hard to breathe....

Last night as I was trying to go to sleep I noticed when laying on my left side I had a hard time breathing. When I rolled to my back it went away. Anyone know what it could be, should I call my doctor??

Well dear, since Lupus has a nasty habit of effecting the lungs I would have to say *&%&*$#@ were you thinking? You should have gone today. Or at the very least called your rheumy or pcp. I realize my lungs are shot so it's a little different but my doctors all say the same thing. Carol the minute you start noticing anything (more then my normal) with my lungs I should not pass go and collect 200.00 dollars I should proceed to the hospital because if I try to fight it myself I will lose. You know how lupies go. You get a little scratch and end up with gangrene. . Don''t miss around get it checked out. Call you doctor in the morning. If you are having problems tonight use a heating pad or a grain bag heated up. it will help relax you a little bit.

Sorry I'm being grumpy I just don't want to see you in the hospital.

love ya

carol

Oh wow! Stacie, I would deffinatly call your doc. Keep them updated on something like that for sure. I hope this passes quickly and it doesnt turn out to be anything serious. Im praying for you!
Lova ya

Stacie,
I'm sorry you aren't feeling well. Let us know what the doc says! Judy

Thank you everyone for the prayers and hugs! When I went to sleep last night it wasn't as difficult as the night before. The night before I couldn't take a deep breath only shallow ones until I rolled to my back. I've also had these weird pains on the right side of my chest. I didn't really think it was that big of a deal ((((( Carol )))))) thank you for setting me straight. I guess Lupus has given me so many scares with kidney's, brain, etc I just figured it was nothing to worry about.

I will call my rheumy tomorrow since I am off BUT if it happens again I will go to the ER. Thanks guys for your caring words and support. love ya

Thanks Carol, I called my rheumy this morning after I started spitting up bloody mucous (sorry, it's gross) she told me to get to my PCP asap. Well my PCP is no longer practicing medicine, she is teaching at Emory and the other doctors in the practice were booked until next Thursday but they have an Urgent care so I plan on being there when they open in the morning.

Right now I'm not feeling so good, I'm wiped out! I don't have a fever so I guess that's good. I'll give an update tomorrow when I get home. Love ya

I hope nothing serious is going on. I also hope you let your rheumy know that your pcp isn't practicing medicine anymore. I wonder if you shouldn't be going to the ER instead of waiting until tomorrow for urgent care.

Thank you JoAnn, Redrose and Laura,

The new PCP I am going to start using couldn't get me in until Monday. I am ok right now, just very tired. I haven't spit up any more bloody mucous since this morning. If I get worse I will go to the ER tonight.

Oh my...hope it's nothing serious. Prayers for you, Stacie!  

Lucy 

Stacie, thanks so much for the update! I'm very glad it's not pneumonia....I just finished a zpak for bronchitis recently myself.

Praying that you feel better soon!
((((Hugs))))
JoAnn

Thank you for the update hun, I read what you said about the pain in the chest and the ribs. It sounded like a recording of what I live with every day. So little lady while I am glad you don't have pneumonia, bronchitis is absolutely nothing to sneeze at. It can lay you out flat and put you in the hospital just as sure as sure can be. z pak is pretty good but one round does not always kick it. So keep track of your breathing and if you are running a fever in a few days you need to let your doctor know ASAP. Bronchitis will scar your lungs too and us lupies need to avoid that at all cost. If there is any way you can take a couple of days off work or work from home you might try discussing that with the boss. Make sure you have a scarf over your mouth and nose when you go out in the cold. The cold air will tighten your lungs up and inflam them just breathing in the cold damp air. Just remember every time you get an infection in your lungs they leave scars that won't heal. (ever).

ok if you ever feel the need to have someone nag at you please don't hesitate to let me know. Hot tea, lemon,honey. I like sleepy time and tension tamer myself. The heating pad will help you too. if only to relax the muscles in your ribs. if your cough gets worse go back in. It could be a sign your lungs could be filling with fluid. Did the dr say the blood was from your irritation in your throat?

love ya

the nag

Oh Stacie, that is awful. I'm so relieved it's treatable bronchitis. When I read that you were spitting up bloody mucus, my eyes popped!!

I hope you're doing better this morning!

Blessings,
Ginny

(((( Carol )))) you can nag me anytime, it means you care I also didn't know bronchitis could be that serious, like I said the only time I remember having it was due to smoking and that was so long ago. I am breathing better and haven't had much chest / rib pain today, of course all I've been doing is laying around. If I see my symptoms getting worse I will call my doctor right away. He didn't mention the blood being an irritation in my throat, just said it happened with bronchitis, maybe the drainage? **While posting this I was sitting up and the chest pain is back, so that confirms I will do nothing for a couple of days. It's cold and nasty here today so I definitely don't need to be getting out in it.

Oh Pat, I am sorry you are sick too (((hugs)))) I think you must have a worse case than me or I just caught mine early because of the difficulty breathing. I'm not running a high fever, usually my temp is a little over 97, yesterday it was 99 and today it's 98.5. I pray you feel better soon, I think I'm going to take Carol's suggestion and have some hot tea (YES I finally bought some and it's really good!)

Thank you Ginny and Lynnwood, still spitting up that yucky stuff, hopefully after I get a couple of doses of antibiotics I will see an improvement.

((((group hug))))