I am 49 yrs old. I'm in decent health for my age except for smoking. The only daily med I take is for hypothyroidism. I had a sinus infection which led to Bronchitis. After about 3 weeks I had this terrible cough. I was getting concerned especially when the pain in the right rib cage began. I am a smoker so I decided I better go have it checked and the pain was becoming more intense. No X-ray. He just listened to my chest and said it was Pleurisy.

I was treated for pleurisy and sinus infection. The doctor prescribed and antibiotic and Prednizone which worked just fine.

On a routine visit to my doctor, I mentioned that I thought I was developing a case of pleurisy. I have had it several times before, so I knew the symptoms. I wanted an early treatment before it became really painful. He admonished me, saying that it was just because of my age, 74, and doing too much yard work causing sore muscles. Today, 2 days later, his nurse called me and told me to go get blood work done at the hospital as he had scheduled me for an MRI in 2 days. Kind of raises one's eyebrow doesn't it? I will get my diagnosis the day after tomorrow.

Many of the comments sound so familiar. I began to feel pain Monday evening behind my upper right rib cage. Tuesday morning, I could hardly get up out of bed. Slowly I went to work, but the pain progressed throughout the day. I couldn't drive very easily either when I had to turn with my right arm. I didn't want to be overreacting, but made an early morning appointment to see my doctor the next day. The doctor said she thought it was pleurisy, and sent me for X-Ray to rule out fluid in my lungs. Basically X-ray looked normal, so I've been taking the meds for 3 days and I feel slightly better. Nights are the worse, and heat helps, but coughing up sputum, or sneezing is still painful, so I press against my ribs when I do so. I'm researching myself to see how to best care for myself during the process to wait for pain to completely subside. Laying on the right side where pain is does help to sleep. I hope I never get this again, but worried that many people have had it multiple times. Seriously, this pain scared me and was worse than going into labor.

My pleurosis was not treated. I had a CT scan Friday and there it was found out that I have a slight pleurosis. However, my breathing was so bad that even oxygen did not help. I asked for an inhaler and that makes breathing better. I could not breathe and did not know that my back pain up to the neck, headaches, sneezing with green phlegm some time before the CT scan, coughing is not getting better and at times I cough so bad that I cannot get enough air into me.

For my pleurosy I was given 500mg of Naproxen and told to follow up with my doctor in 1-2 days.

I was given a shot at the dr.'s office for pain and anti inflammatory action. Then I was given a steroid pack that was supposed to help over the long haul. I also had a c-t scan since I have a-flutter and it was not, at that time, regulated. Everything seemed to be fine, but now, two months later, I have the serious pain in my chest from my shoulder blade through to under my right breast along with intense pain in my right shoulder. Now when I call to make an appointment with the doctor he says to go to the er. I didn't because I don't want to have to stay all weekend. I'll go in the morning though if my pain is worse.