I have had pericarditis and chest pain in past. Had a severe episode last year of both and was in hospital 10 days. Since then I have had chest pain. It got a good bit better but lately has gotten worse.
I still have to sleep propped up with lots of pillows to be comfortable. If I sleep flat it is a little harder to breathe. If I can fall asleep flat the next day the chest pain is sharp.
Do you think this sounds like pleurisy or pericarditis? Also I am plagued with chronic nausea. Thanks for any advice or information you can give.
I am sorry you have this.
Two years I was diagnosed with Lupus. I had chest pain so bad I couldn’t take normal breaths!i was hospitalized and sent to a cardiologist and checked out fine! In less than a month I was back in the emergency room with really severe pain. Cat scan showed pericarditis and fluid around my lungs. I spent the night and was sent home. I was given steroids and that helped. Finally my internist said I might want to see a Rheumatologist.
I had extensive history taken and extensive blood work. My Doctor then diagnosed me with Lupus.
I am on Plaquenil and have been symptom free since then.
Last April I was diagnosed with breast cancer. A subsequent visit with my Rumy and he said that the chemo could put me in remission and this May my blood work was good. I am still on Plaquenil And I am doing really well!
I would hope that you do not have Lupus, but check on that! Good luck!!
Maria
Did you see a cardiologist? Last May, I couldn't get a good breath and got winded just talking. My Dr. ordered a ct of the chest which showed a large pericardial effusion. I was admitted to the hospital where I had a liter of blood drained. I was sent home the following day but symptoms worsened again. An echo showed that the fluid was re-accumulating and I was in tapenade. I was admitted on the spot and transferred to a hospital that had a cardio thoracic team. They did a pericardial window. The biopsy of the pericardium showed both acute and chronic inflammation consistent with long standing pericarditis. When I had the large effusion, I couldn't breathe well and would suddenly get coughing fits and them vomit. The night before I was admitted, I woke up literally gasping for air. I had never been so scared. Please don't wait. Call your doctor now or go to the ER and let them know about both your history and symptoms. An effusion could be extremely dangerous if left untreated.
Go to the ER ASAP. It’s better to treat it now then to let it get worse. I have chronic pericarditis and used to wait until the last min possible, your only letting yourself suffer when you do that. Go and let them figure it out. At least you’ll be comfortable. Good luck!!!
Thanks so much. I did see cardiologist. First back in January. She put me on Colcrys twice a day (rheum just had me taking once a day) and told me to take Motrin. Previosly I was on mobic. Motrin made a huge difference. Lately though it has gotten worse. Sharper and going up under my collar bone and into my upper back. Saw card again this past week. She now wants me to do nuclear stress test. But I was looking back at my records and I had a CT angiogram in the fall of last year that my pulmonologist ordered. So not sure if this new stress test is necessary. She says it is probably just chronic inflammation but does want me to see the pulmonary dr again.
In the fall the pulmonary dr just said I had a fair amount of scarring but that wouldn’t cause pain. So not sure if I should go back. I feel like a ping pong ball being bounced back and forth!
I’m seeing my rheum near the end of July and will run it all by him. Thanks for the info and advice!
I would not wait. Did the cardiologist order an CT of the chest or do an echo last week? If you do have an effusion, you can't wait. Please page the cardiologist and let her know that you feel a lot worse!
I chronically have all the same symtoms/situation minus the pericarditis, my heart issue is severe palpitations that I take a beta blocker for… when I feel like my symptoms are changing for the worst over a period of time I’ll call the pulmonologist, cardiologist, or primary dr . at this point in my disease I definitely know, like you, that I have certin chronic conditions like plursily/weezing , painful rubs in my lungs, chest pain and shortness of breath but I just dont want to rush to the ER every time something changes.I do keep a close eye on it though , we all know our own bodies best. I totally sympathize with you, I’ve been sleeping completely propped up since February … Thankfully now that I have oxogen I can turn slightly on my side:) hope you feel better soon xo
I had been on colchicine for the pericarditis. Interestingly enough , like plaquinil , colchicine was originally an anti malarial drug. I had had wonderful blood
Pressure and no cardiac problems befier the rgfudion
Since the effusion , I had tachycardia, elevated blood pressure and eventually developed
Palpitstions which were pretty bad at times. The cardiologist put me on a beta blocker but my immunologist called him right away about switching me to a calcium channel blocker. Apparently if you have construction if the small airways, beta blockers could make it worse. The calcium channel blocker brought the blood pressure back down , helped with tachycardia and the palpitations
Ohhhh, been there!
