Hey guys, I’m wondering if anyone is or has experienced the following -
Maybe about 3 times a day I get what I can only describe as a crackling sensation when I exhale under my left lower ribcage. I often get sharp pains around my chest area when exhaling but this crackling is a new symptom to me! Almost feels like bubbles rubbing together and creating a crackling feeling.
I’d be interested to see if anyone is feeling the same ?
Thanks in advance,
Jaz xxx
Weirdly - yes I’ve been getting this for the last few days!
However I do also have a horrible wheezing cough and breathing problems just now and am also on a strong constipation med so I keep ignoring it assuming it’s related to an overreactive digestive system or the coughing. I also have pulsing and crackling in my left ear too.
I told my GP about both but he was baffled - tested my peak flow which is very low and gave me an inhaler for possible late onset asthma, a week long course of steroids 40mg to start tomorrow if inhaler doesn’t work (it hasn’t) and if that fails then he’s given me antibiotics.
I told him about the weird crackling bubbling sounds in my chest when I breathe and also I have a sharp pain in my heart area. He said it’s probably all inflammation from the violent coughing - which he thinks is one of the nasty viruses doing the rounds.
But he doesn’t understand that Sjögren’s and other CTDs can cause respiratory diseases such as bronchiestasis quite commonly - so I’m hoping to ask my rheumatologist by phone tomorrow as I’m fairly sure it’s not a virus or asthma.
I've tried to reply to Jazpont, but my ancient laptop doesn't seem able to hit "reply" so I'm replying here in the hopes she sees it.
i suffer from Primary Sjogren's, Scleroderma overlap, Bronchiecstasis and ILD (Interstitial Lung Disease). They sound like a mouthful, but are all under the RA "umbrella", so related.
When I get a sound which the doctors describe as "velcro being torn open", they tell me this is a sign of the ILD, which can be serious, so I suggest you ask your GP to refer you to a lung specialist ..... if only for peace of mind.
Nothing to be scared about! It's treatable!
She should see it as anyway it’s on her thread so all replies will come through - in theory anyhow!
Thank you! That's what I hoped 😊
@Linda-I thank you !! This is very interesting feedback and I appreciate it a lot, I don’t want to jump the gun in my diagnosis but it makes sense to me now! Thank you, I hope you manage okay? I have recently just developed secondary Sjögrens ! Xx
Hello again! I think it makes sense. My rheumatologist told me it's a very distinctive sound, but your GP probably wouldn't recognize it.
You need to see respiratory specialist. I'm under the Royal Brompton and also King Edward VII in Windsor.
You do know, I hope, that whichever hospital or specialist you'd like to see is YOUR choice .... your "right".
Do hope you get some answers
Thank you Hidden !! You are going through an awful lot and I hope you start getting some answeres xxx
Thanks. Rheumy phoned me today - rather shocked by my breathlessness and coughing and queried asthma too. Said she would want me to get gp to refer me for respiratory assessment but is confident it’s not ILD or other lung related issue as my CT was clear of lung involvement in 2016 and chest X-ray of a few weeks ago was clear too. Not sure if this would rule out pulmonary hypertension though but I didn’t like to seem to be worrying too much. Asthma scary enough prospect just now!
She has taken me right off Mycophenolate and suspects severe Sjögren’s dryness and related thick clogged sputum in trachea as culprit if adult onset asthma not confirmed. Crackling she said could be Mycophenolate possibly but would want respiratory doctor’s input. 40mg of Prednisolone already causing me new troubles - pain everywhere particularly in my teeth?!
Throat problems
itchy inside my mouth
Does anyone else suffer with varicose veins and small blood vessels just under the surface of their skin, which make your legs/feet sore?
SIBO symptoms?
