[Surferboy]

I've been having some weird pains in and around my rib and chest area for the last week or so.

At first I just put it down to paranoia at being diagnosed with Lupus.

But now I am certain that this is not the case.

I'm getting random dull pain just below the rib cage on both sides. The right side worse than the left. And if I press the area between the rib cage I can definitely feel pain.

Also getting some pain on the left side of the chest. Not all the time, but again randomly.

I mentioned this to my rhumy when I saw her on Monday but she said she could not detect any thing wrong.

If I was getting inflammation around the kidneys or chest would I be able to feel it? Like when the joints get inflamed?

 

[sadieone]

hi Surferboy,

i'm glad you mentioned you say your rhuemy and told her about it. Because that would have been the only thing i could suggest you do.

After I was dx'ed i had stabbing pain in my chest, thought i was having a heart attack. But my gp recommended I go to a pulmonologiest , Lung Doctor.

He dxed me as having COPD, Chronic Obstructive PUlmonary Disease. I have just 80% use of my lungs. This is due partly because i used to smoke and partly because of lupus.

I hope this was helpful and your able to find out exactly what is wrong.

Take Care

 

[Nutty]

Hi Surferboy,

I get a lot of chest and lung pain as I sufer from serositis, inflammation of the lining of the heart, lung and abdomen. It is mainly my lung that gives me the most trouble. When they are inflammed, I call it a raw pain. The doctors always say "huh" like they don't know what I'm talking about. I picture someone rubbing an open wound. That's what it feels like to me. It can bring tears to your eyes when you cough, sneeze, yawn or hiccp. Anything that expands your lungs will make it worse. Keep in mind that I also get pain from the nerve endings of scar tissue from damage to the lung from a chest tube and blood clots. Generally, I can tell the difference in the pain. The raw feeling is from inflammation. It's pretty much the same thing around the heart and abdomen when they flare up as well. I'm just (hopefully) getting over pericarditis. At it's worse, I couldn't move my are 2" without being in agony. I ended up in the hospital that time. Now, it isn't always that severe. In my case, they put me on a very high dose of prednisone (which didn't work) and then added an NSAID (indomethacin), which I normally don't take because I am on coumadin (warafin). They said it would be okay short term. They now have me on celebrex because it is the only NSAID that doesn't affect platlettes. I never knew that before.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

Nutty

 

[Gerri54]

Hi Suferboy, I haven't been diagnosed with Lupus yet. I've got small amount of pericardia fluid around my heart. I continually get bladder/Kidney infections, and have for many years. I have scaring on my lungs, and have been diagnosed with mild COPD, and I have never smoked a day in my life. I have other breathing issues, like severe sleep apnea, Central apnea, bronchial asthma, severe GERDS and pleursy. I have NASH (non alcohol fatty liver disease with inflamation). I am going for a Celiac biopsy September 4th.

Yes, I get the same pain your having around the rib cage, up and down my right and left sides, and back upper shoulders. But I honestly can't tell you which of my already diagnosed or not diagnosed yet autoimmune diseases is causing this pain.

As for pain this last time in my Kidneys/bladder, I didn't even know I had a kidney/bladder infection until blood work came back positive for infection. I have so much other pain going on I didn't clue in.

Hugs

Gerri

 

[Surferboy]

The thing is my blood test results have come back totally clean for any organ involvement! Only last Monday I was told by my Rhumy that nothing from the results shows signs of organ involvement.

But thankfully I have an appointment with my GP on Monday so will see what he things.

Thanks so much for your replies

 

[KarolH]

I am a firm believer that our blood work is NOT always indicative of what is going on. I am glad your seeing your GP. If the pain is still there then I think at least a x-ray is warranted.

I had so much damage to my stomach and part of my intestines that they had to be removed yet if you looked at my blood work you would have thought I was the picture of perfect health.

My WBC count should have been sky rocket and it wasn't.
My sed rate should have been high and it wasn't.
My C-reactive protein should have been high and it wasn't.

Get the picture. If your still feeling bad then ask your GP to take it a step further and get a x-ray or what ever your GP feels may paint a clearer picture.

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

 

[sushi]

hi surferboy and welcome to the lupus site. another thing it could be is costocondritis ask your gp about this.

ive had lupus for over 20 years with no organ involvement just a rash on my arms and costocondritis but i dont know if it was due to my lupus because i was very depressed 1 year ago and that couldve contributed to it.

my costocondritis came and went for a couple of weeks and havent got it again. knock on wood!:lol::lol:

 

[Surferboy]

Well, what a waste of time it was me seeing my GP about this. He literally brushed off everything I told him about the pains, where they were and my concerns. I think he thought I was just being paranoid. he didn't even check me to make sure nothing was wrong, or swollen etc etc The few comments that he did make were along the lines of "if your organs were in trouble you wouldn't feel any pain". But thing is I wasn't even insinuating that I though my organs were involved. I just told him that I had these pains!!

