To panic

[Bunraku]

I know I was recently here whining about my sons hand foot and mouth, but just as the blisters start to disappear and it eases off he is coughing,rattling and constipated. He in himself is fine chattering and alert but he's not interested in playing he wants to sit and watch the tv. He is still eating and drinking normally for him.

For those of you that remember, DS was in hospital a couple of weeks ago with this bloody pneumonia.

I don't know if these are normal symptoms of the HF&M or if the bloody pneumonia is on it's way again. Can you get it more than once?

I'm terrified of hospitals and our time there was horrific and I'm scared and panicking that the pneumonia is coming again because he was so poorly last time. I will obviously head to the gp first thing tomorrow but I don't want to be turned away and told am wasting their time so I was hoping someone here could let me know if it is possible for the gp to prevent pneumonia developing further or am I going to have to go through this horror again :(

Are you in the UK OP? Have you called NHS direct?

There's a lot of nasty bugs around at the moment, it could even been a viral one picked up but only the doctor can say for sure. I'm sorry OP, if you're really worried I'd called NHS direct or an out of hours for advice.

Do you give him any immune boosters? Echinachea?

Whenever I ring NHS direct they just send me to my gp anyway but since he is still fairly well in himself I think the gp is going to laugh at me and send me away. I just want to know if there is anything I can do to stop pneumonia developing as this is exactly how it began last time :(

No there is nothing you can do to stop pneumonia developing beyond the obvious stuff such as keeping warm and eating well. I think it makes sense to take him to the gp again tomorrow. I don't think you are over reacting at all. I hope he is okay and it is just a bug.

I remember your ds having pneumonia as mine had it in May. My ds had a rattly wet cough for weeks afterwards, & when he went back for his check up at the hospital 8 weeks post pneumonia the paediatrician said he had bronchitis and gave him a ten day course of antibiotics. She said it wasn't uncommon to get that after pneumonia and the clue was that it was a persistent wet cough that wasn't productive. The antibiotics did the trick.

Thank you again :) I'll head to the gp tomorrow and see what he thinks.

pudseypie sounds like a very similar cough to what you are describing, it has just reared up yesterday though just as he seemed clear from pneumonia and hand foot & mouth bless him he is constantly ill. :( hopefully the GP can have a listen and help him out though

Hope the gp can sort it out but don't take their word for it if you are still unhappy. I only say this as I saw 2 different gp's three times in 2 days when my ds had pneumonia and neither of them thought he had anything other than a general virus. Only the hospital diagnosed it. I dont trust gp's!! Have you got a check up at the hospital to check the pneumonia is cleared from his lungs? My ds had an x ray 8 weeks after to check all was cleared up and an examination with the paediatrician.

They haven't offered a follow up at the hospital and my gp is has just sent me away with "most likely a virus" refusing to take his recent history into account so I'm seeing a different gp tomorrow who I know is good but is never in on mondays. just to be sure. Probably wasting his time but I don't want the risk again. Luckily DS doesn't seem to be getting any worse and he is still his cheeky self. :)

Glad you got another appt. Can't believe the hospital aren't doing a follow up check up. Good luck tomorrow and let us know how you get on