Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think pleurisy can just fuck off?

74 replies

MyCatIsThickAsMince · 29/09/2019 20:16

Fuck me I feel rough. My GP sent me to hospital last week and they diagnosed me with pleurisy - I’ve had it in the past but don’t really remember it, so this is a shock. I thought pleurisy was something from the past, I think I remember it from Chalet School books Hmm

My chest is so so painful and I’m feeling very sorry for myself. It hurts to breathe, and it’s not like you can just stop doing this. Propped up it’s just about bearable but it’s a real struggle to get up to go to the bathroom etc.

Anyone had this? Am I being a massive wimp? How long does it last, if anyone has had it? I have Naproxen and codeine already for another health issue but they aren’t touching it - it’s as though I haven’t taking anything at all .

If anyone has any useful advice (or sympathetic shoulder pats) I would be very grateful. I would even be grateful if Matron took me to the San and gave me castor oil, if it bloody helped!

Come and join my pity party. My cat (who really is very cute but very thick) tried to join in and tried to jump on my fucking chest so she has been thrown out already.

OP posts:
Original poster
MyCatIsThickAsMince · 01/10/2019 06:58

Sorry for everyone else suffering too btw that was a bit of a self obsessed rant Blush I hope we all feel better soon Brew and all get some proper pain relief!

OP posts:
Allfednonedead · 01/10/2019 07:23

I’m appalled and filled with sympathy! I think you should ring the practice manager (or get your DH to do it). Don’t complain (yet), but explain the situation and ask what their procedure is with housebound patients. They must have to deal with them, so there must be a system of some sort.
I hope you get something sorted soon!

PicsInRed · 01/10/2019 07:31

Can't 111 send a doctor out to you? If you can't move, that seems obviously medically warranted. I'm afraid you're just going to have to dial down the British politeness and get forceful. This can be done respectfully, you just need to be very clear on how much pain you are in out of 10 (don't downplay it) and very insistent that you require urgent pain management.

Repeat that you have chest pain - it hurts to breathe. They are meant to act on that information.

Someone really needs to listen to your chest (again?) anyway. There is a risk that shallow (due to pain) breaths can result in infection.

Original poster
MyCatIsThickAsMince · 01/10/2019 07:36

Allfed thank you for sympathy Smile I know the NHS is well past the days of a doctor coming to your home, but there must be something they can do by telephone hopefully, I think you're right about speaking to the practice manager (and yes, be nice not complaining).

The receptionist I spoke to on Friday was lovely, took the details and said she would put it in front of a GP and someone would ring me back. The one yesterday was quite rude and dismissive, she said a GP on Friday had written on my notes just to take the codeine I have Hmm but no one had called to tell me this as they "won't do this over the phone".

DH offered to go to the surgery but he is already in two places at once today (work and the DCs hospital appointment after a night shift) and looks as tired as I do. This does need sorting.

OP posts:
Original poster
MyCatIsThickAsMince · 01/10/2019 07:56

111 said it's either hospital or primary care (my GP)

I think half the problem is I'm worried they will say "A and E" as they hear the words bad chest pain, plus yes my terribly British politeness isn't helping (see also "yes that haircuts lovely thank you, now I shall go home and cry")

I'll gird my loins and whisper assertively down the phone when they open...this thread has made me feel much less alone, thank you all.

OP posts:
Original poster
MyCatIsThickAsMince · 01/10/2019 07:59

Actually (this is like a stream of consciousness Grin) years ago my own lovely lovely GP did turn up on my doorstep once, apparently she was on her way home and worried about me as I had actually complained earlier how much pain I was in and this "wasn't like me" GrinGrin

OP posts:
SleepingIsOverrated · 01/10/2019 08:06

I hope you get some more help today OP. Get the assertive voice on and we will all keep our fingers crossed that somebody sees sense and gives you what you need! X

Toastymash · 01/10/2019 08:08

You are NOT being a wimp. It's awful. You are entitled to wallow in self pity. Get well soon OP

Allfednonedead · 01/10/2019 08:22

I’m sooooo tempted to offer to ring on your behalf! It’s the kind of thing that’s much easier to do for someone else than for yourself.

Original poster
MyCatIsThickAsMince · 01/10/2019 08:51

The power of MN is behind me! Smile Thank you all that is very sweet of you! I have DH as a reserve back up for this afternoon so I if I can't get anywhere I shall go to Plan B

Fingers and toes crossed....

OP posts:
Schuyler · 01/10/2019 09:22

I am prone to pleurisy and it is agony, absolute agony. The problem is that you breathe in a shallow way and it can lead to infection. I think you need to see a doctor as it may be a bacterial infection and it’s worth ruling out.

The pain and general aaaaaaahhhhhhh from pleurisy is a bitch though, much sympathy. Flowers

meccacos2 · 01/10/2019 09:46

I had this. I suspected pneumonia - because I had a gurgling fluid sound when I breathed. The hospital said it wasn’t pneumonia and only gave me painkillers. I had a panic attack at my GP’s as I couldn’t breathe. He gave me Valium (worst thing to do with a respiratory illness!!)

Anyway, one day I sat on the end of my bed and had another coughing attack - this time I coughed up a lot of puss and blood.

