I had plural effusion on my lungs which caused painful bereathing/ struggle to take full breaths. My Rheumy put me on 40mg predisolone for a while till it settled. I have to deliver some bad news here, the pain lingered for almost a month! I even went to the dr about it again to be told that my chest was fine, in fact the effusion looked even better (x-ray).
The reason I was given for this is as the liquid drains from the lining of your lungs it can cause more pain/ discomfort than when the effusion was there! though if it gets too much for you to bear see a doctor or talk to your rheumy to advise you. You may find out it's getting better but increased pain may mean it's getting worse- A good way to tell is how breathless you are feeling.
Thank you for the update. It does take time for me to get over any illness. I’m not getting awful pain all the time but a dull ache, hurts a lot if I yawn though.
Yes I have had pleurisy, twice, and it is absolutely miserable, and can take up to 2 weeks for you to start feeling better, this was certainly the case for me. With your having had pneumonia, your lungs have taken quite a beating, inflammatory wise, this does take time to heal. I hope you feel better soon.
Thank you. I hadn’t realized Pleurisy was so painful and was shouting out in pain at any small movement. Thankfully it is now easing up a bit but still in pain.
I have been having periodic pleurisy spells since my 20s and I’m now 67.
It usually lasts 2-3 weeks for me and I’m not treated for it.
Yes it is very painful. Yours is most likely complicated by your pneumonia. I’m so sorry that you’re suffering. I hope it resolves quickly. Best wishes.
What pleurisy treatment were you on, honeybug? Eg My first pleurisy was only treated with antibiotics (because it was assumed to be bacterial due to my predispositiin to respiratory infections). 🍀😘 coco
My cardiologist first diagnosed me with it at age 19. I’ve never been treated for it just endured it until gone. Im 67 now. Since I was practically a baby with the first spell I never sought treatment because none was initially offered. Frankly I wasn’t aware there was a treatment for it. This is how it has been with almost all of my problems.
However I’m so glad to know that you got treatment for it because it sure does hurt!!!
I get this several time a year. I used to get antibiotics but it is generally thought to be inflammation rather than infection so now we hit it hard with prednisolone at the first sign.
My last bout took about 5 weeks to go. I hope you soon feel better xx
Wow several times a year! I have a bad chest infection, knew something was wrong but ignored it. I wasn’t given any steroids which surprised me as I get them for pneumonia.
I used to get Pleurisy often. Now I've been on aza for 18 months its much better. For me it was due to inflammation rather than infection and a short dose of pred always did the trick, it was the only thing that would help.
It's a case of finding out the cause... generally it's infection, but for us auto immune folk it's inflammation therefore steroids not antibiotics.
Great reply! V helpful, soootired: mine is a combo of infection (due to my PID (Primary Immunodeficiency Disease)) and inflammation (due to my infant onset lupus). Since rheumatology got me on the right daily lupus meds for me + immunology got me on daily antibiotics forever, i’ve had no more episodes of pleurisy. 😘🍀 coco
Am vvvvvv much feeling for you, Iona...and just want to send you a hug + say how grateful i am to you for this discussion: i’ve been here in this wonderful forum almost daily for 7 years, and this is one of the best pleurisy threads i’ve noticed! Keep strong, stay close to your GP especially if symptoms don’t settle down within the next few days...when my husband had pleurisy after major crohns bowel resection surgery his GP gave him morphine for the pain! this is how i learned that cases of pleurisy need to be treated on an individual basis. For what it’s worth, my pleurisy lasted at least 2 weeks and needed doubled dose of antibiotics...my husband’s pleurisy cleared up in just over a week without antibiotics at all (just his usual prednisolone + morphine)
Hmmm...feeling i can only sensibly respond by saying: if i were experiencing this, i’d check in with my GP now, and here is why:
years after my own pleurisy, the nhs realised i have early onset simultaneous SLE & PID (Primary Immunodeficiency Disease)..so now am constantly on daily antibiotics (coamoxiclav) as well as lupus meds...and my immunologist has given my GP & me a protocol to follow when infections breakthrough ie: for 7-10 days add-on broadspectrum SLE-compatible antibiotics, in my case clarythromycin. If i don’t obviously respond positively to this daily antibiotic top-up within 3 days, i must see my GP URGENTLY/&/or go to A&E. Eg V Recently a cold turned into Walking Pneumonia...i recognised the signs, saw my gp right away for diagnosis! 10 days on top-up clarithromycin sorted the pneumonia...now am clearing the associayed sinusitis flare...
Just out of interest: Do you know your immunoglobulin levels? IgG, IgA, IgM? If these are consistently below reference range, it’s significant re infection risk, whether you’re on immunosuppression meds or not. Also, do you know what your WBC, lymphocyte etc levels tend to be?
Rheumatology referred me to immunology several years ago pronto when bone profile blood tests prior to IV osteoporosis treatment revealed hypogammaglobulinaemia (low IgG, A, M) + lymphopenia....these deficiencies were of longstanding (started way before i began daily immunosuppression meds)....and these chronic deficiencies explained my lifelong history of recurring + repeating persistence pattern multisystem infections....immunology keeps me in care ongoing and has got what they call my “chronic pockets of bacteria-driven sepsis” under control (sinuses, upper jaw bone, urinary tract + kidneys, GI tract + lungs + who knows where else)....so rheumatology & immunology lead my multidiscipline care.....even without immunosuppression meds as a causative factor, autoimmunity can & does occur simultaneous with immunodeficiency, it’s considered unusual, but it happens!
Wow, that’s interesting. I’ve always been ill and normally with serious stuff. I have osteoporosis. I suffer mostly with liver, kidneys and lung problems but even a simple ear infection gets serious.
I think bone profile tests include immunoglobulin levels...and standard bloods monitoring re immunosuppression meds should include all WBC etc tests...so hopefully you’ll be able to check your history....i’m 64 now: took the nhs decades to figure me out....
Hi Lona, I have Pleurisy at the moment too so feel for you 😔 It's the third time I've had it in the last 6weeks and the sixth time I've had it this year!! My dr normally gives me antibiotics to start which doesn't seem to work so I gently nudge her in the direction of steroids and this normally works after a 5day treatment but I still
get some pain for a few days after and then it returns properly again. It's like the gift that keeps on giving 😂 I don't know if there's anything more that can be done to help it, I'm in a position where I'm not officially diagnosed but am receiving help with taking Hydroxy for symptoms so don't have a specialised nurse to call for advise. My GP doesn't seem to worry about it so maybe it's just me that's worrying too much about it and the longer term affects that it may be having on my lungs if any?
Wow, that’s a lot! I hope I don’t get it again, I was shouting out in pain when I first got it, couldn’t move without massive pain and that without the pain from taking a breath.
Yes it really is awful 😔 I find apart from pain relief meds that a hot water bottle really helps and a lavender heat pad too. I normally put one on the front of me and one on the back and find a comfortable position and stay there and not move. Oh the joys!! 🦋Xx
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