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Original poster

Pneumonia-anyone ever had it?

140 replies

spacecadet · 04/01/2006 18:32

I became very ill almost overnight with a fever, chills, etc and a hacking cough last thurs, after 24 hours i was feeling worse with an agonising backache, as an ex-nurse i suspected i had pnuemonia but couldnt get an on call gp to come out! eventually one cameon NYD and confirmed it and put me on anti-biotics, i saw my usual gp yesterday who said i def had it and would need to go for a chest x-ray in a week, he told me to go home and rest as much as poss, but i have 4 children, dh only had 3 days off over christmas and went back to work on NYD, so ive been managing on my own, but i feel exhausted, every breath is agony, ive still got a temp etc, has anyone else ever had it? if so , how long was it before you felt better? im not sure why i got it in the first place but i have been very low since losing a baby girl at 23 weeks in oct and picked up several virus;s since then which i found hard to shake off, im guessing that must have lowered my immunity.

OP posts:
charliecat · 04/01/2006 18:36

Can anyone help you? Are you still taking the antibiotics? Currently fighting pleurisy myself at the moment which comes with raging temp, agonising stabbing pain under arm (IN LUNG) weakness, etc spent a good 4 days in bed which has made a rapid improvement on the last time I had it where I kept going and it nearly killed me.
Do as little as possible and if you can get someone to come in and help with the kids.
Get someone else to get them to school etc.
Hope you are feeling better soon and if the pain hasnt gone I would go back for more antibiotics.

charliecat · 04/01/2006 18:37

My mum had what you had BTW when she had 3 kids after her mum had passed away and it took her nearly a year to recover, rest really is best.
Minimise baths, cook as little as possible etc.

compo · 04/01/2006 18:39

My dad had t and carried on as usual and was eventually admitted to hospital with pleurisy where he stayed for 4 weeks. Rest really is vital, is there anyone who could help? Could dh take time off?

Original poster
spacecadet · 04/01/2006 18:43

hi charlicat, yes ive been taking the anti-biotics since NYD, theres no one to help unfortunately as i have no family here,ive had pluerisy in the past too and it was awful. i just feel so exhausted, ive actually found myself wishing id gone to hospital so i would have at least got some rest!

OP posts:
Original poster
spacecadet · 04/01/2006 18:45

dh is leaving his job in 2 weeks to take up a new position in wales so darent take time off just before leaving.

OP posts:
charliecat · 04/01/2006 18:46

No friends or neighbours that would help?
How old are your kids? Can dh not take some time off?
You need to get him to understand how utterly vital it is that you do as little as humanly possible so he s gonna have to get uniforms out, lunchboxes ready etc etc etc because if you do it all yourself you will not get better only worse.
No mumsnetters near you?

MarsLady · 04/01/2006 18:46

spacey, is there anyone nearby who can help?

My best friend has only just recovered from pneumonia and pleurisy. It takes an awful lot out of you.

If you were nearby I'd organise a food rota for you. You need to rest as much as you can. Dont' worry about bathing the children they won't suffer for a little dirt.

Try and see if someone can organise some help for you. You need it babe.

throckenholt · 04/01/2006 18:48

if you end up in hospital DH would have to take time off - maybe he could take a couple of days to give you a chance to recover a bit - at least you could have a day or two of sleep.

mummytosteven · 04/01/2006 18:51

b&gger. last thing you need atm. Sorry to hear this. I imagine that you do need rest and fluids to help you through this. Are you concerned about them holding up DH's pay/his reference if he takes time off?

chatee · 04/01/2006 18:51

i've had both pleurisy and pneumonia and would definetly rest as much as possible-think do you want to be poorly for 2 weeks or 2 months?
as a mum i know how hard it is....speak to school, docs, anyone who could possibly find you some help...
hope you are feeling a little better soon spacecadet xx

desperatehousewife · 04/01/2006 19:14

SC
I've emailed you again!
x

Original poster
spacecadet · 04/01/2006 19:15

mars- im doing as litle as I can get away with.
Mummytosteven-yes I think dh is worried about getting poor ref, also he seems to think pnuemonia is not at all serious

OP posts:
Original poster
spacecadet · 04/01/2006 19:28

dh has just come in from work and when i said, i need more rest, he said"have an early night then"

OP posts:
lalaa · 04/01/2006 19:40

this does sound awful - sorry it's happening to you. i think your dh needs a get a grip - pneumonia is bloody serious and you need your rest to get better. if he went into work and told them you've got it and that he has to take time off to give you an opportunity to recover, i can't imagine that they would say no. they'd be ill-advised to give him a poor reference on that basis, and could be legally challenged if they did so.
can you find factual web information (maybe through nhsdirect.nhs.uk) about what your illness is all about and show your dh?

expatinscotland · 04/01/2006 19:46

yes. i had it in both lungs as a complication of flu. it SUX!

take it easy for a long, long time. i relapsed b/c when i got it i was very, very fit and the second i felt even slightly better i was off like a shot.

wound up being ill for longer than necessary.

tbh it was about 3 full months before i felt entirely better.

