Been in pain for over 5 months on my right side of my chestand a cough that comes and goes...very worried anyone else have this?

[Worried78]

Hi I'm a 38 year old woman seems like I'm having upper right chest pains and a cough that comes and goes for sometime now. I don't know if it's breast cancer symptoms God forbid or my heart. My doctors ordered a chest lung ct scan my insurance denied it...im always tired too with this if anyone has an idea of what I have or experienced this I would appreciate any advice.thank you I have children to take care of and it's very hard when I get this pain.

[Hidden]

I think you should ask your own GP for an x-ray, and if it still causes symptoms, ask for a chest clinic referral.

You should have some sort of treatment if the cough goes on for more than 2 weeks.

Lupus can cause this type of coughing because it inflames the lungs, so its important to get it sorted.

best wishes for the future

[Paul_Howard Partner LUPUS UK]

Hi Worried78 ,

It is important that chest pain and persistent coughs are investigated. I think that Hidden has given you some excellent advice. Please go back to your GP and ask for tests/a referral. Let us know how you get on.

[CaliforniaGail]

NOT to worry you, but yes, definitely investigate and be confident with your doctor's diagnosis or push it further with your GP, as Paul Howard said, for a referral.

I am one of the unlucky ones where Lupus attacked my lungs. I had a dry cough for quite awhile. When I seemed to get worse (probably with cold symptoms) Xrays showed a typical pneumonia pattern and I was given antibiotics. (I had pneumonia 4 times in 5 years). As soon as I finished the antibiotics, a few days later, coughing and general malaise came back. So they tried another antibiotic. Another couple of weeks brought the same pattern. The GP thought it a resistant strain. This went on for four months. (I would feel better after a few days since the antibiotics had anti-inflammatory properties, but coughing would return after the 7 or 10 days of antibiotics were stopped.)

I got referred to a great Pulmonologist who consults with my Rheumatologist.

Between a CT scan, swallowing a camera for a look and getting a lung biopsy, they concluded Lupus was the culprit.

Now I'm on prednisone and immune suppressant (Cellcept) which has stopped the coughing and controls the Lupus from further damaging my lungs.