I called the hospital and they said to come in if I was concerned.

I felt better the moment I started clearing my lungs of all the gunk.

It was horrible. I could barely walk a few feet.

I lived across the road from the hospital and couldn’t physically walk across the road. I got in my car, rested, drove to emergency, rested again and went straight through triage I was so sick.

Original poster
MyCatIsThickAsMince · 01/10/2019 12:01

Well it's shit so many people have suffered with it but at least I know I'm not being a gigantic wimp Smile

Have spoken to the practice manager who was lovely and very helpful, hopefully a doctor will call me this afternoon to see what can be done over the phone - apparently they do have a "telephone list" and home visits so not quite sure why Unhelpful Receptionist told me I had to go to hospital, maybe they didn't cover that in her medical degree Hmm (Not being a gigantic bitch about receptionists btw, every other one there has been lovely, just this one has annoyed me, especially as I would have just suffered for longer without MN to give me a kick to query this).

OP posts:
SheShriekedShrilly · 01/10/2019 12:13

OP I’m sorry you’re feeling so awful. Do be sure to make it plain on the phone to the GP how awful you are feeling, don’t be brave. If you’re tearful, cry. Be clear you physically can’t get beyond your own bathroom (or whatever is true), so coming to them is not an option. Maybe write a list of key things to tell them so you don’t forget?

TheAlternativeTentacle · 01/10/2019 12:25

Hey. I had it about 15 years ago.

It is truly dreadful. And my friends kept saying 'But it's a medieval disease.' Yeah, that's not helping to be honest.

I remember going to the hospital for the xray to diagnose it and they nearly directed me to the morgue I looked so ill. Well, that's what they said. I could barely walk. I certainly couldn't laugh at their hilarity.

3 weeks later, after some antibiotics had actually set in, I walked to the end of my road [about 20 houses] to the shop to by bread and milk, made it back to the house, flopped onto the sofa and didn't even make it to the fridge to put the milk back in. I found it there the next day.

Every breath was like a knife being pushed into my chest.

Fucking frightful.

The problem with pleurisy is that it can scar your lungs, so you are susceptible to pain 4 ever.

Fucking barstarding disease.

Schuyler · 01/10/2019 12:52

I saw you mentioned a hot water bottle but personally, I found ice was more soothing.

Hadjab · 01/10/2019 12:55

I’ve had it twice, so I am literally feeling your pain! Take it easy and get better soon Flowers

MyShrivelledGnarlyFinger · 01/10/2019 13:04

I had pleurisy which was really painful then I got appendicitis at the same time... Shock

BettysLeftTentacle · 01/10/2019 13:35

Fingers crossed for that phone call this afternoon!

Original poster
MyCatIsThickAsMince · 01/10/2019 15:13

An update! The lovely practice manager clearly worked some magic as I had a phone call from a doctor and now possess a big bottle of liquid morphine! (Never thought I would be so excited to say words like that BlushGrin)

So fingers crossed this works, or at least takes the edge off. I'm hoping it makes me drowsy, drowsy sounds very attractive to me right now Smile I've had morphine before but a long time ago so can't remember the effects.

Thank you all so much for the support and sympathy and tales of woe, I think without you all I would have given up instead of keeping on at the surgery! Thanks

OP posts:
BettysLeftTentacle · 01/10/2019 15:59

YAS!!! Great news. Sweet dreams Wink

PotterHead1985 · 01/10/2019 16:08

Brilliant news. Here's to sleep.

Still toooo sore to sleep properly here.

Original poster
MyCatIsThickAsMince · 01/10/2019 20:20

I wish I could pass it round to those who need it! Like the MN Secret Santa Christmas swaps of yore, but with morphine Grin

Well it's definitely helped in that it doesn't seem like it kills the pain as such, but my chest is less...there, if that makes sense? It's sort of blurred it all a bit. It's a bit odd but it's definitely a lot more comfortable. I can feel that I'm breathing more easily as I'm not as scared to breathe. I'm really hoping I can get some sleep tonight (and fingers crossed for all of us that need sleep) although I have to keep an ear out for DC coming home

The doctor said 7-10 days of rest (I'm not good with enforced rest Angry) so will see how it goes. I hope fellow MNers in pain etc have an easier night tonight too. Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
MyCatIsThickAsMince · 08/10/2019 13:43

Prompted by the Housemaid's Knee Thread Grin I thought I would come back for more advice and by that I really mean a whinge and possibly sympathy Wink

I have been obediently resting and swigging my morphine and I still feel like shit. I'm slightly terrified by posters saying it lasted weeks/months - it wasn't as bad as it was at the start if it lasted that long?

The doctor said rest for 7-10 days so I was hoping to be up and about by now but even getting down the stairs exhausts me! I actually cried after chopping a carrot Blush last week. That was all I did - chop a fucking carrot! I only wanted to make soup.

I love Autumn and I want to be out and about EnvyThe pain has got a bit better to be fair, but I still can't cough or laugh as it hurts too much. Has anyone done anything special to aid recovery? Any tips? Or failing that, any ideas on how to spend my very long hours. I've exhausted Netflix, my Kindle and sewing and buying shit online especially nightwear I am bored

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page