But I'm going to go back and see his colleague when he returns from his holiday (I normally see him anyways) in the hope that he at least does a check up.

Sushi, I asked him if there was a possibility of costocondritis and he just shrugged it clean off

Sorry. Rant over.

 

[KitKat]

Hi,

Sorry your GP was rubbish! They do vary sooooo much! I really hope going to see the other GP will give so answers or a way forward at least.
If it doesn't try and get hold of your Rhuemy and talk things through with them. At my local hospital there is a specialist Rhuemy nurse that you can call to get advice. Try and find out if you have something like that.

Working out what this disease feels like in your body is a scary time and it takes time to work out who you can go to to get good help and advice. Keep knocking on doors and you will find someone who listens to your concerns and considers your feelings in all of this and takes what you are saying seriously.

I hope the pain eases soon
K

 

[Surferboy]

Thanks Kitkat.

Will definitely find out if there is a rhumy nurse at my hospital - but judging by the way I get told every time I call how busy the Dr's are I doubt very much there is one there.

 

[beebee1]

Hi Surferboy, I get a lot of pain too around my ribs which is due to muscle spasms around the lungs. I was told by my physio that it's pretty common with auto immune diseases. Mine comes on if I get stressed, have hayfever or even the slightest cold and it is excrutiating. My Dr gets me to keep taking deep breaths to stop the muscles shutting down altogether and pain meds. HTH's

 

[Surferboy]

Thanks for the reply beebee. Did your dr say if this was something that is of any concern? Or is this just something that is nothing more than an annoyance?

 

[Jenkay]

Hello, I may be a little late but I can totally related to the rib pain, I've had it off and on the past couple of years with my lupus. My rheumy is pretty good about not blowing things off and when all else was ruled out she said there can be inflamation in small areas around the rib that can cause pain. Sometimes it's much worse than others and other times it is doesn't exist. NSAID usually helps.

I've seen a lot of docs and it is very frustating when they respond they way your GP did. Ugggg!

Just want to let you know you are not alone.

Jen

 

[Meriel]

Hi there

I'm also recently diagnosed and I have lots of pain around my ribs, chest and shoulders but my rheumatologist has reassured me that it is nothing to worry about and that in time NSAIs and antimalarials should help. I also have no blood markers for organ involvement. I think it would be a good idea to mention it to your GP though.

I hope you start to feel better soon
Take care
Meriel

 

[Bennys Elsewhere]

Hi surferboy,

i found this article on google in order to see if i can relate anything to my friend. she is 15, and shes been having rib pains, and lung pains on and off for almost 2 years now (randomly like yourself). shes had doctors look at her and her family history and her aunt has a disease called Fibromyalgia. (mayoclinic.com/health/fibromyalgia/DS00079) Most of the symptoms relate to her, and depression may be playing another role with her. The doctors think she may have the same disease as her aunt, and she may have one great aunt who suffered from the same disease (not sure, but i know its one more family member). They are not sure on the diagnosis yet, or the treatment. shes used to the pain by now, but they are still looking for treatment, as well as a steady diagnosis. You may want to mention this to your doctor as well. ( i am a high schooler just looking for information, and thought passing on information may help)

thanks for your time,
-Ben

-

 

[CARS]

sorry that you have had that experience-- keep shopping for a Dr--- my Internal Medicine Dr was on top of my problems and testing me for what she probably suspected as lupus for nearly 10 years before the analyical results "proved" it--
there really are still DRs out there that care!
She partners closely with my Rhum and cardiologist - none of the them have ego problems -- they communicate and include me in my health care plan--

I have never been discouraged from coming in to any of their offices--
keep shopping for one that offers compassion and a willingness to educate you about your disease!
They are out there!

 

[lazylegs]

Hi CARS,

This is an old thread. The last posting was on 9/20/08.

Looking forward to seeing more posts from you in the future.

Take care,
Lazylegs

 

[candi bowen]

Has anyone mentioned costochondritis? I pretty much have it all the time, sometimes worse than others. Dr. Askari used to give me injections for it - the last time I had it done he had drawn 13 'x's on my chest, injection sites, when I put my foot down & decided to live with it, or just give me a big shot in the rump. No more breast injections. Ya know, it actually sounds a lot worse than it was, but 13? Come on.

 

[Katharine]

Hello Candi,

As Lazylegs mentioned above this is an old thread so you are unlikely to get a reply to your post. It might be an idea to introduce yourself in a new thread in the introductions section so that we can get to know you - if you haven't already done so

Katharine

 

[LaurelQ]

I have been having the same pain. I did some reading on Methotrexate, and it sounds like it's possible that it could be interstitial pnumonitis. Hope things have gotten better for you, I am in agony!