Ever had pleurisy?

[Evoman]

So its bad enough I have Stage 4 cancer and I just had chemo last Wednesday. Yesterday, I had severe pain in my chest and had to go to the ER. Day later, after staying over night, I find out I have a small chest infection and the pain is due to pleurisy. I can't take NSAIDs because of bleeding issues involved with my chemo, so I'm laying at home on Dilaudid, which isn't that helpful at reducing pain. At least its better than being at the hospital. Even though I have cancer, they make me feel like some sort of drug seeker, and never give me enough pain meds to keep me comfortable.

This sucks. It hurts bad. Sigh......

Just wanted to bitch, guys.

[RebelOne]

1. I had pleurisy when I was a teenager and I know how you are feeling.

As I remember, it was very painful every time I took a breath. It lasted a couple of months. And fortunately, I have not had a recurrence since then.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. neve had pleurisy but, had pneumonia once. it hurt like hell. so sorry, Evoman.

[Kali]

3. I was just reading about the pain of pleurisy

(ok I am strange, I read Merck manuals to fall asleep)

it is one of the diagnostic symptoms. sorry you are hurting and I sure hope it gets under control fast - my advice is don't be polite and nice to the medical people - whine and tell them you are hurting, make them help you. no shame in getting the help they are supposed to provide.

[Evoman]

14. can't help it... I'm such a nice guy.

I'm always afraid they won't give me anything if I'm too demanding. They will just stick me behind a curtain and ignore me.

[Kali]

15. making a lot of noise like you were giving birth or something sometimes helps

they gave me some morphine pretty fast for a kidney stone once. I was rolling around and making a lot of noise.

If I recall you have another "nice" handicap being Canadian, right?

(hope a bit of lame attempt at humor is OK, some like it when they don't feel well, others hate it)

[Evoman]

17. ha. no i appreciate a laugh. although laughing hurts a bit now.

I too actually got morphine quick when I had my kidney stone. But that was different... The pain was so intense, I was crying and they pretty much had to treat me. I'm can't fake pain that well

[Kali]

20. it also occurs to me that many good pain relievers may depress respiration so

if it hurts and you aren't breathing fully they wouldn't want to inhibit it any worse - that way leads to pneumonia. probably a balancing act to maintain.

The lounge is good for a laugh and a bit of sympathy, though.

[Evoman]

27. not so scared of pneomonia. they put me on strong antibiotic for the infection.

Cancer sucks man.

[hedgehog]

4. Bitch away! If there is one thing I blame recreational drug users for,

it's the fear medical professionals have for giving out pain meds!

[Evoman]

7. i know, right?

But I'm also a bit surprised by the lack of compassion too. My nurses always seem to want to give me more because they CAN SEE that I'm in horrible pain. But doctors shut it out...they just don't seem to care and won't increase amount no matter how much you whine. Last time I was in the hospital with blood clots I had to get palliative care to get involved to get even adequate pain relief. I don't get why they would treat me as a junkie....they have my records. You cant fake a chemo port, an ileostomy, ct charts showing metastatic cancer, and a lung clot.

[hedgehog]

11. Too many specialists looking at their organ instead of the patient!

[Moondog]

5. Yeah, once, about thirty five years ago.

It is amazing how painful that it can be. And I was relatively young, and otherwise healthy at the time.

Sorry you are having to go through all that. Hang in there.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Yes, had it when I was in college,

complication from respiratory flu. It was absolutely miserable. I'm sorry you're so sick, hope they give you some better painkillers.

[caraher]

8. yeah

That was hard to match... I remember well that every breath was a struggle, since I knew it was going to hurt.

Sorry you have that to deal with on top of everything else. You're more than entitled to bitch!

[Ptah]

9. I'll echo Kali's advice.

don't be polite and nice to the medical people -
whine and tell them you are hurting, make them help you.

