Re: please help! costochondritis + panic attacks

hi..

I have had costo for about 8 months now. When it first felt the symptoms I was admitted to hospital with a suspected heart attack. The emergency staff said I was experiencing a severe panic attack. About a week later the pain came on strong and i could feel the swelling restrict my breathing.

My general doctor thought the two conditions were mutually exclusive, that the panic attcks and the costo were not linked. I observed that the panic attacks occurred when the costo symptoms came on. I didn't have to have a sore chest for the panic attacks to occur just restricted breathing caused by inflammation. You get to notice when your chest is inflamed (with no pain ) after a while. After discussing this at length with my doctor he is now of the opinion they are both linked. Although, he says I am now out of the realms of known medical science... but once you dig you find out that we really now the tip of the iceberg when it comes to body function.

The possible reasons for the link between costo and panic atacks are one or some of the below:

(1) Costo changes your natural breathing habit. This then causes a panic attack. This is known as hyperventilation syndrome, which is known to cause panic attacks.
(2) Inflammation may be putting pressure on your thoracic outlet nerve which cause a light head feeling. You then freak out and then hyperventilate. To test this turn your head to the left and right and hold in each position and observe whats happens. I can do this whilst laying on my back in bed and it causes a panic attack.
(3) There are nerve receptors around your heart and lung that under pressure send signals to your brain that you are asphyxiating or having a heart attack. These signals are false and they cause a panic attack.
(4) General awareness of your body. I am too over aware of my body so when something goes wrong (especially in the chest region) you can think the worst.

There is not much in the medical literature that joins costo and and panic attacks together. Just a few random journal articles that note peoples symptoms.

Treating costo and panic attacks:
SO far this is what I have dobe

Acute stage
(a) rest rest rest, anti inflammatories (I have been using Feldene)
(b) Cypramil - this reduced the severity of the panic attacks
(c) Valium - when it is out of control
(d) gentle exercise
(e) reduce upper arm movement
(f) don't sleep on your side, this puts pressure on your intercostal rib joints

I have just come of meds.. but have been experiencing light panic attacks linked with costo. the costo is lighter and not as severe but it has not gone away. Average is about 12-18 months you will feel symptoms.

I was off work for about two months.. then built back up to 3-4 days a week. The trick is not to inflame your chest and keep a good balance between work, play, exercise and rest so your body can heal.

You can try liver cleanse etc.... but I am not too sure of the efficacy

There is is a connection with liver problems and costo but that is for Hep C sufferers. If you think you might have contracted Hep C somewhere you can go on Antibiotics for a few months to assist.

Email me if you need to discuss more, because it is a really scary condition to have the two together and you can't help but think the worst.






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