Recurrent lingering pleurisy. Is there help?

[Nata40]

Last year i contracted pleurisy after sitting (for a short time) in a draft in a wet shirt. Antibiotics didn't help. My Dr. said it's viral and will clear itself. I felt miserable - besides pain there was total exhaustion, low grade fever rising every aftrenoon, profuse sweats (had to change clothes every hour), especially at night. ALL of these symptoms, including hectic fever and sweats lasted ~5 months (between the last week of June to mid November). This is in spite of hot compresses, multivitamin, cod liver oil, vit.C, Echinacea and more. I was fine winter and spring and thought I'd put this nightmare behind. But....At the end of June (~ 3 weeks ago) after being exposed to extermely cold air in a store (in contrast to the heat outside), I came down with pleurisy again, with exactly same symptoms. I've been sick for 3 weeks now with no improvement in spite of treatment - a lot of supplements, hot wraps etc. I dread to think it may take 5 months again. The hectic fever and continuos drenching sweats are unbearable. Two Drs (family and pulmonologist) aren't worried as the Xray is normal. They said I just have to give it more time. I WANT MY LIFE BACK!!! WHAT CAN I DO TO RECOVER SOONER? I CAN'T WASTE ANOTHER 5 MONTHS OF MY LIFE (Also, HAD to quit my job). WILL IT BE REPEATING EVERY YEAR??  Has anybody been in my shoes?? PLEASE HELP!!!!

[Margie44]

Did your pleurisy heal?  I've had mine for almost 5 months now and have been taken off of NSAIDs because they gave me gastritis.  I'm only on pain meds while my stomache heals so I can go back on NSAID.  I was told mine was viral as well, but the length of this healing process makes me second guess.  I could use any updates/advice you can offer.  I feel like my life was completely haulted as well.  It's miserable.

[vhasyrkittlj]

How do they know its viral? Did they test the fluid? After 5 months I would demand an antibiotic

[hava]

We are trying to help your body to heal itself with oxygenated blood.The oxygen goes into the lungs first and then each individual cell gets oxygenated, to do its function more efficiently.Keep doing the pranayam.On your first two good days, do not do any physical exercises, and let the body do its recovery work.The flu symptoms make you rest, so that the body can conserve the oxygen, and use it to heal.Keep your body oxygenated and you will recover.Continue the pranayam, to prevent future episodes.
Wish you good health.

[Nata40]

Thanks for staying with me. It's nice to know someone is interested/sympathetic. Are you really interested?? Who and what are you, Hava? Are you studying to be a naturopathic dr? Or are you someone like myself, researching alternative medicine to be able to heal yourself? Or do you just study breathing and want to check out if breathing ex.-s really help cure lung diseases? In my case it's more a connective tissue problem than a lung problem, which makes it slightly different. Though of course, getting oxygenated is of primary importance in curing ANY illness.
Would you have any suggestions if, let's say, I had just a lingering GENERAL VIRAL INFECTION, e.g. a flu that wasn't going away? Because this very much seems to be my case. I mean in addition to pleurisy. The other day I thought I was better - my temperature was only 98.7, I'd taken Ibuprophen(which I try to avoid) and had practically no pleurisy pain.  So I stayed outside several hours, walked a little and did breathing exercises. I was in excellent mood, had enough strength, and was sure I am on the way to recovery. Also, it was a nice DRY day (at last). As a result, a couple of hours after all this activity my temprature shot up to 99.6 and I was SUDDENLY overcome with a flu-like feeling, incredible headache like never before, (even dizziness) couldn't open my eyes, body aches (all beat up), oppressed chest (hard to beathe), extreme weakness, even difficult to talk, -  I'd felt like that only when I was a kid and had very high fever, close to delirium.  I know in case of flu you should absolutely stay away from physical activity. If you don't, you'll only get sicker and run complications (even brain damage). Looks like what happened to me. I am still trying to recover to the level I was before all this physical activity. This is already a second time I get worse (not necesserily pleurisy but flu-like symptoms and increase in fever) after even minor physical activity, including breathing exercises.  This is frustrating because I can't wait to start moving about. In general, it's emotionally very hard to be sick so long. CAN ANYBODY HELP ME OVERCOME GENERAL VIRAL INFECTION (FLU)??? My Dr. didn't find anything special. She said, give it some more time. But i've been sick since June, and last year it took me 4.5 months to recover!!!!   I can't believe it will be the same this year. What if I never recover from this flu? PLEASE HELP!!!!!

[DellaMae]

I have pleurisy as well have any of you taken NyQuil to help you and I take ibuprofen too I do this for 2 to 3 days then I seem to have some relief for a few weeks! To me some relief is better than none!

[hava]

You have done a lot of research.
This leaves anulon vilom, as quite safe, and delivers extra oxygen into the lungs.
So I would suggest 1) do 10 cycles 5 or 6  times a day. Stop before you get exhausted.
2) If you can do (1) for a week, then increase the number of cycles very gradually.
3) Once you can do it for 5 minutes in one session, you are on way to recovery.
Keep a record and remember to stop if dizzy or exhausted.Be patient and persevere.

[Nata40]

Forgot to mention. As far as I understand, when cells are well oxygenated, the body will be alkaline.
With low oxygen it becomes acidic-- a breeding ground for disease.

[Nata40]

Yes, there may be some problem with temperature regulation. However, I just saw my endocrinologist. My Thyroid function is normal (TSH = 2). When I am not ill, I tend to feel cold (nor hot), and never even sweat. Never had hot flashes, even when my menopause started ~ 10 years ago. Before my first pleurisy last year, I hadn't had elevated temperature in ~ 20 years and practically never even had colds.
My temperature is caused by general flu-like infection which I can't overcome for how many weeks?(since June 26). I think I suffer from general viral infection that got into the pleura. It's not just local pleurisy.
I work with these points (pituitary and thyroid) every day. I also massage (and heat) the kidney and adrenal points on the back (on the waist line, 2 and 4 finger widths from the spine), as well as several other points for lungs/kidneys and immune system (I have 2 very good books on reflexology). As far as breathing exercises, I can't do alternate breathing more than 15 cycles (3 minutes?), almost faint. It takes very long to restore energy afterwards. The humming exercise is OK.
Cinnamon and honey.... I am very allergic to honey, since I was a child. My grandparents kept bee hives, but neither of my parents nor my sister could consume honey because of severe allergies. Cinnamon... It helps diabetes, fights insulin resistance. But as far as I know, it has to be purified (medical grade, and non-toxic variety. Read about the toxicity of regular spice - cinnamon - http://carbwars.blogspot.com/2008/01/cinnamon-warning.html ). I wonder what cinnamon might do for me -- fight sweating?? The types of sweats I am having are typical of infectios lung diseases (pneumonia, TB etc). I wish I knew how to get that virus out of my body. I am taking echinacea, goldenseal, astragalus, olive leaf extract and more - all antiviral. There haven't been much improvement.