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Was Diagnosed With Acute Bronchitis And Pleurisy Without X-ray And Prescribed Zpack With Hydrocodone. Is It Possible?

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Posted on Mon, 28 Oct 2013
Question: Hi
I was diagnosed Monday with acute bronchitis and pleurisy...but the doc did not have a chest xray done to diagnose, is this normal? How can he know this without a chest xray? Thankyou.
I forgot to let you know that I was prescribed a zpack antibiotic and hydrocodone/homatropine.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Yes

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.

I am so sorry to hear about your respiratory infection. A careful and well conducted clinical exam would easily pick up these diagnosis. Xrays only help complete the suspicion and help investigate the cause if judged necessary.

These diagnoses can be made on clinical grounds. Bronchitis is purely clinical and rarely would any doctor ask for a chest xray to confirm this.

As for pleurisy, it is also made clinically if the collection is large but I would always like to ask for an xray to confirm this because it may represent and call attention to other ongoing problems. Pleurisy literally means fluid in the lungs and any doctor would want to complete his/her clinical suspicion with a chest Xray at least to be very sure and investigate the cause

I really doubt if for real you had pleurisy and if you should, then it must be of such small volumes that would not be clinically easy to pinpoint. Your treatment seems classical for bronchitis. If you are getting better, i suggest you continue treatment and don't get bothered. if you are not, then please request for reassessment from your treating doctor.

I hope this addresses your query fully. Thank you for using our services and please feel free to ask for clarifications. I wish you well.
Dr. Ditah, MD

From yo
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Chobufo Ditah (10 minutes later)
Thankyou, I am still feeling very poorly, but I just started the antibiotics Monday. I have been sick for almost 3 weeks. My main concern is could I have pneumonia? If I am still feeling this bad in another week or so I will make another appointment with the doctor. This will be my last query, thankyou for your time :)
doctor
Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah (32 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Feel free to ask as many queries to get answers

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for following up with me.

If you are still feeling bad after the treatment or not getting any improvement now, then return and ask for re-evaluation. I believe an Xray would be the first to be asked. This will help diagnose and maybe influence the treatment plan if some more information is obtained.

It could be pneumonia but I have not had any information to suggest so. The most common cause of pleurisy is pneumonia. Only a good clinical questioning and examination can really shed more light on this. You may consider asking your doctor this directly if he considered it as one of the possibilities.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask another query again and again for clarifiications. We won't stop until we have helped you to your satisfaction. I wish you well.
Dr. Ditah, MD


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Chobufo Ditah (40 minutes later)
I have made an appt for a follow up tomorrow afternoon. This will be with my regular doctor, as the doctor I saw Monday was in urgent care...I am sure he will do a more thourogh exam, and atleast I can get piece of mind My medicine is barely helping with the intense upper back and chest pain I am experiencing, and I am tired. Thankyou.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah (12 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Thank you, too!

Detailed Answer:
I am happy to know you have made an appointment for a thorough clinical encounter.
I can only wish you the best of possible outcomes tomorrow.

Thank you for using our services. I do hope you found them helpful.

At this time, if you have no further related question, may I kindly suggest that you consider closing the discussion? Also, offer us a few second t write a short review to enable us improve to better serve you next time.

I wish you well.
Dr. Ditah, MD
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Chobufo Ditah

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2009

Answered : 6323 Questions

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Was Diagnosed With Acute Bronchitis And Pleurisy Without X-ray And Prescribed Zpack With Hydrocodone. Is It Possible?

Brief Answer:
Yes

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thank you so much for this query.

I am so sorry to hear about your respiratory infection. A careful and well conducted clinical exam would easily pick up these diagnosis. Xrays only help complete the suspicion and help investigate the cause if judged necessary.

These diagnoses can be made on clinical grounds. Bronchitis is purely clinical and rarely would any doctor ask for a chest xray to confirm this.

As for pleurisy, it is also made clinically if the collection is large but I would always like to ask for an xray to confirm this because it may represent and call attention to other ongoing problems. Pleurisy literally means fluid in the lungs and any doctor would want to complete his/her clinical suspicion with a chest Xray at least to be very sure and investigate the cause

I really doubt if for real you had pleurisy and if you should, then it must be of such small volumes that would not be clinically easy to pinpoint. Your treatment seems classical for bronchitis. If you are getting better, i suggest you continue treatment and don't get bothered. if you are not, then please request for reassessment from your treating doctor.

I hope this addresses your query fully. Thank you for using our services and please feel free to ask for clarifications. I wish you well.
Dr. Ditah, MD

From yo