Think I have pleurisy – sharp chest pains on one side during inhalation

Do I go to casualty or take some pain killers and wait til Monday to see my GP?

Call the NHS direct line. I suspect they will tell you to go to A&E to be on the safe side.
Only you will know how severe the pains are but if they are severe dont take too many chances.

GP

almost certain its pleurisy, as I’ve had it before
pain is now more severe than two days ago and feeling tired – slept 12 hours last night!

Do you have a history of diagnosed chest pains? If not, get medical advice ASAP via NHS direct or casualty. I’ve had pleuirisy, it’s not nice at all but took a couple of weeks to sort itself out.

not sure I can face 4 1/2 hour casualty wait (what I had to endure last time)

if it hurts more when you take a deep breath, and it feels lke its “rubbing” when you’re breathing then it probably is pleuresy. All A+E will do is give you pain killers if it is pleurey. they will however also give you ECG etc to make sure its not cardiac in origin. NHS direct will just cal an ambulance (thats pretty much all they do!) the minute you say pain and chest in the same sentance. If the pain is unbearable then try out of hours GP or A+E,but remember, it takes quite a while for pain kilers to kick in and a therapeutic dose may be a whole days worth (spread over a day, not all at the same time!!).

GP is best bet as may be able to prescribe anti inflammataries as well? not sure if these will help (its not really my area) but a+E have a knack of making you wait 4 hours for 2 brufen and the advice to go and see your GP!

good luck

cheers everyone, will wait til tomorrow and see how I feel

A few weeks ago, had toothache, so phoned NHS direct,about emergency dental treatment, they said any other symptoms, yep a pain in my chest and out of breath, do you want an ambulance, can you get to the gps, make appointment to see dr as an emergency next day, if you continue to experience pain in chest phone 999, I only had toothache at the time,
SO be ware of NHS DIRECT.
Just pop down to the walk in centre or A and E.

SO be ware of NHS Direct.

Of course they are always going to err on the side of caution however we have had some reasonable advice recently regarding a leg injury from a skiing fall so I would use them again to avoid a 4 hour wait!

Of course they are always going to err on the side of caution however we have had some reasonable advice recently regarding a leg injury from a skiing fall so I would use them again to avoid a 4 hour wait!

They’re shite unless your calling for something very minor which you really shoudn’t even be considering going to A+E for.

It’ll all go away when you’re dead.

Play safe.

a+E have a knack of making you wait 4 hours for 2 brufen and the advice to go and see your GP!

Only if you turn up with some shite that is neither an accident or an emergency!

Pop into A&E, pick a quiet time (early Saturday/Sunday Morning – about now actually). Quick ECG, quick poke with a steth, maybe some bloods if you’re unlucky. Lots of painkillers and some sensible advice; job done.

Don’t bother NHS Dire, they’re shit!

IV Morphine in small doses sorted my wife out

I only had toothache at the time,

they said any other symptoms, yep a pain in my chest and out of breath

😯

I only had toothache at the time,

they said any other symptoms, yep a pain in my chest and out of breath

I phoned up abot toothache, and the other symptoms i was fgoing to see aDR about, not a call centre operative.

Depends how you feel – pleuritic chest pain can be secondary to a chest infection, or a PE (blood clot on the lung).
Are you short of breath? Do you have relatives who’ve had blood clots? Have you had a recent long haul flight?

If yes to any of the above, check into A+E if it’s concerning you.

Then you can have the ridiculously undiagnostic and rather pointless knee-jerk blood test of a d-dimer…. Dr_death will know what i’m on about! 😉 (from a medic to a cas officer!)

DrP

A friend of mine recently went to A&E unable to breathe and suffering severe chest pain, x-rays showed shadows on his lungs – queue panic, now diagnosed as severe pneumonia. He is off work indefinately as anti biotic are not working.

Altogether now….

If it wisnae fur yer wellys where wid ye be
you’d be in the hospital or infirmary
cause you’d have a dose ae the flu or even plurisee
if ye didnae have your feet in your wellys.