| Anyone ever had pleurisy? 11:19 - May 28 with 3208 views | DebsyAngel |
I wonder if anyone on here has ever had it and what is best to do for recovery?
I went to A&E yesterday after a week of worsening pains in chest and around back and ribs.
Was seen to pretty quickly, and after 2 ECGs and blood test and X ray, was diagnosed with it. Been told to take 3 lots of ibuprofen a day.
I did ask the doctor could I still exercise and do chores etc and she said yes - but reading various pages on it, it says to totally rest (not something I find easy).
Got to say, the staff in that Department were nothing short of excellent. |  | | |  |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:31 - May 28 with 3202 views | BlueBadger |
Add in some regular paracetamol for pain control - 1gram(usually two tablets but check the packet) up to four times a day(leave a minimum of 4 hours between doses - I recommend taking some on first getting up, lunchtime, mid-afternoon and at bedtime) - it has a different action to ibuprofen(which you should always take with meals) and will compliment it well.
Gentle exercise - deep breathing and a good strong cough every couple of hours as well as light chores and moving around are the best things to do. Total rest is pretty bad for acute chest conditions - movement and deep breathing will help your lungs to properly expand, re-recruit lung alveoli that are crucial for getting oxygen into the blood stream and enable you to effectively clear lung secretions - not doing anything and simply lying around will make you a sitting duck for complications such as pneumonia and blood clots.
I'd also recommend getting a couple of extra pillows underneath your head and shoulders when you go to bed - a more upright position will help chest expansion greatly.
If you're able to, see a physiotherapist who can teach you some good breathing exercises to help with lung expansion and how much exercise is sensible to take. If you find yourself feeling worse, are unable to cough due to pain, are coughing up horrible yellow, green or brown phlegm don't hesitate to go back to your GP or call 111.
You can PM me as well if you want to ask anything specific privately. [Post edited 28 May 2019 11:41]
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| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:35 - May 28 with 3171 views | jeera |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:31 - May 28 by BlueBadger |
Add in some regular paracetamol for pain control - 1gram(usually two tablets but check the packet) up to four times a day(leave a minimum of 4 hours between doses - I recommend taking some on first getting up, lunchtime, mid-afternoon and at bedtime) - it has a different action to ibuprofen(which you should always take with meals) and will compliment it well.
Gentle exercise - deep breathing and a good strong cough every couple of hours as well as light chores and moving around are the best things to do. Total rest is pretty bad for acute chest conditions - movement and deep breathing will help your lungs to properly expand, re-recruit lung alveoli that are crucial for getting oxygen into the blood stream and enable you to effectively clear lung secretions - not doing anything and simply lying around will make you a sitting duck for complications such as pneumonia and blood clots.
I'd also recommend getting a couple of extra pillows underneath your head and shoulders when you go to bed - a more upright position will help chest expansion greatly.
If you're able to, see a physiotherapist who can teach you some good breathing exercises to help with lung expansion and how much exercise is sensible to take. If you find yourself feeling worse, are unable to cough due to pain, are coughing up horrible yellow, green or brown phlegm don't hesitate to go back to your GP or call 111.
You can PM me as well if you want to ask anything specific privately. [Post edited 28 May 2019 11:41]
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Enough of that.
Now back to your mop. |  |
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| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:35 - May 28 with 3175 views | flimflam |
Yep and it is an absolute c**t of an illness.
Nothing you can do but rest up and take the meds. |  |
| All men and women are created, by the, you know the, you know the thing. |
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| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:38 - May 28 with 3159 views | DebsyAngel |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:31 - May 28 by BlueBadger |
Add in some regular paracetamol for pain control - 1gram(usually two tablets but check the packet) up to four times a day(leave a minimum of 4 hours between doses - I recommend taking some on first getting up, lunchtime, mid-afternoon and at bedtime) - it has a different action to ibuprofen(which you should always take with meals) and will compliment it well.
Gentle exercise - deep breathing and a good strong cough every couple of hours as well as light chores and moving around are the best things to do. Total rest is pretty bad for acute chest conditions - movement and deep breathing will help your lungs to properly expand, re-recruit lung alveoli that are crucial for getting oxygen into the blood stream and enable you to effectively clear lung secretions - not doing anything and simply lying around will make you a sitting duck for complications such as pneumonia and blood clots.
I'd also recommend getting a couple of extra pillows underneath your head and shoulders when you go to bed - a more upright position will help chest expansion greatly.
If you're able to, see a physiotherapist who can teach you some good breathing exercises to help with lung expansion and how much exercise is sensible to take. If you find yourself feeling worse, are unable to cough due to pain, are coughing up horrible yellow, green or brown phlegm don't hesitate to go back to your GP or call 111.
