Currently I'm having problems with my NSAIDS as I keep getting side effects! I was taking Naproxen twice daily but kept getting ulcers in my mouth and down my throat and it limited what I would eat and drink due to being really sensitive in my mouth. I just kinda carried on with it and didnt think too much of it. I vomited a lot at one point as well so they then prescribed me Omeprazole with it which calmed my stomach down.
I am now on the Post Covid Service (got costo from covid) in the UK and they prescribed me Colchicine which I've been taking for about 2 weeks now and have had diarrhoea/soft stool the whole time along with stomch ache. Told my docs this and he said he wants me to come off it and then I had said about the ulcers with the Naproxen and he said he wouldn't want me taking that now either. The Colchicine did help with the coughing and phlegm side of things which was nice.
I am not taking any NSAIDS for 24hrs-48hrs (as long as I can cope with it) till Friday when I have appointment with him and he's gunna try see what else I can have that will help instead. Currently I am not fairing well to be honest and not been great today without something!
Basically, I'd just like to ask everyone what you take and if there is anything else that would help? It hurts and is uncomfortable constantly so I'd like to be taking something everyday whilst I'm healing to help with the process. Thank you!

I’m on my way to see a podiatrist for cortisone shots in my feet. This gouty episode is not the worst I’ve had but it’s bad enough. I started dealing with this awfulness three months ago. Before then, at the first sign of trouble I would pop some aleve and colchicine (I’ve been taking allopurinal for years) and I’d be good to go. This probably accounts for my stage 3 kidney disease. So absolutely no NSAIDS for me now. So the gouty episodes are awful. One of the things I am going to ask the podiatrist about is fitness. Getting past these episodes has required me to be staying off my feet. And I don’t feel like doing anything physical. But feelings be damned. Surely there is a way to tone muscle and get a little cardio in while dealing with this mess. How do you manage to stay healthy and fit and still stay off your feet?

Treatment options for chest pain depend on the underlying cause. Here’s an overview of various types of chest pain and their corresponding treatment strategies:

1. Cardiac-Related Chest Pain (e.g., Angina, Heart Attack)

• Medications:
• Nitrates: To relax and widen blood vessels, improving blood flow to the heart.
• Aspirin: To reduce blood clotting.
• Beta-blockers: To lower heart rate and blood pressure, reducing heart workload.
• Statins: To lower cholesterol levels.
• ACE inhibitors or ARBs: To lower blood pressure and protect heart function.
• Procedures:
• Angioplasty and Stent Placement: To open blocked arteries.
• Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: To create a bypass around blocked arteries.
• Lifestyle Changes:
• Diet, exercise, quitting smoking, and managing stress are crucial for long-term management.

2. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

• Medications:
• Antacids: For immediate relief.
• H2 Blockers: To reduce acid production (e.g., ranitidine, famotidine).
• Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs): To block acid production more effectively (e.g., omeprazole, esomeprazole).
• Lifestyle Changes:
• Avoiding trigger foods (e.g., spicy, fatty foods, caffeine, alcohol).
• Eating smaller meals.
• Not lying down immediately after eating.
• Elevating the head of the bed.
• Procedures:
• Surgery (e.g., Nissen fundoplication): For severe cases not responding to medication.

3. Musculoskeletal Chest Pain (e.g., Costochondritis, Muscle Strain)

• Medications:
• NSAIDs: For pain and inflammation (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen).
• Acetaminophen: For pain relief.
• Therapies:
• Physical Therapy: To strengthen and stretch the muscles.
• Heat/Cooling Pads: To reduce pain and inflammation.
• Lifestyle Changes:
• Avoiding activities that exacerbate pain.
• Practicing good posture.

4. Pulmonary Conditions (e.g., Pulmonary Embolism, Pleuritis, Pneumonia)

• Pulmonary Embolism:
• Anticoagulants: To prevent further clotting (e.g., heparin, warfarin, DOACs like rivaroxaban).
• Thrombolytics: To dissolve existing clots in severe cases.
• Surgery or Catheter Procedures: In life-threatening situations.
• Pleuritis:
• NSAIDs: To reduce pain and inflammation.
• Antibiotics: If caused by bacterial infection.
• Corticosteroids: In some cases, to reduce inflammation.
• Pneumonia:
• Antibiotics: For bacterial infections.
• Antivirals: For viral infections.
• Oxygen Therapy: In severe cases to aid breathing.

5. Panic Attack or Anxiety-Related Chest Pain

• Medications:
• Anxiolytics: Such as benzodiazepines for immediate relief (e.g., alprazolam, lorazepam).
• SSRIs or SNRIs: For long-term management of anxiety (e.g., sertraline, fluoxetine).
• Therapies:
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): To manage anxiety and panic symptoms.
• Lifestyle Changes:
• Stress management techniques like mindfulness, yoga, and regular exercise.

6. Pericarditis

• Medications:
• NSAIDs: To reduce inflammation and pain.
• Colchicine: To reduce inflammation and prevent recurrences.
• Corticosteroids: In severe or refractory cases.
• Procedures:
• Pericardiocentesis: To remove excess fluid around the heart in cases of pericardial effusion.

7. Aortic Dissection

• Emergency Treatment:
• Immediate Surgery: Often required to repair the tear.
• Blood Pressure Control: Using IV medications to lower blood pressure and reduce stress on the aorta.

8. Other Gastrointestinal Causes (e.g., Peptic Ulcer)

• Medications:
• PPIs or H2 Blockers: To reduce stomach acid.
• Antibiotics: If caused by H. pylori infection.
• Lifestyle Changes:
• Avoiding NSAIDs and other irritants.
• Eating smaller, more frequent meals.

