I have just discovered this great site, and although not...

Oh Glenys, I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this. Your case in particular is so similar to mine that I am compelled to respond.

I really really really think you need to look at those x-rays again. They may have looked clear but they need to be examined not for cloudiness but for separations, like would happen with spontaneous pneumothorax. That's what I have - and I'm a 36yr old, 5'5", 135lb, white female. I was diagnosed when I was 11yrs old only after 5-6 collapses over the course of 2 years.

In particular, it is your symptom #5 which startled me into writing. It was this exact sensation - like a thread of pain sewn through direct from the breast to shoulder blade - which led to the quest for my diagnosis.

I strongly encourage you pester a thorasic specialist with these symptoms, mentioning not SP because that sounds so catastrophic, but the possibility of an isolated bleb or two that may have ruptured.

My only other advice is counter-intuitive. Load up on painkillers and force yourself to the limit of pain, if only for a few moments. If your greatest dificulty is lying on your left side, then lie on your left side, taking slow slowly increasingly deeper breaths, until you can hold your breath for a few seconds. Think about it - the pain is caused by the friction between lung and ribs. There is no friction when both are still as when you hold your breath. And there is no friction once the plurae have reformed adhesions - let gravity help the two come together if only for a minute or so. Concentrate on breathing more with the diaphram, letting your stomach in and out, while on the painful side and truly, it will help speed recovery.

All the best,

Anna

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I have never experienced pain like this. Let me describe it to you: 1. As if someone has performed CPR on the upper left part of my chest wall. 2. Bruised,as if my ribs are fractured and digging into my lung. 3. Pain is worse on exertion, when I sit back in a chair and try to raise myself up out of it or pull my shoulders back. 4. When coughing or sneezing. 5. Upon pressing on my left breast the [pain is refered right back to my left scapula (shoulder blade). 6. Constant soreness in and around the affected area.

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I have been going through something similar since March 10 starting with bronchitis, leading to chest pain from severe with each breath to intermittent with dry cough and shortness of breath. I was already on a anti-inflammatory. My GP put me on prednisone initialy with an antibiotic and bronchodialator. (after 2 CXR and CT looking for PE) Whenever he tried to taper the pred. the chest pain would return. I can't get it down past 10-15 mg. per day without the pain returning in the afternoon. (HRCT looking for for interstitial disease) The pulmonologist, that it took 6 weeks to get an appt. with, (after Pulmonary Function and CO test)said that I had pleurisy associated my lupus. I just set an appt. with my rheumatologist, now I have another 4 week wait for that appt. Prednisone was a Godsend for me, it is the only thing that helps my pain!

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I have the same systems you do the only relief Iget is prednisone to.Hope you get to feeling better soon.

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I would just like to thank the three people who submitted comments and rated my comments regarding Pleurisy at a ten out of ten.

I have improved, but it has been a long process and even now I am still subjected to pain in my left chest wall upon appying pressure and in my axilla. This pain also increases whenever I am feeling weary and run down, which is often.

I have now also been advised and given the diagnosis of Costal Chondritis, or chest wall pain syndrome. This often follows an upper respiratory chest infection,or virus. Treatment recommended; anti inflammatories, steroid injections, antibiotices, ice packs and rest.

I am still not convinced and am seeing my GP yet again tomorrow. But Pleurisy can take a long time to go and I think that we must all be aware of the fact that once you have had it, there is every chance that it will reoccur. Thank you so much for your kind comments and support. Regards from Glenys

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Gosh you guys, This is like having an epiphany. I wonder what this was as I have had some of these symptoms. Thank you for sharing this to me.

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[quote:7ebec61e97=\"G. H.\"]I have just discovered this great site, and although not an emotional person, reading other pluerisy sufferer's comments has brought tears of relief to my eyes. I just feel so relieved that I am not alone in my plight.

I am a Registered Nurse, so a little knowledge is not always a good thing, I have been imagining all sorts of illnesses and conditions, all life threatening. My illness began three weeks ago with the usual viral symptoms of sore throat, cough, sneezing etc. I treated it at home and still managed to go to work. But eight days ago I developed a burning like pain in my left axilla (arm pit), sorry, that is the nurse vocab coming out in me. At first I thought that I may have pulled a muscle whilst at work, moving patients, and thought that in a couple of days it would disappear. But it did not and the pain had intensified to such an extent that I visited the emergency doctor on call who was baffled by my symptoms and sent me away none the wiser.

I was unable to tolerate the pain any longer and visted my own GP on Wednesday who said it was related to the virus and prescribed antibiotics for any bacterial infection that I might have. I have been expectorating green sputum, he advised me to continue taking Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. I have never experienced pain like this. Let me describe it to you: 1. As if someone has performed CPR on the upper left part of my chest wall. 2. Bruised,as if my ribs are fractured and digging into my lung. 3. Pain is worse on exertion, when I sit back in a chair and try to raise myself up out of it or pull my shoulders back. 4. When coughing or sneezing. 5. Upon pressing on my left breast the [pain is refered right back to my left scapula (shoulder blade). 6. Constant soreness in and around the affected area.

I saw another Doctor yesterday who examined me, chest was clear, slight raised temperature etc and he concluded that I had a plueritic chest pain, advised me to continue with the Cefadroxil and prescribed Voltarol. I am feeling really low in mood and weary, I am also expected back at work on Wednesday. I just want this pain to subside, but when will it disappear without the constant ingestion of analagesia?

I am so glad to have found this site and to know that I am no longer alone with this ailment.I would love to hear from any one else who can share this with me.

Glenys

[i:7ebec61e97]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:7ebec61e97][/quote:7ebec61e97] I have the same symptoms as you and are taking the same meds and i have been suffering with the pain for 5 weeks now i am too at the end of my tether .

Hi,

OMG I am 49 years old and have had this since last October of 08. I't flairs up from time to time but th pain never goes away. I'v stopped taking prednisone and went onto a website to see what treatments are available, and believe it or not Ephedra is one of them. I did order it on line and it did help alittle. Gloucosemine and alot of vitamine C, B complex, garlic & Flaxseed Oil, I've also herd Blackseed Oil is very good for Pleurisy. Exersise is also helpful and this will sound crazy but having someone smack your back works great.

Hi I was just diagnosed with pleurisy. What can I do for the pain. It hurts so bad.