For anyone who is interested. Here is my history.
I started getting pain in my chest after exercising when I was about 14 years old. My ribs (localised to the left side, above the heart) would become painful during training (I played basketball) and would remain painful for a while afterwards. I noticed that it was taking longer and longer for the pain to go away every time I exercised and when to the Dr. I got diagnosed with costochondritis pretty quickly and was told it would go away.
But it didn't.
By the time I was 15 I was in pain all the time and nothing much really seemed to help. Since then I have been in constant daily pain. The pain varies from good days where it is just a very dull ache, to bad days where I can hardly move.
Luckily for me I have more good than bad days.
The diagnosis for my condition has now been changed to chronic costochondritis and I get by on paracetamol, cocodamol and voltarol. I have had various tests including extensive heart checks (there is nothing wrong with my heart), tests for rheumatoid arthritis (negative), tests for gastro problems (negative), X-rays, MRI, ultrasound (all inconclusive). The only thing that I have ever come up with is a positive ANA.
My biggest concern at the moment is the fact that the number of bad days seems to be on a steadily increasing upward trend and that is starting to have a significant impact on my life.
It's time for me to reverse that trend.
