shooting/burning pains related to costochondritis?

[shany561]

Hello, about a year and a half ago (when i was 17) my heart rate shot through the roof one day(late october 2007). I had not been feeling well that day so I was taking it easy when this happened-- about 121 beats per minute for 2 hours with some difficulty breathing. After that incident, I began experiencing chest pains. Last July I was diagnosed with costochondritis after a trip to the ER from it.

HOWEVER, NSAIDS didnt work, either did physcal therapy. And besides the chest pains (not far after they originally started) I also experienced shooting pains all over my body, varying in intensity. I have had EKGs, MRI of brain and cervical spine, blood tests, EMG...and have been pretty thoroughly checked out. I even tried some cymbalta to see if it was anxiety or depression related, but it did nothing. All i got was a ton of side effects. Some days the pain episodes happen 30 plus times a day, other times only once or twice a day.

I often experience dizziness and vertigo sensations (and occasionally blurred vision) as well.

Has anyone heard of or experienced anything like this? I'm only 18 and I just have no clue why this is happening!
The pains happen totally at random with no discrimination of where. It is interfering with my daily activities and distracting in class. It even wakes me up from sleeping.
I have had every test that my doctor and neurologist can think of for these symptoms...
please help!

~Samantha

[shany561]

yes i try and do that as well, especially when there's pain. it hasn't been too significant lately, which is great because i can relax. however i have become extremely tired lately, no matter how much i sleep. i am anemic, but this is just ridiculous! do you ever feel tired?

good luck with exams!

[silverkey131]

I can't really do much about the vertigo which is really annoying. I've got pretty important exams coming up and I feel I can't concentrate on anything! It *****!

I just try to relax, maybe try and say to myself, "The more I think about it, the worse it gets, so just think of something else". Sometimes it works. Other than that I don't know. :S

:)

[shany561]

exactly! it's soooo annoying. im nervous that i'll like develop a new symptom and they'll be like "ohhh! that means you have _____" and it'll be something awful.

but is there anything you do the helps the vertigo? cuz mine is pretty severe

[silverkey131]

Yea, I get the vertigo as well. Sometimes it just happens without cause and i just feel dizzy for a few moments.

This kind of *****. And, you're right, the doctors just explain it away with something because they don't know what's really causing it.

:)

[shany561]

no to the itching/red legs, sorry. but do have any vertigo? i get extremely dizzy if i move my head too quickly, as well as standing fast. doctors said it was from getting sinus infections...but it has never gone away for a few months and i haven't been sick or anything lol

don't you just love how doctors seem to find random reasons for everything....

[silverkey131]

Lol, well at least we're trying new ideas, I guess.

I also discovered a new symptom. Whenever I stand up for too long, my legs start to itch and I can see that they're kind of red. I can notice it after a shower cos I have been standing up for a while.

Just wondering if you had a similar symptom or if it's completely unrelated. :S

:)