Recurrent lingering pleurisy. Is there help?

[Nata40]

Last year i contracted pleurisy after sitting (for a short time) in a draft in a wet shirt. Antibiotics didn't help. My Dr. said it's viral and will clear itself. I felt miserable - besides pain there was total exhaustion, low grade fever rising every aftrenoon, profuse sweats (had to change clothes every hour), especially at night. ALL of these symptoms, including hectic fever and sweats lasted ~5 months (between the last week of June to mid November). This is in spite of hot compresses, multivitamin, cod liver oil, vit.C, Echinacea and more. I was fine winter and spring and thought I'd put this nightmare behind. But....At the end of June (~ 3 weeks ago) after being exposed to extermely cold air in a store (in contrast to the heat outside), I came down with pleurisy again, with exactly same symptoms. I've been sick for 3 weeks now with no improvement in spite of treatment - a lot of supplements, hot wraps etc. I dread to think it may take 5 months again. The hectic fever and continuos drenching sweats are unbearable. Two Drs (family and pulmonologist) aren't worried as the Xray is normal. They said I just have to give it more time. I WANT MY LIFE BACK!!! WHAT CAN I DO TO RECOVER SOONER? I CAN'T WASTE ANOTHER 5 MONTHS OF MY LIFE (Also, HAD to quit my job). WILL IT BE REPEATING EVERY YEAR??  Has anybody been in my shoes?? PLEASE HELP!!!!

[RAMJEM]

Have you been checked for Sarcoidosis? An autoimmune disease?

[simica77]

Omg!!! I have the same problem! I've been battling this for 2.5 yrs now. I've seen 4 pulmonologist and I can't get an answer from any of them. How have you been doing?  

[Shawnhope]

My hospital prescribed prednisone along with an antibiotic and ibuprofen. After previous dr.s and hospitals treating it with morphine. Omg. The side effects as we know of steroids can be awful. Thank God I only did 1 upside down pyramid of prednisone and no more. I felt great. I mean anything is great after that, but really great and such a short time on the steroid zero weight gain.

[ChristinaHelm]

I've had Pleurisy for about 18 years now. And it starts up every year. I will say this in short.

There are three types... not one!
1st last a few days like a small cold.
2nd lasts for weeks like a sickness or flu.
3rd can last for months and keep coming back when agitated and sparked back up.
Don't let a doctor say it couldn't be it because you've had it longer then a couple of days.
It also has extremely similar symptoms to pneumonia (fluid and gunk in the lungs and the body trying to get it out).


Most things have not worked to treat it, and I'm allergic to most drugs and antibiotics, so I can't take them, but for those of you who are not, Rynocort to dry up the lungs up works very well, and arrithamiacine helps with the broniycal infections.
Becuse I am, I can tell you that Beta Carrotine (Carrots) works well to open up your esophagus and lungs helping the body get air to the lungs and get the gunk out. It sounds like a lot, but I typically take 8 pills (which depending on the brand can be from 3,000-5,000 units) durring the worse weather and season conditions that bring it on; it equals about 300 carrots, and unless your allergic to carrots the worse it does is turn your skin a little orange after a month or so (orange only happens in some cases).
If your reading this and haven't had one, awesome, but my doctor calls it a pleurisy attack, and it feels like a heart attack... because of fluid in the lungs, you don't get enough oxygen in them, and therefore not the right amount of oxygen in your blood stream, if your like me and have tiny vains it's a double wammy... tiny vains and dense blood making it painful when it hits back up to the heart. Super similar to a heart attack, but your heart is beating normal and the hospital can't do anything for you.  If you have had this I have found a few things that actually work!
Durring the attack take 600-800mg of ibuprofen and get this... START MASSAGING YOUR CALVES! When the dense blood gets the furthest away from the heart, the strongest circulation part of the body it get hard for a weak and in pain body to pump it correctly. Need and swqeeze the calves as hard as you can handle it (letting someone else do it works better if they are around) like needing dough, and for about 15 minutes, it will really get the book moving calm the pain down.
As for knowing it's coming back, lots of caughing is a good sign to start getting proactive about it.
Hope this helps a little. It's a super painful thing. I feel for you all.