Original poster
spacecadet · 04/01/2006 20:30

expat-both lungs how awful, and 3 months recovery time , oh god! I havent got time to be ill.
i will bring up a factual site on google regarding pnuemonia and leave it in dh's line of vision.
tbh though, he is a workaholic and doesnt beleive he should take time off no matter how ill i am, last summer i had a violent sickness bug and he still went to work, despite the fact that i had 3 of the children, throwing up every 5 mins and i was too weak to get out of bed!

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expatinscotland · 04/01/2006 20:36

i tried to go back full strength too soon and that's why i was ill so long. also, full strength for me meant long slogs up 14,000 foot peaks, 400m crack climbs, and 6 week long treks in far-flung locations.

BUT, your DH needs to take this seriously.

if he's a workaholic, i suggest your doctor have a word w/him.

pneumonia isn't something you want to mess around with.

Original poster
spacecadet · 04/01/2006 20:45

ok, full strength for me would be walking ds to school!
i doubt dh will take time off but i will just have to do as little as poss and see if i can get someone to take ds to and from school, i guess that will help.

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PrincessPeaHead · 04/01/2006 21:00

spacecadet, I know a 34 yr old mother who died from complications arising from pneumonia (turned into pleurisy, both lungs collapsed, they couldn't find a compatible heart/lung to do a transplant in time). Her 8mth old dd and her dh had chesty coughs etc at the time and she was running around looking after them both. Pneumonia is VERY SERIOUS.

Tomorrow, do not get out of bed, tell your dh you are not capable of getting out of bed, that he has to phone work, take the next 2 days off (at LEAST) and take over completely. Spend the next four days IN YOUR PYJAMAS (people including your dh will assume you are better if you get dressed) and stay in your bed, on your sofa or slowly pottering around the house.
It is your dh's job to look after the children and make sure you have enough to eat and drink. It is your job to get better!

My DH has had pneumonia 3 times in the last 4 years, it is a SERIOUS illness. This latest time he took 10 days off work and stayed in bed throughout which told me how awful he felt, he normally can't stay in bed for a nanosecond.

Good luck! And PLEASE take it seriously?

PrincessPeaHead · 04/01/2006 21:03

I'm saying don't give your DH a choice. He is a fuckwit if he thinks you can look after 4 children with pneumonia. If he phones work and says "my wife has pneumonia" they will tell him not to come back until you are OK. It is HIS problem, not work's, don't give him ANY excuse to go to work tomorrow!

Original poster
spacecadet · 04/01/2006 21:04

blimey that has scared me pph, i just read it out to dh and he said ok, i will take tomorrow off work, you can stay in bed, we will see what happens after tomorrow,, your poor dh getting pnuemonia so many times

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Aloha · 04/01/2006 21:07

PPH is right. People die of this. Your dh is mad. he's leaving. he has got another job. if he can't take time off NOW when can he? Does he REALLY honestly think his employers would be so spiteful as to give him a bad reference for taking three days off to nurse his wife through pneumonia? Or that his new employers would agree that this was so unreasonable that they would withdraw his job offer? And ffs they would have got references much earlier in the process anyway. It's an excuse. You need to stay in bed and make it clear he has no choice.

notasheep · 04/01/2006 21:08

My brother had it and he died

Aloha · 04/01/2006 21:09

Also, if you aren't better, don't be brave and let him go back! If he wants to go to work, you have to hire a nanny to look after the kids.

PrincessPeaHead · 04/01/2006 21:11

Oh notasheep I'm so sorry. I'm terrified that pneumonia will get my dh in the end too.

Spacey well done for reading it to your dh, hope you read him the bit that says "your dh is a fuckwit" as well!!!!! (I'm not usually one to call dh's names but I felt this called for it )

Aloha is completely right, I'd say it was the perfect time for him to take a week off work!

Off to bed now, shoo, shoo!