Pleuritic Pain and Severe Asthma

[asthmaticclimber]

I have severe asthma and am exceptionally prone to chest infections as I don’t clear my chest very well normally.

I have had 3 lots of antibiotics for chest infections since January. I’ve had a bad cold that I’m trying to hold off from becoming a chest infection.

The bit that’s bothering me most is almost constant lung pain. I’ve had pleurisy several times before and so know lung pain but I’ve had this for around 10 days and it’s the second bout of pleurisy I’ve had in the last few months.

Obviously being a severe asthmatic I can’t take NSAIDs so I’m struggling to shift it. Doctors aren’t keen to give me any more steroid as long as my breathing doesn’t get worse.

It’s getting me down because I was hoping these 3 months of isolation would be my time to loose the steroid weight I’ve gained after 12 months on high dose steroids.

Any advice on pleuritic pain would be amazing! Or what you think I should do. It’s disrupting my sleep and it never goes away and it just gets exacerbated if I’m breathing hard for a long period of time (e.g. exercising)

Hope everyone’s staying healthy!

Alice

[Emily-G]

Hi

I’m in similar boat with recurring chest infections antibiotics and steroids. Not sure if this is helpful and I’m not at all medically trained. Things that help me - heat, lying propped up in a deep hot bath, hot water bottle, never lying flat, I use a warming salve on my ribs sometimes... leaning forward to breath when chest ache is really sore... this is just me tho and not medical advice. Hope you feel better soon xx

[asthmaticclimber in reply to Emily-G]

Thanks for the advice, will try a warm bath

[Poobah]

I haven't had pleuritic problems but did have a long term chest infection that wasn't bacterial (according to tests) and was making every day life a struggle and I was exhausted. My consultant tried a four month course of Azithromycin and the results were amazing.

Consultant explained that some asthmatics respond very well to this treatment. And it can be prescribed every winter as that's a vulnerable season for many. He said it was more effective than repeated short term courses of antibiotics.

I haven't needed any antibiotics since then, two years ago.

Hope this helps.

[asthmaticclimber in reply to Poobah]

Lots of people have recommended this so me, I need to chase my consultant about the prospect of this

[Js706]

Ugh I feel your pain - pleurisy is evil!! I’ve had it a few times and these are some things I found helped:

- Regular painkillers, no matter how the pain is. Even paracetamol (I can’t have NSAIDs either) is actually a great painkiller if you keep taking it at regular intervals. It may be worth seeing if you could try co-codamol if you can tolerate it (either at the over the counter strength or from your GP) as that is stronger than paracetamol alone.

- Use a pillow to splint yourself when you cough etc. Making sure you keep coughing properly is important so if it’s painful then hold a pillow round the most painful area when you need to to provide a bit of support.

- Lie on the painful side, seems weird but definitely helps - I wonder if it’s maybe to do with the splinting sort of thing that is why the pillow helps too.

- Cooling rubs (like the freeze gels)

- Stay hydrated etc

- Rest up!

[asthmaticclimber in reply to Js706]

Good ideas! I had a problem that I felt it was getting better so stopped taking any painkillers and probably overexerted myself and it came back with FORCE!

Coughing is killing me and honestly, I don’t feel I’m clearing my lungs properly as a result. Will try with a pillow.

Yes! Weirdly I found sleeping on the painful side more comfortable.

Thanks for your advice x

[Hamscoul]

I have had pleuritic pain for years. Nothing new to add that hasn't already been said. Just want to tell you that I sympathise. It's hard work coping with it all the time. I would just say that regular painkillers would help.