Please help with chest infection / pneumonia

[bobstersmum]

Sorry for posting here. I started feeling suddenly unwell on Tuesday with aches and high fever and a cough. I took regular paracetamol and ibuprofen but by Thurs it wasn't helping, my doctors was closed so I rang 111. My temperature was hovering around 40 even with the meds and my heart rate was over 100 at rest. They told me to go to my gp in the morning! Well the next day I rang the surgery and relayed all this but they couldn't fit me in. The receptionist told me to keep on with the painkillers. I was too exhausted to argue as I have three young dc to look after and dh works long hours. I had started having uncontrollable shaking /shivery episodes that were really frightening. Anyway I went to bed last night feeling awful and woke up at 4am I felt like I was on fire and like I'd been hit by a bus. I found the thermometer and my temp was 42.2. I was really worried so I tried to cool down and rang 111 first thing. After an hour on the phone they gave me an appointment. The doctor checked me over and said it sounded like my chest was getting infected but also both of my ears look infected as were full of fluid. He gave me amoxicillin 500 to take three times a day for 5 days. I was relieved that there was an apparent cause but I really have not felt this ill for a long long time. Would I feel so bad with such a high temperature with a chest or ear infection? Or is it more likely pneumonia? I coughed up some horrible green stuff earlier. I'm just so tired and worried.

Can you get yourself to your nearest walk in centre , a chest infection can make you feel very ill , i recently had one and i couldn't get out of bed felt dire and needed two lots of antibiotics to knock it on the head. That is a high temp and if you are struggling to get it down i would get yourself checked out again even if it just puts your mind at rest but it wouldn't hurt .Good luck .

Pneumonia is a type of chest infection - most often cause by bacteria, so may well be what you have if you have been given antibiotics. Yes, you can feel that bad with a chest infection and have very high temp, and can take a while to get over. Hope you’re on the mend soon.

I’ve had pnunemonia twice it completely derails you. Last time I had it I was so ill it was nearly two weeks until I had the energy to sort out seeing a doctor. I had a really bad case of it. My doctor took one look at me and said ‘God you’re really poorly aren’t you?’ It needs to be confirmed by X-ray. Amoxicillin is rubbish for pnunemonia. I’d get yourself to a walk in centre or out of hours docs to arrange the X-ray. I had community acquired pnunemonia and pleurisy. It hurt and I felt like I was dying. I was off work for 10 weeks in the end. You need to push if you think you need more help! Get well soon!

Thanks for the replies, I was only seen this morning at the out of hours so I don't really want to trail back there, surprisingly 111 didn't seem like they were even going to give me an appointment! I will see if the antibiotics pick me up in the next two days and then I will go and see my gp if not. I was just worried as I feel so ill, it's starting to cloud my judgement!

I was given Co-amoxiclav for a nasty bout of bronchitis last year. They were the size of small bullets but amazingly effective. My gp said it's much more effective than amoxicillin on its own for serious infections.
Don't mess about with chest infections. If you're not happy then you must get further help. Hope you feel better soon.

Hope the antibiotics sort it out soon! Don't hesitate to ring 111 or even ask for a call back from your regular GP if you're feeling like it's more than just a chest infection or that something doesn't feel quite right. Also make sure you know the signs of sepsis just in case. Hope you feel better soon!

What’s your respiratory rate op? If you don’t feel any better go to a walk in centre tomorrow. Pneumonia can develop v quickly

I agree with Deadbudgie op reason i was thinking along lines of get re checked is my son was told by out hr's dr he had chest infection.It wasn't it was pneumonia and it put him in hospital for nearly a week .
So i am probably over cautious now but keep an eye if you are getting worse definately get re checked.

Pneumonia is a type of chest infection.
It's not one or the other.
Your antibiotics are unlikely to have made a big difference if you only started them today but if you're feeling unwell and worried you could always contact 111 again.

Argh OP I'm literally in the same boat! Currently curled up on the sofa coughing up horrid green sputum with a right rattle in my chest as well. I've coughed so much my head feels like it will explode and I'm drained. Haven't eaten in days either. I'm also on amoxicillin three times a day, have been for 3 days but it isn't shifting at all.
You have my sympathy

Pneumonia is inflammation in your lungs.

