How much pain can you stand and still go in to work?

[christvs, DNP, RN, NP]

I've been an RN for 9 months now. I was just wondering how the rest of you nurses are when you have pain and you are trying to decide if you can safely work or not. Has anyone ever heard of costochondritis? I've been getting it on and off for the past 9 years (I'm 29 yrs old now) and I know which activities will trigger the pain (I can't run anymore, can't lift weights, can't shovel, can't do sit ups or push ups) for the most part. The other day I was raking my yard (in my new house!!) and it didn't even dawn on me that that would trigger the pain, but oh lord did it ever. It's been hurting since two sundays ago. So I called in sick twice in the past week and then two days ago I went to the ER jsut to make sure I didn't have something else more serious (it hurts along my sternum, collarbone, lower throat, shoulders, neck and upper back) and they did the usual tests (EKG, Chest x ray, lab work, and an ultrasound and the US showed inflammation around my the cartilage on my ribs, which was no surprise to me. Anyhow, I took the vicodin they gave me for the pain in the ER and took it also on my days off, but I can't take it on the days that I work, so when I have to go into work (yesterday and today) I've been taking motrin and tylenol only, which doesn't do much. I feel like the pain is a lot better now but still painful. I was just wondering if any of you have experience with dealing with costochondritis pain. It is the most annoying pain to have. thanks.

-Christine

[TazziRN, RN]

The only NSAID you've taken is Motrin? Sounds like it's time for you to go on one of the others for daily treatment. I've only seen one person who had chronic costo like you, and he said that Celebrex saved his sanity.