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General health

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Original poster

Dh is in hospital but noone knows what is wrong with him, I'm worried.

44 replies

cupofteaplease · 12/12/2010 00:08

Dh had a chest infection 3 weeks ago. He had antibiotics but they didn't work. Last weekend he woke up unable to breathe without pain and coughing constantly. The emergency gp suspected pnuemonia and sent him to a&e, but the chest xray and bloods came back clear so they sent him home with stronger antibiotics and an inhaler.

During the week, he has been in more pain, sweating buckets one minute then chilly the next, painful coughing etc. He has no energy or appitite and weight is just falling off him.

This morning he collapsed with exhaustion after climbing the stairs so I called out of hours gp again. He suspected blood clot in lung after his blood oxygen was low and his pulse was high, so sent him to a&e. This time at a&e they were much more concerned as he is getting worse despite 2 courses of antibiotics. However, today's xray also came back clear. As yet, the blood results are not back, but doctor there didn't suspect clot as his temp was too high. He has been on a drip to try and reduce his fever, but that was still sky high when I left him.

What on earth is wrong with my dh, I have never seen him so ill

OP posts:

ChippingIn · 12/12/2010 20:49

I hope they get it sorted very quickly - check that that the night shift has your home and mobile number, tell them you want to be called if anything changes.

Then try to get some sleep - you are going to need to be in top form to look after yourself, DH & the kids.

dikkertjedap · 12/12/2010 21:15

I know this may sound silly and I suppose the hospital would have checked any way, but could it be H1N1? When DH had it last Summer, he had extremely high fever, breathing difficulties, blinding most awful headache imaginable, muscle aches - only once he received tamiflu his temperature started coming down.
Hope he gets better soon and hope you manage to get a little rest tonight yourself as well.

ChippingIn · 12/12/2010 21:26

It is never silly to ask about anything it could be and it is apparently back again this year :(

mumbar · 12/12/2010 21:44

No constructive advice I'm afraid but wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you and DH.

Hope he's feeling better soon and you get some answers tomorrow.

giraffesCantDanceOnAllThisSnow · 13/12/2010 01:11

d-dimer to do with blood clotting factor, it wasthat they were testing me for when I had chest pain and breating trouble

PenguinFeet1 · 13/12/2010 01:28

You won't get much in the way of answers over a weekend but phone the ward in the morning and tell them you're coming in early so you can be there for the morning ward round. I would expect the senior doctors to do a 'post take' ward round early - where they review all emergency patients admitted over the weekend. You can ask questions and get some answers.

oxcat1 · 13/12/2010 12:26

Thinking of you both.

I am currently in hospital myself awaiting surgery to fix a collapsed lung (despite being neither male nor tall, although quite thin and I like to think young-enough!). I have to say that it really hurt when it collapsed - although I'm not sure that all do, and it certainly should show on x-ray, and even better on a scan.

I can also say that the respiratory wards are full of people with swine-flu, so that increase is genuine and not just media scare-mongering. I think you'd expect any infection, even viral, to show on blood tests though.

Keep us updated, and sending healing thoughts.

Original poster

cupofteaplease · 13/12/2010 13:20

Oh oxcat you poor thing :-( I'm so sorry to hear you are poorly. Hospital is a pretty miserable place to be!

Today, doctors have mentioned the lubricant lining his lungs not being sufficient or something? That is what's causing the pain. They still want to scan him, but won't do it until tomorrow. So it's another day here for dh. He's bored now, which is probably a sure sign that he's getting better!

OP posts:

verytellytubby · 13/12/2010 13:23

Your poor DH. I hope he starts to recover soon.

oxcat1 · 14/12/2010 13:29

Thank you, CupofTea. Sweet of you to think of me with so much else going on in your life at the moment.

How is your DH? Did the scan show up anything useful? I'm afraid that I've never heard of this lack of lubricant - how do they treat it?

Thinking of you both. X

Original poster

cupofteaplease · 14/12/2010 19:21

Hi,

Well dh is still in hospital and still hasn't had his scan. Apparently one of the two scanners has broken and they have been inundated with emergency cases, whereas dh is stable.

I went to the doctor myself today as I feel wretched- achey everywhere, cold, fever, sore throat, cough, pains in my back... I could go on. The doctor was concerned as I have obviously spent a good deal of time on the respitory ward, so has prescribed me with co-amociclav antibiotics and signed me off work for the rest of the week (I am a teacher), as they have no idea if I have caught something from dh, and they don't know what he has. It's going on and on!

When I picked dd up from nursery they had just taken her temperature as she seemed unwell and that was 39 degrees. What the hell is wrong with my family, it's falling apart!!!

OP posts:

oxcat1 · 14/12/2010 21:48

Oh Cup! So sorry! It never rains but it pours, eh. Hopefully you will soon be getting some answers. Might be worth mentioning to the drs that you and dd are also unwell, as that could add weight to the suggestion that it's an infection of some sort. Perhaps see if you could make an appointment to see the drs with your husband (now you're off work!), either during general ward rounds or at some other time, to try and get up to speed with their thoughts etc etc?

Get well soon!
Xx

KatyMac · 14/12/2010 21:53

co-amoxiclav is good stuff it should sort you out

Scruffyhound · 15/12/2010 17:02

Hello cupofteaplease Im sorry to hear your DH is ill. I take it with the antibiotics they have done a culture and sensitivity test? This is a test that can be performed on the sputum coughed up. Sounds gross I know! This should be cultured in the lab and grown up on a plate. Once its pure they then put it onto a agar plate and place discs onto the agar plate that contain antibiotics if the bacteria is resitant then that antibiotic should not be used. If there is a clear ring around it this indicates a antibiotic that could work. Its just an idea ask if the test has been done. I belive a D Dimer test is something that can be present in the blood if a clot has been present? I did work in blood sciences for a bit but not in that dept hope this helps? Good luck

oxcat1 · 16/12/2010 21:13

Any news Cup? Been thinking of you both.

Geepers · 18/12/2010 11:41

Bumping

AnnOnimous · 18/12/2010 15:29

Thinking of you all too, hope things are improving

Original poster

cupofteaplease · 19/12/2010 10:35

Hi all,

Sorry to leave this without an answer for so long.

Dh was discharged from hospital on Thursday aftrnoon. His scan showed no lung clot, happily, but just showed that his lungs were inflamed. So the doctor just assumed that he'd had a stubborn infection. He has been resting lots and staying in the warm, so his energy levels are back up, even though the cough looks to be here to stay!

I am feeling like a different person. These co-amoxiclav are the tablets of the gods! I can't believe how ill I felt just 5 days ago.

Thanks so much for your messages and concern. I really needed MN last week as I felt so lonely and stressed.

Merry Christmas everyone

OP posts:

AnnOnimous · 19/12/2010 13:18

So glad to hear you are all on the mend, take care and have a merry christmas.

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