9. Herpes Zoster (Shingles)

• Antiviral Medications: To reduce severity and duration (e.g., acyclovir, valacyclovir).
• Pain Management:
• NSAIDs, acetaminophen, or stronger pain medications.
• Topical creams (e.g., capsaicin) or patches (e.g., lidocaine).

Each type of chest pain requires a specific approach to diagnosis and treatment, and it is crucial to consult with a healthcare professional to determine the exact cause and appropriate treatment plan.

Ooff, I had forgotten how bad this hurts.... I had my first tear-pulling flare up about 10 years ago and the only other serious one I've had was about 4 years ago, but the toe-biting devils have returned. Thank you, HFCS soda, for luring them back to me.
I've been having a flare up for the past week or so and I tried to manage it as I always used to (strong NSAID and diet control), and it only seemed to relieve the symptoms for like a day or two. But last night I had a breakdown and had to take my colchicine (which I hate) and prednisone. I had already set my mind to knowing that I wouldn't likely sleep, and it was a hell of a night. The fight between being completely drained and the pain on my foot left me feeling like zombie. I slept like 3 hours due to the pain, but woke up feeling like 90% better and thats all that matters. I'm even happy.
I don't really know if there is a point to this story, just wanted to vent and remind my fellow gout sufferers that this will eventually go away. Take care, take your meds, go to a doctor if you can, follow your low-purine diet, when you ultimately can excercise again, don't drop it, and don't drink soda, I find LaCroix works well as an alternative.
I sort of feel like gout is the ultimate reminder that a healthy lifestyle is worth it.

I’m approximately 3 weeks out from the start of my flair up. this was my first attack and i was a dumbass who didn’t do anything until about 72 hours in. By then i was immobile with constant intense pain. The only bright side is that unlike some other poor souls in this sub mine only affected one joint. Dark side is that my pain was a legit 8-9 out of 10 for a solid 48 hours. I had a telehealth visit where they diagnosed me visually and the doctor prescribed me with 1.8 grams TOTAL (1.2 and .6 an hour later) of colchicine and told me to stay off NSAIDs for 72 hours. That’s it. The next day i did blood work but that was a friday and i didn’t get anything further from my doc until the next monday. The swelling and pain did improve slightly during that the time after i took the colchicine but never completely.
On that monday (2 weeks ago) my doc prescribed allo after my UA was elevated and i’ve taken that every day since. The thing is, i still have a very uncomfortable knob on my joint and it even throbs in the evening kinda like the first few days of the attack. I reached back out to my doc about the knob thinking it might be a bunion and they ordered an x ray. X ray came back with no signs of a bunion. i can’t walk without a limp and i can barely get a shoe on even still.
after the xray my doc basically said to schedule an in person if it persists or gets worse. i scheduled an in person on wednesday morning this week to hopefully get something that can knock this out for good. i’m disheartened because my doc told me when they prescribed the colchicine that i would improve within 48 hours. that was 2.5 weeks ago. i have to travel out of state next week for work and really don’t want to be suffering from this still.
any advice on how to go about this visit and be better by next week?

I thought I would post a thread sticky regarding Pericarditis. Can the mods sticky this??
A lot of the same questions are asked and I have quite a bit of personal experience, plus a large portion of my immediate and extended family are quite involved in the medical field.
What we know -

1. There seems to be a spike of pericarditis post covid.
2. Whether this is covid shot related or covid itself related, we may never know. Pericarditis can occur or is usually tied to a 'Viral Event' ie something like COVID for example.
3. Most if not all the doctors know very little about Pericarditis, even IF they are cardiologists.
4. Med treatment books from yesteryears basically show very little past ibuprofen, colchicine, and maybe prednisone treatment options. The doctors basically start Googling treatment options when you start coming back after the 5th time because their books don't cover recurrent pericarditis like we're seeing today.
5. Today the medical knowledge has expanded and so have the treatment regimens.

Do I have Pericarditis? -
Pericarditis has a few key indicators -

1. Intense chest pain. Chest pain that you've never felt before. It can feel like a heart attack. Like an elephant is sitting on your chest. Did I mention chest pain?? This also can extend to your neck, shoulders, back, etc.
2. Chest pain typically gets worse leaning over or laying down.
3. Sitting up lessens chest pain.
4. Breathing intensifies chest pain.
5. EKGs may show 'ST elevation'... This is ALSO common with a heart attack, so don't be surprised if you go back for immediate surgery to find a blockage and the report is perfectly normal. Make note of this one.

NOTE - If you go into the ER and tell them you have chest pain, you're immediately bumped to the front of the line.

1. Echocardiogram tests typically show very little information... They are looking for pericardial rub... This test may/may not show this.
   
2. XRAYS don't show much but may confirm pneumonia.
   
3. CT scans can show pericardial effusion and atelectasis.
   
4. Blood work is usually done... Looking for typical elevations that may show infections or inflammation ie elevated C-reactive protein. They will also look at other indicators to rule out heart attack.
   

What is Pericarditis anyway? -

1. Around the heart is a mucus lining called the Pericardium. It's like a sac-like membrane that acts like a lubricant for the heart as it expands and contracts during blood pumping so 'abrasion' doesn't occur.
2. Pericarditis is the inflammation of the pericardium around the heart.
3. Just breathing can irritate the pericardium as your lungs can rub on it during normal breathing.

