I was diagnoised with pleurisy yesterday

[Joemonkey]

I had something like the flu a couple of weeks ago, 103 degree fever, horrible chest congestion, felt like a truck had hit me, etc.

I didn't go to the doctor, because after the fever broke I was feeling fine and just had residual stuff to cough out of my lungs. Ever since then, at random times throughout the day, it would feel like someone was stabbing me in the chest with an ice pick. Breathing deeply would only make it worse.

Yesterday it was happening at quite regular intervals, and I thought something was wrong with my heart. Went to the doctor, EKG was fine but they ordered a chest xray anyway just to be sure. Got put on antibiotics and an NSAID to muffle the pain a bit.

Anyone had this before? The more I read about it the more I realize it is pretty common, but I had never heard of it before yesterday. Quote from some medical websites:

"Pleurisy occurs when the double membrane (pleura) that lines the chest cavity and surrounds each of your lungs becomes inflamed. The condition, also called pleuritis, typically causes sharp pain, almost always during the act of breathing"

"The hallmark of pleurisy is severe chest pain that starts suddenly. The pain is often strong or stabbing when you take a deep breath. It usually subsides or disappears between breaths. It's usually felt on one side of the stomach area or lower chest. Deep breathing and coughing often make it worse."

 

[Juno]

wow, a lot of strange names began to appear.

i am diagnosed with gilbert's disease but that disease is not a life threatening disease so i'm relieved.

 

[nitsuj3580]

I don't have pleurisy but have had costochondritis before and it's not much fun. The sympton are very similar from the way you describe pleurisy

 

[Rastus]

Is pleurisy an acute conditon? Or will it reoccur throught your life?

 

[aircooled]

I had it when I was 17 years old. The stabbing chest pain hurts like hell.

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: Rastus
Is pleurisy an acute conditon? Or will it reoccur throught your life?

I wish I knew for sure

"Pleurisy may be acute ? appearing, giving trouble for a period, and then disappearing. It may be chronic ? hanging on, the pain steady or recurring often, the interference with breathing and other normal activity an enduring burden."

I'm not sure if they're talking about pleurisy itself, or the pain associated with it. The doctor seemed to think it was treatable and would go away entirely in about a month, maybe longer if it is viral

 

[Aquila76]

My uncle has pleurisy, and I'm borderline for it. It seems to only affect me when the air temp is really cold (below 30F/0C), so fortunately it didn't pwn me this year like last winter.
My Uncle, though would get fits of it throughout the year. He's on a bunch of meds for other things (arthritis, etc.) that also counter the pleurisy, so t least he doesn't have to take extra meds for it. He moved to Georgia about a year ago, and hasn't had any problems with it since.

 

[effowe]

You know, I was diagnosed with pleurisy a year ago and it turns out it was a misdiagnosis. What I actually had was a Pulminary Embolism (blood clot) in my lung that was causing the pain. This was a piece that had broken off from a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis, its a blood clot that was in my leg) so if you start feeling any pain in your leg, redness or swelling down there go to the hospital immediatly. I'm lucky that mine was caught so be wary of that.

 

[Glavinsolo]

Interesting, I get a pain like this once a week or so. Glad to know what it is, my herbal formulas will fix it.

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: effowe
You know, I was diagnosed with pleurisy a year ago and it turns out it was a misdiagnosis. What I actually had was a Pulminary Embolism (blood clot) in my lung that was causing the pain. This was a piece that had broken off from a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis, its a blood clot that was in my leg) so if you start feeling any pain in your leg, redness or swelling down there go to the hospital immediatly. I'm lucky that mine was caught so be wary of that.

I guess thats why the doctor went ahead and did a chest xray, to try and catch some other things it could be. However, being that I had a horribly congested chest w/ fever, the pieces do fall together for pleurisy.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I remember I used to have trouble breathing....it really sucked because I would be inhaling and feel this terrible pain...like someone stabbing me in the chest. Then if I could get a full breath in, it would feel like the pain just went away. It's happened only like 40 times to me in my life, but used to happen a lot more frequently when I was in my early teens....like 12-13 years old.

Would that be the same thing? It stopped happening after a few months...

 

[veryape]

Originally posted by: effowe
You know, I was diagnosed with pleurisy a year ago and it turns out it was a misdiagnosis. What I actually had was a Pulminary Embolism (blood clot) in my lung that was causing the pain. This was a piece that had broken off from a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis, its a blood clot that was in my leg) so if you start feeling any pain in your leg, redness or swelling down there go to the hospital immediatly. I'm lucky that mine was caught so be wary of that.

Isn't that what that reporter, David Bloom, who died in Iraq a year or so ago died of. Deep Vain Thrombosis? I seem to recall seeing a segment on the Today show about it a few weeks ago.

 

[effowe]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey

Originally posted by: effowe
You know, I was diagnosed with pleurisy a year ago and it turns out it was a misdiagnosis. What I actually had was a Pulminary Embolism (blood clot) in my lung that was causing the pain. This was a piece that had broken off from a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis, its a blood clot that was in my leg) so if you start feeling any pain in your leg, redness or swelling down there go to the hospital immediatly. I'm lucky that mine was caught so be wary of that.

I guess thats why the doctor went ahead and did a chest xray, to try and catch some other things it could be. However, being that I had a horribly congested chest w/ fever, the pieces do fall together for pleurisy.

Well I also got a chest x-ray when I was diagnosed w/ Pleurisy. That isn't going to see a PE, that can only be viewed by a CT scan, which I got later on. I'm just lettin ya know to be wary of the different things in your body, because it could be something else.

 

[effowe]

Originally posted by: veryape
Isn't that what that reporter, David Bloom, who died in Iraq a year or so ago died of. Deep Vain Thrombosis? I seem to recall seeing a segment on the Today show about it a few weeks ago.

Yep March is DVT awareness month, they had the line of kickers on the today show, good call.

 

[MisterJackson]

Hmmmm....I've had those exact symptoms before.