cathy,

Thanks for your question. 

It's time you go to your primary care physician and discuss with him your concerns.  If the ER did not admit you, it means that were not having a heart attack.  Costochondritis not only causes chest pain, but your doctor will find that your chest wall is very tender to palpation (pressing of the chest).   If your doctor feels that your pain is from Costochondritis, then this may take time to resolve.  This is an inflammatory process where the rib meets the sternum and can be very painful, and accounts for numerous visits to the doctor as well as emergency rooms.  Anti-inflammatory medication can help a great deal. 

If your doctor is not convinced that costochondritis is the problem, then you should discuss having a stress test which will help determine if there is a problem with your heart. 

Normal temperature is 98.6 Fahrenheit.  Your temps are normal.  I know many patients say they run a lower than normal temperature, so a degree above "their normal" is always a cause for alarm.  This is absolutely not true.  Most doctors do not declare a fever unless the temperature is at least 99.4 to 99.6.

A normal sedimentation rate means that the likelihood of a bacterial infection is low.  It is not helpful for viral infections.  The Sed rate also goes up in systemic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, crohn's disease, and several others.  An isolated costochondritis should not affect the sed rate. 

So, sit down with your doctors, ask questions, and together come up with a plan to prove or disprove possibilities for your symptoms.

Best wishes and feel better.

Martin Cane, M.D.