You can PM me as well if you want to ask anything specific privately. [Post edited 28 May 2019 11:41]
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Thanks for your advice - will consider your offer of a PM if need to. | | | |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:39 - May 28 with 3149 views | jeera |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:38 - May 28 by DebsyAngel |
Thanks for your advice - will consider your offer of a PM if need to. |
Badger knows his stuff.
Get well soon! | |
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| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:43 - May 28 with 3135 views | flimflam |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:38 - May 28 by DebsyAngel |
Thanks for your advice - will consider your offer of a PM if need to. |
What Badger said.
I had to sleep wedged up with pillows and cushions for nearly 2 weeks as was unbearable to lay down. When I say unbearable I mean I wanted to die as the pain was that bad like nothing I had experienced before.
It goes way eventually with antibiotics but will leave scarring on the lungs and is a horrible horrible illness. [Post edited 28 May 2019 11:47]
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| All men and women are created, by the, you know the, you know the thing. |
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| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 14:07 - May 28 with 3019 views | DebsyAngel |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:39 - May 28 by jeera |
Badger knows his stuff.
Get well soon! |
Thanks - had all this from a simple cold and been one thing on top of another for nearly 9 weeks now. Just hope my summer won't be ruined. | | | |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 21:50 - May 28 with 2929 views | britbiker |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:43 - May 28 by flimflam |
What Badger said.
I had to sleep wedged up with pillows and cushions for nearly 2 weeks as was unbearable to lay down. When I say unbearable I mean I wanted to die as the pain was that bad like nothing I had experienced before.
It goes way eventually with antibiotics but will leave scarring on the lungs and is a horrible horrible illness. [Post edited 28 May 2019 11:47]
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Had it when I was 18. Hurt like hell. Remember being desperate to turn over in bed but taking about an hour to do so due to the pain.
Agree about trying to breath correctly to allow the moisture in your breath to escape correctly. In the old days the Doctors used to bandage up your chest when you broke your ribs, however this restricted the rib cage during breathing and then caused pleurisy. |  | | |
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| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 00:29 - May 29 with 2857 views | Ryorry |
Sorry to hear this Debsy.
At the risk of being laughed out of town and/or scolded, *as well as* the conventional medications & advice given by Badger, you might find it helps ease your breathing, congestion etc to try, at the rate of say one a day, a few essential oils simply inhaled neat from the bottle - just a couple of breaths to start, and of course stop immediately if any adverse reaction.
I found Bergamot particularly good when getting frequent asthma episodes triggered by a 2-week long bad cold recently & the episodes weren't helped by reliever inhaler. Will also be trying juniper as already have that in cupboard.
Others to try recommended by an ex-nurse friend more knowledgeable me were lavender, eucalyptus, cypress, camphor or clary sage; either as steam inhalation or a drop at edge of pillow.
Gws!  |  |
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| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 01:18 - May 29 with 2838 views | DebsyAngel |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 00:29 - May 29 by Ryorry |
Sorry to hear this Debsy.
At the risk of being laughed out of town and/or scolded, *as well as* the conventional medications & advice given by Badger, you might find it helps ease your breathing, congestion etc to try, at the rate of say one a day, a few essential oils simply inhaled neat from the bottle - just a couple of breaths to start, and of course stop immediately if any adverse reaction.
I found Bergamot particularly good when getting frequent asthma episodes triggered by a 2-week long bad cold recently & the episodes weren't helped by reliever inhaler. Will also be trying juniper as already have that in cupboard.
Others to try recommended by an ex-nurse friend more knowledgeable me were lavender, eucalyptus, cypress, camphor or clary sage; either as steam inhalation or a drop at edge of pillow.
Gws! |
Thanks Ryorry - I tried to do some simple cleaning today but the pain tonight has worsened. The ibuprofen has not helped and I am wondering why I was told to take that when have mild asthma and am a smoker (trying to cut down but it's hard.) left my exercises this week as well which I am not happy about either.
Stress is not helping me either - I am so angry and frustrated and all I have done these past 8 weeks is cry - I cannot bear being ill and feel useless. Just a very bad time to get this, with so much coming up and a few days out in just 2 weeks time - I cannot get how this has come from a chest infection and why nothing is helping it. | | | |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 01:30 - May 29 with 2832 views | jeera |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 01:18 - May 29 by DebsyAngel |
Thanks Ryorry - I tried to do some simple cleaning today but the pain tonight has worsened. The ibuprofen has not helped and I am wondering why I was told to take that when have mild asthma and am a smoker (trying to cut down but it's hard.) left my exercises this week as well which I am not happy about either.
