What to do with a 15yo crying in pain every day but Drs can't find anything wrong?

[WhoTheFuckIsSimon]

She gets bad "chest pain" and says it makes it hard to breath. Has been happening on and off for at least six months. For the past two weeks uggs been every day.

Doesn't seem to be caused by stress. She can be happy and fine and relaxed one minute and gasping for breath and in pain the next. However it does normally happen in the evenings, normally as she goes to bed. She says it's worse lying down. So if she laid in the sofa during the day she would get the pain.

We were sharing a hotel room the other night and she slept in a propped up sitting up position as she said it was too painful to lie down.

So after this I got her some gaviscon but that doesn't seem to have helped.

Dr has listened to her heart/chest, says everything is ok. She had blood taken on Monday. They said they would call today if anything is abnormal in the blood. So assuming the blood tests are normal what do I ask for next? A referral to someone?

It could be costochondritis which is very painful. It responds very quickly to anti inflammatory meds. Ask your GP.

Could it be reflux, if it's worse when lying down?
Does she have a bad taste in her mouth, or sore throat at all?

Or POTS. Does she have a racing heart when it happens? When the heart is back to normal, the GP wouldn't be able to tell.

Sounds like my dh. He often feels like it's a heart attack. He can't breathe and chest gets tight and has to sleep propped up, it usually starts in the evenings. He has all sorts of tests (including a camera into his stomach) and turns out he produces too much acid.

He is on prescription meds (I can't remember the name). He took them everyday for a while and now just when he starts to feel it coming on.

Just a thought...(and I'm no HCP!). DH was diagnosed with sarcoidosis earlier this year after pneumonia. He complained of chest pain like hers but his lungs weren't clear. An early scan showed up enlarged lymph nodes (normal after infection) but it took months and a biopsy to eventually diagnose it. Not very common but easy to treat.
Might be worth you looking it up?

I have silent reflux. It started a bit like this but wasn't diagnosed from my chest pain but from when I saw a thyroid specialist putting a camera down my throat.

I still get horrendous chest pain that rises up my neck and jaw sometimes. It's usually on an evening and can bring tears to my eyes at it worst.
I generally have it under control (mist the time). I take Lansazaprole or omeprazole 2 x daily and gaviscon advance 1 hour after food.
For me it's a thyroid condition that makes my body produce excess stomach acid but there's lots of reasons why this happens.
I would ask go if he thinks it could be excess acid. Perhaps even ask to try omeprazole shirt term to see if that helps.

She hasn't mentioned a racing heart.

My feeling was acid but then I thought the gavviscon might help, but guess she might need stronger prescription stuff?

Will go back to the gP and ask about this and also about costochronditis.

Thanks.

I don't think she has a bad taste in her mouth but she was burping a bit when we were in the hotel room which is what made me think acid.

Have just googled sarcoidosis, she doesn't have a cough so I don't think its that.

She is tired all the time but she says that's because she's not sleeping due to the pain.

She could well need a few doses of Gaviscon before she sees any improvement rather than just one dose.

Constipation? Extremely painful and can sometimes feel like chest pain/acid if it's in part of the bowel lying against the diaphragm.

My feeling was acid but then I thought the gavviscon might help, but guess she might need stronger prescription stuff?

Gaviscon doesn't do anything for dh. If it is acid, she probably does need the prescription medication

Unlikely to be costochondritis as that tends to be fairly constant with pain once it starts until pain relief. Does sound more like acid to me, try a different acid med than gaviscon, that's a bit shit in my experience.

Try gum, it sounds really simple but the saliva neutralises the acid. It's really effective ime.

I always thought chewing gum made you produce more acid? Is that wrong?

Could it be a cracked rib? I had this when I was 18 and it's a sharp pain when breathing in but not all the time

I thought so too, but it works better than anything for me.

www.joybauer.com/photo-gallery/10-tips-to-alleviate-acid-reflux/chew-cinnamon-gum-after-meals/

If it's acid related have you tried giving her full glass of water when it happens? Brings down acid levels

Also if I were you I'd go straight to urgent care when it happens, they ll do an X Ray to confirm lungs are all clear ! They might give an idea of what your dealing with

She needs to get a chest x ray. Chest pain and breathlessness and abnormal tiredness needs to be investigated asap.

Well blood results are back and she's iron deficient/anemic.

Hb is normal at 11, but ferritin is really low at 7. So there's a prescription at the chemists for her which I will get picked up this afternoon.

Explains the tiredness and breathlessness. Not sure about the chest pain??

Have you checked her blood pressure sitting, lying and standing?

I have costochondrites. It is excruciating at worst. Is she hypermobile at all? Joint hypermobile to syndrome is linked to costo and chest pain and doctors are very good at missing it

Anemia can cause chest pain. I had it when pregnant. It was horrible. Sympathy to your poor DD. Glad you've got a diagnosis. Should be easily fixable.

Yes doctor checked her BP sitting lying and standing. She's not hypermobile.

Found out her vit d was 57 which is low but not terribly so think it must be the anaemia causing problems.