More Severe Chest Pains!

Yesterday (Friday, Aug. 22), after biking home from work, I played with Mysia and Malachi while Lydia finished making supper. My upper stomach started to hurt, but I just pushed it aside, mostly thinking I was hungry or that food would fix it. While we ate it worsened... it felt a little like heart burn or indigestion. So at Lydia's suggestion, I took some Tums.

Had I thought about it earlier, I should have taken my high dose ibuprofen (800 mg). Why, you may ask... well, for those who didn't get to read my incident during the bathtub installation (the post is here), let me go into detail.

Tietze's syndrome, also known as costochondritis, is a benign inflammation of one or more of the costal cartilages. It was first described in 1921 by the German surgeon Alexander Tietze (1864-1927)

The doctor had told me earlier that it can be caused by stress, heavy physical activity, and lack of sleep. We believe my lack of sleep the last two weeks has taken a toll on my body! I hate that I occasionally get these pains. At times, like last night, the pain can be so intense that I collapse to the ground while having difficulty breathing. That's why, according to online reports, it is often mistaken as a heart attack. The symptoms are very similar.

I can usually tell when my chest is acting up, and take that strong dose of ibuprofen before it really gets inflamed. Unfortunately, I didn't catch it in time last night! So, I spent the whole evening in bed, trying to get comfortable, hoping the pain resides. I feel better today... so far

~Matt