Pleurisy????

[Mainshah]

Hi guys so last week I was suffering from a rib cage/lung pain went to the docs ad she said I have pleurisy and she give me antibiotics, 2 nights ago the pain returned and was horrific, cant slep on that side and laying on my bak was also painful, chest was hurting to? Dint slep until the tromadols kicked in, Iv finished the course of antibiotics but don't seem to be any better? What u think it cud be? Thank you

[teaparty]

go back to your doctor. I had pleurisy I was given antibiotics and steroids. the pain got worse. I could only get sleep kneeling at the side of my bed. I finished all the medication but was still in pain went back still had it and had to take more antibiotics. hope you feeling better soon x

[Marley in reply to teaparty]

I had similar symptoms when I had pericarditis. Inflammation of the lining of the heart. It lasted a long time and was just treated with painkillers. It took a while to find a painkiller that worked though.

[SarahHeney]

Another option could be Costocondritis which I get and can feel like heart attack pain. Inflammation of the connective tissue between the rib cage and the lungs. Horrible. You need to go back whatever it is. Good luck xx

[sheilaj in reply to SarahHeney]

i get this a lot and yes it can feel like heart attack pain x

[Belee]

I've just had a week of costochondritis.....similar symptoms to what you describe - awful chest pain, hurts to lie on your side and back, painful cough etc......make sure you go back to your GP. All the best xxx

[Carcrashgal]

I have just revived from this myself - pleurisy and costa chondrites and a lupus flare all at once: I have never been in so much pain in my life (and I've been in three car crashes!) go back and make sure you get big antibiotics - it took two lots to cure me - and more importantly, medication to help you deal with the pain. I promise you you will get better, but it took me nearly a month (sorry!) Good luck. Jo

[Sallyk21]

The only thing that helped me was increasing prednisolone but it did take a while. Hope you feel better soon.

[Mainshah]

Hay guys thanks fir the replies Gona go see my doctor 2day again ad see what she says, I don't won't my prednisolone to be increased there just about brought it dw to 20mg, so anything else other than that il take. The pain is awful but iv bin thought a lot more

[lesaliblue]

dear Mainshah - I have had this twice - it's one of the ways I have a lupus flare-up, so antibiotics were not an option - the only way I can deal with it is massive injections of steroids - not the best way but I can take it if it makes the pain go away - thankfully haven't had one for quite a few years - take care and I hope they sort you out, as this is one of the most awful pains I have had - lupus is not a forgiving illness x

[Mainshah]

Hi there went to docs and she give me sum more antibiotics called trimethoprim and if not better until Friday to cum see her again, also got a blood test 2moro so see what happens, ur right lupus is not a forgiving illness but if only the ones with about lupus understood

[Carolha]

I've had pluerisy and chostochondritis. You should have had a blood test, to see if it was viral or bacterial, obviously there are wide spectrum antibiotics but there are more specific that target certain bacteria. If it is viral nothing other than pain relief and rest. I also wonder if my chostochondritis was mixed up with gallstones as the pain was under my low right rib cage. Only because I had a severe attach same place and had a ultrasound and it confirmed gallstones, 6 years later. Good luck and take care x

[DonnyJM]

I have both Pleurisy and Pericarditis and it is not fun. I was taken into hospital as they thought it might have been a heart attack or PE but in the end it was Pleurisy than after a few weeks and not getting better I went back to the Doc who said I now also had Pericaritis.

Pleurisy is caused by a chest infection or a virus. Unless you have a chest infection then antibiotics won't help. if it is a virus then it has to run its course and only painkillers could help.

The other cause of Pleurisy and Pericarditis is SLE which again can't be treated with antibiotics. Most of Lupies who get pleurisy and pericarditis is down to the lupus but not always.

I was lucky that when I was at the hospital I told them I was under investigation for an possible autoimmune disease where Lupus was suspected which helped them find out what was going on.

When I went back to my GP 2 weeks later I had been given my SLE diagnosis in the meantime which helped treatment as they then know it was a symptom of. SLE and treated it as such rather than a stand alone issue and give me the bog standard treatment which is antibiotics.

For me I am taking. Diclofenac 75mg twice a day which takes the edge off it and as I'm on no other meds for SLE as yet then that's all I have.

Sorry for the ramble but I unless you have a really bad, hacky chest infection to go with the Pleurisy then antibiotics are not what you need. If it is Lupus causing it then you need Lupus treatment based on what you already have so I'd go back and seek a further consultation.

Hope this helps - Don

[Mainshah]

Thanks don

Helped a lot, going to see rheumy on Monday and Gona tell her feel awful and stressed ad depressed don't nw what to do ad where to go, really just passing as day go by

[N1994]

I am in the same situation and I had it for almost a year. I can't even sleep right now because of it. Keep us updated

[matt1973 in reply to N1994]

Did you get overit finally? My wife has had it for 6months straight!! Nothing help s and her doctor is an ass