Treatment guidelines -
Guidelines consist of 3-4 treatment levels essentially...

1. NSAIDs (ibuprofen) - usually 1800-2400 mg/day
2. NSAIDs with colchicine 1-2x/day
3. Prednisone may be prescribed with recurrent pericarditis (doctors don't usually agree at this level due to complications). If you reach this level, be prepared for a minimum 6 month treatment window. You'll likely feel great and gain normalcy in your life, but you'll eat like a mofo, put on 30 lbs, get a moon face, and the symptoms may more often than not, return after you start weening off things.
4. Interlueken 1 blockers ie Rilonacep/Arcalyst. This is a once/week shot that is relatively new and has been approved for life long use.

Past this, I don't believe there's much in the way of treatment that I'm aware of or that has been 'approved' by medical authorities.
Some typical questions -

1. Can I exercise if I have pericarditis? The standard answer is no it's not a good idea. Why? Because exercise causes you to breathe harder, which then causes your lungs to move more, which the causes more 'rub' on the pericardium. Walking is generally accepted. Keep your heart rate low. Generally speaking, do what's comfortable for you. If you evercise and it hurts later, you overdid it. Back off and try again. At some point during treatment, you will have to experiment and see what works for you. I am not a doctor, however, I have read on this forum that their doctors completely restrict ALL movement and exercise... So you either shoot yourself in the foot from the lack of movement or from exercise... Catch 22. Do what works for you and realize doctors will generally be divided here. Experiment.
2. Am I food restricted with Pericarditis? Again, like any normal diet, be moderate with your intake.
3. Can I drink alcohol? See above.
4. Is the pain always there? Depends. Sometimes it can completely disappear. Other times it's a very dull pain or twinge that you may feel, even after or during 'successful treatment'.
5. Am I crazy? Is this pain really here? Yep, you're not crazy. The pain is real. Don't ignore it. Go back to the ER as many times as necessary and make sure you find a good cardiologist. Keep a log of all your events. You will need to need to regurgitate this to quite a few doctors. You are your best advocate. Again, most 'good' cardiologists are typically older and have gained a good reputation through the years, however, these are the same doctors who haven't heard of the new treatment regimens and who also haven't seen recurrent pericarditis like we have today since Covid. Most older cardiologists will begin scratching their head when things don't improve past NSAIDs and Colchicine.

Hope this helps. I'm sure I'm leaving a lot of things out, however, feel free to write in and I'll see if I can help. If the mods can sticky this, I'll be sure to add to this thread.

I'm at my wits' end.
35(M), formerly very active - used to exercise 2x a day, 5x a week and have done so for years. I was competing in a multi-day ultramarathon this January when I first got sick. Started the day feeling dead tired but didn't think much of it as the previous days had taken their toll. Around an hour in, my monitor told me my HR was firmly in the red. About two hours in I started experiencing pressure and discomfort in my upper left torso, around the collarbone, coupled with increased fatigue and heart rate, but put the sensation down to my backpack pulling at my chest muscles and straining something. Kept on going. Eventually got to the point where I just couldn't any more - felt exhausted, bordering on dizzy, heart rate going crazy - so I quit.
Still had the discomfort that evening, so I went to the ER. They ran some tests and found elevated troponin levels so I was admitted, had an ECG and eco done and saw the resident cardiologist, who diagnosed pericarditis. No effusion fortunately. I was prescribed 5mcg of Colchicine 2x a day and NSAIDs (subsequently i was prescribed Naproxen) and told to rest up and ride it out.
Since then I've had either pressure or discomfort or outright pain every.single.day. It's been over 3 MONTHS now which puts me into the chronic category and there is literally no end in sight. I've had bloods and an eco re-done twice and both times the results showed zero or near-zero issues. No effusion, no elevated white blood cell count, inflammation markers all normal or near enough. That would all be great except I still feel like garbage. I'm in pain every day, sometimes bad enough to be distracting (although never incapacitating fortunately) sometimes just there in the background.
The doctor doesn't have much to offer beyond "keep taking your colchicine and wait, bro"
I've been tested for ANA to rule out (or reduce the likelihood of) autoimmune disease. I've had chest x-rays done to rule out lung cancer. I've even had myself tested for HIV (that was a fun paranoid little rabbit hole I went down) in case I accidentally sat on a needle in a park or something.
This is killing me. I can't exercise or hike or swim or do any of the shit I enjoy. I was playing video games and my HR spiked to 140 the other day because I was close to winning, for God's sake. It's put a damper on my job and killed my social life because I don't wanna stay up late because I'm bone tired half the time.
I tried dipping my toe in the water with light exercise again recently (doctor's advice). Did an easy gym session last evening, lifting at most less than half of anything resembling a 1RM and tracking my HR the whole time. It went up to 140 a couple times during working sets but came down in less than a minute every time. Mostly it was sat around 90-odd. I was there for 45 minutes. Great, right? Right. Woke up in the middle of the night from the pain and haven't been able to sleep since. So I guess I won't be trying THAT again for a while.
Other than this one incident I can't find a single correlation between what I do and how I feel. Sometimes I'll go for a big long walk and be fine. Other times I'll be completely sedentary the whole day and feel like garbage. Sometimes it's the reverse. I've tried cutting out coffee, alcohol, certain foods, adding anti-inflammatory supplements... Nothing seems to make a difference.
I don't know what to do. I don't want to be a burden to my girlfriend, or my parents or my friends by complaining at them about this the whole time. I don't want them to worry, but this is literally keeping me up nights. I can't see a single speck of light at the end of this medical tunnel. Will it ever get better? Is there something I missed? Is there something else I can try?