[Evoman]

10. Well, im at home now.

Maybe I am too nice....but I'm always afraid they will think I'm a junkie if I act like an asshole and refuse me all drugs. Which is scarier. At home, I have a supply of dilaudiud, so I'm reasonably comfortable, but the pills take so much longer to work than IV and don't seem to work as well. Thats why I even bothered to go to the hospital....but they didn't give me anything until about 3 hours after I got there. And at first, they were giving me low doses of hydromorphone tablets....half the concentration I have at home!

[Sekhmets Daughter]

13. Don't let their misguided opinions cause you so much pain!

Whine, complain and just sit there until they give you what you need.

I do hope you get past this quickly.

[siligut]

19. They are afraid to over-medicate

From med school on, Drs have been warned about addiction and over-medicating. Over-medicating can kill. Your best bet is to explain what you have been taking and how often and explain that this was just for the pain associated with the cancer (I'm sorry) and now you have new, extreme pain and they need to increase pain medication from the point you were at, not from a no medication baseline.

Explain that in order to even breathe deeply you need better pain control. Roll your eyes and sigh when you explain this, Drs can't stand to be made to feel stupid. Dilauded is actually pretty good pain medication, you seem to just need more of it.

Good luck

[Evoman]

25. yeah. good advice.

I'm pretty opioid tolerant. I more or less have a dependence on dilaudid because I take it for cancer (mostly in long release contin form with only occasional breakthrough first thing when I wake up). I think I would go through withdrawal if I didn't take it. Unfortunately, I don't always know how much I should tell them. If I yell them I'm Dependant, I get treated like a junkie by some doctors, and they don't wanna help me. If I don't, I don't get enough meds. Sort of a rock and hard place unless I get a compassionate doc that understands the hell of cancer and that I'm Dependant because of the long term use because of blood clot pain.

I don't get people that would willingly abuse these drugs. Such a stigma. I hate being Dependant, but sometimes meds are the only thing that keep me going. I hate being judged for that

[tavalon]

40. Vaporized pot

It could help in so many ways,

[rurallib]

12. had it as a kid 55 years ago - can still remember the pain

I was 8 or 9 at the time. jesus it hurt

you have enough problems without that.

[Solly Mack]

16. Just got over it. (((hugs))))

I got pain pills, fortunately. Helped a lot. Pleurisy hurts something awful as you know. I hugged a heating pad a lot too. Helps.

Talk/yell about it. I hate it when doctors treat people in pain as junkies.

[Evoman]

18. How much pain meds were you taking and what was it?

I had to get up too go to bathroom and was in so much pain I almost cried. I took 8 mg of dilaudid. At this point, I'm not sure if I care if I die of respiratory depression. Sounds like a good way to go.

[Solly Mack]

22. Norco 5/325 (Vicodin) every 6 hours for 7 days w/ a follow-up to get more.

I was no longer in major pain by the time of my follow-up though. So I declined a refill. They gave me morphine at the ER.

I had Ibuprofen (800mg) along with the Norco as well.

The heating pad and the Norco were my best friends during the worst of it.

No one should have to go through pleurisy without decent pain meds that work for them.

[a la izquierda]

21. Oh no! I'm so sorry :(

I've never had pleurisy, just bronchitis. That sucked enough.

[freshwest]

23. Yes. Be patient, try to stay calm. Shallow breathing and distract yourself.

That's all I can suggest. It will pass, even though it seems like forever.

[MineralMan]

24. Pleurisy is no fun at all.

I felt your pain.

[LiberalEsto]

26. Sending you some healing vibes

for your chest to feel better))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

I hope it helps somehow

[TuxedoKat]

28. I've never had it

and sorry to hear you are dealing with this on top of everything else. I hope you can relax and think some healing thoughts for yourself. I will do so for you and send good thoughts and prayers your way. If you have a kitty, I would call it to you and let it sit and purr on top of you. Some scientists theorize that cats' purring may have some healing qualities. (((HUGS)))

[Evoman]

29. i want pets so bad but my landlord does not allow.

He is nice but he is hardcore about rules. I doubt even playing the cancer card would help. A kitteh sure would help though.

