Like many of you I have lots of aches, weird symptoms and pain that I just live with. But over the past two days I have had something different. For the past year I have either slept in recliner or propped up a lot in the bed because pericarditis pain is worse when I lie down.
But the past couple nights I have had such a hard time sleeping propped up I thought I would just try to sleep flat in bed again. It only took a couple minutes to realize not only was chest pain worse but I almost felt like I was suffocating or drowning. Anyone else have this? Wondering if it is lungs or the pericarditis getting worse? Anyone else experience this? Obviously if things get really bad I will go to ED at hospital. I will for sure call my Dr on Mon. But in the meantime and comments?
I had a large pericardial effusion drained 15 months ago and subsequent pericarditis and lung inflammation but have not gad the symptoms you describe. Could you put in a call to your doctor today through his answering service?
Go to ER and be seen right away. The heart or lungs is not for wait and see.
Don't wait go to the ER, sounds Congestive Heart Failure.
I have this problem too, I always have to sleep inclined or I am in trouble. I stick a wedge pillow between my mattress and box spring, It is so much nicer then sleeping on a ton of pillows or the wedge pillow. It gives the incline but doesn't stress the neck. If I have to stay in a hotel or some where else I will just take extra pillows and stuff them in between the mattresses. Hope you can hear from your doc and get it all worked out.
My wife too had very similar symptoms, we suspected it to be gastritis and met Gastro- docter.
He doubted that it could be Pulmonary Fibrosis and it is not related Gastritis.
We did all the scans, lab test and breathe tests and concluded that it is not Pulmonary Fibrosis.
We were again directed to back to our Rheumy, who gave the same SLE medicines,
with increased dose of Predisolone.
Till last month, we were so stingy in taking Prednisolone and she used to take 1/3rd of a 16 mg tablet.
In one year she might have taken only 20 tablets (16mg).
Now with One tablet(16mg) per day - for 20 days, she is out of all the above symptoms and even out of Rash.
But the usual weight gain is started and we are trying to reduce it gradually.
Hence pls do check for lung related issues.
Karthik
That sounds like my Pleurisy symptoms, which means fluid and swelling in the lining of my lungs! It's very scary I understand! I have had to sleep with a wedge pillow to keep my self propped up for year so I don't drown in my sleep. Not to mention my lungs lock up in certain positions:/ I hope you are doing better now? Usually docs will up steroids for this and it tends to help some. Also you can always request oxygen either in the hospital or for an at home tank from the doc!
I ended up going to immediate med on way home from work due to chest pain and fatigue. Dr did EKG and xray. Said he couldn’t see any fluid and EKG normal but he did hear the sounds in the lungs. He gave me a copy of my xray and EKG and a prednisone taper, an inhaler and something for pain. (I just asked for the taper but he thought the others would help. ) It was much cheaper for me and I was lucky enough to get a dr who knew some about lupus. Hoping this will pass. Thanks for your concern!