Resolved question:
Age: 29
Weight: 205 lbs (93 kg)
Height: 5'-10" (177.8 cm)
Race: Half Asian / Half White
Duration: 2 1/2 weeks or so
Location: Southern CA (San Diego Area)
Location of Complaint: Left side chest
Current medical issues: mild allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis [I'll call it EE for short] (controlled by omeprazole, no symptoms)
Possible relevant info: Vegetarian, recently started taking B12 supplements
Current medications: omeprazole
This is only the lastest episode of unexplained chest pain. I've had off and on chest pain for years old patientof at least two types. One was caused by EE, once I started taking omeprazole it essentially went away, and only comes back if I miss my medication (or eat something that causes it to flair, like onions). However, I've had another unexplained chest pain that kind of got lumped together with the EE pain by my last primary care doctor, but is definitely different. It's a tingling in the center of my back, pressure on the left side of my chest, and sometimes tingling in my left arm. Recently, in the last few months, I've my ankles and feet have been swelling in the morning and at night.
A while after becoming vegetarian, I started to notice I was always tired. A few weeks ago, I started taking B12 supplements after my wife suggested my lack of energy might be related to low B12. Noticed an immediate (huge) increase in energy. So, I started going to the gym and did cardio to burn off the excess energy (plus, I'm a little overweight and out of shape, so I wanted to get back in shape). I very quickly got to the point where I was jogging 5 miles a day (in about a week). At first, I had the endurance for it, but I noticed that my mystery chest pain started coming back. Soon, it was accompanied by shortness of breath, and I had to cut back on my exercise. This was about three weeks ago. Now, the pain is constant (fluctuating in level) and my left arm feels almost permanently semi-numb. Even walking a flight of stairs causes the pain to flair up (kind of like someone squeezing on my chest) and I get extremely winded, dizzy, and feel like I can't focus. I also noticed that in the last two weeks my appetite has dropped off so dramatically that I've gotten down to one small meal a day (any more and I risk throwing up). The only upside is I've lost 5 lbs in the last week and a half.
I just got a new doctor (I moved and am too far away to visit my last one), and I went to see her on friday. She did a quick EKG and said it looked normal. She said my stomach upset was probably from EE (although I haven't had symptoms in over a year). She pushed on my chest and one spot in an area different from the origin of my pain was slightly sore. She said I had costochondritis. Prescribed Meloxicam. I took the first dose and immediately after (about 1/2 hour or so) my symptoms worsened severely. It was like an elephant sitting on my chest an I could barely breathe. After a few hours, it improved some. Now I'm at a "new normal" of more pain / pressure than when I first took the medication. That was Saturday, I'm not going to take that it again.
This has become a major quality of life issue for me. Besides being unable to walk any distance without becoming seriously winded, when the pain / pressure gets bad, I can't focus or think. I'm not exactly pleased with my new doctor, but I feel like if I find another doctor it will just take longer to resolve this. It took 3 years old patientfor doctors to figure out that I had EE, after incorrectly diagnosing anxiety, tachycardia, and GERD. I can't to this again. Can anyone tell me what this could be? I'm just going to try to talk my doctor into running every test for every possibility, until this gets solved. It's ridiculous. Any help would be great. Thanks!
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Gastroenterologist, Medical
Hello.
Thanks for posting your query at DoctorSpring.com
I am Dr.R.K and I am pleased to assist you.
I would like to have some more information before I can give my opinion.
1. How was EE diagnosed?
2. What treatment is given for EE?
Kindly get back to me with these information and I would give my opinion.
Regards,
Dr.R.K