Pleurisy: Hi all I was recently... - Lung Conditions C...

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Pleurisy

Dazzler57 profile image
33 Replies

Hi all

I was recently diagnosed with pneumonia and pleurisy and am on my fourth course of antibiotics

They don’t seem to be working

My question is regarding the pleurisy - can the pain move around the chest?

Today the upper front of my chest is very sore whereas a few days ago it was the lower back area of my chest that was the sorest point - I’m finding it most bizarre and probably like a lot of others it’s really become a drag

Darren

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Dazzler57
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33 Replies
Germantara profile image
Germantara

Hope you feel better soon I don't know what symptoms are I've haven't had either off you're issues well not yet anyway I'm sure someone will be able to give you some information this is why I think this forum is great with advice suggesting good information

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to Germantara

Thanks

teddyd profile image
teddyd

Sorry I cant really give you an answer, only my experience. I had pleurisy last year and the pain was mostly in my back and stayed around the same area.I hope you are on the mend soon .

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to teddyd

Thank you

teddyd profile image
teddyd in reply to Dazzler57

Just wonder if you are coughing a lot if it could be muscles pains along with the pain from pleurisy and pneumonia. X

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to teddyd

No, I do have the odd episodes but a cough is not a big feature of my illness

It feels more like in the night that someone has crept in and punched me several times in a different part of my chest and this has happened a few times

I wake up with a different pain in a different part

Badbessie profile image
Badbessie

Pleurisy can take many weeks if not months to settle. Sadly it can take a number of courses of antibiotics to settle. I have had quite a number of episodes and the only thing that helped me was rest, regular pain relief and a gentle heat applied to the painful area. At times I felt I was playing wack a mole as the pain does move. I consider myself an old soldier when it comes to pleurisy and my golden rule is not to push recovery. If I do it is one step forward and two back.

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to Badbessie

Thank you - I’ve been told that as well

Knowing that the pain moves around helps me make sense of it so thank you for that

I don’t know how many more courses of antibiotics the doc will give as I’ve had four courses with 3 different types so far but I will ring them when my current ones run out mid week

Thanks for your insight

My problem is being self employed - no work no money, so it’s a fine balancing act but I’m learning that I can’t push it

Coolcat6103 profile image
Coolcat6103

Are you on inhalers? Fostair, Trimbow and now elipta did that to me. Extreme pain in the bones in my upper chest.......felt like my bones were broken. Might not be the pleurisy.

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to Coolcat6103

I have considered that but never really had a problem breathing before this episode but I will bring it up with the doctors next time I go - thank you

evaparodi profile image
evaparodi in reply to Dazzler57

It could be costochondritis...pain in the ribs, and very sore. Pain killers 😞.Good luck.

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to evaparodi

Thank you

I’m going to ring and go back to the doctors this week for further investigation

B0xermad profile image
B0xermad

Hi Dazzler57,I have had pneumonia twice and pleurisy once with it both times I was admitted to hospital for a couple of days for intravenous antibiotics it felt like I had been run over by a truck and the pain was in my shoulders and chest it took me 3 months to recover and left me weak for quite a while as I was borderline sepsis.the second time was less intense as no pleurisy just the pneumonia. All I can say is I never want to experience pleurisy any time in the future again .you are probably going to need some time to get back to normal so pace yourself and the antibiotics will work eventually and the pains will subside it really does a lot to the body .wishing you better soon.

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to B0xermad

Thank you very much

JPS50 profile image
JPS50

I had pleurisy some years ago and posted similar questions on this site. My bout started under the collar bone which a knowledgeable friend said was referred pain. Then within the hour I was experiencing incredible pain under my right chest muscle that landed me in the hospital. Without a doubt I imagined “this was it”. I’d had a heart in my 40s so my imagination went wild in those early hours. The pain moved around a bit. Pain could be brought on with even slight exertion like walking the dog. It took months to resolve completely, may be 3 months. I recall being told it was probably viral in my case.

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to JPS50

But they couldn’t confirm it was viral?

I wonder about mine as anti b’s don’t seem to do anything 🤷‍♂️😬

JPS50 profile image
JPS50 in reply to Dazzler57

No they never confirmed. It’s been about 5 years maybe. I don’t recall all the tests. But I don’t have any other issues such as pneumonia. Just hit me out if the blue like light. One hour fine, the next I was in an ambulance.

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to JPS50

With mine I woke up early hours of the morning with a sharp pain in my right rib area - I thought I’d pulled a muscle in my sleep, which sounds daft to me now but I’d never experienced it before

Even the first doctor I saw diagnosed it but I soon realised this wasn’t a muscle pull

Although it’s not good news on here, at least I’m meeting people for whom it’s been a problem for months rather than weeks as Google mostly said it would clear up quickly but I’m realising this could be a long drawn out affair 🤷‍♂️😬

JPS50 profile image
JPS50 in reply to Dazzler57

It WILL clear up. I went to a lung specialty at a nearby university medical college and the assured me I would live and that it would eventually clear up.

Maricopa profile image
Maricopa in reply to JPS50

A few months ago I got my first pain in my chest like that. I’d thought i just pulled a muscle. So it ached for a few days. One morning as I woke I sat up and screamed as the pain was so instant and sharp. Then it was simply gone. Yep. I told my cardiologist. It felt like a blood clot had passed. She brushed it off and said probably pleurisy. I thought how odd. Pain immediately left never to occur again so far.

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to Maricopa

That’s good - you don’t want it back I’m sure!

Pleurisy is longer lasting with me because it has the underlying cause of pneumonia

Hopefully I’ve had the worst of it 🤞

Mellywelly profile image
Mellywelly

I can't answer you myself but I am confident somebody here will. Hope you get sorted soon chook 😉

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to Mellywelly

Thank you

Lutontown profile image
Lutontown

I had pneumonia and pleurisy in Nov 2019, and spent 10 days in hospital. Initially, I had pain under my ribs on the left side front, which later during the stay, moved further around my back. I would say that at its worst, the pain was about no. 8. A CT scan revealed I had fluid on my lungs, and a few days later, 750ml of bright yellow fluid was drawn from my chest cavity. This was infected. In fact everything that came out of me was bright yellow. Because I was on Oramorph, I was bound up, and when after 5 days of not going, it all came out at once, again very yellow. A right mess I can tell you. I was on various AB's including an intravenous one. These gave me oral thrush, and I was put on Fluconazole for that. Because it hurt to breath, my breathing was shallow, so, I'm not certain of this, but this stay may have caused my Heart Failure, which I now have. So, in my view people with pneumonia and pleurisy should be in hospital.

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to Lutontown

Blimey that sounds awful

Nula2 profile image
Nula2

Hi Darren, Just wanted to welcome you to this lovely site and wishing you well for a good recovery. Take care and keep us posted xxx

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to Nula2

Thank you

Smile2hide profile image
Smile2hide

Hello Dezzler57, I do not know anything about this but I hope you will get well soon

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to Smile2hide

Thank you

knitter profile image
knitter

Hi , I contracted pleurisy then pneumonia many years ago now .

I was on a zero hours contract so tried to work through the pain before I truly recovered . Very bad idea , worse in the long run .

So take care , try the ALUK helpline on 0300 222 5800 as well as keeping in contact with your health professionals

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to knitter

Thank you

Lfcpremier profile image
Lfcpremier

Hi. Maybe request/insist politely that you are given an appointment with a lung specialist if no signs of improvement. Good luck!

Dazzler57 profile image
Dazzler57 in reply to Lfcpremier

That will be my next move - thank you

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