Very slight chest discomfort after 1st Pfizer, doctors wrote it off as anxiety (convinced me too), 2nd Pfizer was fine, a few weeks after 3rd Pfizer tachycardia and pounding heart constantly, extreme anxiety lots of weird symptoms that I don’t really remember at this point (it was August 2022). Wenton propanolol which allowed me to go back to work, things improved but never got better, whenever I would try to exercise I would pay for it after a few hours and the next few days with worsening palpitations until December 2023 when I was driving and I had what I thought was a heart attack at the time (tunnel vision, impending doom, pvc, feeling faint). Blood pressure dropped instantly and gerd and gastro issues began immediately, panic attacks like crazy, brain fog, palpitations and a hollow feeling in my chest and it also felt like my body wasn’t getting enough oxygen like my brain and my lungs and stuff. Over the last few months things have changed, my heart beats more firmly but also incredibly tachycardia, but it also flutters and now my pulse is bounding, the burping will relieve flutters but only very briefly and really bad shortness of breath on any exertion (like getting out of bed). I’m now bed bound due to weakness, palpitations, high heart rate. I’ve spent 2 weeks in hospital over the last month and every test comes up clear (mri, echo, holter, ct, ecg, bloods), however, my ejection fraction has been hovering around 50 since 2022. Any exertion will hurt me after the fact. Now is really the first time in this whole ordeal that I’m starting to struggle with generalised chest pain. I had a very mild ache behind my sternum along with popping when I breathed out too much, but now I’m getting proper chest pain (although not heart pain thankfully). There’s allot more to the story that I’m not remembering but that’s the general gist. My worsening condition has pretty much forced me to start aggressively resting, and despite the clear tests I see the only logical explanation is heart inflammation, I just can’t buy into pots or dysauntonomia because of the physical discomfort coming from my heart. It feels like it’s beating wrong. Now I’ve reached a point where any exertion whatsoever will set off symptoms and I’m really unsure how I’m going to heal myself if my heart can’t have a break. I’ve been put on beta blockers and ivabradine so my hearts in the 60s now as opposed to 90s but because no test shows anything I’m not on colchicine or prednisone. I’m hoping the lower heart rate and rest will be enough. I tried nsaids but they seem to make me worse alongside curcumin. I’ve tried Nattokinase and sometimes it really picks me up and other times it makes me feel like I’m gong to die.

Some context here: I have been suffering from Gout since last 1 year & have been taking Allopurinol tablets daily (initially 300mg, but increased to 400mg since past several months). Around 6 months ago, I had a severe gout flare in my left ankle. As per our family Doctor’s advice, I took Colchicine 2+1 dose (i.e two 0.6mg tablets at once, followed by one 0.6mg tablet after 1 hour) & it helped in rapidly reducing the pain. The next few days, I went on a tapered dose of Colchicine (twice a day, then once a day & then none at all) & that helped me to fully recover from the ankle gout flare.
Since then, for the last 5 months, I have been able to lead a normal "flare-free" life, by managing my diet & drinking sufficient water. However, in the last 1 month, I had to travel out of town & attend a few office parties, because of which I ended up consuming a bit too much "junk food", including cakes, ice-creams, soft-drinks etc. Possibly due of that, I started getting unusual on-and-off pain in my left knee since the last few days, which then got progressively worse & it became really difficult for me to do normal activities, like even standing for a few minutes was challenging for me!!! (please note that I am still taking Allopurinol 400mg tablets daily without fail).
I initially took PainkilleNSAID tablets, but that didn't help in relieving the pain at all. So, two days ago, I consulted our family Doctor via phone & he said that it is most probably another Gout Flare & asked me to take the Colchicine 2+1 dose immediately & start the tapered Colchicine daily dose from the next day onward (like last time). Once I took the Cochicine 2+1 dose, it helped A LOT in reducing the pain & for the rest of that day, I was able to do regular activities without any pain. Unfortunately, the next day (i.e. yesterday), my left knee pain returned with same intensity as before! I stuck to my Doctor's advice of taking tapered Colchicine dose - so I took two 0.6mg tablets (one after breakfast & one after dinner), but it did not help much in reducing pain :-(
Today morning, the knee pain exists same like yesterday. Is it okay/safe for me to take the Colchicine 2+1 dose again, as that is the one which gave me maximum relief & enabled me to do normal activities? Or should I stick to my Doctor’s advice of continuing the tapered dosage till the flare passes off?
Any advice is appreciated.

I had my first gout flare and the end of January which lasted 3 days. It came back at the end of February. NSAIDs (indo and naproxen) has not worked. My PCP put me on allopurinol 100mg and daily colchicine. The colchicine made me super sick after I took 2 pills + 1 more an hour later, then did the same the next day, so I stopped it. I've done 2 courses of Prednisone which has helped tremendously but the pain comes back within 24 hours of my last dose. I told my Dr. about what has been going on and he suggest that I get off of allopurinol and he prescribed me more colchicine and more Prednisone. I have been taking the colchicine (1 .6 mg pill daily for the past 4 days), but it hasn't done anything for the pain or swelling. I'm a little hesitant to go on Prednisone again because it seems like a band-aid and the pain will come back anyway, I kind of would rather save it for a birthday trip that is coming up. Am I wrong about that? Does the pain always come back on Prednisone? Was my Dr. wrong to take me off of allopurinol? Is there anything else I should be doing? Please help.

