fed up

Saint_Chris

After being in bed over christmas for 2 weeks with flu, and getting a cough i couldnt get rid of, last week i started with pains in my left side, each time i coughed i nearly shot through the roof. I've spent the past week on the sofa i manage to get into a comfy position,so that when i cough the pain isn't as bad, but in bed it's just so sore.

Rang the doctors on tuesday managed to get in today, and she's told me i have pleurisy give me antibiotics and told me to go home and rest.

Just wondered if anyone has had this and how long does this pain last for?

thanks

Sambucus_Nigra

Oh gosh. It's horrid. I had it for a few weeks a few summers ago and once walked to the end of the road for milk, and was horizontal for the rest of the day. It's like a knife being plunged in each time you breathe.

Answer is a few weeks. Couldn't even drive. Really not the best thing to have. But, at least it's treatable. Rest up.

geminilady

My mum had this when I was a child she was in bed for a few weeks but do not know if they have better treatment now.

sunshinetours

As others have said its horrible. Pain everytime you breathe. Get on the antiobiotics and total resty where possible and hopefully shoudl start easing within a week or so but take it easy ven if feeling better.

A horrible thing to get sadly!

Mr_Toad

My understanding is that pleurisy is basically an inflammation of wall of the chest cavity which affects mucus that acts as a lubricant so that when you breath your lungs slide painlessly over the chest cavity wall.

With pleurisy every time you breath there's no lubrication the lungs rub and stick to the cavity wall and it hurts a lot!

My wife had it and it took weeks to clear up fully. She said the only real relief was to take slow shallow breaths and not fill your lungs, this causes less rubbing and less pain.

Take care.

tyllwyd

He was probably very unlucky, but my friend's husband had this and then went on to get a DVT in his leg, probably because he'd been sat still for too long. So do remember to shift position and be as active as you can in the circumstances.

Loads of sympathy for you, hope you are over the worst soon!

aliasojo

I had pleurisy in my 20's. It floored me and took a good couple of weeks to start to feel better.

I used to sit on the couch and concentrate really hard on breathing in a shallow fashion, which is really quite difficult as your natural instinct is to fill your lungs.

Rest as much as possible OP, hope you feel better soon.

bagpussbear

I had it in my 30's, it's a pretty painful thing, sorry to hear you've got it.

In my experience, I was over the worst in about 3-4 weeks, although I have to say I experienced mild pain in one spot, on 'deeper' breathing for about 9 months.

Hope you feel better soon, and rest up and you can feel quite exhausted.

fluffnutter

My OH had pleurisy. Said he wanted to die, he felt so bad. Rest up and look after yourself. Once it's diagnosed and you've started on the antibiotics you'll soon see an improvement.

Remember as well, that viruses (like the flu) can leave you feeling quite depressed for a while afterwards. It might take some weeks for you to feel like your normal self but you will get there.

Maz

I so feel your pain! Had this a couple of years ago and the pain was so bad my daughter took me to A & E on Christmas Eve. I thought I just had a chest infection after a cold. Floored me for a couple of weeks, then unfortunately got a second bout. Try to find the most comfortable position you can to rest in. I found using pillows placed around my upper body helped and blessed the day I'd invested in an electric blanket!

Do hope you feel better soon.

Saint_Chris

thanks for those replies

i was floored for 10 days over christmas with flu and a sever chest infection, and then i got a cough, it went and then came back taking cough medicine didn't make it go away.

Doctor wouldnt' give me any more anti biotics, as the call out doctor gave me them for the flu and chest infection. and then this started last week, at 1st thought i'd pulled a muscel in my back from coughing.

Then the wheezing started i didn't have any problem breathing, but when i moved i was in pain.

My breathing isn't as bad now, it's just every few breaths that i get the pain, and the cough is subsiding now.

Been in bed most of the day, got up and managed to get into a comfy position on the sofa with pillows round me.

having this week of work and will take it real easy,

thanks