Pnuemonia - ever had to deal with it?

[Rambeezi]

So I was bed stricken the entire Memorial Holiday with what I thought was the flu. I'm talking about slight fever, achy bones and joints, no appetite, no energy....etc. but now realize without the associated nausea. Felt like complete crap the days following but was able to deal with it somewhat with a regular dose of Advils throughout the day. I have been a phlegm factory since last week but as a smoker everytime I get sick the extended coughing is something I'm kind of accustomed to having to deal with.

So yesterday I go see the doctor for my bi-annual checkup (diabetes related and not flu related) and during the checkup the doc asks me how long I've had this cough. I tell him the story and he tells me it looks like I have pneumonia. :wtf I get the usual dose of antibiotics and instructed to take it easy for the next few days. I tell him I always thought pneumonia was something that had the possibility of killing someone, highly contagious, etc. etc. but he said not to worry unless I was elderly but as far as contagious goes its possible depending on the type of pnuemonia (phlegm culture also being done).

So anybody had to experience pnuemonia and how did you deal with it?

ps - I'm feeling much better now.

 

[dgb]

I had bacterial pnuemonia about 10 years ago. It was one of the most miserable experiences I've ever had: high fever, incredible headaches, body aches, cough.

The first attempt at antibiotics didn't cure it, so I had to return to my doctor to get a booster shot (in the rump).

I still remember the day-long nap when the fever finally broke, and I woke up in a puddle of sweat.

Glad you're feeling better!

 

[Brokenlink]

Yeah man, I've been battling pneumonia since the beginning of May. I am starting to get better, but it did almost kill me. I spent three days in the hospital, and lost about 15 pounds (I don't really need to lose any weight).

Same shit, fever, aches, sleeping 20 hours a day, delerium,.....

Be careful man, it sucks.

 

[plumber]

I had it a few summers ago. I was in the hospital for IIRC 4 days. It all started with a cough that prevented me from sleeping much for 2 weeks. I was diagnosed with pneumonia and it just got worse. I just got weaker and weaker. My oximeter reading went down to 87 and I was admitted. I was a stones throw from ICU with a breathing tube. I recovered and now take asthma meds in the spring through summer.

A friend of mine's 21 year old son almost died from pneumonia. He was in ICU for weeks in an induced coma. His lung capacity dropped off of the chart.

I'm not a doctor but what I learned from the experience is to get rest. My doctor also gave me an inspirometer to do breathing exercises. He called it housekeeping of the lungs.

GL and listen to your real doctor.....not the ones who play doc on BARF.:thumbup

 

[radvas]

I had it twice. Once in freshman year of college at age 18, I felt like it nearly killed me. I was sick as a dog for about 4 weeks. I lost almost a quarter of my body weight. I went from something like 150 down to ~115. It was rough.

Two years later, I got it again. Though I could feel it in my chest and I was coughing like a bastard, I wasn't very sick and only missed a few days. It was startling how extreme the difference was between the two illnesses.

After the second time, I got a pneumonia shot and have been good since. I also take better care of myself when I get sick. Makes a world of difference.

 

[serazin]

I had bacterial pnuemonia about 10 years ago. It was one of the most miserable experiences I've ever had: high fever, incredible headaches, body aches, cough.

The first attempt at antibiotics didn't cure it, so I had to return to my doctor to get a booster shot (in the rump).

I still remember the day-long nap when the fever finally broke, and I woke up in a puddle of sweat.

Glad you're feeling better!

Pretty much my experience with it as well.

Take care!

 

[billswim]

I've had pneumonia three times in my life. Once as a kid and twice as an adult. Each time it was worse. The last time I almost ended up in the hospital. It's very debilitating I remember being really tired all the time and walking across the street took a whole lot of effort. I get shots now each year as once you've gotten it you're more susceptible to it. I feel like such a loser in the room with all the older folks getting their annual shot and I'm a good 30 years younger than they are. Once you've been diagnosed, the treatment usually clears it up fairly quickly but lots of rest is what you need right now. Don't push it cause you feel a little better.

 

[Mistyz]

Keeping up your incentive spirometer exercises is key. Using it CORRECTLY for quality inhalations, not quantity, is also extremely important.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7Q0yqqWpiE

You need different medications based on which kind of bug you have. There are many. Some are more aggressive and recurring than others. Staph, Strep, flu, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas.. Even Herpes and chlamydia can lead to 'walking pneumonia'.

