Chest pain and difficulty in breathing.
LeeB - Jan 21st, 2008 3:46 AM
[ Original Post ]

I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and have many of the classic signs. Intermittently, I suffer from costochondritis(i.e., rib pain at the points of connection of the ribs to the sternum). Over the past year, I have had several episodes of what I consider atypical asthma accompanied by loss of my voice and chest pain on inspiration. While I have been an asthma suffer all my life, I know that these symptoms are different. I seem to have bronchospasm in the main airways which is moderately responsive to inhaled salbutamola and corticosteroids, but not entirely relieved. While there appears to be some airway obstruction (like childhood croup) my blood oxygen levels are fine. I have noted that these symptoms may occur at the same time as exacerbation of the FM symptoms. While, I can think of other possible causes of these breathing difficulties, I wonder if they bear some relationship to FM? Has anyone experienced such events?

Comment


 

Raymonde Laprade - Mar 9th, 2008 7:40 PM

Hi LeeB:

I also suffer from costochondritis and was diagnosed with this condition two years before I was diagnosed with Fibro last September. Haven't had a flare-up of the costochondritis for awhile, but have read on different Fibro websites that it can be a related problem. It is a very painful condition. I actually thought I was having a heart attack when it first happened. My doctor prescribed Effexor, an anti anxiety medication at the time. I wouldn't recommend this medication to anyone as it has a number of side effects and is very hard to withdraw from. Am now off the medication.

Hope this helps.

Raymonde


rox - May 22nd, 2008 8:10 PM

I also have experienced these symptoms do you ever get what feels like very dry vocal cords following an attack?


JohnSki99 - May 23rd, 2008 1:18 PM

I agree with Effexor do not take the meds, there are other ones if you need to be on that will help. Effexor, Lexapro and Cymbalta are newer anti-depresents they have 2 ingrenidents that can give you side effects. Paxil, Zoloft are much more tolerable to try.