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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Have Pain In Lung. Had Been Diagnosed With HIV. Could It Be Pleurisy?

Recently I was diagnosed with HIV (t-cells: 47; viral load: 700,000+ and was hospitaled for pcp. Once released from the hospital, I am on 8 liters of O2--with an oxygen saturation around 89. Yesterday I developed SHARP PAINS in the lower region of my left lung . Although I am not a physician, I am wondering if it could be pleurisy . Near any position I try to lay is increasingly uncomfortable. I have a scheduled appt with my physician thursday morning, but the pain is almost unbearable. should I try to hold out till then o go to an ER?
Mon, 18 Feb 2013
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Pulmonologist,  's  Response
Hi

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. You didn't clarify details about your PCP/PJP pneumonia. The fact that you are requiring so much oxygen to maintain your saturation around 89% makes me feel a bit worried about the treatment you had. You should be on treatment for at least 3 weeks on high dose antibiotics with some steroids for a week or two.

This pain could be due to pleurisy or a collapse lung called pneumothorax on the left side which also can cause low oxygen saturation.

Ideally you should go to the ER to get it checked out urgently. There are other conditions in the lung which can come along with HIV infection mainly when your CD4 count is below 200. take care. You should have your treatment, HAART etc very religiously making sure that you take them everyday without fail ideally at the same time of the day. If you are careful about this , your viral load should go down to minimum and have a normal life. It is important to make sure you are no expose to the risk/take protection from where you contracted the virus, as many people could get a second strain from the existing one.
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Have Pain In Lung. Had Been Diagnosed With HIV. Could It Be Pleurisy?

Hi Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. You didn t clarify details about your PCP/PJP pneumonia. The fact that you are requiring so much oxygen to maintain your saturation around 89% makes me feel a bit worried about the treatment you had. You should be on treatment for at least 3 weeks on high dose antibiotics with some steroids for a week or two. This pain could be due to pleurisy or a collapse lung called pneumothorax on the left side which also can cause low oxygen saturation. Ideally you should go to the ER to get it checked out urgently. There are other conditions in the lung which can come along with HIV infection mainly when your CD4 count is below 200. take care. You should have your treatment, HAART etc very religiously making sure that you take them everyday without fail ideally at the same time of the day. If you are careful about this , your viral load should go down to minimum and have a normal life. It is important to make sure you are no expose to the risk/take protection from where you contracted the virus, as many people could get a second strain from the existing one.