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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 10/19/2013 10:18 AM (GMT -5)
Help anyone please I need advice! I've had the craziest symptoms and don't know what to think anymore.

I'm 24 year old female, was 118 when this started now I'm 105 from not eating because of pain. At the end of July I started to get a dull achy pain on the right side of my chest under my boob and up the right of my sternum. It got worse more of a sharp pain over a week so I went to the doc they did a chest xray said everything looked fine sent me home with anti inflam. meds. Up to this point about 2 weeks went by I ha no acid reflux symptoms or heartburn just pain. Then after a week I was trying to eat and the pain changed to I couldn't swallow got the sharp pain on the right side of my chest only betwen my boobs and this is when i first felt heartburn and indigestion. I went back to the doc he said for me to have a abdominal ultrasound an possible upper endoscope. Well pain got so bad I had both, the scope was fine showed no damage from acid reflux and neg for h pylori. (Would he see if I had GERD)?

I've had a lot of tests done, abdominal ultrasound, bloodwork 4times, endoscope, chest xray, abdominal xray and ct scan b/c of a kidney stone.

Now ive been having abdominal pain fairly low. doc told me he thought i had IBS just my GP not my GI yet. I get bad hip pain and back pain. I also think i have some nerve pain going down my right leg but idk if this is related its been going on like 2 months. I just dont know whats going on with me.

I went back to my GP he told me anxiety could cause the esaphagua to tighten up so he put me on zoloft. Well the pain went away for about a month and now its back!! :( Im just not convinced and im worried.


I feel 50x less anxious than I did when this first started so I'm confused. Another doc told me I have costo but I haven't read anything g about swallowing pain. This time around feels like I can't breathe sometimes during the day and throat clearing, no heartburn though. It's weird because I usually wake up and go to bed feeling fine but during the day is when I have acid reflux like symptoms at the worst . The past 2 months I've been eating better than normal drinking only water I just don't know.. Ive been taking prilosec with no real luck so i switched toe prevacid and i occasionally take a zantac but no relief of sytmptoms when they are happening. Doc also put me on protonix when all this first started and i didnt notice and improvement. I started taking a 50billion probiotic too about a month ago.

I would think if I was having such sever pain swallowing some damage would show in my scope?! Or he would tell me if i have GERD? I'm so confused :( I feel like this IBS COSTO GERD LEG PAIN could all be related... any advice?
Posted 10/19/2013 2:20 PM (GMT -5)
OK, here's my take.

Right side pain in hip and leg is probably sciatica from piriformis syndrome and can be helped by proper stretching and exercise. Make sure you have good posture when you are sitting at a computer and driving, too.

Esophageal spasms are awful and are often attributed to stress. The scope cannot see spasms. A swallow study might help, but the best "cure" is probably going to be the ppis you are taking plus some good relaxation techniques. I would suggest working with a therapist to learn some, or take up yoga so you can learn good breathing and meditation methods. Many people have esophageal spasms and from what I've heard they are very painful. You should also do some reading about low acid diets and how to change the way you eat as if you did have GERD. There is some good info there.

I've had an esophageal stricture and this doesn't come and go. It stays and gets worse. It doesn't sound like what you have.
Posted 10/19/2013 10:03 PM (GMT -5)
thank you. yes thats what i assumed it wouldnt just come and go. but i also believe i have costochondritus and didnt know if the swelling could cause swallowing pain near my esphagus. :( its only on my right side thats whats so confusing about it all. its not centerned in my esophagus.
Posted 10/19/2013 10:03 PM (GMT -5)
thank you. yes thats what i assumed it wouldnt just come and go. but i also believe i have costochondritus and didnt know if the swelling could cause swallowing pain near my esphagus. :( its only on my right side thats whats so confusing about it all. its not centerned in my esophagus.
Posted 10/21/2013 10:05 AM (GMT -5)
Costochondritis from what I understand occurs at the interesection of bone and muscle (like in your sternum, or between ribs). I'm not sure I understand how pain when you swallow could be costochondritis.

Also, be careful about what anti-inflammatories you are taking. Too much NSAID can give you stomach pain/ulcers/reflux. You should not take them every day.

Posted 10/21/2013 11:53 AM (GMT -5)
Well since ive had a scope done and had no damage from reflux they said my esphagus was fine and for having such sever swallowing pain i should show damage.

I did read this on one site only but seems to be what i am experiencing.

"Other areas in the chest, particularly nerves and muscles, can become inflamed, leading to chest pain when swallowing. For example, in a condition called costochondritis, the joints where ribs attach to the sternum become tender. Any movement in this area, including movement induced by swallowing, will likely cause breastbone pain. Pinched nerves may cause similar issues. Besides swallowing, other movements like breathing may cause pain."

I joined a cost/tietze syndrome group on facebook and a few have mentioned swallowing pain. just feel like these HAVE to be related but doctors havent made the connection
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