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I have had bilateral lower costal margin (lower rib margin) pain, flank pain for about 8 years .
Pain pattern
Pain starts within 1 second of sitting.
Standing reduces the pain by about 90% within 10 seconds.
Walking causes only 2–5% pain.
Before getting out of bed in the morning, I have no pain.
Lying down causes about 20% pain.
The pain is spread across both lower rib margins, not one small point.
The sensation is mainly pressure/tightness, not burning or stabbing.
The pain is NOT affected by
Deep breathing
Coughing
Sneezing
Meals
Leaning forward
Hard vs. soft chair
Pressing on the painful area
Tests reported as normal
CBC
ESR
CRP
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12
Urine tests
Chest X-ray
Abdominal ultrasound
Thoracic (dorsal) spine MRI
Upper GI endoscopy
Musculoskeletal ultrasound of the anterior abdominal wall
Chest wall MRI has been performed, and the report is expected today.
Treatments tried..."I have just received my chest MRI report today."
I am 36F and Consulted a doctor in early June for chest discomfort and nighttime coughing. All diagnostic tests were normal, and I received a provisional diagnosis of Cough Variant Asthma (CVA). Later in late June, contracted a viral infection that caused a deep chest rattle.
I Completed a 1-month course of Foracort 400 (twice daily) exactly 5 days ago (July 5).
The late-June viral chest rattle ('ghar-ghar') and active cough have now stopped.
• Current Symptoms: Voice is completely hoarse and cracked. Experiencing a mild, persistent 'sinking' feeling in my chest, especially when exhaling or leaning back on pillows. The chest feels generally uncomfortable and not fully right, though it is hard to explain in words.
Of late I am feeling a tiny bit breathless at times (might be due to heightened awareness/anxiety). No classic acidity, stomach discomfort, or hot belches, but the chest discomfort is noticeably more after heavy meals.
Can I take foracort agin or what should I do?
Dec 2025–May 2026: Started with a long-lasting dry cough. All tests were completely normal: Chest X-ray, PFT (breathing test), FeNO (airway swelling test), and IgE (allergy blood test).
June 5, 2026: Due to the ongoing cough and normal tests, the doctor gave a provisional diagnosis of Cough Variant Asthma and prescribed a Foracort 400 rotahaler twice daily.
After June 5: Developed new, severe breathlessness and air hunger. This included a scary episode of sudden breathing struggle while sitting in my living room directly under the AC vent with the front door open.
• Inhaler Response: Mixed. Sometimes Foracort significantly helps open my chest; other times it goes on its own
• My Query: I am seeking a second opinion to confirm if this provisional diagnosis is correct, why my breathlessness started after June 5, and why the inhaler works only sometimes magically n sometimes slowly.
Hello dr . l have had cough and breathlessness for 6–7 years. Asthma is not confirmed, and asthma treatment has not helped much. PFT showed FEV1 41% and FEV1/FVC 57% (poor-quality report). I also have palpitations, body-wide pulsations, fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, eye pain reddness and elevated ESR/CRP. Which specialist should I consult first?
Two months ago, I had a severe cough and right-sided chest pain during breathing. A chest X-ray revealed a pneumonia patch. I was treated with 3 days of IV fluids and medications. Now, my cough is completely gone, but the right-sided chest pain has remained unchanged for 2 months. More importantly, I have recently developed new, mild breathing difficulty (breathlessness) which was not present during the initial infection. I am unaware of my current oxygen levels, but initially, SpO2 was 96-98%. Please advise on the next diagnostic steps or if a repeat X-ray is needed.
