Muscle pain

[jojola33]

I've been sick with my asthma being exasperated by pneumonia and influenza for the past 12 weeks. Now I'm often short of breath with the smallest exertion but the most troubling thing is muscle pain in my ribs and lower back. My lower back muscles will seize up with the smallest amount of activity (sweeping the floor, doing the dishes). Has anyone else had this experience? What's worked for you? thanks

[Satchman]

It sounds to me that your oxygen levels are falling when you move around. That could be the reason also why your muscles seize up. Please do not ignore these symptoms. You need to report them to your doctor as soon as possible. Last year I was hospitalized for 8 days due to an infection, allergy storm and exacerbation of asthma and COPD. It took me a long, long time to feel normal again. I was sent home with oxygen but now only use it when I sleep. Good luck to you. I hope you feel better soon.

[d2read]

I agree with Satchman that you need to see your doctor as soon as possible -- like immediately. Be as specific as possible with when, how long, what you are doing, what the pain is like. There are other things, too, that can trigger pain -- from muscle strains brought on by coughing spasms that last far longer than that cough, to a horribly painful-but-basically-benign problem called costochondritis, which is an inflammation of the joints of the ribs, breast bone, etc. There's also the common problem of pleurisy. Those are all painful, unpleasant problems that require PT and time, plus analgesics, to get rid of.

But there are other problems that could be causing the shortness of breath. In my case, it took years to diagnose the problem causing the shortness of breath -- hopefully it will be something relatively simple for you.

In the meantime, is there someone else who can take over the chores while you recover? It also sounds like your body hasn't had enough time to heal yet.

Get better soon! Let us know how you are doing.

d