Chest pain | Arthritis Information

 

After years of thinking something was wrong with me and my doctor not knowing what it was I switched doctors and was just diagnosed with RA. I will see a rheumatologist in 6 weeks (shortage of rheumatologists in our area) and want to discuss my most alarming symtom. Along with the stiffness and wierd aches and pains I get all the time I also get a severe stiffness, burning in my sternum and ribcage that is aggravated by pressure to the area and movement. The pain was so bad I went to the ER a few months ago but they couldnt find anything wrong with my heart. This was all before my recent diagnosis with RA. Has anyone else suffered these pains and what meds have worked to take the pain away?Welcome to the site 3yrstogo. Interesting name. Have you been checked for GERD? Your symptoms sound alot the symptoms of GERD. See a GI doctor or your primary. There are medications you can take for that.

Hello 3yrs.. welcome.  sorry you find the need to be here but it is full of information... I do recall some having similar symptoms... including a costochondriasis (sp?) that can cause that as well..

Check the thread that says Costo. It should be on the first page or the second depending on how far down it gets bumped...

OH...Welcome to the board by the way!!!They diagnosed me with probable GERD on the hospital release but I think there is more to it. My primary is scheduleing me for an upper GI and a gallbladder scan along with a halter monitor which I must wear for 1 day. Granted this was all before my blood tests came back positive for RA.  I cant wait to see the rheumatologist and talk about all of my symtoms. I have had on and off (mostly on) pain, sometimes very intense in my sternum and ribcage for years and have always wondered what was going on. Now I wonder if this could be caused by the RA? Thanks all for the welcome![QUOTE=3yrstogo]I also get a severe stiffness, burning in my sternum and ribcage that is aggravated by pressure to the area and movement. The pain was so bad I went to the ER a few months ago but they couldnt find anything wrong with my heart. This was all before my recent diagnosis with RA. Has anyone else suffered these pains and what meds have worked to take the pain away?[/QUOTE] Does it hurt when you touch it?  If yes, it sounds to me like it is the muscles around that area, not your heart.[QUOTE=kweenb][QUOTE=3yrstogo]I also get a severe stiffness, burning in my sternum and ribcage that is aggravated by pressure to the area and movement. The pain was so bad I went to the ER a few months ago but they couldnt find anything wrong with my heart. This was all before my recent diagnosis with RA. Has anyone else suffered these pains and what meds have worked to take the pain away?[/QUOTE] [/QUOTE] Yes, pressure on the sternum sets it off even worse. I was checking out costo posts and it seems like costocondritis. Can that be caused by RA. Have tried Prilosec and that doesnt get rid of the pain.Welcome 3 - have them pull your amalyase and lipase - I was having severe acute pancreatitis attacks from an infected disease gallbladder with no stones.  Took years to get it diagnosed and removed because no stones showed up in the scans - same symptoms that I had - good luck.Don't wait until the RD appointment.  You should probably see your primary dr. as soon as possible.  Mainly because chest pain always makes us nervous.  Also, if your dr. wants you to try a medication, you will have a few weeks to see if it works before your rheumy appointment.  You want to be able to go to that appointment as prepared as possible.  Treating RA is a tricky business-lots of trial and error. [QUOTE=lorster]Welcome to the site 3yrstogo. Interesting name. Have you been checked for GERD? Your symptoms sound alot the symptoms of GERD. See a GI doctor or your primary. There are medications you can take for that.[/QUOTE] I am also new to this site and have similar symptoms. I have pain in my breast bones occationally which is caused by inflammation there. My RD was quick to recognize it and an increase in medication helps when it's acting up at it's worst. It sure scared me until I knew for sure what it was.....definately make sure you know what it is before you blow it off as RA related; but also know that RA can cause such symptoms also. [QUOTE=3yrstogo]After years of thinking something was wrong with me and my doctor not knowing what it was I switched doctors and was just diagnosed with RA. I will see a rheumatologist in 6 weeks (shortage of rheumatologists in our area) and want to discuss my most alarming symtom. Along with the stiffness and wierd aches and pains I get all the time I also get a severe stiffness, burning in my sternum and ribcage that is aggravated by pressure to the area and movement. The pain was so bad I went to the ER a few months ago but they couldnt find anything wrong with my heart. This was all before my recent diagnosis with RA. Has anyone else suffered these pains and what meds have worked to take the pain away?[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Phatgirl2] [QUOTE=lorster]Welcome to the site 3yrstogo. Interesting name. Have you been checked for GERD? Your symptoms sound alot the symptoms of GERD. See a GI doctor or your primary. There are medications you can take for that.[/QUOTE]


