Chest and upper back pain with bronchiectasis and pseudomonas

Oh boy I understand your frustration and your pain. I too for about 4 moths now hv been having mid to upper back pain. Heating pad works but I have to sit for half hr with it until pain/ache gone. What is it? I think connected to my lung issue. Maybe a muscle or tendon but these pulmonologists should know this. If it is a result of coughing, they should know these things. They really should. Kathleen .

OMG i cannot believe you are all talking about pain in your right side and back pain. I couldn’t breathe and ended up in the emergency room last Thursday. Clinic doctor wanted to rule out blood clot. No clot. Pain still in my lung. ER doctor determined pluresy causing pain. Its crazy. I have been on meds now for 3 months. It has to be related. Also, they did a CT angio for pulmonary embolism and results came back that my lungs were clear. I am so confused my ct 3 months ago had nodules and infiltrates i both lungs. Going to my infectious diseases doctor to discuss pain and what is going on. I was told my bronchiectasis would never go away and now there is nothing. If this is true its a miracle!!!! I know that the lungs have no pain but the lining can cause pain if inflamed. Also she heard wheezing in both lungs that also can be some infection. Will let you all know what I find out. I now feel like i am not alone. Thank you for sharing.
Miriam

Hi Miriam - I hear your frustration! I would not place too much significance on the report that your lungs are "clear". That may all depend on:
1) the x-ray/CT order - if it said "rule out embolism/pneumonia/blood clot/tumor... and there were none of those, it may have said "not detected",
2) if the MAC/bronch/nodules were in your prior record, it may have said "no change",
3) the doc may have just said "clear" meaning nothing new detected, and
4) the doc may just be a poor communicator.
If you really want to know, have the record and the radiology report sent to your ID, pulmo or primary.
Sue

Sue, I’m now being referred to a bone and joint rebab specialist. Sense March 2022, I was on LevoFLOXacin for seven days my legs and my feet feel like some one has glued papers to them. That medication can cause nerve damage. They are telling me now they think I have neuropathy. What else can go wrong? Has anyone else had this before? Cipro is in the same drug family.

The er did not have prior ct’s because. Was in Charlotte and i live in asheville. That could be one reason. I have contacted my infectious disease doctor and her office has requested all reports and images. Have an appt in may with her. The pain has not gone away. Looking forward to see what she says. Thanks

Also i googled pain in lung with mac and it is part of mac. Pain and wheezing is not very common but it happens. The doctor at the er said pluresy and i read that you can have dry pluresy with mac. It makes sense to me because i was fine before all of this . Will still wants my doctors opinion.

It is true that some people have bad reactions to Levofloxacin and Cipro. Have you since stopped the Levo, and has the feeling changed?
I know you are in a pulmonary rehab class, If it is possible to talk to your fellow students, maybe they have something to offer?
I always have to remind every doc I see not to give me cipro or levo or any relative. I have even written it on the med list I carry with me! Has your doctor offered an alternative?
Sue

Have you tried any Yoga breathing, deep breathing or gentle stretching to see if you can loosen things up?
When we hurt, every fiber of our being tells us to quit moving so it will go away. Often when we have pain we "guard" or protect the painful area, causing everything to tighten up. The result is that the pain gets worse, we move less, it becomes a cycle of its own. I sometimes get a pleurisy or costochondritis like pain from coughing during an exacerbation, and I find walking while doing gentle movements can help.
I would like to hear if anything helps relieve it.
Sue

I believe that it was Dr Aksamit who in his recent Q and A described this pain as pleural pain. The inflammation in our lungs impacts the pleural tissues that surround them and this can cause pain. Also, the rib cage can be impacted which can cause pain. I do not currently have this type of pain but I know many do.

xxx