I think I have pleurisy....*UPDATE-First post*

[SeaSpray]

I've had chest pains (on the right side of my chest, not left) for the last 5 days, and have had pleurisy before. Last time, it was right after I had pneumonia. Anyway, all of my symptoms now match the symptoms for pleurisy. I am supposed to be driving to the NJ shore tomorrow morning (about a 5 hour drive), so I plan on calling my doctor's office at 8am when they open and ask if I can go right in. Fortunately, their office is literally a 3-minute drive from my house.

I guess my question is, what can this be from, since I haven't had pneumonia recently? I did a quick search on the internet, and mainly it mentions pneumonia, a virus, and then some other relatively major illnesses (cancer, lupus, etc) as being the reason.

Have any of you had pleurisy due to no major reason? Any experiences or comments are greatly appreciated.

*UPDATE July 30*

*UGH* I ended up going to the doctor that next morning, on July 12th. My own doctor wasn't in, so I saw someone else. He didn't stop talking about how I had JUST had a stress test (back in December) and that my blood pressure was fine, the nurse did an EKG which was fine, etc. I'm sitting there wondering what a stress test and an EKG have to do with the pain I was having on the RIGHT side of my chest! I ended up walking out of the office with him telling me that it must be a pulled muscle and a vague comment telling me to take ibuprophen.
Ok....so......I drive down to NJ and spend the next 2 weeks there. During this time the chest pain does not go away and in fact increases. During those 2 weeks I also noticed that my feet were swelling a bit each day, but I didnt think much of it. Near the end of the 2 weeks, one day around noon I noticed that my feet had swelled A LOT! It actually scared me because I'd never seen my feet look like that before! I called my OWN doctor back here in MA and spoke to him that evening. He told me that I needed to be seen, and if anything else happened I should get myself to an ER. I decided to go home the next morning, cutting my vacation at the shore short by a couple of days. I also stopped taking the ibuprophen for the pain because that was the only thing different that I had been doing that might've been causing the swelling.
So.....I got an appt with my own doctor for this past Tuesday morning. He apologized several timesfor how that first doctor treated me, basically insinuating that I'm a hypochondriac who goes to the doctor for chest pain often!!! (My own doctor knows this is far from the truth. lol)
I had a chest x-ray done, and he did a thorough examination....and guess what......I have.....*drum roll.......* PLEURISY!!! GRRR!! I had even mentioned pleurisy to the nurse that first day!!!!! So now I'm on an antibiotic and a prescription pain killer/antiinflammatory medication. I am so annoyed, I did not have to spend 2 weeks in pain and cut my vacation short.

If you're still reading this update, thank you! I just needed to vent.

 

[Kristi1357]

I've had pleurisy before, without pneumonia or any other problems. Hope you get in to your doc. asap!

Feel better!
Kristi

 

[susy]

I have no idea what it is, but I hope you are okay! Prayers and pixie dust!!!

 

[MeanLaureen]

Sorry to hear about your suffering. I've had Pleurisy but got it from AOSD so I have no idea about getting it from no other illness. Just can give you

 

[SeaSpray]

Thanks everyone!

I just called the doctor's office, and I have an appt for 8:30am (in about 20 minutes). Hopefully I'll be in and out quickly, and we can be on our way to NJ.

 

[NMAmy]

I've had pleurisy twice and I've never had pneumonia. The doctor did tell me that if you have it once, you're more likely to get it again. Every time I get a cough now, I start to wondering if it's coming again.

It's so painful--I hope you're feeling better soon.

 

[Pop Daddy]

good luck at the Doctor

 

[browneyes]

I had it when I had bronchitis. Good luck at the dr, SS.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hoping the doc appt goes well and can be of a help, dbl s. And hope you have a good trip down the shore this week.

 

[Disney Doll]

I thought I had pleurisy once a few years ago, and it ended being a blood clot on my ling requiring a week long hopsitalization.

Good luck!

 

[mickeyboat]

I had chest pains one time when I was in college. I thought I was having a heart attack. It turned out to be an inflammation of the cartiledge between my ribs (costochronditis), and I was treated with ibuprofen. Felt better within a few hours.

Hope your problem is a simple one and that you can enjoy your vacation.

Denae

 

[TINKTWINS]

Have you been in the AC alot? I have issues with prolonged coldness, thats when I got it, I was breathing in too much fridgid air. My lungs just went crazy. But it was also in the dead of winter in Boston, and I was outside.

Good luck

 

[Sonya]

I've had it come on after a cold. Any little thing can trigger it. Don't worry! I hope you feel better soon, I know it can hurt!

 

[SeaSpray]

update on page 1, in original post.

 

[tassie42]

Im glad you are getting the proper care now . I know its frustrating when you know there is something wrong and they treat you like your stupid!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Thanks for the update, Terry, hope you are feeling better soon, now that you know what you have and how to treat it. I think you need that 'Holiday Road'.

 

[SeaSpray]

Hi Dan

I'm be ON the holiday road in about 4 weeks, our DCL cruise for a week, then a weekend at the Polynesian. I told my doctor I need to be all better by then! lol

 

[minniecarousel]

It's so irritating when you TELL them what you think it is (actually, you know exactly what it is - you know your own body!) and they don't listen! ugh! ...anyway - I'm glad you're on meds and got the correct diagnosis. Wishing you a speedy recovery.