WTF is this pain in and under my ribs?

[Goawayangryman]

Posting here for traffic as well as in health.

I had bronchitis since new year's eve, acute symptoms of the cough have now gone though I am still snotty and coughing in the mornings and evenings. Yellowish sputum. Took medical advice when it was at its worst and they said, they wouldn't normally prescribe antibiotics or anything unless underlying conditions.

The cough I can (normally) cope with and I don't feel very systemically unwell, although I'm a bit fatigued.

However... I've now got the most godawful pain in my left hand side at the bottom of my rib cage. It's very tender to touch around the border of my lower ribs, ibuprofen takes the edge off but is not doing a great deal. Coughing and even blowing my nose is really painful and I'm usually made of fairly tough stuff. Leaning forward likewise.

Don't think it is costochondritis (sp?) as it is on the outside of my chest (where my arm hangs down if you see what I mean) and from what I can see online, that is normally near to your breastbone.

Obviously I will go see the doctor as it is really limiting what I can do. To make matters worse, I have a young, large breed, extremely strong dog and it is really hard to do any proper heelwork/ training with her at the moment - no partner to pick up the slack.....

But I am grateful for any advice or ideas as I wait for a GP appt.

It's very likely to be pleurisy, which is inflammation of the pleural lining around the lungs (often because there is fluid building up there). It's very common after a chest infection, but can also be a sign of pneumonia. Often it's just a matter of waiting for it to clear (I have taken co-codamol in the past), but would be good to get someone to listen if your lungs are clear to rule out pneumonia.

Thank you @mindutopia I will definitely get someone to listen to my chest, and also get some co-codamol in, in the meantime.

See your gap. I had similar at the bottom of my ribs, it was costochondritis, bloody hell, I was in agony! Just healing when I discovered I had fricking covid (had a pcr) and it’s a version that makes you cough like hell. Pulled the bloody muscles again.

@Cherrysoup thank you, I will do. Was yours on the outer side of your ribs? It is grim, whatever it is, and I don't envy you having had Covid straight after that!

[quote Goawayangryman]@Cherrysoup thank you, I will do. Was yours on the outer side of your ribs? It is grim, whatever it is, and I don't envy you having had Covid straight after that![/quote]
Yes, bottom right outer edge. I saw my gap when it happened, I was in so much pain. I’m coughing like someone who worked down a mine with bloody covid. Really pissed off I’ve re-pulled everything.

That's interesting, thank you - I didn't know you could get the costochondritis thing down there, I thought it was more ...central.

Wishing you a fast recovery from all these horrible bugs.

My mum pulled muscles coughing, she couldn't even lift her arms up at one point.

Could also be that, @Cocolapew.... I'll update when the GP has pronounced on me, if I can get in.....

I think costochondritisis more central it's where the ribs met the breast bone.

This sounds like pleurisy. I had it and it felt like broken ribs. The pain lessened if I lay on the effected side. Best to see a doctor.

I thought pleurisy too. If you can't get a GP appointment, try 111 to get an out of hours or drop in centre appointment instead. You could need antibiotics for whatever the underlying condition is.

I had the same pain and it turned out to be a splenic infarction

eeh, splenic infarction, don't like the sound of that. Doctors tomorrow hopefully, or 111 if I can't get in.

I racked a rib coughing when I was pregnant. Even sobbing in pain made the pain worse. You have my sympathies OP.

A single glass of wine with a paracetamol/codeine dose will help you sleep at least.

Thanks all - will update. There will definitely be wine.

Torn intercostal muscles. Agony. Takes about 4 weeks to go away. Painkillers and frozen peas required

Teitze syndrome

I have had exactly the same-started New Years Day. Was finally told I had developed pleurisy from the initial bronchitis last week. It’s absolute fucking agony with every breath.
I’ve had three lots of antibiotics, been prescribed codeine and naproxen and can honestly say I have never felt so ill in my life. The codeine isn’t doing a lot for the pain, but at least it knocks me out so I can sleep.
According to the Dr this shouldn’t last for more than 2 weeks, so hoping for improvement now that I’m onto week 5.

@ProcrastinatingPumpkin I reckon it's that. I feel for you. It's truly grim.

I had this once and went to the doctor. Had a chest infection. Caught me by surprise because I wasn't even coughing just feeling run down for a few days, but had a newborn at the time so thought it was just sleep deprivation. Then the rib pain started.

I didn't know you could get the costochondritis thing down there, I thought it was more ...central

You can get it in any of the cartilage(s?) connecting your ribs, I get it a few times a year because I'm apparently prone to it (hypermobility so I pull/strain stuff easily) and I've had it in my lower ribs before with pain radiating to my back and shoulders. It could also be slipped ribs, your lower most ribs aren't connected to the sternum but they are connected to one another and if you strain the connective tissue between them they can temporarily slip out of position. It's exactly as painful as it sounds.

I'm really glad I posted on here. Thanks everyone. I'm so sick of it now. Fingers xed that the paid dog walker recovers from covid quickly and that the GP receptionist isn't too much of a dragon and lets me through the appointment-rationing system tomorrow... ;)

Just echoing many PPs….I’ve literally just started to get over pleurisy this week. Been in the same kind of pain you have described for weeks. I initially thought I’d pulled a muscle so left it for ages until I couldn’t ignore the pain anymore. I saw the GP eventually and I was sent off to A and E immediately to check for any indications of blood clots on the lungs (though it was very unlikely), thankfully all clear on that front. No sign of bacterial infection and I hadn’t been noticeably ill beforehand. The only explanation the GP could think of was I’d possibly had asymptomatic covid and the pleurisy was post viral. I also have a very young strong and powerful dog - luckily I’ve got DH and a whole team of teens to deal with him . I hope you get sorted soon, it’s blimmin horrible

Thanks, @TyrannysaurusXXrightshoarder Urgh sorry you had similar too, though. These pups add another dimension to it all... I love ours but blimey she is high energy and sometimes very hard work. Normally fine when firing on all cylinders but when incapacitated... not so much.

How are things, OP?