Ok I need some help deciding when I should decide enough is enough
I'm having a bout of pleurisy that's turned into a full blown upper respiratory infection. Sinus pressure, ear infection, sore throat, nose draining and Dealing with chest pressure,burning lungs, stabbing pains and I keep blacking out when i get up.
I already saw a dr about it who gave me an antibiotic and did a chest xray and tried to tell me I was fine. Clearly she is full of it.
Should I keep dealing with the pain or should I go get this reevaluated by a hospital who very well may do nothing at all?
I'm already on 875 of augmenten (antibiotic), 500 mg of naproxyn, 50 mg of tramadol that I often end up taking to to kill the edge and it still doesn't do much.
Keep in mind I have no medical insurance.
Please help and give me an opinion, I'm not sure how much more I can deal with but I don't want to end up with thousands of dollars of medical bills if they don't do anything for me.
SweetShortie, what you are going through has to feel painful and rough. With no insurance and a concern for sky high bills, I won't tell you to go to the ER, unless the blacking out becomes more severe. It really sounds like you need better care. If an ER is a must, any hospital that receives national funding must treat you. Other options are the county health department (paid on a sliding scale) or if you qualify, the local free clinic.
Please consider any options you may have in terms of a support network, people who would be willing to help you to help yourself. I am very concerned for you with the symptoms you describe. The antibiotic you are on is a very old but good one, used frequently by doctors who specialize in treating lung disorders. The fact that your lungs feel like that are burning alarms me. I have been through this.
I'm wondering if you have been offered to do at least a short 6 day burst of prednisone for the pleurisy? If it is prescribed by how many tablets, generic, it is far cheaper than the blister pack. Might be worth looking into. It is 6 10 mg tabs first day then 5,4,3,2,1 the following days.
Take good care of yourself, and I hope someone with more ideas comes along to help very soon.
I have had plurasy many times it can also affect your heart and kidneys! please get this took care of! it wont go away by itself. the only thing that gets rid of it with me is prednisone. plurasy is very hard to detect on an xray but ounce you have had it there is no mistaking it! I would recommend a sports medicine doctor. there very good when it comes to lupus and half the price of a rheumatologist. They have almost as much nolage of lupus as well. they know plurasy is hard to detect and will help you. I have been seeing sport medicine doctors for the past ten years and am totaly happy with the quality of there work! the first visit is around 100 but after that it goes to like 60 a month or per visit. prednisone is very cheap I have also found ibuprofen helps a lot more then you may think it reduces the swelling around you lungs. I'm not telling you to take anything without dr.s advice just some ideas and things that do work for me. I have plurasy now as well I'm on 40 mg prednisone a day and 600 mg ibuprofen 3 times a day. just started taking these three days ago and already feel so much better. also www.aarp.com have places that can help with medications. if it comes down to it alot of churches and things of that nature may help you see a better doctor also united way salvation army thats what they do is help people in need! o really hope this helps if you need anything further please feel free to ask! good luck and pls keep us posted!
If you truly are becoming unconscious then I am sure your mother will take you to the hospital Viral respiratory infections can make you feel absolutely horrible and can take several days to get over Unfortunately you need to let them run their course- lots of rest and fluids and believe it or not chicken soup does have some magical properties Hang in there
Jeremy, how can a sports medicine Dr help? I wonder what they do to help? Very interesting!
Sweetshortie, I hope you feel better soon. I agree that you could use prednisone and/or 600-800mg of Advil or Motrin. Plenty of rest and fluids. Praying for your quick recovery xo!
poobie said:
If you truly are becoming unconscious then I am sure your mother will take you to the hospital Viral respiratory infections can make you feel absolutely horrible and can take several days to get over Unfortunately you need to let them run their course- lots of rest and fluids and believe it or not chicken soup does have some magical properties Hang in there
sports medicine drs are for many diseases and there not for sports lol. they spend more time talking and listening to you and are not overbooked like rheumatologists are. if you google them you can learn more and get a better idea of what they treat! good luck hope you feel better soon and yes rest but rest with ur body prpped up a bit may help as well. take care and god bless!
Alley said:
Jeremy, how can a sports medicine Dr help? I wonder what they do to help? Very interesting!
