What could this be???

[Matticus1983]

A small backstory: I have 2 herniated disks and arthritis in my facet joints. For the past 2 months I've been pretty non motivated to do much of anything, just now getting over strep throat too. I had been trying to lose some weight possibly and get back into some form of shape, taking the dog for a one mile walk every evening. The last two evening I get severe tightness, an almost bloated felling in my lower ribcage, or muscle tension that pushes outward if that makes sense, lower breastbone, high ab area in the front only while while walking. Almost so severe I don't want to go. I can't tell If it related to my back, antibiotics, being overweight or what. I feel like it's too low to be my heart and it's just like intense pressure on my stomach or abs. Never had this problem before. Any suggestions?

 

[E.B]

Muscle cramps of some sort? I compete in strength sports and often have gotten almost a charlie horse feeling in my mid section. It relieves feeling if I flex and tighten the mid section.

 

[Matticus1983]

Muscle cramps of some sort? I compete in strength sports and often have gotten almost a charlie horse feeling in my mid section. It relieves feeling if I flex and tighten the mid section.

I've wondered maybe if it's my ab muscles overcompensating for my crappy back. IDK.

 

[ArgelTal578]

This could be costochondritis/Tietze syndrome (which I think I have right now too).

There's quite a lot of symptoms - but what you described fits some of them. Bloating, pressure on rib area, persistent pain (although pain can be on/off). Doctor told me its 'musculo-skeletal' (which is true, just not as precise as my own searching unravellled).

 

[Jonathan123]

This could be costochondritis/Tietze syndrome (which I think I have right now too).

There's quite a lot of symptoms - but what you described fits some of them. Bloating, pressure on rib area, persistent pain (although pain can be on/off). Doctor told me its 'musculo-skeletal' (which is true, just not as precise as my own searching unravellled).

Self diagnosis in nervous illness is dangerous. We are not doctors and medical terms are meaningless to us even though Dr. Google may say otherwise. We should stop using medical terms of which we have no knowledge and concentrate on fact not fiction. I do know how easy it is to fall into the trap of self diagnosis, but we should leave that to the diagnosticians.

 

[ArgelTal578]

Self diagnosis in nervous illness is dangerous. We are not doctors and medical terms are meaningless to us even though Dr. Google may say otherwise. We should stop using medical terms of which we have no knowledge and concentrate on fact not fiction. I do know how easy it is to fall into the trap of self diagnosis, but we should leave that to the diagnosticians.

Well, of course one should consult a doctor first. Which I did. But if the doctor isn't going to do enough to mitigate the pain then sometimes one has to explore it further. Doctors can get it wrong too -although of course one would expect it to be the case less frequently because of their credentials. Hopefully OP consulted a doctor first, that should have been my first question.

 

[Jonathan123]

Well, of course one should consult a doctor first. Which I did. But if the doctor isn't going to do enough to mitigate the pain then sometimes one has to explore it further. Doctors can get it wrong too -although of course one would expect it to be the case less frequently because of their credentials. Hopefully OP consulted a doctor first, that should have been my first question.

Yes, I do agree. Explore further, but make sure you go to a proper registered practitioner, not Dr. Google who is a very poor adviser.
There are a lot out there who are prepared to give help and advice at a cost. They play on our vulnerability, which is very apparent when we get desperate. Desperation can lead us up some very dark alleys. We may get to the point where we will try anything no matter the cost, and they know it! It makes me sad to have to say that, but I have found it to be true.

 

[Phillies Phan]

It’s the age old question for those of us with HA; we feel a symptom. We try to rationalize what it could be, have I had it before, etc. When this fails we have 3 choices:

- give it time and see if it gets better, worse or stays the same
- give in to the temptation and Google
- make an appointment with your doctor

Waiting say 1-2 weeks is wise if we’re not dealing with obvious red flag symptoms; however the waiting is very stressful, and the stress itself could maintain the symptoms or even make them worse.

Needless to say, Google is not a friend to folks with HA; but since it’s an immediate action you can take, the urge can be very strong. While you might end up feeling better about your symptom, odds are you’ll just get more concerned and likely spend hours and hours until you swear you’ve read everything on the web about your symptom or feared condition.

At first blush, making an appointment with your doctor appears to be the clear winning answer, right? No, not always. It is not realistic nor advisable to run to the doctor for every symptom we feel. You’ll likely piss off the doctor, and you’ll feel like a fool when you realize this is the 4th time in a month you’ve done so.

Jonathan and others will say the correct answer is acceptance, but he cautions “once you’ve been all cleared by the medics”. That sounds fair, until that day when you’re having that 4th visit in a month and you see in the doctor‘s eyes his or her disgust that it’s you again. My GP is a fantastic doctor whom I would trust with my life, but there have been times when I have seen her obvious anger over my being there again. Perhaps she had just walked out of an appointment where a patient is really dealing with a serious issue, and then there’s…you.

So as practical as it seems to go the acceptance route, it requires being a frequent flyer at your doctor’s office, or in the alternative, hoping your symptoms aren’t indeed something major.

See the problem? I’ll bet many of you do, and it goes to show that sadly, there is no “easy” answer for us. Reality bites, but it is the reality.