Still having pain - do I accept thats it now or keep pushing?

[Opal8]

Hi,
I'll really try and keep this brief!
49 years old
Female
Gallbladder removed 2013
For over a year now I've had pain under rt armpit, rt right boob, all along my right flank (side?) and my shoulder blade. My skin feels sunburnt.
Pain follows my ribcage.
No shingles.
In the past year I've had: blood tests, breast clinic appointment, chest x Ray, upper rt quadrant USS and seen a rheumatologist...the last 2 of these were private appointments.
My dx is - chest wall pain.
Except when I Google this it states this is a temporary condition which eases.
I've tried a chiropractor which didn't help.
Do I just accept its that or keep pushing to see if its something more sinister?
But what?
I'm quite fed up and still worried

This is going to sound strange...
But I had the exact same pain for over a year. Had test after test. Gall bladder fine, ultrasound fine, x-rays and blood tests fine.
In the end I got so stressed from it all that I was put on anti anxiety medication.
Within 4 weeks the pain disappeared.
Every time I've tried to come off the medication the pain returned.
The doctors guess is that it was postural, and when stressed or anxious I hold my body in an awkward/different position that causes chest wall pain.
I guess it's worth a try?

I would keep looking for a better diagnosis, not necessarily because it could be something sinister but the recent change in the guidelines for pain relief for "chronic pain" means that if you have pain from no obvious cause the GP is not supposed to give you any pain relief and the most they will do is a short course of CBT. Having a clear reason for your pain would mean you could at least access pain meds if you need them. Ideally it would be something treatable and you could get proper help.

Thank you both
Amazingly I have a GP appointment thos morning (not related) so I'll mention it

Sorry should have said have tried gabapentin and it's not really doing anything

@uppidydoodah

This is going to sound strange... But I had the exact same pain for over a year. Had test after test. Gall bladder fine, ultrasound fine, x-rays and blood tests fine. In the end I got so stressed from it all that I was put on anti anxiety medication. Within 4 weeks the pain disappeared. Every time I've tried to come off the medication the pain returned. The doctors guess is that it was postural, and when stressed or anxious I hold my body in an awkward/different position that causes chest wall pain. I guess it's worth a try?

Could be That's why I tried the chiropractor It helped with the shoulder pain

I second the posture thing, maybe ask for a physio referral

I will
Good idea

Dr I saw didn't know about the jabs, or how to arrange physio so is going to check and let me know..

If it is a postural issue, then maybe yoga or Pilates would also help in the long term?

Good idea

The skin feeling sunburnt thing... I get that when I'm very stressed or run down or iron/vitamin deficient. It's crops up in random places but is very uncomfortable. No pain meds touch it either. Maybe try asking for a full blood count and ask to have a copy of your results so you can check your levels yourself. Also get some good quality multivitamins after your full blood count as they can interfere with results.

How thorough was the breast clinic - did they do biopsies. Its almost certainly not but I had similar symptoms to this with my lobular breast cancer and similar age and was initially wrongly told it was nothing. If you had biopsies then that is obviously ruled out but my type can be missed on mammos (about 50% miss) and ultrasounds and forms a lump at the end. My skin did not feel different, looked a bit like had white spots, but I got pain going from under right breast in ribs along right flank down to hip which also ached but hip was found to be osteoarthritis. No pain in armpit or shoulder pain and I don't know if that would be a viable route for pain but if that also goes to breast it is a route cancer can follow. My pain was mild and on and off. My only abnormal blood test was one for inflammation which was probably unrelated so blood tests alone don't tell you much. Highly unlikely but would get biopsies if did not have before.

If you've tried gabapentin is your GP thinking it's nerve pain? If so it'll be trial and error with meds to try and control it.

As it's been going on for a year and tests have all come back negative I'd ask for a referral to a pain clinic for more specialised management.

@Silkieschickens

How thorough was the breast clinic - did they do biopsies. Its almost certainly not but I had similar symptoms to this with my lobular breast cancer and similar age and was initially wrongly told it was nothing. If you had biopsies then that is obviously ruled out but my type can be missed on mammos (about 50% miss) and ultrasounds and forms a lump at the end. My skin did not feel different, looked a bit like had white spots, but I got pain going from under right breast in ribs along right flank down to hip which also ached but hip was found to be osteoarthritis. No pain in armpit or shoulder pain and I don't know if that would be a viable route for pain but if that also goes to breast it is a route cancer can follow. My pain was mild and on and off. My only abnormal blood test was one for inflammation which was probably unrelated so blood tests alone don't tell you much. Highly unlikely but would get biopsies if did not have before.

No, no biopsies. They were pretty dismissve tbh. The nurse just said "oh i know what that is..."

In fact the GP didn't want to do the referral - I had to push for it

@JaniieJones

If you've tried gabapentin is your GP thinking it's nerve pain? If so it'll be trial and error with meds to try and control it.

As it's been going on for a year and tests have all come back negative I'd ask for a referral to a pain clinic for more specialised management.

The rheumatologist px the gabapentin He thinks it's related to my fibromyalgia I just don't know anymore I'm rather fed up I have the number to phone physio today

I did a lot of heavy manual work in September/October 2020 over a 6 week period (so more than a year ago) which involved lots of right sided repetitive movement (think stripping layers and layers of wallpaper, painting etc..)
But even if it were this that caused it, surely it would he better by now!?

'He thinks it's related to my fibromyalgia'

Ah right. I don't know much about fibromylagia other than it is generalised pain without any specific cause? If all tests are negative I'd really be reassured by your rheumatologist treating it as a fibro flare up.

@JaniieJones

'He thinks it's related to my fibromyalgia'

Ah right. I don't know much about fibromylagia other than it is generalised pain without any specific cause? If all tests are negative I'd really be reassured by your rheumatologist treating it as a fibro flare up.

Thank you

Did they do any checks at the breast clinic then or just the doctor / nurse. Its difficult as criteria for referral is a lump which is a bit crazy as my type of cancer lump appears at end (in my case stage 3) and there is so much less treatment if they pick it up earlier. Its still unlikely but mine was also dismissed as anxiety and nothing twice before I got sent through and then was stage 3. About 50% are seen on mammos and similar on ultrasounds for this cancer type (a breast cancer which causes pain, most types do not) so those checks are better than no checks but much safer if they do a biopsy as those are 99% accurate. I cannot see it being an injury from 2020 now. Its unlikely to be breast but much better to have proper checks, if they refuse then monitor very closely for skin changes and a lump appearing.