Chest discomfort

[Nomad]

Two weeks sho we took a short trip with some friends. She had a cold.

Two days after we got back, I too had a cold.

I didn?t think much of it as the symptoms were not severe. Sinus drip, a little cough and a little headachey. I took cold medicine etc. no fever.

10-11 days went by and I wasn?t much better. I did notice that if I drink a ton of water, I felt better.

I went to the doctor and she gave me a script to only use if it didn?t improve.

Sunday I felt like crud. Chest pressure, sinus drip, bad fatigue. I started the antibiotic.

It?s for five days. I forgot the name of it. She said it?s a little stronger than a z pac.

Last night I barely slept as I had bad pressure in my chest. I took my second tab of the antibiotic this morning. I drank a lot of water. The water seem to break up the pressure somewhat in my chest.

I still can not lay down and will try to sleep tonight sitting up.

It?s been 14 days.

I?m most concerned about the pressure in my chest. It is almost unusually better after drinking 64 ounces of water. But then it gets slightly worse when I stop drinking. If I do t drink a lot of water, it?s worse.

I?m getting scared. Any idea of what this might be?

Thank you.

[sixty]

Nomad, I don't know what it is and I think you need to go right back to the Dr. now.  Don't mess with chest pressure! 
I have lung issues with my sjogrens and I believe my natural liquid in my lungs is thicker than normal because there's not as much moisture as usual.  I've been using an inhaler to help break it up, but I'm self medicating until I see my dr. in 2 weeks.

[irish]

That is right. You do need to see the doctor. With Sjogrens we  get this really thick mucus and it makes us miserable. I would get to the doctor and see if you have pneumonia as one can have it without being terribly ill.

Ask doc about taking guaifesin tablets to help thin your secretions. It helps me a lot. Try to educate yourself on your lungs and it would be wise to see a lung specialist. I see one once a year to keep track of my lung function and I am prescribed inhalers which help a lot. Good luck. Irish

I have no idea why drinking so much water would help but it might even be hard on your system also.

[Nomad]

Thank you.

Doc gave me a bronchodilator inhaler.

But she said if I don?t feel at least a little better by tomorrow, I would need a chest X-ray.

[sixty]

Please let us know how your xray goes.  My xrays never show anything and I wonder if it's normal not to see anything if it is in fact thicker mucus in the lungs.

[irish]

I think that we need to have a scan or mdi to see if there is anything going on. At least a chest x ray should show up most pneumonias and some of the lung spots that one gets from living in a germ laden society...generally in the soil, water or air. One of these conditions is histoplasmosis which is very, very common and comes from bird droppings.

Not to scare you but we need to be aware of the fact that we can get other conditions that aren't related to Sjogrens. I have had a couple scans over the years and am always glad to have them done so then I can know that things are ok. Good luck Irish