hello y’all
so I’ve suffered with gout and high uric acid levels for the last 2 years. my left foot is always the victim of the attack. my attacks usually last for 1-2 weeks max and usually NSAIDS help with the symptoms. I have been on Febuxostat (i’m allergic to allo) on and off in the last 2 years. it does the job just as well as allo.
i’ve been suffering from an attack for 1.5 months now, and it’s not going away. The pain and stiffness reduce in intensity, only to come back in a few days. it’s never completely gone. kinda worried about it. should i consider colchicine? i’ve heard it does nothing after an attack has settled in. please drop your thoughts.
also, my foot doesn’t swell up big during an attack. mild swelling at best. my pain mostly comes when i try to walk. is this typical of gout? my rheumatologist was kinda skeptical because of this. he said your gout doesn’t seem like the normal kind. can anyone else here relate to this?
any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated, thank you!

36M, 85kg, 195cm, taking etoricoxib and omeperazole for ankylosing spondylitis (don't smoke, drink a handful of units of alcohol a week, perhaps 2-3 pints. Sometimes none.
Hi, I'm looking for a second opinion - felt a bit like the doc didn't understand what I was saying.
I really want to trial taking etoricoxib without omeperazole, but my doctor has advised against it.
Timeline:
Historically no issue taking nsaids
Had covid in 2022 which resulted in pericarditis - was prescribed colchicine for 3 months. (incidentally also diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis as a result of investigations - relevant in a moment)
After 2-3 weeks of colchicine, developed intense stomach pain (crawling to the bathroom) flagged with doctor, told it could be related to colchicine and prescribed omeperazole to help protect stomach.
Finished course, stopped taking omeperazole and colchicine.
Early 2023, flare of lower back pain led me to be prescribed etoricoxib. Initially on its own, but I mentioned bout of stomach pain whilst on colchicine and was prescribed omeperazole again (could have walked out of the doctor's office without it, I guess).
With the above context, I approached my doc a few weeks back as one of my issues, likely somewhat related to my immune system/ankylosing spondylitis, is Grittiness in my eyes. It can truly be horrible at times and I've done everything imaginable, seen specialists, done the compresses, tried every eye drop under the sun etc... Prior to getting covid in 2022, my eye symptoms were at their mildest to date. They've never really felt like they've gotten back to that and I've read that PPI treatment is linked to increased dry eye symptoms. I know PPI treatment has other side effects as well in the long term. I called my doctor to investigate trialling effects of not taking omeperazole, especially if I make sure I take the etoricoxib with dinner, and was told "no, you need to keep taking it".
I don't understand why, if it's not routinely prescribed, I've had one bout of stomach pain like the few weeks in 2022 ever and who knows if that was 100% related to colchicine? I've only suggested trialling and seeing how my stomach reacts, especially given there could be a significant upside?

Patient age 26, female, bmi 22, 5ft1, 52kg, non smoker. No family history of heart disease.
Muscular like pain left shoulder blade and neck. Headache base of skull left side. Nausea. Woken with Chest heaviness/tightness/burning for 2 hours 3 nights in a row gradually easing throughout the day.
Chest tightness began 3 days following mild nasal congestion/sinus infection..
Presented to ER on day 3 of chest tightness due to continuation of symptoms. Chest tightness was resolved upon presentation to ER.
ECG reveals very subtle upsloping of ST segment in V3-V6 and lead 2. Slight sinus tachycardia (110-120bpm) however it is worth noting I was very anxious during this time. Repeat ECGs were normalised on days 2 and 3 and remained normal after 4 weeks.
Holter monitor during initial admission for 48 hours normal, no arrhythmia detected but small number of PVCs (<10).
Cardiac Troponin elevated at 360 ng/L upon entry, was admitted to cardiology ward. Troponin decreased to 120 ng/L after 24 hrs, 40 ng/L day 3 and normal (<5ng/L) on day 4. Troponin remained normal/undetectable in additional tests 2, 3, 4 and 5 weeks later.
DDimer initially slightly raised at 535 on day 1. Raising suspicion of pulmonary embolism. Heparin injection given. PE was ruled out by normal CTPA. Ddimer returned to Normal on day 2.
Chest XRay normal.
CRP normal always normal. Creatine kinase normal. Blood acidity normal. Slight elevation in WBC (10,400) and neutrophil (8,500) on day 4 after admission.
Echocardiogram 3 days after initial presentation showed normal LV and RV structure and function, normal ejection fraction of 61%. Small pericardial effusion anterior to RV. No cardiac compromise. Repeat echocardiogram one week later showed trivial pericardial effusion and normal heart function.
Symptoms have decreased and chest tightness did not happen since initial presentation.
Diagnosed with myopericarditis, from the way they described, they said primarily pericarditis with inflammation that is irritating/rubbing against the adjacent myocardium causing troponin release. Is this the same as full blown myocarditis?
Colchicine prescribed for 1 month. NSAIDs for 2 weeks. Cardiologist said to rest for 1 week, then ease back into life slowly. I am so confused by this because everyone says do nothing for at least 3 months.
Has anyone had similar and fully recovered?
It’s now been 6 weeks. I had a follow up consultation with my cardiologist and asked about the gym, he said yes and go by feel.
I had an mri, still waiting on results and absolutely terrified of scarring. I didn’t have one during acute phase so don’t know extent of inflammation. I’m struggling so much with the anxiety and tbh I’m scared to move or do anything to raise my heart rate incase my heart gives out.

