OUCH! Broken rib from coughing?

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Chinniechantel

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So, everyone knows I have been having tough luck with my chins lately, but now it is with me! I have had pnemonia for the past week and my idiot doctor gave me amoxicillin (Sp?) which did nothing, so I have been coughing like crazy for weeks. Last week I felt this horrible chest pain, right under my right breast. Sharp, stabbing pain that never went away and got MUCH worse if I coughed or moved.

So off to urgent care I go. They diagnose it as Costrocondritis- basically broken cartilage (the top few maybe 5 ribs are actually not bone, but cartilage). It had to be caused from the coughing because I have not had any injuries or anything. So, they gave me a nice shot in the butt :wacko: and a pharmacy of meds. Steroids, good antibiotics to cure the pnemonia so I stop making the rib worse, cough pills, and pain meds. It should get better if I am careful in about 3-6 weeks. Youch. So now I am in a lot of pain without major pain meds, but can't exactly be drafting legal documents for the grand jury doped up! So at work I just take a lot of ibuprofen and try not to move a lot, but sheesh, is this bad luck going to end soon? :tissue:

On a good note- they new job is going great, and I love being an attorney. The total 20 years of schooling to get there is worth it (kindergarden counts! naptime was tough!) I love working in the corporate world and am beginning to start to understand some of the brokerage/securities lingo. That is the hardest part!
 
I hope you get better soon! Pneumonia doesn't sound like fun... and actual injury from the coughing even worse!

You're on both steroids and ibuprofen? Unless it's different in humans than in other animals... that's a potentially dangerous combination. And depending on what pain meds you're on, that could make things worse. The big worry in dogs/cats/horses/etc is ulceration or perforation of the stomach or intestine... but there are other potential side effects as well. Unless someone else who knows something (Amanda?) chimes in - I'd ask your physician to double check and make sure everything you're on is safe to take together, or if there's other precautions you should be taking.

Maybe you've used up all (or at least most) of your bad luck for the rest of the year? :)
 
equus is right about the the steroids and ibuprofen in that they shouldn't be taken together unless your physician has told you to do so. Doing so puts you at an increased risk of ulceration of the stomach or duodenal ulcer and you certainly don't need THAT on top of everything else! If indeed the physician did suggest or prescribe for you to take both the steroid and the ibuprofen, be on the look out for darkened or bloody stool. Should you see this...immediately discontinue the ibuprofen and alert your physician immediately. If your physician didn't prescribe the ibuprofen or doesn't know about the ibuprofen that you're taking, please make sure they are aware or ask them for something that you can take for discomfort during the day.
 
Oh no, I didn't think of that. I will not take the ibuprofen anymore, but I wonder what I can take during the day? I will try to contact the doctor but it was an urgent care clinic. I have stomach issues as it is, so that is not good. :-( Thanks guys. Stupid me. It was only one day luckily that I did that.
 
Oh no, I didn't think of that. I will not take the ibuprofen anymore, but I wonder what I can take during the day? I will try to contact the doctor but it was an urgent care clinic. I have stomach issues as it is, so that is not good. :-( Thanks guys. Stupid me. It was only one day luckily that I did that.

Most of the drugs related to ibuprofen (the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory [NSAID] category) also are potentially dangerous - e.g., aspirin, naproxen, etc (I don't actually know what most of the human drugs in the category are called! but let me know if you want names of animal products :p)

Tylenol works through a different mechanism, so it may be ok - but don't take my word on it - ask a human health professional (all I know is that it kills cats because they don't have the enzymes to metabolize it properly, and I think you can use it in dogs, but we have other drugs so rarely do).

Hopefully you can get a hold of the doctor, and they will be able to help you find something that will work for your pain during the day :) You might want to ask about the use of stomach protectants or antacids as well, but please don't go get something OTC to dose yourself, since I am not a human doctor, and don't really know if this would be appropriate care for a human (there's so many species variations!)
 
Oh I know what you mean about the rib breaking cough. Before you start a coughing episode give yourself a big hug LOL, no seriously, cross your arms and squeeze, or just push on your chest where it hurts until it's over. It helps keep everything where it belongs. Perhaps a muscle relaxer prescprition would help?
 
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