[TuxedoKat]

30. Sorry to hear that

How about this, visualize a beautiful, loving cat sitting on your chest purring away. I wish I knew how to post a photo of one of my cats, he is always coming up and sitting on my chest and purring. Here is a link to a picture of what he looks like:

http://tinyurl.com/d3dth39

Tonight and every day when he, Queequeg, comes to sit on my chest and purrs I'm going to think of you and send you healing thoughts and prayers at the same time by proxy, okay? (((HUGS)))

[Evoman]

31. ha...thanks.

Love the tuxedo cats.....apparently you do to, according to your name. How old is Queequeg, and how did you come up with that name?

[TuxedoKat]

32. Yes

Last edited Wed Apr 10, 2013, 07:43 PM - Edit history (1)

I do like tuxedo cats! Queequeg is 17, but looks and acts much younger. When I got him I was reading Moby Dick for an English class I was taking. Queequeg is a character in the book that really impressed me. It's kind of a long story as to why though, which I wouldn't post here but could PM it to you if you are interested.

I am trying to post an actual picture of him but can't figure it out. I have the picture in Photobucket, as you are supposed to do upload photos but it is not working for me.



Hey, I did it finally! Well, here he is, in all his Queequeg glory!

[lunatica]

37. In Photobucket click on the photo you want to link

When it comes up at the top there's a box with links on the right of the screen named Image Links. click on the second choice which is Direct Link. When you click you'll notice the link is replaced momentarily with the word copied. Then come back here and put your cursor where you want the photo to be and paste it. If you have a Mac you can press Apple and the v key at the same time. If you have a PC press control and the v key. You're link will be there as code, but when you post your comment you'll see the photograph. You can also preview your comment and you'll see the photo also.

Good luck!

[TuxedoKat]

41. Thanks, I'll try that (nt)

[TuxedoKat]

42. I did it!

Finally! After being here so many years! I am so computer illiterate -- thank you so much for your help! I'll post the photo again just to prove it!

[Evoman]

44. YAY! Good for you!

Thanks for the great pic. I appreciate your pretty cat.

[lunatica]

45. That's a great looking cat!

And the photo is wonderful!

[grasswire]

34. maybe there are videos of purring kittehs on youtube

Not as good as a live one, but maybe that along with a warm hot-water bottle would be soothing.

I'm so sorry to hear about this new wrinkle for you. My best wishes for a better tomorrow.

[grasswire]

35. oh check this out -- 9 HOURS of purring cats

[libodem]

33. Feel better soon

Sounds like a pretty miserable proposition. Will ice or heat help?

[truegrit44]

36. Bitch away you need to

I had it in my 20's and I have never forgotten how painful it was. I had to sleep sitting up well could actually barely sleep. Every breath is so painful and you pray you don't have to cough. I really feel for you especially combined with your other problems.
Wishing you well.........

[sharp_stick]

38. I had it with pneumonia

I remember it hurting like hell, couldn't sleep could barely breath. When I coughed I had bursts of light go off in my head. NSAIDs did nothing for it in any case. If it becomes bad enough you might want to ask about having it drained but that will depend on your condition.

Sorry you can't find relief for it. Is there a chance you could see a pain specialist? They can be a bit more understanding than general staff when it comes to medication. It's pathetic when a cancer patient can't find pain relief.

[TZ]

39. My sister with Lupus suffers from it

quite frequently when she's having a flare. Yeah, its pretty awful. I'm sorry you have to deal with that.

[Evoman]

43. Update....I'm still miserable

I think I'm having less pain overall, but I think the lymph glands in my neck may be swollen. Could it be caused by the infection? From fighting the infection? Hurts like a bitch though...hard to tell if they are swollen cuz my face already looks like a moon due to the steroids I take for my chemo.

I've basically doubled the dose of pain killers I was taking before I got hit by this. Every single time I try to cut back on the pain meds, I have some sort of acute pain event. A kidney stone, a DVT, a pulmonary embolism, and now this.

I'm so freaking tired of this.