Hello dear Reddit, and inflammation sufferers.
I am a 22 year old Female that has had pericarditis symptoms for about a year (I did Covid-19 Moderna Vaccine and Pfizer in beginning of 2022).
I'm here to discuss my journey of trying to heal the root of my problem through ayurvedic and holistic methods, paired with western medicine methods. Skip to the bottom middle after Triggers if you want to read different medicine approaches, or skip directly to the The Journal
---Quick Recap of diagnosis and Epicrisis----
My first introduction to severe flare ups was in January. This was triggered by (what I suspect) a Kambo Ceremony, where I received 9 spots of Kambo on my body. I felt normal, light and not particularly bad (I was eating OMAD vegan and fasting due to Kambo diet guidelines and was slightly less energetic). 4 days after Kambo I went into a state of dizziness, heart palpitations and fatigue. I was diagnosed with Supraventricular Tachycardia, Atrial tachycardia, Hypokalemia and Hypophosphatemia which was fucking painful and scary. The hospital did a good job and sent me home after two days without further diagnosis.
I had another Pericarditis/Tachycardia attack two days later and was sent back which is when they found pericardial liquid around my heart and diagnosed me with Acute Unspecific Idopathic Pericarditis. However, I had no signs of inflammation or Virus/bacteria infection in my body at the time. I was put on Colchicine, Pantoprazole and Ibuprofen. (The Colchicine made me feel like fucking shit, and I discontinued it after 1 week. Keep in mind, Colchicine is/may be highly hazardous (from my own deep dive research of old archives online) so listen to your body when taking it.)
3 days later I suffered what felt like a heart attack, and my body was responding to these tachycardia/pericarditis symptoms with adrenaline/fatigue episodes which made me truly think the day was going to end abruptly. I was sent back to the hospital where they couldn't find anything, so they sent me back home the day after.
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---Current symptoms---
General pain around the heart which sometimes is paired with difficult of breathing (mild).
Heart palpitations, sometimes steady but painfully hard around 40-50 BPM, sometimes irregular and painful around 100 BPM (which usually comes if I overexert my heart due to stress/caffeine/quick walking)
Heart burn (Usually in the morning after 1-2 hours, and after eating (even light meals))
Stressed nervous system
General fatigue and anxiety (From the pain and constant worry of keeping heart rate low/avoiding activity)
Feeling of powerlessness and futility (Mentally and physically, which also affect each other)
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---Triggers---
Deep breathing / Breathwork
Caffeine/theobromine (Coffee or raw cacao)
Overexertion of heart (Caused by mental stress or physical stress)
Alcohol or other health/immune system-fucking activities
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---Ayurvedic and Holistic Approach moving forward---
First of all, I'm not a doctor and I have not consulted a doctor. Currently I'm on Ibuprofen for as long as my Doc tells me, so this I will just follow until further notice. Everything I'm doing and discussing is through intuitively listening to my bodily needs, mental needs and spiritual needs- so consult with your own intuition and intelligence before embarking on any new health journeys.
Chinese medicine Approach:
The Heart's positive psycho-emotional attributes are love, joy, peace, contentment, propriety, insight, wisdom, orderliness, forgiveness, and courtesy. Its negative attributes are hate, guilt, shock, nervousness, excitement, longing, and craving. When the heart is strong and steady, it controls the emotions; when it is weak and wavering, the emotions rebel and prey upon the heart-mind, which then loses its command over the body.
Ayurvedic Approach:
Inflammation functions as the body's natural defense mechanism, responding locally to injuries, viruses or bacteria. During inflammation, the force of pitta (fire and water element) is responsible for the temperature or heat to rise. This in turn allows vata (air and space) to take home in the available space. This further makes way for the vitiated blood and toxins to enter the tissues. What one experiences as a result is swelling.
Sadhgurus Approach:
Sickness can manifest in many ways in the physical body. Every thought, every reverberation on the level of the mind changes your chemistry. Let’s say you think about tigers, one kind of chemical change will happen. If you think about flowers, another kind of chemical change will happen. Depending on the type of thoughts you create, you may produce a lousy, poisonous soup.
To give you a simple analogy – suppose your right hand was acting funny, beating you up, strangling and torturing you every day – would this not be sickness? For sure it would be. That is exactly what your mind is doing. It is acting funny, hurting you, poking you, making you cry, making you suffer – is this not sickness? But too many people are with you – you can form an army of sick people. When there is an army in front of you, sick or otherwise, there is no point in arguing with them – just bow down to them and keep going. That is what most enlightened beings have done – they just closed their eyes and sat.
Western Approach:
Inflammation is an essential part of your body’s healing process. It occurs when inflammatory cells travel to the place of an injury or foreign body like bacteria. If inflammatory cells stay too long, it may lead to chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is a symptom of other health conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis. Your healthcare provider may recommend medication or at-home management. You can reduce inflammation by eating anti-inflammatory foods and managing stress.
Acupuncture Approach:
... Immune system diseases are caused by an imbalance in immune regulation, including structural or functional abnormalities of the immune system. ...
...Sympathetic nerves play dual roles in the regulation of inflammatory responses, mediating both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects ...
