pain between shoulders

[ccccc]

Hi everyone

I have severe asthma, taking Seretide 500, 10mg Montelukast a day. Daily antihistamine and 5mg Pred a day for adrenal insuffiency (hope to be weaned of that soon...) Also lansoprazole for acid reflux.

Recently had this nasty virus that is doing the rounds, cough and cold, sore throat etc. It's gone now but I have constant discomfort/pain between my shoulder blades. Been having breathlessness too. Been to the GP and had a chest x-ray and sputum sample, all normal. A bit of a wheeze that comes and goes but nothing major. Peak flow isn't dropping (never does with me, 560, oxygen always 98%).

Just at a bit of a loss at to what is causing this ongoing pain and breathlessness, it's really disconcerting.

[Patk1]

Could u jave strained muscles,with the coughing? If it doesn't improve,I'd get gp to take a look x

[ccccc in reply to Patk1]

seems to be that yes

[Spikedog66]

Hi have they checked your heart an ecg or bloods. You don't say if the pain is constant comes and goes or breathlessness is on excertion. I get costochondritis which is inflammation between ribs but is in the back too it mimics a heart attack. Mine flares up after constant coughing. I would go and get checked. You can't be too careful with pain in chest and back.🥰

[ccccc in reply to Spikedog66]

Hi, I got checked over by the GP yesterday who thinks it's just muscle sprain and the virus I've had making my asthma worse, so she advised some muscle gel as said everything else is ok.I've had ECGs and heart scans in the past and always been fine. It does seem better today so here's hoping.

[Spikedog66 in reply to ccccc]

That's good news. I use phorpain its brufen gel 10%. It does help. Hopefully it will settle. 🥰

[ccccc in reply to Spikedog66]

thank you

[hilary39]

I am wondering if there is a particularly bad respiratory virus going around or a strain of covid that isn't testing positive reliably because I had a bad virus in early Sept and have been an absolute wreck since.

It's the worst my asthma has been in my life with no end in sight. I've had two rounds of pred, lots of nebulizers, and I continue to be very slow to heal and bounce back.

We did a big clean of the house this week and it was a bit dusty but not too bad since we keep things very clean and even that bit of exposure to dust left me miserable and tigh chested back on the couch watching movies today.

My peak flow and oxygen are normal too.

Just empathizing and sharing my story as it seems similar to yours in terms of the origin being a run of the mill respiratory bug.

I'm seeing a new severe asthm specialist the week after next, I'll keep everyone posted if I learn anything new-

Take good care.

[ccccc in reply to hilary39]

Very interesting you say that Hilary as I feel the same, I'm coming to the end of a week on 40mg Pred and although I am feeling a bit better I'm still getting episodes of breathlessness during the day and taking extra salbutamol. I did wonder the same, if it was Covid (though I keep testing negative and had my booster in Sept) or just the nature of the virus, but altogether I've been ill for 5 weeks now so around the same time as you. I'm seeing my respiratory team next month, Keep us posted and hope you feel better soon.

[Jasper2447]

I had a similar experience and the cause of the pain was costo-chondritis , an inflammation of the muscles and ligaments between the ribs which are stretched by repeated spasm in coughing and become inflamed.

Ibuprofen and paracetamol control the pain and reduce the inflammation.

Good luck

John

[ccccc]

thanks John, using Deep Heat which seems to be helping!