I saw a doctor yesterday and she said it was pleurisy, pleuritic pain (normal labs-not heart, no infection & cxr normal) and am to f/u w/a pulmonologist in a week but in the meantime am not feeling comfortable with breathing, the constriction. I was told to and am taking advil but it is not doing too much. Is there something I could try in addition to the advil that would help open up airways?
ps; started early last week.

I saw a doctor yesterday and she said it was pleurisy, pleuritic pain (normal labs-not heart, no infection & cxr normal) and am to f/u w/a pulmonologist in a week but in the meantime am not feeling comfortable with breathing, the constriction. I was told to and am taking advil but it is not doing too much. Is there something I could try in addition to the advil that would help open up airways?
ps; started early last week.

advil will help and so will deep breathing. you need 2 breathe deep to get the accumulated fluid moving.

advil will help and so will deep breathing. you need 2 breathe deep to get the accumulated fluid moving.

Thanks PinkBananaz.

When it is acting up to take a breath in causes razor sharp pain. It was enough for me to find a position I could be comfortable and take a shallow breath. Sitting up seems to be the best position. I was getting better (I thought) but then the other night it started up again (this time just on the left side but stinging radiated through breast tissue (now I'm really confused) and just as painful as when it started the first time (both sides). I'm taking the advil and 8hr tylenol, drinking water and last night started to take Robitussin PE (1st time trying that) to try to loosen up tightness. On the carton it states it's supposed to loosen up bronchial secretions, will see.

When it's acting up there I can't breath deeply or it will trigger very sharp pains in the front or back and it's killer. When the chest tightens up, if I cough it's dry, and when I exhale its shallow, like low capacity and I take deeper breaths to compensate also when I exhale (at the end) there is a whistle, hiss sound (when that happens I use the combivent).

I have started to use the older inhaler I have (combivent) when the tightness is too much and it seems to help. I was hoping this would go away and it did but it's back. I quit smoking about a year ago and can't believe this is happening now.

A few years ago a doctor I saw asked if I had asthma. At that visit I had a nebulizer treatment and was given rx's for singulair and combivent. Is that typically what the docs give patients with asthma? I have not gone to a pulmonologist yet. I've got other things going on (fibromyalgia) and am afraid this lung thing is connected to the arthritic stuff, so I hesitate. One, because I'm concerned he won't help or two, that he'll tell me this is here to stay. I know I have to get over this and just do it and go. I should know better and just make the pulmonologist appointment. After writing this I realized I have to just do it and did, I just made an appointment now for Monday.

Thanks PinkBananaz.

When it is acting up to take a breath in causes razor sharp pain. It was enough for me to find a position I could be comfortable and take a shallow breath. Sitting up seems to be the best position. I was getting better (I thought) but then the other night it started up again (this time just on the left side but stinging radiated through breast tissue (now I'm really confused) and just as painful as when it started the first time (both sides). I'm taking the advil and 8hr tylenol, drinking water and last night started to take Robitussin PE (1st time trying that) to try to loosen up tightness. On the carton it states it's supposed to loosen up bronchial secretions, will see.

When it's acting up there I can't breath deeply or it will trigger very sharp pains in the front or back and it's killer. When the chest tightens up, if I cough it's dry, and when I exhale its shallow, like low capacity and I take deeper breaths to compensate also when I exhale (at the end) there is a whistle, hiss sound (when that happens I use the combivent).

I have started to use the older inhaler I have (combivent) when the tightness is too much and it seems to help. I was hoping this would go away and it did but it's back. I quit smoking about a year ago and can't believe this is happening now.

A few years ago a doctor I saw asked if I had asthma. At that visit I had a nebulizer treatment and was given rx's for singulair and combivent. Is that typically what the docs give patients with asthma? I have not gone to a pulmonologist yet. I've got other things going on (fibromyalgia) and am afraid this lung thing is connected to the arthritic stuff, so I hesitate. One, because I'm concerned he won't help or two, that he'll tell me this is here to stay. I know I have to get over this and just do it and go. I should know better and just make the pulmonologist appointment. After writing this I realized I have to just do it and did, I just made an appointment now for Monday.