Stress is not helping me either - I am so angry and frustrated and all I have done these past 8 weeks is cry - I cannot bear being ill and feel useless. Just a very bad time to get this, with so much coming up and a few days out in just 2 weeks time - I cannot get how this has come from a chest infection and why nothing is helping it. |
Please stop smoking.
Yes, it is hard, but it is doable and all it takes is to not have another cigarette.
You may be horrible for a few weeks, snappy and difficult to get on with. So what?
The craving may drive you mad for a while but so what?
The long term gains are worth a bit of grief right now and as you are unwell this is the ideal time to do it.
Try for a week, then when you get there congratulate yourself and reward yourself by not having one for another week.
Yes I do know, yes I smoked for many years, heavily at times. But you must if you have lung trouble.
Please don't argue, just do it.
Edit; I see that smoking and pleurisy are not directly connected - to my surprise and correction. But the smokers cough must cause so much pain it's not worth it and I stand by my post, (even if it was misguided somewhat). [Post edited 29 May 2019 1:33]
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| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:09 - May 29 with 2721 views | DebsyAngel |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 01:30 - May 29 by jeera |
Please stop smoking.
Yes, it is hard, but it is doable and all it takes is to not have another cigarette.
You may be horrible for a few weeks, snappy and difficult to get on with. So what?
The craving may drive you mad for a while but so what?
The long term gains are worth a bit of grief right now and as you are unwell this is the ideal time to do it.
Try for a week, then when you get there congratulate yourself and reward yourself by not having one for another week.
Yes I do know, yes I smoked for many years, heavily at times. But you must if you have lung trouble.
Please don't argue, just do it.
Edit; I see that smoking and pleurisy are not directly connected - to my surprise and correction. But the smokers cough must cause so much pain it's not worth it and I stand by my post, (even if it was misguided somewhat). [Post edited 29 May 2019 1:33]
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Appreciate what you are saying, and am trying to cut down. Oddly I have not had a cough in all these 8 weeks since this cold started then manifested into other illnesses and now this.
It is hard for me as suffer from chronic anxiety and have the worst neighbours in the world.
I will keep trying... | | | |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:18 - May 29 with 2712 views | jeera |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:09 - May 29 by DebsyAngel |
Appreciate what you are saying, and am trying to cut down. Oddly I have not had a cough in all these 8 weeks since this cold started then manifested into other illnesses and now this.
It is hard for me as suffer from chronic anxiety and have the worst neighbours in the world.
I will keep trying... |
I understand the crap neighbours issue and have finally asked the police to have a word with one who was being a particular pest.
Sometimes, for your own sanity, it's gotta be done. | |
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| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 14:18 - May 29 with 2679 views | DebsyAngel |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 11:18 - May 29 by jeera |
I understand the crap neighbours issue and have finally asked the police to have a word with one who was being a particular pest.
Sometimes, for your own sanity, it's gotta be done. |
We have not had any luck with police at all - been sending in reports to Crimestoppers over a year now and the last couple of months Suffolk Police. We send in very detailed reports and descriptions and they just don;t want to know, which really leaves us at the end of our tethers.Hope you have better luck than we have had. | | | |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 23:41 - May 29 with 2633 views | Ryorry |
| Anyone ever had pleurisy? on 01:18 - May 29 by DebsyAngel |
Thanks Ryorry - I tried to do some simple cleaning today but the pain tonight has worsened. The ibuprofen has not helped and I am wondering why I was told to take that when have mild asthma and am a smoker (trying to cut down but it's hard.) left my exercises this week as well which I am not happy about either.
Stress is not helping me either - I am so angry and frustrated and all I have done these past 8 weeks is cry - I cannot bear being ill and feel useless. Just a very bad time to get this, with so much coming up and a few days out in just 2 weeks time - I cannot get how this has come from a chest infection and why nothing is helping it. |
Hey, the last thing you need is to feel angry and stressed! I know it's hard not to, particularly since you say in a later post that you're plagued by terrible neighbours, but everyone gets ill sometimes & you certainly shouldn't be beating yourself up about it, or be pushing yourself harder than your body wants/needs right now.
People tend to forget that humans are animals too, subject to the vagaries of biological forces. Whilst maintaining some activity is no doubt the right thing as per the advice you've already had, you also need to listen to your body - right now it really should be holding sway over what your guilt-inducing, oh-so-sophisticated, human brain & its lifetime of acquired work-ethic-culture indoctrination is telling you!!
Relax, let your body fight the infection without your brain getting in the way, & you'll recover faster. Resistance is futile!!
If you can in the long-term give up smoking, so much the better, obviously. Never mind illness, smoking detracts from lung capacity and fitness, as my mother found out from experience when in her 20s - a good club tennis player, she always used to say that smoking even a handful a week (she was just a casual occasional smoker) made her that much shorter of breath, and reduced her stamina. | |
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