I have been fighting pleurisy on right side for 4 months now. Been sleeping in recliner all this time. Last night thought I would try sleeping in my bed. Kept on my left side. But I woke up about an hour later with sharp pains in left AND rignt sides and short of breath.
Anyone experience this before? Not quite sure why this would happen. I got up and went back to recliner and the left side is better but pain is still there where it wasn’t before and right side is worse. Obviously I need to keep sleeping in recliner. and timing is good because pulmonologist ordered a CT chest scan for this coming week. I am on prednisone, plaquenil, cellcept, Colcrys and mobic. Pulmonary dr says I should be improving by now.
I am very curious about the pain moving to left lung from sleeping flat. Thanks everyone for reading.
When I had my initial flare, I had pleurisy for months too. I also slept sitting up with lots of pillows - if I tried sleeping flat I also had pain on both sides. At the same time I had stomach issues so I thought the pain was related to that.
It shouldn't last 4 months. There must be an infection there. That would make it spread to the other side.Pleurisy and hair loss were what got me diagnosed. Sometimes they treat my pleurisy with anti-inflammatories, pain meds, sometimes I've needed antibiotics or even some fluid drained off. (It feels much better than it sounds) If your Dr. is not doing enough, you need to see another one.. Maybe the ER. doc can help more than you've been helped. I'm so sorry for what you're going through. It hurts so much.
I had to go off my mobic (anti inflamatory ) because my GFR is at 43 but I am on prednisone 16mg in addition to the Acthar injection once a week. Been tapering for months but I am afraid that with the drop in GFR and the chest pain I will have to go back up on pred. My GFR was in the normal range in July so it has gone down rather quickly. I was reading online that I may not be able to have the IV contrast for the CT scan due to my GFR. And pulmonary dr said he really needed the contrast pictures. I just got this’s info (GFR)from hepatologist on Friday so I will need to call pulmonologist before I get the scan. The hepatologist was just to check liver because it was affected by serositis this summer. Thankfully that inflammation is gone! Thanks everyone.
I cant sleep flat for anything with out being short of breath. I got a wedge pillow and put it between my top mattress and box spring and it has allowed me to sleep in my own bed. Ive tried sleeping with a lot of pillows but it just doesn't work. When we go to others peoples houses or hotels we stick pillows between the mattresses and that also helps. Hope this helps. :)
Heres what I use... I have one for my twin bed and my mom has two for her queen.
The nerve that runs down your chest and heart area also runs to your upper gi. When I get a degos flare with the lesions in my upper gi, I feel it in my heart and lungs too. I’m glad you’re getting a scan, but if you’re on cellcept and/or NSAIDs, consult gi. Both those gave me nasty ulcers that I would have never found without the chest pain.
Also my pain is now constant like something is stuck in upper back. Chest hurts worse and sharper pain in shoulder with a deep breath. Is it normal for pleurisy to last so long? Then again that is why we are doing CT scan. Maybe it is just scarring?
I sleep with one of those armchair like cushions with pillows on top. Really avoids chest pain from the one PE I have. It's not infected right now, But, if I breathe deep in a bad position, can get nasty sharp pain from it. I've had losta lung issues but most caused by secondary SICCA (Sjogren's).
Pleurisy has got to be a real $@%* and painful too. Oh my. Hope your pulmonologist can help.