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Could this be pleurisy?

Posted , 4 users are following.

Guest
Guest

After reading some of your stories, I'm wondering if I could have pleurisy. I have another 5 days before my next doctor visit, so thought I'd check the Internet for advice, etc.

History. About 3 months ago I started coughing really bad. Mostly getting out in the cold and talking or laughing triggered it. After 2 visits to the doctor, was told I had adult onset asthma. Went on albuterol inhaler. Within a few days, was coughing green (sorry to be gross, but you get the picture now!) and was very congested. Went back. Now I had asthma, ear infections, sinus infections, bronchitis. Antibiotic, decongestant and antihistimine were prescribed. Next the breathing symptoms got much worse. Short of breath a lot. Went back. Now I received a nebulizer, a new antibiotic and steroid for the severe asthma. Breathing got worse. Now chest x-rays and new antibiotic and new steroid.

Fast forward 3 months. Coughing is better. I'm not on an medications now. But I have this very sharp pain in the left side of my chest, just beneath the breast. While it doesn't hurt to breath, it is VERY painful to cough and sneeze. Turning a certain way or lifting something feels deadly. Also, I cannot lie down flat. Somehow lying down makes this pain so much worse.

Does this sound familiar?

Thanks so much.

2 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    hey there... you know, i think your 100 percent right,, i have pluricy right now,, my first experience with it...... and its in the left side of my chest, right in under my left breast, feels kinda like on the ribs,,, i cant lay down,, hurts to ben over, cough, sneeze and stuff like that,, its kinda like ur almost havin a heart attack at times .. the doc just gave me a prescription for anti flamitories for a week, and suggested i get a 2d echo done on my heart just incase.. im tellin you,, if its pluricy, i feel for you,,, i had to call the ambulance last night to come get me,, the pain in my chest was that bad.... its not fun.. good luck with it all.
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi. Sounds familar to me too. I have just come across this word, and it may just be what I have too! In September I started having coughing fits - a bit like whooping cough - till I was almost sick!! Given 2 lots of different antibiotics and eventually had only a few coughing fits a day. In November went to A&E hospital with severe pain, had morphine. All checks done and were clear. Now I have the rib pain still - varies on how I sit or lie, but always on or near my ribs (can be both sides), and am now seeing an acupunturist in the hope that I can get pain relief that way. Hate it when can't sleep with the pain...What seems to be quite good is Bromeline pineapple extract vitamin - a natural anti-inflammatory. Hope you and I feel better soon...
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    A week and a half ago I got a cold then a few days later I started getting a chesty cough. 7 days ago I made an appt at the docs (appt is 2moro) for my chest as I knew it was a chest infection. Then over the weekend (4 days ago), I started getting pains at the bottom of my left rib. I continued to work the whole time I had my cold and chesty cough until this pain in my ribs got wore. Went to the walk-in centre on Monday (2 days ago) as the pain was getting horrendous. They said it was pleuritic pain and appeared I had/have pleurisy. The nurse sent me home on 50mg diclofenic and 30mg codeine.

    I've been taking these analgesics reliogiously ever since I got them. Now it's 2 days since Ive been on them, and the pain is crippling. Just sitting typing this, I have a pain in my back at the bottom of my left rib, a worse pain at the bottom of my right rib and just gets worse when I cough, sneeze, blow my nose, bending over. I've never encountered pain like it!

    My boyfriend is working away and rang the on-call doc earlier on, so waiting for him/her to ring back.

    I'm 26 and just want this pain to go, sometimes it gets that bad, it reduces me to tears

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi, reading your experiences is quite reasuring, I no longer feel like I am imagining the intensity of the pain. I had the flu bug over the Christmas period, although it was not too bad, however I was left with a cold and bad cough and cattarh(?). Very soon into the cold I started getting bad pains on the rib, just under the right breast, I left it 2 weeks before going to the doctors (last Tuesday), and was diagnosed with pleurisy and given anti-biotics. I have been taking the tablets and Ibuprofen, but this weekend and today the pain is much worse, I'm not sure if I should go back to the doctors after I finish the course of tablets, or wait a little longer to see if the pain goes.
  • ShawnGoldman
    ShawnGoldman Guest

    Posted

    I have similar symptoms and consulted my nurse. She recommended that this was normal because of inflammation and recommended that I take Advil/Ibuprofen. 
    • carole79523
      carole79523 ShawnGoldman

      Posted

      Hi I would be very interested to know if the ibuprofen worked. Never experienced such excruciating pain. Honestly thought my ribs were broken.
  • yvona66968
    yvona66968 Guest

    Posted

    You need to get your dr. to order a chest x-ray, that will show if there is fluid around your lungs... for me when my pleura (area around lungs) was filled with fluid laying down made it impossible to breathe. 

     

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