...Neuroinflammation is a complex innate immune response process that clears infection, pathogens, cellular debris, and misfolded proteins from the nervous system. It is a key factor and among the most common pathological manifestations of various nervous system diseases, including central nervous system (CNS) injury and neurodegenerative diseases. ...
... The circulatory system is a continuous closed-pipeline system that is distributed all over the body. Inflammation is currently recognized as the main pathological basis of atherosclerosis, hypertension, and other circulatory diseases, as well as an important complication of these diseases. Tissue cell injury and subsequent pathogen invasion of the cardiovascular system causes necrotic cells to release DAMPs, act on TLRs and NLRs, and activate intracellular inflammasome signaling that initiates an innate immune response. ...
... We, therefore, speculate that the orderly and controllable inflammatory network at acupoints is highly beneficial to the activation of immunity throughout the body, thus achieving a strong anti-inflammatory effect...
... The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis is mainly composed of the hypothalamic PVN, adenohypophysis, and the adrenal cortex, among which the PVN is the most crucial. Cortisol synthesized and released by the HPA axis regulates gene expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators by forming a complex with glucocorticoid receptors (GRs). This inhibits the production of various pro-inflammatory mediators and induces the production of various anti-inflammatory mediators....
... In addition to nerve conduction, the brain-gut axis also includes the intestinal flora as well as the immune interactions in the brain-gut system.166 Some studies have confirmed that the anti-inflammatory effect of acupuncture is related to its regulation of intestinal flora. It has been reported that Parkinson’s disease likely originates in the gut. ...
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--Strange thoughts---
During the test of Inflammatory proteins in the blood, all were on normal levels, signifying I had no active inflammation. So what is causing this if there is no active reaction in my blood test? These were some of my test results from the hospital:
CRP: < 4
Hb: 140 mg/dL
MCV: 87 fl
MCH: 30
Leukocytes (LPK): 6.5
Thrombocytes (TPK): 271
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---COVID-19 Vaccination and Disease--
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/myocarditis.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9703393/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912977/
..... Due to the similarity between the pathogenic component of the vaccine and specific human proteins, there is immune cross-reactivity resulting in autoimmune disease ....
... Myocarditis and pericarditis after the COVID-19 vaccine occur most commonly in adult males after the second dose of mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna). The presentation is usually mild, and the majority of patients have a good recovery. Cell-mediated immune responses generated by the body against the vaccine components cross-react with cardiac cells to cause myocardial and pericardial inflammation. It follows that the most effective treatment for this clinical entity are immunosuppressants and anti-inflammatory agents (e.g., colchicine, NSAIDs and steroids). Physicians should consider myocarditis and pericarditis as a probable diagnosis in patients who have received COVID-19 vaccines, especially in males who develop suggestive symptoms after a second dose of Pfizer and Moderna. Viral vector vaccines may be a better alternative for patients with a history of cardiac diseases. ....
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---My conclusion and plan forward----
The body is a self healing system. In consideration of the different perspectives I've explored in this article I'm going to take a holistic/mixed approach on my current situation.
I have done fasting in the past and know this is a good path to physical healing when done correctly in regard to my own physical situation and potential sensitivity to elevated heart stress. Fasting triggers autophagy, stem cell regeneration and stimulation of human growth hormone, only to mention one of the top reasons among many health benefits.
Mentally/emotionally I'm going to start working on love and compassion to help shift my perspective on the situation and on myself, and work on internal hate, despair and anger.
Meridian Points related to the Qi of the body and the heart is something I want to study more so that I can help clear the flow of energy so that love and joy can flourish, and my energy body is stabilizing in this area.
There are many other directions I'm thinking of, such as herbal treatments and reiki energy work, but these don't truly speak to me as of now and I feel like a good fast for health and mental wellbeing is a good start, paired with self-mastery of the mind and the emotions.
I'll be posting some updates about the journey and hope that maybe this can help clear up one or three questions for someone or somebody.
I wish you all the best, and hope that you find the correct way to heal yourself and your cardiac complications. Some physical ailments may come from energetic blockages and manifestations. As confusing as it may be at times, even though our body has a set of specific senses and ways to communicate and interpret the world around us, it may not be the only ones responsible for everything that is and always has been. This is not to rule out specific physical reasons for why things have become the way they are today, but mindset and feelings play a big role in the decisions made in the big picture as well- so with that being said, stay hopeful!
If you're sitting on information or perspectives that may help guide me in a direction that I may benefit from, you're more than welcome to leave a comment. I know that my thoughts may not align with everyone, and I want to clarify that this is not a truth or fact of healing, as I'm simply just trying to explore what is our there and what could potentially work for me. Something that resonates today may not resonate in a year.
Peace and love.
Continuation: The Journal
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---Bonus sources---
Intermittent Fasting for Heart Failure
Fasting can prevent heart disease in high risk patients

