I started having stabbing chest pains 3 weeks ago, and 2 weeks ago i was diagnosed with pleurisy by my GP, she thinks it could be result of a virus (possibly covid, but never tested).
It has got a lot worse since, the pain now constant, but moves around from chest centre / left / right to my back.
I went to A&E 3 days ago as it got so bad and paracetamol wasnt working, they suspected a clot but ruled it out after ECG, bloods and xray came back normal. I got sent home and told to take ibuprofen and pain killers.
My issue is that i have now started to feel like i have no energy at all, feel feignt sometimes and have lost my appetite, constantly feel like i have just eaten and needing to swallow a lot to keep it down.
Has anyone else had this feeling with pleurisy?
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Hi I think you need some medical advice, I have had pleurisy but never felt like that. Please go back and see your GP. Let us know how you are have a lovely day and stay safe 😊 Bernadette xx xx 🌈
I had been taking another NSAID, Naproxen, for several years when suddenly it started to cause me problems, so it is possible that you are starting to have problems with ibuprofen despite taking them for a long time too.
As you say 500cm it could be Covid-19 and a test should be available to you. Please contact your GP and explain what’s happening or contact 111. Hope things improve soon. Xxxx
Not that I can remember, I think maybe you should be tested for cobid19 as Sassy suggest just to be on the safe side. Please keep us updated and remember we are here for you. Hope things go well and you start to feel better very soon 😊 Bernadette xx xx 🌈
Just wanted to welcome you to our friendly site. I don’t know much about pleurisy but there are lots of people who can help you with advice here as it’s a frequent post.
A different doctor called me back and suggested that ibuprofen might be causing the full stomach feeling, and asked me to try the weekend without it to see if it goes away.
Stomach problems is also on the symptoms list for corvid.
My daughter and family started this way, daughter very soon got the very tight painful chest, cough and not too bad a fever. The little ones had very high fevers and aching all over. Smallest sent to hospital twice by 111, none tested for corvid, you aren't being a burden, don't take chances will you . P
What you have described mirrors my experience over recent weeks. I have been doing research online and have found the diaphragm can get inflamed with pleurisy wondered if this is having an impact on feeling full.I’m still suffering so painful and seems never ending. Hope you are soon on the mend. TLC
Hi I had a virus mid March some medical professionals think it was covid but not tested. I also have asthma. It’s just rotten there seems to be a fair few suffering at present.
Sorry to hear you are suffering, I’m 5 weeks on from Covid symptoms, live alone and have now developed pleurisy. I too have been very poorly and early on I had to call paramedics out but the decision was that I was better at home . Like you I’ve not been tested for Covid but all medics I’ve spoken to are sure I’ve had it.
I have had a bloated stomach right from the beginning which puts more pressure on my diaphragm and I haven’t been taking ibuprofen as the general advise is not to take it with Covid symptoms.
Today i feel a bit nauseous and totally wiped out but that’s the norm at the moment. What helped me to stay sane was taking my vital signs regularly which reassured me but also helped give any professional a good idea whether or not to admit me to hospital. I was able to get hold of the following online at relatively low cost. Blood oxygen saturation finger monitor that tells you if you’re getting enough oxygen and also your heart rate. A blood pressure monitor and a thermometer and finally I regularly counted my breaths per min especially when my breathing was more laboured. I’m not medically trained but it helped me have a good idea of my stats and then if I did decline I was able to talk to 111 and give them the info . For the pain I found lying on my front similar to if you were on a sun lounger for 10 min spells eased the pain and it also helps to get air into your lungs which are predominantly at the back of your body. I also use a wheat bag which you heat in a microwave and then can drape around the area and you can also get stick on heat pads which stay stuck to your clothing . A small cushion tucked just above your hip in the hollow before your lower ribs whilst sleeping on your side seems to take the pressure off and reduce the pain.
I hope you get some comfort and things start improving for you.
I'm experiencing this right now. Same experience at the hospital as well. No c19 test has been done. Allergic to ibuprofen, so I've restarted steroids. Prednisolone has opened my appetite like a can opener but saying that, it has now reverted to struggling to eat. I also have a headache, swollen eye lids, nauseous, fatigue, weakness and it feels as though, at times an elephants foot is on my chest with a needle like intermittent central, left and right chest pains.
The pains feel like pleurisy, which I've had before but the numerous chest xrays have shown that this area is clear
I've been in and out of A&E since March. On the 11th May, went back to A&E and they noticed that my white blood cells were slightly high but considerably high on 3rd May, which was missed (how could they miss it, I don't know). This can be due to the steroids but just in case, I'm on a high course of antibiotics for 5 days. Started them on Tuesday.
If it is an underlying infection which might be due to having pneumonia followed by pleurisy which apparently swiftly can follow with an infection (I had pleurisy last year Jan), I should notice the difference by Thursday morning but if not, back to A&E and I'll demand a c19 test despite their high criteria for qualifying for one. Although, I must say, I'm feeling worse but I'm going to be patient.
So, in a nutshell, ask them to look at your white blood cell markers perhaps. I also started monitoring my peak flow and by doing this, it also helped the A&E consultants as well.
P. S I also had painful and dangerously bad bowel movements but this lasted for 3 days.
Hey. I know it’s been a while since you had this pleurisy, but was just wondering you’re outcome?
I’ve been suffering with this for over a month now and looking for some hope. Yours sounds pretty similar. I was hospitalized for 5 days and it was so painful no pain meds worked. I’ve been out for 3 weeks and it was slowly getting better but now feels like it’s getting worse again
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