Brian12

My doctor initially prescribed 40 mg of prednisone for 5 days which made it go away. I had a dry cough along with it that didnt go away however. About a month later an 80 year old woman backed into my mint camaro and I got stressed and started having chest pains again. I thought they were unrelated but after exercising tonight I can tell its costocondritis(after worrying for months it was something more serious).

Does anyone know what causes this condition? Mine started after going to the gym one day. I felt like I had the flu for the next two days and the chest pain started on the third day when the flu seemed to have passed.

My second question is how do I get rid of it. I'm a very active person and like to lift weights and I havent lifted in 7 months because of this. I took ibuprofen(in very small dosages) for months after my car was wrecked and it tore up my stomach. I'm on nexium now for that. So I guess taking aspirin/ibuprofen is out. Ive read that prednisone is terrible for you as well but the only problem Ive had with it is weight gain.

If you guys could fill me in on costochondritis it would be great because I have no idea what I'm dealing with.