[callaori]

REAL HELP!                                                                Hello all, i had pleurisy twice many years ago and the first time was a awful experience for me and the story doesn't matter but the answer does!! a Doctor simply said to me... there is nothing i can give you for it as far as drugs, go home and lay on your back on the floor in front of the sofa, put your feet on the sofa up to your knees and stay there for about 30 min to an hour and do that twice a day. :/ well i thought ummm are you serious? i can't breathe!! lol well i had no other option so i tried it and OMG IT WORKED!! it took maybe 3 or so days to complete but felt better each time i did it, he explained to me that excess fluid gets into an area it doesn't belong in, he said it enters at the top of the chest cavity so you need to allow it to find its way back out so buy laying flat on the floor with your feet up and bent at the knee your upper body is straight, the fluid will travel back out , for me i could feel it sometimes, you may feel it sometimes in your throat as it comes out and just swallow. needless to say the second time i got it it was over quick cause i knew what to do, thank God! after that i took notice that when i slept on my left side the fluid would rise to that area so i sleep on my right or back, obviously i have something going on with fact my left side is open or weak but i didn't bother to address it i just avoid getting it again, my guess is it's reflux/gerd. take care, best to you all

[ChristinaHelm]

I've had Pleurisy for about 18 years now. And it starts up every year. I will say this in short.

There are three types... not one!
1st last a few days like a small cold.
2nd lasts for weeks like a sickness or flu.
3rd can last for months and keep coming back when agitated and sparked back up.
Don't let a doctor say it couldn't be it because you've had it longer then a couple of days.
It also has extremely similar symptoms to pneumonia (fluid and gunk in the lungs and the body trying to get it out).


Most things have not worked to treat it, and I'm allergic to most drugs and antibiotics, so I can't take them, but for those of you who are not, Rynocort to dry up the lungs up works very well, and arrithamiacine helps with the broniycal infections.
Becuse I am, I can tell you that Beta Carrotine (Carrots) works well to open up your esophagus and lungs helping the body get air to the lungs and get the gunk out. It sounds like a lot, but I typically take 8 pills (which depending on the brand can be from 3,000-5,000 units) durring the worse weather and season conditions that bring it on; it equals about 300 carrots, and unless your allergic to carrots the worse it does is turn your skin a little orange after a month or so (orange only happens in some cases).
If your reading this and haven't had one, awesome, but my doctor calls it a pleurisy attack, and it feels like a heart attack... because of fluid in the lungs, you don't get enough oxygen in them, and therefore not the right amount of oxygen in your blood stream, if your like me and have tiny vains it's a double wammy... tiny vains and dense blood making it painful when it hits back up to the heart. Super similar to a heart attack, but your heart is beating normal and the hospital can't do anything for you.  If you have had this I have found a few things that actually work!
Durring the attack take 600-800mg of ibuprofen and get this... START MASSAGING YOUR CALVES! When the dense blood gets the furthest away from the heart, the strongest circulation part of the body it get hard for a weak and in pain body to pump it correctly. Need and swqeeze the calves as hard as you can handle it (letting someone else do it works better if they are around) like needing dough, and for about 15 minutes, it will really get the book moving calm the pain down.
As for knowing it's coming back, lots of caughing is a good sign to start getting proactive about it.
Hope this helps a little. It's a super painful thing. I feel for you all.

[Thall8914]

I completely understand your frustration! I have lived with chronic pleurisy and reactive airway desease for over 15 years now due to chemical exposure and my experience with doctors have been quite varied, to say the least. I had one dr.tell me my pain may be from the underwire in my bra! Another said it was in my head. Then I had pain specialists pump me full of meds! Finally, I took control of my care, reduced my meds for pain down to advise and tramidol. I learned meditation and breathing through the pain. I limit exposure to any temperature extremes, allergens and night air. I have been able to return to work finally, even if with the help of FMLA. I l wish you luck and do not give up!

[Gigi848687]

Did you find that temperature extremes brought on the pleurisy?  Both times I have had an episode was after prolonged exposure to extreme heat. I am otherwise healthy, though somewhat overweight.