dizzy:

Love Cheryl xxxx