Asthma can be a trigger for pleurisy. For me, that means my asthma flare up has gone into a dangerous stage-b/c I don't wheeze, my airways just swell & swell & swell. Robutussin won't help..it's made for BRONCHIAL secretions, the accumulated fluid is in your PLEURA(the thin membrane lining around your lungs). So it can't be coughed up..it just needs 2 get moving. I find during my asthma/pleurisy flares that a nebulizer treatment of Xopenex almost completely diminishes it(well & a prednisone burst is usually needed). You should make an appt with a pulmonologist who can do pulmonary function testing, and other tests if necessary & get you on your way 2 relief.
Hope you find relief soon..

Pleura is the outside of your lungs, not your aiways, so no matter what you take, it isn't going to help.

You could go back to the doc for some stronger anti-inflammatories (like naprosyn), or you could try a different nsaid over the counter, instead of advil (like aspirin or maybe tylenol.)

Honestly, the only thing that's going to really get rid of it is painkillers, if it isn't a pleural effusion. (Since your chest x-ray is normal, it's extremely doubtful it's an effusion.)

Okay. I have stopped taking the Robitussen and have an appointment this monday with a pulmonologist. I have sjogrens (a dryness condition) and thought that might be contributing to the pleurisy, to help with secretions but I guess I've been grasping at straws. Your right, I've stopped taking it. Thanks for clarifying that. The wide ace bandage is helping. I have celebrex in the house, so I'll call the pharmacist and see if I could take that for it and if it would be okay to take the salagen at the same time. I don't want to make it worse. I could hardly make the bed this morning...I hope this is not long term. Thanks Again, Gemi

It's entirely possible, if it's interfering with the production of proper pleural fluid.

The celebrex might put a pretty good dent in it -- here's hoping you are ok to take it and that it does help.

It's entirely possible, if it's interfering with the production of proper pleural fluid.

The celebrex might put a pretty good dent in it -- here's hoping you are ok to take it and that it does help.

Thanks. I saw the pulmonologist yesterday and he prescribed the medication you mentioned for when it flares. He's sending me to an affiliated rheumatologist, I have an appointment for monday. He did blood work for lupus and said something about sjogrens and lupus going together. Well hope it's related to the fibro and not lupus but no matter what hopefully the rheumatologist will give me something to calm down the spasms. If that's taken care of with this pleurisy I'll be okay. Thanks for your help.

You're welcome! Good luck with the rheumatologist!

Told my dad about the pleurisy and come to learn my grandmother had that twice.

I saw a new rheumy yesterday. The ana the pulmo ordered was negative, the rheumy drew more labs. She does not think the pleurisy is related to lupus or Sjogrens but took more labs to test for Sjogrens antibody's and others (not familiar) to be sure. I asked her what triggered the pleurisy then, and she said they may never know, but to hope it does not come back. Heart sunk hearing that.

I detailed what's been happening elsewhere in the body while pleurisy happens (she already took other history)etc. I asked if this was caused by the Fibromyalgia, she said pain is typical in Fibromyalgia but said spasms are not typical in Fibromyalgia. She seems to think it’s neurological and wants me to see a neurologist, so gave me the name of one.

I asked if the cal/mag would help, she said it's good for health but that nothing (vitamin supplements & OTC,*) would help me to prevent the spasms. That was pretty direct.

I asked what she thought about the herb *valerian (I read it’s supposed to help muscle spasm, so tried it for a few days, then stopped because of lower GI effects. She gave input. Bottom line said it wouldn’t help me and could do more harm then good. That was enough for me, so-thumbs down on that, glad I asked.


I told her I need help, my body is not my own, started to well up. Hopefully this neuro will be able to figure it out and do something for me. I don't know where to post for support with the muscle business. Trying to keep positive and am thankful for what I have because it could be a lot worse for certain. Thanks for listening.

