Ok all I'm a massive sufferer of health anxiety and recently diagnosed with costochondritis I guess reason I'm asking this question is for a little reassurance, comparison of symptoms and to ultimately help others.
So I've sadly been a frequent visitor of A&E with pains / aches in my chest and although the automatic diagnosis of the ECG machine says I've had a prior inferior infarction doctors and cardiologists disagree and report my ECGS as normal only recently have I had my confirmation of costochondritis due to active chest pains whilst waiting to see my own GP for a unrelated matter.
Pains I get can range from pain down side of my rib cage (under my armpit and downwards) tightness at the top of my chest like just below my collarbone area and along the edges of my ribs and my sternum these pains range from a mild ache to a sharp pain or an electrical type shooting pain all of which last no more than a minute at most and are never more painful than a 3/4 out of 10
I also quiet often burp up stomach acid which doesn't help
So how do I differentiate these Too cardiac pains? Is there a massive difference and do others out there have same type feelings as I?
This is a fantastic qustion to ask the cardiologist who diagnosed you with an issue. A very reasonable and fair question. Are you on any kind of muscle relaxant to help the chrondo part? It would probably useful if you were and bring down your anxiety as well.
The cardiologist diagnosed me with nothing other than anxiety back in may or was my own GP last week that diagnosed costo
Oh. Wait so your heart is healthy. All the test came back normal?
Yea but thing that worries me is the ECGS when o read the sheet say in the corner **ABNORMAL ECG - UNCOMFIRMED** Inferior infarction age undetermined
Can you get this test redone? Did they ever give you a holter monitor and monitor your heart? They have 24hrs ones and 7 day ones. You can ask the cardiologist. Not a hospital dr. An in office cardiologist. They are more focused and will discuss this with you. Then you can explain about the prior result and the chrondo and you would feel more comfortsble knowing for sure it is all good. And explain the chrondo confuses you with chest pain and until its completely ruled out it is causing bad anxiety. See what the cardologist says. Not a complicated test or very costly so hooefully they will just do it. Then you would have that to go on.
when you discuss this speak normal, not fast or rushed. Also sound reasonable and concerned not harried and scared. Your way of communicating your issues make a huge difference in the care you will recieve. Doctors love to label people and profile them. Keeo that in mind. Anyone coming in soeaking really fast and blurting iut their entire life in fifteen minutes is a red flag for anxiety. So keep that in mind as well. You state why you are there. Rationally and calmly and note you would like to get to the bottom of all this heart stuff and a faulty test so you can move on with your life. Just my thoughts.