Ok. I'm at a loss...anyone?

Hoping someone can relate and share some insight.  A few months ago, I began to feel some pain in the center of my chest right behind the sternum.  Sometimes it is quite mild, but other times it is so severe that I have to "deep breathe" thru the pain.  Had my gallbladder out in February, so we know that is not the cause.  Had an MRI done on my pancreas.  Results came back perfectly clear.  Had a small hernia that my dr thought could be causing the pain, so he repaired it.  Still had the pain.  Went to my cardiologist.  He recommended a heart cath.  Had that done yesterday.  My arteries are wide open and clear...no blockages.  This is great news for me because I have a horrible family history of heart disease.  Now, while I am  happy about these results, I still have no answers as to what this pain is.  The other issue is....they did some blood work before they took me to the cath lab yesterday.  It seems that my white blood cell count is low.  Dr said it should be above 5000.  Mine was 2000.  I don't know if that is related somehow, but I am just at a loss as to what to think.  Was just wondering if anyone has dealt with anything like this.  I'm following up with my family doc in 2 weeks.  And I have my monthly appointment with my bariatric surgeon later this month.  So I'm in constant touch with doctors.  Any suggestions or advise?   Thanks so much.  Sorry this is kinda long.

I would not automatically rule out gallstones.  About 3-4% of people delveop gallstones in the bile ducts after the gall bladder has been removed.  Generally the pain is on the right side but can be center chest as well.

Have you been checked for GERD (reflux disease)?  This can be so severe and painful that many people mistake it for a heart attack and end up in the ER.  If you haven't already, see a gastroenterologist to rule that out.  Hope you find the answer soon!

I would have guessed a bile duct blockage, I had one last year but with very elevated white blood count and live enzymes.  Read this though.....

http://www.parkhurstexchange.com/clinical-reviews/ud_06_vol14

I would also suggest GERD. I have it so bad post op,had it pre op also,that if I miss any of my *3** medications for it daily,I will develop pain in my jaw aaaand down the side of my neck just like chest pain.

It was discovered that the GERD had worsened after my  VSG and the 3 meds control it.

I had the cath scan and the whole ball of wax as well and that is what it definatively is for me.

GL

You might also ask your doctor about pleurisy. I'm asthmatic, and when I get pneumonia, I get that kind of pain. It feels like someone is sitting on my chest and poking around in there with a sharp object.

I was having similar symptoms that happened suddenly and felt like I was having a heart attack. I had a CT scan done and they found a mass in my heart. It turned out I have a pericardial cyst. I would ask your cardiologist to do a CT and/or refer you to a cardio-thoracic surgeon to rule out any masses that could be causing this. Good luck.

Thank you all for your responses. You have given some different avenues to investigate. I just knew I could get some ideas from you guys. Thanks so much!! I'll keep you posted.

I second pleurisy, strange as it seems.  Last summer I had a similar pain, right behind the sternum.  It would get worse when I moved, laid down, sat up, breathed heavily.  I thought it was gastro-related so went to my G-E, but he sent me to the ER and called ahead and ordered a battery of tests.  (It was right after I returned from a trip to Europe, so he was concerned about a P-E.) 

Over the course of a couple days, they discovered the pleurisy, admitted me, drained off about 12 oz of yellowish fluid (not a lot in the scheme of things apparently), sent it off to be tested, watched me for a day, set me up for about 3 mos of follow-up visits and tests, and never discovered a cause.  The endo thought it might be lupus, but I had no other symptoms.  To this day I don't know why it happened.

When I'm looking for answers to take to doctors I go to webmd online and use their diagnostic tool. You should be able to put in your symptoms and it will give you a variety of things to look at. You can rule out those checked for and perhaps get some other ideas.