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Forum Name: Miscellaneous Cardiology Topics

Question: shoulder, chest and maybe heart?

bebo109 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:05 am

I am a 21 year old male. I have had my symptoms for 3 years now. I get it EVERY month. It starts with at my left shoulder. When I breath in, I will get a feeling like oxygen cant pass through with ease. This usually lasts about 6 hours. After that, I no longer feel anything in my shoulder, but I feel a pain on my left side. When I breath in, it feels like there is not enough room for my lungs to expand. My heart, and my lungs feel like they are being pressed against my rib cage. Its very frightening. The pain is an unimaginable one. It keeps me up for 2 days, because it is so hard to breath. My breaths are VERY short, and fast paced. I am also very sensitive to cold during these 2 days where the pain is unbarable. I shiver uncrontrollably sometimes, and this only makes the pain WORSE! Please help. I have been to 2 different doctors. Both gave me anti-inflamitory drugs, which does absolutely NOTHING! I've had an X-ray, which showed nothing. Please, Please, Please help.

Dr. Chan Lowe - Wed May 02, 2007 6:44 am

I am having difficulty coming up with anything that would cause your symptoms. You've stumped me. I can provide a few ideas that really don't perfectly fit but may help give you some direction to see if a diagnosis can be made. You may consider seeing if albuterol (a Bronchodilator) will help during one of these episodes. If it does you may be experiencing an atypical Asthma attack. Perhaps you have some Pleurisy-inflammation of the lining of the lungs that can cause pain. Usually this pain is sharp and will be relieved to some degree by Ibuprofen. Beyond this I can't come up with a good explanation. You may want to see a pulmonologist or possibly a GI doctor for further evaluation. As a long shot, a neurologist may be able to give you some help also. Best wishes. Keep us updated.

milmed - Mon May 07, 2007 3:15 pm

That's an odd set of problems. I have a few questions for you: -Are you overweight or at a healthy weight -How tall are you? -Generally are you physically fit -What medical problems have you had in the past -And what, if any, medical history do blood relatives have -Was there any significant event 3 years ago that occurred just before onset of the symptoms -Do you smoke or use any drugs; or do you take any regular medications other than meds you take to attempt to treat these symptoms -What's your blood pressure like -Are your symptoms exacerbated during times of physical exertion, or are symptoms provoked by exertion and when you're not experiencing the symptoms do you get "winded" easily when walking -Is there any common denominator to the onset of the symptoms like seasonal, stressful situations, etc that you can find? Are there any triggers that are identifiable? Do these symptoms occur during times of high stress? -Is there anything that you do that relieves the pain, even just a little, during an episode? This could be something really simple that your doctor hasn't made it to or a combination of different problems that presents in a confusing, difficult to treat manner. My first reaction was just as Dr. Lowe described; Pleurisy, but if Anti-inflammatory meds aren't relieving the pain then it's a little harder. What Anti-inflammatory medications have you been prescribed? Maybe the answer will be revealed if you provide some more information. But regardless, you should investigate this with your doctor during a physical exam. How long have you been seeking treatment for this? Throughout the course of the three years or only recently? If it's been three years with no resolution, I would suggest speaking with a third physician. Get back to us with some more information and to let us know how things are turning out. Best wishes

bebo109 - Mon May 07, 2007 10:11 pm

I am 140lbs, and about 5'8". I used to work out regularly prior to my condition. I would say about 18months prior to my condition is when I started to work out regularly. Lifted weights, did some cardio, etc... I am still pretty fit, although I don't excersise as often as I used to. I thought maybe my condition was because of the weight lifting so I've stopped. My condition continued, so I assumed it wasnt because of weight lifting, so I still do it every so often. About 1-2 times a week, I will do some push-ups, and curl some weights, But nothing to straining. I do this just to keep my physique. I remember the day I first felt the pain. It was my first year of college, and I was in a class taking notes. All of a sudden, I felt a sharp pain in my side. I left immediatly and went to the health center. They gave me ibuprofin. I don't think it helped, and I cant remember how long the pain lasted. (maybe its stress related? Im still in college, in my 4th year now.) I have started to keep a log in excel of how often my symptoms occured. There are 4 fields: 1. The date I feel the should "thing", 2. The date in which the pain in my side becomes unbarable, 3. The date in which the pain becomes barable (I can move around I. e. walk), and 4. The date in which I no longer feel anything. Let me share with you what I have so far. First Sign Started Hard Hard Ended Ended N/A 2/28/2007 N/A 3/9/2007 4/16/2007 4/21/2007 4/23/2007 4/30/2007 I started logging it recently. So this info might not be worth anything for now. But so far, it seems to be about 52days apart, and lasts a total of 14days. The N/A's are there because I didnt add those 2 fields untill the second time around. I have never had any medical problems except for these pains. Here is where things get even more interesting. One of my 2 older sisters has sysmptoms similar to mine. She has had her pains for 9 years. She is 23 years old, and about 5'2". She has been to a number of doctors. She's had cat scans done, blood tests done, colonostpies, and X-Rays. The difference between her symptoms and mine are: 1. She gets the pains on both side (Sometimes on the left side, and sometimes on the right side). 2. She has the same "heads up" as I do with the shoulder. The same day she feels the shoulder "thing" is the same day the side pains hit, and become unbarable. 3. Her pains last a total of only 3 days. But these 3 days for her are unbarable. 4. The frequency of these occurrences for her (9 years ago) would be about twice a year. Now on the other hand, she gets them about twice a month. (they started to occure more frequenctly when she started college) . 5. Sometimes she will get the pain exactly 1 week after she felt it the first day. For example; if she felt the pain on monday 1-1-2007, it would last for 3 days, then go away, then on monday 1-8-2007 she will get the pain again for 3 days. 6. The pain moves. If it starts on the left side, it will stay on the left side, but it will move up and down on her left side. Same thing on the right side, It will stay on the right side, but it will move up and down, untill its gone. (My pain does not move. Its always pretty much in the same region on my left side) Neither me, nor my sister uses any drugs or smokes. My pains are not induced by physical exertion, and I do not get winded easily when walking. I can play basketball, football, and do anything normally when I do not have my pains. There is no common denominator to the onset of the symptoms that I can find. The only trigger I have is the shoulder "thing". The only thing I do to relieve the pain is to lie down, and let it pass. Movement hurts a lot!

bebo109 - Mon May 07, 2007 10:16 pm

By the way, Thank you all for your help! This is the most help that I have ever had. The doctors that I have been to, always just shrug off my condition.

bebo109 - Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:52 pm

I've been reading a lot online about Tietze Syndrome and Costiochondritis. Do you think one of these may be it?

bebo109 - Tue Jun 05, 2007 12:04 am

Occurrence 1 First Sign: Started Hard:2/28/2007 Hard Ended: Ended: 3/9/2007 Side: Left Occurrence 2 First Sign: 4/16/2007 Started Hard:4/21/2007 Hard Ended: 4/23/2007 Ended: 4/30/2007 Side: Left Occurrence 3 First Sign: 5/16/2007 Started Hard:5/18/2007 Hard Ended: 5/19/2007 Ended: 5/27/2007 Side: Left Occurrence 4 First Sign: 5/27/2007 Started Hard:5/27/2007 Hard Ended: 5/28/2007 Ended: 5/30/2007 Side: Right Occurrence 5 First Sign: 6/3/2007 Started Hard: Hard Ended: Ended: Side: Left

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