Sweetshortie, I hope you feel better soon. I agree that you could use prednisone and/or 600-800mg of Advil or Motrin. Plenty of rest and fluids. Praying for your quick recovery xo!
poobie said:
If you truly are becoming unconscious then I am sure your mother will take you to the hospital Viral respiratory infections can make you feel absolutely horrible and can take several days to get over Unfortunately you need to let them run their course- lots of rest and fluids and believe it or not chicken soup does have some magical properties Hang in there
I have dealt with this before. There really isn’t much the docs can do for it other than antibiotics, mucous thinners (guafenesin, you can buy it otc at safeway), and decongestants. Take lots of steamy showers, I had to sit on the floor since I was so weak. The steam will help loosen up the crap so you can cough it up. I do not recommend prednisone because it suppresses your immune system which will make it harder for your body to fight the infection. You may need a stronger antibiotic but it may be a virus so that would do nothing. It took me about 6 weeks to get better. I also took sudafed, the kind you have to get from the pharmacist now. No rx needed but you have to ask for it. Just rest, hot tea with honey and lemon, chicken broth, hot showers, and meds. Try to stay propped up in bed so it’s not just draining into your lungs. Sorry you feel so horrible. Hope you feel better soon.
I have to be careful with how much ibp and asprin things I take because of the naproxyn and my stomach already being torn up.
Predinsone is what I need but the dr I saw (which was at the discount clinic) didn't listen to me and said she doesn't treat pain and referred me to a rhemy.
Yes that is a difficult place to deal with predisone since now its an infection on top of a flair. I need it to calm the inflammation but it'll possibly allow a clearly viral infection to attack more.
I might go in and request to see a different dr. One I used to go to as a PCP who knew i had lupus and who knows what pleurisy looks like.
The mucus is loose and constantly draining in to the back of my throat. It worries me that it is draining into my lungs which can cause pneumonia.
Urgent care centers or discount clinics are only open certain hours during the week. It makes it difficult to go to them sometimes. I know the ER has to treat me but it's worrying about the 2000+ medical bill that will await me after or the looming truth that they could keep me. The first time I had pleurisy, when it went on for so long untreated, I ended up in the hospital for over a week because it had become so bad. This was 2007.
I'm doing the best I can but sometimes the pain is to much to bare.
I had pleurisy when i was first diagnosed with SLE. It was horrible especially when trying to breathe and the stabbing pain. I was put on prednisone which worked for me, haven't had it since and that was back in 2005. Check with your rheumy. All the best, hope you get relief soon!
When I have the same thing my doctor gives me shots of cortisone which helps the pain and the inflammation within days. It helped me breath much better as well. I get pneumonia more often than normal. I always have prednisone available but I try to avoid that stuff. the shots are much better and faster for me. The antibiotic you are on is very good it should treat your infection. Naproxen helped my pain too. You should be ok, but you need rest. Good luck.
I have pleurisy chronically so my pulmonalogist has me on Symbicort (it’s a bronco diolater and anti inflammatory) 2× daily to help with the burning pain. I’ll take 800mlg ibuprofen a few times a day when it’s really bad but will always take prilosec with it. I also use tudorza 2x daily for COPD and a rescue inhaler in an emergency. . Steroids don’t work at all for me, they don’t help with anything but everyones different so please see you dr if you don’t get any better soon. .be well xoxoxo
P.S. remember to drink lots of fluids and water with all the antibiotics and nsaids:)
You should be seen my a Rheumatology. These URI can turn into pnemonia which would be longer & more expemsive to treat. You really should have a Rheumatologist you see on a regular basis to prevent flare ups & kep your dx under control. Have you applied for Medicaid or Social Security? If you apply for Disability you can get Medicare if you qualify.
I'm sure all this worry about how to pay for your treatment isn't helping your symptoms any. Lupus Foundation of America can help you with disability issues. Can you call the Dr back you saw initially & explain your symptoms are worse?
There are health clinics in every state that see pt's on a sliding scale on your ability to pay. Good Luck to you....
I have had pleurisy every winter for the last 7yrs,it usually takes to Z-pacs of antibiotics,to get rid of it ,lots of rest,a lot of fluids,great advice already from everyone,I have Asthma,I’ve had it all my life,I sleep with oxygen,the lupus favors my heart and lungs,so I’m sick every winter,it’s always so wet and cold in the winter in Oregon,That doesn’t help…I love the Vicks liquid you put into the water of a vaporizer, Also I have found a heating pad on your chest helps as well,it takes the edge off,they also have shower steamers,they are the size of a bar of soap and you just toss on the floor of your shower and steam yourself…they should be in the asle with the Vicks Ect…I know how painfull it is and I feel so bad for you…I wish I could give you more helpfull hints…take care of your self and rest…please let us know when you are feeling better…Celeste
I got in to see a good doctor that I really like. She listens to me and understands. I'm on a "charity" program with a certain network of doctors so I can see them at no cost because of my finances. All I did was ask about predinsone and explain what happened. She gave me 40mg a day for a week. Today was my first day starting them....
I hope it'll help some after a few days which I'm sure it will.....
I now have 2 referrals to the same rhemy. Imma call him monday and hopefully he'll see me on a sliding scale or take the same program my main dr is. Were thinking of going to the local college and seeing if maybe one of the student lawyers can help with pursuing medicaid disability.