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Original poster

Dd and very tight/sore chest

22 replies

Thelonelygiraffe · 10/09/2023 19:21

I posted a week ago about 19yo dd and got lots of helpful replies.

I have an update and another request for help.

DD's chest is very tight again tonight, she feels like she can't take a deep breath, and she's getting shooting pains across her chest.

She's had chest pain every day for a week and a half and she's fed up with it being so sore and uncomfortable, and she's worried.

Wwyd? Ring 111, go to A&E? She's having a shower now to take her mind off it.

Any advice?

OP posts:
Toastandmarmiteandtea · 10/09/2023 19:24

absolutely and urgently go to a and e. Could be a blood clot in her lung. I’m not a medical professional but would take this seriously.

MoxieFox · 10/09/2023 19:26

She should make a GP appointment tomorrow morning. There is a condition called pleurisy that feels like stabbing pains whenever you breathe anything other than a very shallow breath. It’s usually a viral infection and not serious, but is a risk factor for walking pneumonia. So she needs to get her lungs listened to and potentially scanned.

MoxieFox · 10/09/2023 19:27

Yeah if it’s chest pain and not lung pain when you breathe, I agree with A&E. Can she give more info?

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Original poster
Thelonelygiraffe · 10/09/2023 19:27

She saw a GP on Friday who listened to her chest. No infection. She's been having this tight chest/can't take a deep breath sensation for over a year, on and off. But it's never been this bad before.

OP posts:
Original poster
Thelonelygiraffe · 10/09/2023 19:28

She has a chest X ray booked for tomorrow.

OP posts:
MoxieFox · 10/09/2023 19:42

Should ask for ECG too to rule out heart condition. So many people go undiagnosed until later in life.

Other than that another possibility they should consider is asthma. This week has been horrendous for asthma sufferers due to the Sahara dust plume. Tight chest, difficulty breathing, and chest pain are also symptoms of asthma. There is a variation of asthma called silent asthma where there is no wheezing or coughing. You can develop asthma at any age.

amiold · 10/09/2023 19:59

Have you considered costochronditis? Had this in my early twenties. Really awful and felt like I couldn't breathe.

I now have BPD (breathing pattern disorder not bipolar). They can't help but basically my issue is I've programmed myself to take in too much air and my lungs are already full. Breathing excercises help where I have to breathe out more than in to reset. By the end of the day it can be worse (also worse at the minute as I'm pregnant and my lungs feel squished anyways)

If any of these sound like the issue. Tell her to practice breathing and not panic (easier said than done I know)

amiold · 10/09/2023 20:02

www.physiotherapyforbpd.org.uk

Original poster
Thelonelygiraffe · 10/09/2023 20:48

Asthma has been ruled out. Peak flow fine.

She's had ECGs - heart is fine.

Costochronditis could be a shout, thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
Thelonelygiraffe · 10/09/2023 20:56

Never heard of BPD - will Google.

OP posts:
MoxieFox · 10/09/2023 22:49

Wow. I hope they figure it out. Keep being persistent.
Maybe the chest X-ray will show something.

monpetitlapin · 10/09/2023 22:52

I have costochondritis OP, I'd second this if everything else comes back clear. The diagnostics for me were that I got taken to A+E in my twenties with suspected heart attack (chest pain, shortness of breath, pins and needles in one arm) and the ECG came back fine. The doctor pressed on various parts of my ribcage/sternum and when the pain got worse, costochondritis was diagnosed. It's not commonly thought of.

monpetitlapin · 10/09/2023 22:55

If it is costochondritis, the prognosis is really good though. Mine flares up about once or twice a year (I'm in a flare-up right now triggered by a nasty chest infection 6 weeks ago).

Spinningcats · 10/09/2023 22:56

I hate to be the person making it a mental health condition but could it be anxiety? When I have anxiety I feel like I can’t breathe deeply and get pains.

lemonsaretheonlyfruit · 10/09/2023 22:58

I was also going to suggest costocondritus (so) ., I had this about ten years ago and convinced myself I had heat problems. Was so relieved to go to the doctors and find out it was nothing serious. It sounds v similar to what you are talking about

autumnboys · 10/09/2023 22:59

Has she had her iron levels checked? Low iron makes me feel as though I can’t breath in all the way. Hope you can get to the bottom of it for her soon.

Original poster
Thelonelygiraffe · 10/09/2023 23:05

@amiold - you might have cracked it. Just read a leaflet about BPD and dd ticks all the boxes!! She breathes fast, breathes through her mouth, doesn't use her diaphragm... She's doing breathing exercises as suggested in the leaflet note.

Bloody hell, I wonder if this is it? Says that BPD can be caused by anaemia too, and DD's iron has been low.

never heard of it, so thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
Thelonelygiraffe · 10/09/2023 23:06

And yes to anxiety.

OP posts:
amiold · 11/09/2023 06:50

Thelonelygiraffe · 10/09/2023 23:05

@amiold - you might have cracked it. Just read a leaflet about BPD and dd ticks all the boxes!! She breathes fast, breathes through her mouth, doesn't use her diaphragm... She's doing breathing exercises as suggested in the leaflet note.

Bloody hell, I wonder if this is it? Says that BPD can be caused by anaemia too, and DD's iron has been low.

never heard of it, so thank you.

I hadn't! When I went to the doctors and they referred me, the lady said it was BPD I raised an eye brow ... she said not bipolar but that to me is BPD (mil has bipolar). I don't think it's widely known

There is some videos to help breathe properly but in all honesty I still revert back to how I was breathing. Does she feel breathless and yawn a lot? I do but I'm not actually breathless. Knowing what it is makes it loads easier for me because I don't panic I just think right just calm down and breathe "better".

amiold · 11/09/2023 06:51

monpetitlapin · 10/09/2023 22:52

I have costochondritis OP, I'd second this if everything else comes back clear. The diagnostics for me were that I got taken to A+E in my twenties with suspected heart attack (chest pain, shortness of breath, pins and needles in one arm) and the ECG came back fine. The doctor pressed on various parts of my ribcage/sternum and when the pain got worse, costochondritis was diagnosed. It's not commonly thought of.

When I went they thought it was a lung clot. Agree though it's not commonly thought of. I wasn't diagnosed until I suggested it to the GP 🤦🏼‍♀️

MoxieFox · 11/09/2023 20:10

Hoping the x-Ray went ok.

Carla6 · 15/06/2024 23:52

@Thelonelygiraffe hi! Did you ever find out what caused the chest pains? Thanks.

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