If you are at high risk for pneumonia, ask your doc for a Pneumovax shot. http://www.immunize.org/vis/pneum3.pdf

 

[Rambeezi]

I hope the worse of it has passed as I do feel better today (appetite is back and I have some energy). I will be taking it easy regardless though. Come to think of it there was a couple of times where I contemplated about admitting myself to the hospital (I was feeling that bad) but thinking it was only the flu decided to 'man up' and ride it through. I'm lucky I pulled through. This experience taught me a valuale lesson (my doc lectured me too) as with me being diabetic I need to not take simple illnesses for granted.

 

[wackyiraqi]

I had it this year, from mid February through the end of March. It was a serious bitch.

It took me about 3 solid weeks in bed, pounding nyquil and sleeping 20+ hours a day, to finally get my ass up and go see my doctor.

A chest x-ray, a round of antibiotics and two inhalers later, I felt vaguely human again.

 

[Rambeezi]

3 weeks braddah?? Craaazzzyy! I am still coughing up green pearls like it is going out of style but at least the achiness seems to have susided (without the help of Advil). I'm going get out of bed after watching the races and maybe do some yard work.

 

[Robert R1]

I had it. If a fever lasts more than a couple of days, it's likely pneumonia. Got see a doctor.

 

[Whodat]

I had it a couple of years ago. Fever of 102+ for a week, coughing all the time, felt like there was a feather stuck in my chest that I was trying to hack up.
My doctor was on vacation and two different stand-ins missed it. My doc came back from vacation and wanted to put me in the hospital. I took a butt load (pun intended) of antibiotics and inhalers and it still took a couple of months to recover. And he said I had a mild case.

 

[ScorpioVI]

I had it a couple of years ago. Doctor said, "oh, let's bring your shots up to date". Got a pneumonia vaccine. A couple of days later I was getting flu-like symptoms. No big deal. Just the flu. A couple of days go by, I fell asleep on the recliner watching TV, woke up and realized I couldn't fucking breathe. Felt like I was drowning.

3 days in the hospital and lots of breathing exercises.

 

[engineboy]

I had it once, but since I was already in a coma in the hospital I cant tell you how it felt or if I had a hard time shaking it :teeth:laughing

 

[spddrcr]

since i was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy ive had it every year and twice last year. i actually just got over it again, every time i get a bad cold it ends up that way. I usually just try to get lots of rest in the hopes i stay out of the hospital.:thumbdown

 

[Alan_Hepburn]

Had a good bout of it last year - I was coughing so hard that I ended up collapsing a lung - twice! I ended up in the ER having a tube stuck through my ribs into my chest to inflate the lung. Then I was coughing up blood for about 2 weeks after that.

I had so many X-rays and CT scans over a 5 week period that I thought I was going to start glowing or something. Ended up missing work for about 5 weeks and lost 15 pounds!

 

[thesnaf]

yep. i've been hospitalized for it several times over the course of my life. what can i say, i've got crappy lungs.

it can be as little as nothing for some folks, and it can certainly and has killed many others.

 

[Rambeezi]

Well...I'm 8 days (out of 10) into the antibiotic treatment...which is 400mg Avelox. Also got some cough syrup (w/ codeine ...makes me sleepy though). I'm feeling pretty good now and was also my first day back at work. Still coughing a little (some fluid in my left lung still) but not as bad as before.

Went for a bike ride after work and could only do a couple of miles before I started coughing like crazy again. Yes I know...pretty dumb for pushing it but after 8 days of laying in bed I need to get the old bones working. Getting and feeling better though. Good sign. :cool

 

[Ducky_Fresh]

Yup!

It sucks a cold ballsack.

I found out, at a FUCKING TRACK DAY! I was riding with Mr Crash (aka Mike Solis) and we did one session and I came off super sweaty and tired. And it wasn't really that hot yet, so I went back out and did another session, except by now it was probably 100+ out. As lunch came around, I did one last session and then came in early. We were goin pretty good, but I just felt so shitty like I was going to pass out or make a mistake because my brain wasnt functioning.

I packed up, drove half way home and could barely stay awake. I took a 1 hr nap, drove the rest of the way home. Layed on the couch and sweat it out that night. The next day I went to the ER and they confirmed it.

Pretty fucking nuts, and stupid. Lesson learned for sure. I'm really glad I didn't crash and hurt myself or someone else. I just thought I had a cold.

I think it was the cause of exhaustion. I had moved the two days prior to that and got like 0 sleep, plus it was cold out, so I went to bed all sweaty.

Those little fish balls and the yellow pills = WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!