Hello Everyone!

I was on these boards a long time ago but have just kept to myself over the past 10 years. I was diagnosed with AS 11 years ago and I really do not take care of myself or see the proper specialists for my care. I just deal day-to-day and have been taking pain meds for the past couple of months.

What has prompted me to re-register and post here is that letely, when I wake up, in addition to the horrible pain that defines every day, I have been feeling like my heart is swollen/inflamed. I read that heart involvment is rare and that rib pain may often feel like heart pain but I am just wondering if I should be concerned or not. I am currently between jobs and my insurance runs out at the end of this month. I hate dealing with doctors and trying to get them to listen. What should I do?


Thanks,
Chris

I don't think anyone can answer this type of post; except to say that you MUST go see a doctor. They are the only ones trained and if it's your heart than this is serious.

Please see a doc asap.

Take care
Jewelz

Hello Chris,
I agree with Jewelz get to a Doctor as soon as possible you cant afford to play around with that sort of pain.

Kevin

i must agree with jewelz regarding going to see the doctor. the heart is one body part you do not want to ignore. and if it turns out not to be the heart, then you will have piece of mind.

OK, that's what I figured. Should I see my GP, a specialist or go to the ER?


Thanks Everyone,
Chris

... oh, one more thing - has anyone here had heart complications caused by their AS?

Christopher,
Hi welcome back.
Heart trouble does raise it's head with us.
There was quite a bit of posting about this.
The rib pain can be confusing, and our sternums are quite sore also. I am on inhalers they do help. NO, I very seldom wheeze. But not getting a breath is very scary. also lazy valves are not fun.
get checked out. exercise when they say it is ok.
Keep us posted, ok?

Hi Lon,

I will try to find the related posts and I will keep you all updated. Yes, the rib pain is confusing. I haven't had much SI pain in the past few years - it feels like everything has been moving up and lately it is my ribs and the middle of my back that has been giving me the most trouble. Only in the past few weeks has it really felt like it is now in my heart. However, it could be just my sternum. My family doctor measured my "expansion" when I take a deep breath with a cloth tape-measure last year and said that it was zero - no expansion. I used to have a nearly inhuman capacity for being able to take and hold extremely deep breaths as a result of many years in martial arts as a teen and young adult. Now, I got nothing... oh well...


Thanks,
Chris

thinking GP would be a good place to start, unless it feels more urgent than that, then the ER if you think its urgent, only you can tell that, we can not from here.

my stepfather has had crohn's for many many years, dx'ed in the mid 80s, most of small intestine removed in late 80s, but symptoms 10-15 years prior to that. about 10 years ago he developed defib problems that the doctors really don't completely understand; a procedure that usually stops defib in most patients didn't work on him (forget the name of the procedure, but they go in, burn some tissue to form scar tissue, usually causes the defib to stop). is the heart problem connected to his spondyloarthropathy? they don't know.

but it may be musculoskeletal pain (like rib pain) that you are feeling, so before worrying too much, see what your doctor thinks. if the GP thinks it could be a heart issue, especially knowing you have AS, then (s)he will send you to a specialist for further testing.

Hi Chris.
I agree with the others that you should see your GP unless urgent then go to the ER.
I have heart problems the doctor thinks was caused from my AS.
I can never remember what it is called but I have an extra lower beat. At times my heart will race (pulpitations) to try and get my heart back into a natural rythm. It is very hard to tell the difference between my heart caused pain and what is comming from my ribs.

Does your heart rate increase or just feel inflamed?

Let us know how you get on please.
Trish\
xx

When my heart and lungs started swelling my doctor said no more NSAIDS. Ever.

Go to the doctor asap.

Peace

Hi Chris - Welcome back (possibly we've not met before as I've only been her just over 6.5yrs!)

Whom should you see? Suggest a specialist, as you wil need a 'proper' check on the heart, a GP cannot/does not have the equipemnt to so do. My heart problems were only discovered by a *top notch* hospital afore going in for a proposed (& further) shoulder op procedure. Myocardial infarction. Know exactly 'when' this occured as well - painful.

However. have 'also' costo problems and rib problems and sternum problems (and have had a vile bout of pleurisy in the past - left me with scarring) Have palpitations on a fairly regular basis and have high blood pressure - that I keep in check with alternatives (works).

Please get your problem checked out. OK?

As for the middle of the back? Thoracic. Get a MRI Saggital STIR done This will show up inflammation in the thoracic area and 'any' oedema/anything else going on. MUST be MRI Saggital STIR - OR a Nuclear scan. This last means rad expositure. A MRI Saggital STIR = NO rad exposure - and to be preferred!

My own intercostal diaphragmatic expansion had gone from 5.25" down to 2.5" - at least I got some expansion left, 'smile' (Used to do voice training...easily run out of breath now! )

Hope this helps - but please do ge checked out - OK?

Molly C (France)
Keeping on Keeping on

Hi Chris, welcome back.

Please make an appointment with your doctor ASAP. This could be costochondritis, but any pain in your chest area should be attended to by your doctor.

Hugs,