Taking mineral supplements, esp. cal and mag will certainly make sure that the spasms won't be due to an electrolyte insufficiency, and that might help. But she's right -- it's not a magic cure, right?

There was a national institute of health .gov site that talked all about the interactions between herbs and drugs and suchlike -- damn, I read about it in a magazine and thought I should post it here because it's .gov and I'm allowed and everything. And now I forget where to find it!

Pleurisy is still technically an inflammatory thing -- is she saying it's a neurologic pain and not inflammatory in nature? I'm not sure I understand.

As for her not knowing about it coming and going, I know that in my experiences with pleurisy it seems to happen of its own volition and you don't necessarily have to do anything to bring it on.

No, sorry for the confusion. She said the spasms I'm having are neurological. We talked about two different things, one pleurisy, two, spasms...

ps pleurisy pain is back.

After reading your first intial post i said bingo!! I just left the ER room for the 3rd time since Feb. I am exhausted,depressed and confussed. I have been a lifetime asthmatic but well managed. I got a virus in Nov. and Feb. since i have had chest pains like bronchitis and i can not move the mucus out of my lungs. When i get this attacks they last anywhere from 10min to 5 hrs. Its usually bad when im unable to move around and i feel cooped up in the car. Don't know why. Today was like many others my lungs didn't feel loose, then they tightened up and i got severe short of breath with chest pain. My husband did the smart thing and pulled over and called 911. The ran all the heart test and lung test and of course i have a clean bill of health. I have pleaded with them eventhough i am exhausted that i can't take feeling these spasms like i can not breath. I've been there. Its not all of a sudden foreign to me not to breath i was in the hospital in my teens almost every month with asthma. The difference here is im not wheezing and my lungs sound clear. I Keep telling them that my airways are restricted and i they get into a spasm that none of my asthma meds are giving me any relief. Of course because the test turned out normal and my attack was subsiding its labeled as anxiety. I can't take any more of this. All i want from them is something to help me either calm the airways down or come up with a way to get the mucus out. I have been on steriods and currently on medrol.
I don't know what i should have them test for. I had some pulmonary test done it showed that i had some obstruction. Thats where i was on my way to get a full pulmonary test done but i didn't make it to my appt. I went to the er instead. Any advice would be greatly apprieciated.

I have been on steroids and currently on medrol.
I don't know what i should have them test for. I had some pulmonary test done it showed that i had some obstruction. That’s where i was on my way to get a full pulmonary test done but i didn't make it to my appt. I went to the ER instead. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

If I were you, I'd reschedule the follow up appointment to complete the full pulmonary function testing you missed and take it from there. Ask him questions. If he thinks it's something else, he will refer you. Since this thread is about pleurisy breathing maybe you could re-post your post to start a thread about it so that people will see it and offer help.

When I described what I was experiencing, the doctor called them spasms and directed me to see a neuro (I see one next week). She is sending me to a neuro for the spasms not the pleurisy, The pulmonologist takes care of pleurisy.

To clarify, the spasms and pleurisy are two separate issues that in me, happen to be overlapping. I spasm in different parts of the body and recently they have become worse, stronger, worse pain and in new places (rectal spasms, eye pulling in etc, muscles literally bulge, muscles pulling...). My eye crossed so, a concern is, what if I'm driving and that happens again? Could it stay that way? Rectal spasms that cause constipation or the opposite, these are places I can't fix. What ever the cause, it needs to get managed. It’s at that point.

Pleurisy is not about spasm, it's inflammation of the pleurae, a symptom. It hit hard in Feb, came back in March and now again April. Had brief warnings in Dec. I realize this is something that's going to happen until whatever is causing it stops.

Last night the pleurisy pains started up again, I wrapped, heat & took nsaid. If the breathing gets tougher to do, I'll go as a walk-in at the pulmo office, if it stays manageable I'll wait for the appt next week. It's easier to breath when sitting upright.