Here are my tricks (sounds odd but, Lupus is odd… Pericarditis- lean chest forward between legs-
Pleurisy- my trick (no laughing- it will hurt if you do! Lay on the side, if kidneys are ok, take 1 Advil (even if u are Rx’ed strong stuff- won’t work as well) and lift the arm that your not laying on up- works like a charm- don’t know why- just a tip I picked up from an amazing Rheum. 
Hope it helps…
Hopeful
I also have “at rest tachycardia”- my sister (who had the corrective surgery to fix a rare heart condition that she was born with called WPW Syndrome) taught me about the trick with the pericarditis- it helps w/ breaking the tachycardia as well-
There is a med (safe- bata blocker- also known to help high BP, anxiety and even now shown to help the fog that looks like add… Clonadine. Keeps my BP under control as well as nephritis related BP- been on it for years- totally begin med. I never want to go on meds that make me feel sleepier than I already am-
I just recently found out that we should never ever take Sulfa Drugs (knew about alfalfa sprouts and sun) but the sulfa drugs were new to me…
Good luck and I hope you can break it… Has pred ever helped when it doesn’t go away?
XO hopefull
Hi Eagle,
I’ve never been diagnosed with either pericarditis or pleurisy, though I do occasionally get short-lasting jabs of what people have described is pleuritic pain (as a kid, my mom told me it was just “a catch” in my lungs, sticking to the sides of my rib age for a moment. It used to happen most of all during soccer games.) Now it happens randomly, but these are brief stabs/sense of being stuck and extremely painful when my chest expands… I have to freeze my ribs in place and talk shallow but slow breaths to calm it down, which it usually does quickly although it may recur a lot that day or few days, then for weeks or months it won’t ever happen. Certainly intermittent.
I’m not sure if others have that experience, but it seems many of you have a much more persistent and severe case of it, present at all times and causing more limitation and pain! So, in short I have no ability to comment at all about the pericarditis side…however, your description does sound a bit like a problem I did struggle with significantly! GERD/chronic acid reflux (Ann A. also mentioned her ulcers.)
The things that jumped out to me that fit with the reflux are: chest pain (sometimes to the point people are seriously worried about heart-attack warning signals!), worse after sleeping flat, feels hard to breathe while lying flat, and nausea. Perhaps the first three above also come along with pericarditis, I don’t know… But they definitely go with severe acid reflux/GERD, and if the pain is different than before, the condition is likely different too! Pay attention to see if you have a gurgling sensation lying down, perhaps in tandem with the feeling of difficulty breathing (but of course, stabbing pain from pleurisy is totally different!) Sorry to add one more thing to worry about 
but it’s somewhat manageable…
I was on daily Prilosec for a year, had to sleep on a carefully arranged stack of pillows, and be rigid in IDing and restricting my food intolerances (many!) A lot if it is “behavioral”, like avoiding a meal right before bed, eating slowly, sipping water over time rather than draining a glass, but consuming plenty in a day. I’m now off the Prilosec for the last year, but still doing all the other stuff. It’s hardly noticeable anymore, though it’ll begin to bug me more if I push my luck with problem food “behaviors” (I’m terrible about eating fast and never drink enough fluids… And often eat right at bedtime!) Ask some questions at the doctor about these issues too, since they may only bark up the pericarditis tree due to your history with it. If it feels different, emphasize that it does, and they’ll look for other causes
Hope you get answers and some relief,
Brynn
Thanks so much everyone. The information is very helpful!
Hey Eagle 21! I have chronic chest pains and I have costochondritis. It is inflammation of the rib cage along with pleurisy which is inflammation of the lining of the lungs. It is painful to take in breathes especially deep breathes. Is it also painful when I move and bend at times depending on the level of my flare. Best of luck to you hope you get the answers you need soon so you can at least know what your dealing with take care!
Well for for, I would invest in a wedge pillow!! My brother got me my first one and I haven't gone back. Ok, there are a few good months here and there, but I almost always have to sleep propped up. It could be either one, as far as pleurisy or pericarditis. But in general, I personally can't lie down with the pleurisy, cause it hurts or I feel like I'm drowning if it's bad enough.
As for the nausea have you had any tests down on your stomach, gall bladder, intestines or colon? If so then have you considered vertigo? Could you be dizzy?