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1. Good job on jacking the thread
2. I never said, you have it, I said, get it checked, re read it.
3. Don't assume you know my level of education.lorster, dont mind the negative  remarks. I appreciate everyones opinions and dont regard anyones advice as a definite diagnosis to my problems. Now that I know what disease that I have I wanted to get input from others with the same disease. Thanks for your input and keep posting!    :)1. Good job on jacking the thread
2. I never said, you have it, I said, get it checked, re read it.
3. Don't assume you know my level of education.[/QUOTE] I agree you need to see a dr about the pain, chest pain can be serious or it may just be a muscular thing...My father put of seeing a dr for chest pain for years, putting it down to a bad case of pneumonia he had as a teenager, he died of a massive heart attack, apparently he had a heart diease he never knew about....I had severe chest pain and due to my dads disease i was tested but my tests show all clear and its nothing more than acid reflux ( i get pains in my jaw and arms too and my back)  [QUOTE=Phatgirl2] 1. Good job on jacking the thread 2. I never said, you have it, I said, get it checked, re read it. 3. Don't assume you know my level of education.[/QUOTE]

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My point Phats

I have never shared my level of education with anyone on here and I won't. That is not what we are here for. [QUOTE=3yrstogo] lorster, dont mind the negative  remarks. I appreciate everyones opinions and dont regard anyones advice as a definite diagnosis to my problems. Now that I know what disease that I have I wanted to get input from others with the same disease. Thanks for your input and keep posting!    :)[/QUOTE]


Thanks 3yrstogo. You really should keep on your doctors about this. Do a thorough cardiac and GI workup. And it could be your RA. This disease is frustrating and brings with it all kinds of problems, not just joint. The meds we take cause umpteen side effects so it can get to the point where some of it is disease and some of it side effects. BTW, how did you come to that name? Just curious.I was checked out at the hospital and they couldnt find anything wrong with my heart. That being said, my doctor is following up with more tests the next few weeks. They took a picture of my heart at the hospital after injecting me with something and said the plumbing looks fine but that I could have an electrical problem. My EKG also was normal though. All this was before my RA diagnosis so I am really looking forward to talking to my rheumy, just wish I didnt have to wait for so long. My handle comes from another forum related to my job in which I am eligible for retirement in three years...thus 3yrstogo! 3yrstogo2009-01-06 15:45:28well, that is too bad you have almost made it to retirement, but now have all this going on. good luck. [QUOTE=3yrstogo]I was checked out at the hospital and they couldnt find anything wrong with my heart. That being said, my doctor is following up with more tests the next few weeks. They took a picture of my heart at the hospital after injecting me with something and said the plumbing looks fine but that I could have an electrical problem. My EKG also was normal though. All this was before my RA diagnosis so I am really looking forward to talking to my rheumy, just wish I didnt have to wait for so long. My handle comes from another forum related to my job in which I am eligible for retirement in three years...thus 3yrstogo! [/QUOTE]

I have a bit of an electrical problem too - that's why I take metoprolol every day.  It suppresses the wacky heart rhythms.  My doc says I can go get cardiac ablation to burn out the offending band of renegade cells, or I can continue spending /month on metoprolol.  I'm sticking with the drug.  Fish oil also helps calm wacky heart rhythms.
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