Anyone had pleurisy? On way to a&e, so fed up

[worriedandfedup24]

I've had a viral infection for the best part of 3.5 weeks, awful hacking cough, coughing up green stuff, just generally feeling awful since the 2nd week of January. Earlier this week I started to get a horrible stabbing pain in my chest, just under my right breast, through my rib cage. It's markedly worse when coughing or breathing deeply, I'm having to take shallow breaths just to manage the pain. Coughing is reducing me to tears. I was seen by a GP on Wednesday who listened to my chest and said he could hear "crackling" on the side where the pain is and thought it was pleurisy. He said he could prescribe antibiotics just in case it was bacterial and not viral, but I decided I wanted to see how I got on first as I didn't want to take antibiotics unnecessarily. This weekend then pain has become significantly worse. I've never had a broken rib but I imagine this is close to what it might feel like. Every breath, movement and cough is agony. Rang 111 just now and they've advised going to A&E to be seen. I'm just wondering if there's anything at all they can do for pleurisy? Are there any treatments? Is it worth me sitting in A&E all night to be told to take paracetamol which I can do at home? The pain is unbearable and I can't go on like this. But also I'm not convinced they can do much for it.

Any experiences of this? Thanks.

OP you have my sympathy and a big virtual hug. I’ve been ill for 3 weeks with the most awful cough and chest infection, had a course of amoxicillin antibiotics firstly that did nothing. Then a weeks course of doxycycline antibiotics which helped the cough a little but then I started with the rib pain. I have cried in pain over the weekend, it’s stabbing under my breast and it’s impossible to sleep or lie down. I’m so so fed up and on my third week off work sick. Went back to the GP for the third time this morning and I have Pleurisy so have been given a more antibiotics - Clarithromycin plus Naproxen for the pain and Omeprazole to stop the upset stomach from the antibiotics and painkillers. Can you call your GP and ask for something to protect your stomach? Also ask for different painkillers if the Cocodamol aren’t helping.

I’m praying we both feel better soon x

Doesn't matter if you don't eat, keep drinking tho

(Water not gin!)

@Lunab18 oh that sounds exactly like me, I've been unwell with chest infection since 2nd week of January, awful cough and just feeling so rough, and the chest pain / pleurisy started. It's absolute hell isn't it. Sending huge sympathies and good wishes your way too!

@Tilllly haha don't worry I'm drinking water not gin. I could not stomach alcohol even if I wanted it 😫

I was diagnosed by GP. off work three weeks. It’s very miserable.

Oh do shut the fuck up! My mother went to A&E after the exact same situation as the OP, several courses of antibiotics from a GP that did nothing. She ended up with a chest drain as it turned out to be stage 4 lung cancer with a massive pleural effusion. The GP wasn't able to diagnose that and some measly antibiotics wouldn't have helped a jot. ANYONE suffering chest pains should attend a&e immediately!

@puddypud I hope your mum is ok x

Thank you. She has unfortunately passed away recently. I'm very glad you were able to receive treatment at hospital and it was a medical problem they were able to help you with. Please don't feel like you wasted anyone's time there. You used the A&E service entirely appropriately.

Sorry, OP, it's a brutal business. I had a horrendous chest infection in October - had two rounds of antibiotics plus steroids (asthmatic) and ended up with stabbing pains in my left hand ribs from coughing bad enough that I was given codeine to manage it. Ended up having an asthma attack and being sent to the hospital by the GP because my low oxygen levels plus pain in one side set off triggers on their system for a pulmonary embolism (although she said this was unlikely), so probably good move getting seen at A&E. Took a steroid shot plus another round of antibiotics to shift the worst of it but never 100% stopped coughing and have come down with another chest issue now. It seems to never end!

Glad you went to A & E @worriedandfedup24 If things don't start to improve, please get back to your GP or go to A & E again. I had Pleurisy, caused by Pneumonia which came on very quickly. Woke up with my arm feeling a bit sore and thought I'd slept on it badly. Got worse and worse all day and spread across my back and up into my jaw - and by 10pm at night I got my husband to take me to A & E.

They (and I ) initially thought I was having a heart attack, but I wasn't. I was in hospital for a week ( including 4 days in the HDU) with 2 lots of IV Antibiotics and IV fluids plus other things for the AF which my heart had developed because of the pneumonia ( which was in both my lungs).

The pain can be horrendous, but it should settle quickly now you are being treated. If not, as I say, please get further medical help. Even after I got home I needed another 2 rounds of antibiotics to fully clear the infection and it was several months before I felt 100% again

@worriedandfedup24

Fluids are - of course - the key bit.

Mentioned the supplements as you’d said you were having gastro side effects from the abx & often people pop up to suggest probiotics (understandable) but as they’ve now identified what’s likely to actually help (I won’t go into why) I thought I’d try to refine the info.

I was a baby when I had pneumonia + pleurisy so can’t remember it; but do remember the catchy-breath sensation mentioned by PPs as young toddler. Apparently not everyone is treated to that sequela, so hopefully you’ll just get better & be better.

Pain is now spreading into my arm, is this normal???

I would be calling 111 to ask their advice or going back to A&E, it's not worth leaving it when you're in so much pain already.

You poor, poor thing what a horrible time you're having

My right arm feels sort of numb and tingly

@worriedandfedup24 That's what happened to me ( see my post at 14.10). Please phone your GP/111 or go back to A & E

Please seek urgent medical help, you need to be seen again which is probably what 111 will advise.

You need to go to A&E now OP, I know it's a pain and you're already absolutely shattered but it's really important you get looked at asap with this new symptom.

My neighbor had pleurisy a few years ago along with a terrible chest infection. Turns out it was Tuberculosis. They caught the TB through a blood test (a random doctor suggested they did a T-spot test) then they did a CT scan that showed it too. She had treatment and is now cured.

She still feels the pleurisy pain several years later a little bit and her doctor says it takes years after the antibiotics for the pain to fully disappear. Biggest pain is when she sneezes.

I hope all goes well for you.

The symptoms of pleurisy can be very similar to a pulmonary embolism. I went to A&E with exactly the same symptoms as the OP and if I hadn’t I’d be dead by now AND I was misdiagnosed with a chest infection beforehand. GPs don’t have all the answers and they do get it wrong. The OP was absolutely right to go to A&E.

Go back to A&E now.

I've been checked over (again) and there is nothing further that can be done. I have to keep taking the doxycycline and codeine and that's it basically, they are all the treatment I need. Apparently my arm pain is all tied into the pleurisy? My oxygen levels are fine so no concerns there. I'm dosing myself up on codeine and going to bed. I am so done with this horrible illness 🙁😭

How're you doing @worriedandfedup24?

I wonder if the arm pain is something like nerves jangling, with the inflammation in your lungs?

How are you doing? I’m on day three of my antibiotics and feel a little better.

I think I may finally be turning a corner! 🤞🏻
The chest pain is still really intense on a morning when I first get up but with codeine as the day goes on it's more manageable, I now only feel a twinge if I breathe too deeply or cough, whereas at its worst every little breath was agony. I'm on day 4 of antibiotics so I'm hoping it's shifting it along. I do now have quite severe constipation thanks to the codeine 🙁 but I'll take that over pleurisy pain!! So hoping I continue to improve tomorrow and I might finally be on the path to feeling remotely human again, which I haven't felt for 4 weeks now!

That sounds like a great improvement OP; very glad you are turning a corner.

Could you try drinking some prune juice or eating some dried fruit to help with the constipation? Not too much as I imagine your insides will be delicate from the antibiotics already!