To worry about pain in my lower chest/upper ribs

[beeyourself]

I have some pain/discomfort in the centre of my chest just under where my bra sits.

I've not eaten yet today, so not sure if it's indigestion, although it feels like it could be.

I don't feel bad but it's pretty persistent and I've just remembered that women's heart attack symptoms can be a bit like indigestion, so I'm having a bit of a panic.

There's family history of heart problems (although I've never had problems) and I have diabetes so at higher risk (I'm only early 40s though). I've had a lot of stress recently too.

WIBU to go to the drop-in/urgent care centre (same building) just in case? I don't want to be a drama queen and am concerned I'm imagining symptoms to avoid going to work!

Yanbu. It could be your gallbladder. I don’t mean to be rude, but are you overweight and white? The reason is that gallbladder attacks seem to affect those female, fat, fair and forties

Yeah that pretty much sums me up! Also family history of gall bladder problems (not sure if that's relevant).

Worth a trip to the walk-in or wait to see if it goes?

Go to walk in. I had my gallbladder removed. The first attack: I actually thought I was dying.

I think the only thing stopping me is that I'm not in huge amounts of pain, I don't want to waste anyone's time.

Honestly, if you’re worried,
It’s bettet to be safe than sorry.

It may just be indigestion; but it’s best to be checked.

Ps if your pee goes an orange / golden colour, or you poo goes clay coloured, or you start going jaundiced, get medical help as soon as possible as it could be a bile duct blockage caused by gallbladder stones (I had this)

A clinic or walk in place will be understanding about you getting your chest pain checked out, even if it is nothing serious.

Does it get worse when you breathe? I had similar when I had plurisay and a pretty bad chest infection but the pain on breathing was the only thing that made me getchecked to shut people up!

Well worth getting checked out.

I'd go to walk in care as well, when my gallbladder started protesting it was without warning in the middle of the night and I was sure I'd be dead by morning.

If it is pain when you press on the ribcage, it is probably something called costochondritis. I have this too. It is not serious.

I had similar pain a few years ago that eventually became so bad and unbearable I ended up in a&e. They think it's my gallbladder but I only get the pain every few months now!

Go to your GP. Ask to be referred for an ultrasound. I'm a sonographer and it could be any number of things. You should also be referred for an X-ray. If the pain gets worse before your scans go to a&e.

Don't ask random non medically trained people on the internet.

Thanks all - the pain is now making its way around to the left of my back. Not quite sure what to make of that, but I think I'd be best to get checked out.

I agree, hope all is OK.

Call 111

I agree go to docs, my gallstone pain also moved around my back!

Thanks all - waiting in A&E now

Hi OP! How are you?

Hope you are feeling better soon OP. If it's your gallbladder, you're welcome to check out my gallbladder removal support thread, lots of people with good advice and tips on there. Hope everything goes well for you. By the way I had my gallbladder removed recently and also didn't get the painful attacks that people often associate with this.

Thanks all. Just been discharged. They did all the cardiac checks, 2 blood tests, 2 ECGs, chest X-ray and no sign of any cardiac issues so all good there.

They didn't offer any alternative opinion on what might be causing the pain though . So I'm going to make an appointment with my gp and ask for them to investigate gall bladder issues.

That's really good news that they didn't find anything seriously wrong. I hope you are feeling ok.
I had a chest x Ray, but it was an ultrasound that diagnosed the gallstones. I expect your GP will refer you for a blood test and ultrasound.

The back pain is consistent with what I had, when I had gallbladder problems. Hopefully it’s nothing OP, but best to get it checked.

I second the suggestion that's costochondritis. As soon as I read your post it's what I was thinking. I used to feel sharp pains in the centre of my chest that went round the back. Then another awful pain appeared in front of my liver. I thought I was away to die of a heart attack or liver failure. Then I convinced myself it was my gallbladder. Doctor checked me over and said costo. OP do you swim a lot or do anything that stretches your ribcage out? It's inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs. I was swimming too much and overstretching my ribs.