Your GP has prescribed a broad spectrum antibiotic.

The green stuff is just phlegm.

You probably have a chest infection that is receiving treatment via the antibiotics.

Rest, fluids and you’ll soon feel better.

You have my deepest sympathies. We (3 adults) had chest infections over xmas. We had five lots of antibiotics (3 mine) 3 e xrays (2 mine), one inhaler and two doses of steroids (both mine).

The virus which started it all was a bugger. I ended up with pneumonia, but I have underlying medical issues which make pneumonia more likely.

Keep an eye on your temperature but also watch out for breathing difficulties when you are not active (by which I mean, if you are not walking upstairs, but still feel breathless). Blue lips are also a danger signal.

I find sleeping (badly) sitting up is preferable to lying down.

My respiratory rate is currently around 16 so in the safe zone I think?
I have tried not to check my temperature so much today but just taken it now and it's 38.5 which is better than it has been by a mile, and I am due painkillers. It seems to be night time that it goes badly wrong, the shivers start and then I try to get comfortable and my temp shoots up even more! I haven't been sleeping very well due to my very fast heart rate, although I've been exhausted it's been very difficult to fall asleep. I will watch out for things going worse and I will get seen again. Thank you for the responses, really hoping for a good night tonight.

You need to give antibiotics a few days to kick in but bed rest is very important. I had bronchitis in Feb, high temp, chest hurt, cough, sore throat and i am asthmatic. I was told two weeks bed rest. Honesty i slept in day sitting up for 40 mins at a time.

If your respiratory rate is 16 it’s unlikely to be bad all three people I’ve known with pneumonia have had v high respiratory rates over 70 for the baby and in the 40s for adults, it’s this that seems to have caused the most concern and been the indicator to medical professionals. - all have been as double pneumonia though.

Bianca I hope you are better soon as well!

That's good to know deadbudgie. Hoping it's nothing too nasty then.

@bobstersmum.. sorry you're feeling so poorly. My DH had pleurisy caused by being totally run down from a physical job. He'd been coughing for weeks and i felt so guilty as I said he'd be ok then he suddenly developed pain in his shoulder. We made it to the GP surgery and they didn't have a clue what it was and just left him for ages in agony. Eventually they twigged it was urgent and he was rushed to hosp in an ambulance. It was pleurisy which thankfully responded to anti-biotics. He was then ignored again in A&E when he was shouting in pain. Eventually he was given morphine. He was v lucky to have survived it tbh. He has now been made medically redundant and I would love to put the blame on the surgery and A&E but how long would that take? I have no faith in them any more. Don't let them fob you off like they did us. Hope you feel better soon.

But would reiterate how quickly you can move from one to another. There were three days between DH being checked. First time his lungs sounds clear, second he had double pneumonia covering a large percentage of both lungs, immediately hospitalised very ill

@Deadbudgie.. absolutely agreed. DH thought it was muscle pain from his job but it was so sudden and the docs put him at greater risk by leaving him for so long although I asked them to get help urgently. I had no idea what it was and the doc we saw thought it was gallstones..unbelievable
Hope your DH recovered now

Boosey think he will always have weak lungs now. Hope your DH is better

I had a reasonable night and my temp settled down during the night and I felt a lot better, so didn't take any extra painkillers during the night. But then woke up this morning feeling absolutely terrible and temp was up at 41. I've had paracetamol and ibuprofen and it's now around 39. I feel so crappy I was really hoping to perk up today.

Have you been coughing up sputum still? Mines sort of turned hard so in coughing up chunks which is making me vomit

Deadbudgie.. thank you. He sounds the same as mine with weak lungs. We dread all cold viruses now as we stress that it will turn into pneumonia again. DH went on to get costachondritis which is inflammation of the ribcage and now he'll never be able to do a physical job again. We only have my crappy £6k to live on. The doc said it's likely caused by his job and being pushed too far. So his employee is to blame. The doc said there's not much point trying to get justice as it would take years and to take the pay out and run. They knew they were to blame.

bobstersmum.. That sounds like a persistent virus you've got. Sorry did you say you have you been given antibiotics?

Chest infections can knock you for six and make you feel like death even if they don't turn into pneumonia

But if your symptoms don't improve or you feel worse, go straight back.