Had my first severe flare-ups (happened twice) within the last year. Got diagnosed at the ER after the 2nd debilitating episode. Have no insurance but found a good affordable community clinic.
Seeing a physician's assistant who I have come to quickly respect as someone who is taking my condition seriously. We immediately got started on Allo and from browsing this sub for a long time now and also from my own experience Colchicine works as a prophylactic.
Since starting on Allo a month ago I'm getting what are so far minor flare-ups pretty frequently. I'm mainly concerned because I need to be able to go to work reliably. A major flare would really hurt me financially at this point.
There is only one concern I have with the PA I'm seeing: he insists that Colchicine is an NSAID. This is a problem because we are concurrently treating my hypertension and NSAIDs make that worse.
It's my understanding that Colchicine is not an NSAID. But I don't have any kind of medical degree and am hesitant to rely on Google for this info.
Is there anyone else here who has run into this kind of issue?

I've been taking 100mg allopurinol for about a year now, but recently had a very bad gout flare up. I'm on my second colchicine run since Dec and it's still not fully gone.
Very long story short: My primary left the practice, and there is no replacement, so I am travelling over an hour to see someone new. My goal is to adjust the allopurinol, and to ask for perscriptions going forward in case of flare ups.
Colchicine seems to work well for me but my insurance decided to stop covering it (?????).
I can not take NSAID's b/c of my kidney health
I've heard people take predisone but I'd rather not take steroids if I can avoid them.
What are some other options that can be taken when you have a gout flare up? Can a doctor write me a permanently re-filling perscription? I feel a bit lost and abandoned without having a primary.

Hi all, I’ve been suffering from high uric acid and flare up for quite some time. I experience a major attack about once or twice a year. Stiff joints and minor attacks about once every 2 months. I understand that most are comfortable with taking the prescription level medication to control uric acid and I believe that is the right path, but for my personal reason, I’ve been experimenting with an otc supplement stack that has been working well after specific triggers.
My trigger for a minor gout flare-up is excessive caffeine/stimulants combined with lack of sleep. I know the next day or two, I will experiment an attack and will pop colchicine and NSAID to counter it. However I’ve been experimenting with a stack that has successfully countered it twice and I would like to describe it here in case anyone else had luck with them.
Quercetin, as a Xanthine Oxidase inhibitor, similar to allopurinol, limiting uric acid production. 500mg morning and evening.
Vitamin C, as a uricosuric agent similar to Probenecid, increasing uric acids excretion - 500mg morning and evening.
Tart Cherry Pill - another uricosuric agent, 250mg morning and evening
Lastly Fish oil, magnesium and bromelain taken once daily as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
I plan to go on a 3-5 day water fast, something I was able to do once per year when I was in my 20s, but since I hit my 30s it’s been a trigger for gout 100% of the time. I tried 3 times. I’ll try one more time with the above protocol and report back in the coming weeks.

I'm a Type-2 diabetic who is able to control my blood sugar to a normal range by diet alone. In getting to that status mostly through weight loss, I also reduced the frequency of my gout flares to about every six months (both associated with viral infections).
However, one of those flares is going on now, and I've taken prednisone for the past day to get on top of it. In checking my blood sugar earlier today, I found that it was double my usual reading and the highest I've ever seen in monitoring my blood sugar most of this year. I've learned that this is a known side effect. (Multiple references available if desired.) Even if I'd suspected this side effect, I wouldn't have thought it could be so dramatic or occur so quickly for someone in my general state of health. (I suppose it's possible that the gout attack itself is contributing to my elevated blood sugar, but I very much doubt that it would do so to this degree!)
So now I've switched to NSAIDs and colchicine, which probably won't be as effective, but I'm going to try to sit it out without prednisone because I'm not willing to prolong having my blood sugar in the 200s.
What side effects are users here aware, and fearful, of from drugs to treat flares? Any actual personal experience would be especially welcome. I'll start with what I now worry about:

• Prednisone: - Can cause large blood sugar spikes
• Colchicine: - Can concentrate to dangerously high levels due to use of some drugs or even grapefruit

My 2 y/o Shar Pei had his first fever incident Nov 11 and was hospitalized overnight - temp went from normal baseline of 99.5 to 104.8 in 30 minutes, was at 106.3 by the time we arrived at the ER (45 mins from onset of symptoms). He has had two subsequent episodes that were managed well at home with nsaids at onset of symptoms per vet instruction. Blood values currently look good and internal med is comfortable with regular monitoring from his GP (bloodwork and urinalysis every 6 months) along with colchicine and switching to a renal diet.
We have worked really, really hard on husbandry and medical handling. He is unfazed by blood draws, vaccines, nail trims, ear cleans, etc. No restraint required, he stands and works on a lick mat and you can do virtually anything. GP wants a sterile urine sample at each recheck by cystocentesis. Do I need to teach a flat on his side down and desensitize to leg restraint? Does he need to be upside down? Is there anything else I should start working on?
Apologies if this makes me sound like a crazy person, I just very much want to protect the fact that he's so very behaviorally sound (especially for a Shar Pei) and reduce the likelihood of stressful handling triggering a fever.

I had a swollen big toe that seems to get worse in the last few days and doctor today said it might be gout, but haven't done any tests to confirm. I was prescribed with oral Colchicine 0.6 mg to be taken twice daily. I took the Colchicine didn't seem work at all with the pain and swell? Before that I was taking Ibuprofen and it seems to help the swell and pain, but would come back after a 6-8 hours. The doc said to not take Colchicine with NSAIDs so what can do now? But to my knowledge Colchicine only helps if the flare up is early, it has been 72 hours since the start of it.
I am due back in a few days if Colchicine doesn't work, so do I have suffer for a few days not before going back? My foot is even more swollen and in pain than taking Ibuprofen. I have been drinking water, drinking tart cherry juice, etc. but nothing really work. Is my best option is to follow the doc's advice and ride it out until I'm put on steroids?

Hi all,
I was diagnosed with pericarditis in early July this year. The symptoms we're mild but consistent. There was a pericardial effusion and ECG changes.
I am still worried about going to exercise cos i still get occasional chest pains -- maybe once or twice. I am not sure if it is anxiety or like lingering pericarditis; i also have anxiety, esp health related anxiety. My cardio cleared me to exercise a while back but i always feel like the pain/tightness recurs when i do but I'm not sure if it's psychosomatic or whatever.
I really want to get back to exercise but the occasional pains make me scared to. Im still taking colchicine but not NSAIDs even tho technically I'm supposed to taper and be off them by now. :(