Recovering from pneumonia

[bertiebassett]

Hi everyone!

I spent the weekend in hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia.

Home now and on two different types of antibiotics and pain killers.

I just wondered if anyone else had had pneumonia and how long it will take to recover?

Some people are saying months (which is freaking me out big time)...

I've had pneumonia twice and it took me a long time to recover the second time. I was off work for about 6 weeks and was taking steroids for about 2 years afterward. I've had lots of chest infections since as well, and am currently recovering from pleurisy.

Hope you're feeling much better now and that your recovery is a quick one.

at least 6 weeks.

I was off work for 8 weeks and it took 4 months to feel vaguely like myself. Sorry. Hope you're on the mend.

3 months , in my experience .

Blimey!

Thanks for your replies...I guess I was hoping for someone to come along and say they were ok in a couple of weeks even though I knew it was impossible

Can I ask what I can do to help the recovery process? Apart from taking all the drugs and getting lots of rest!

It took me about 6 weeks.I was ill with pneumonia in May and am only just properly better now.It was the tiredness.I had a course of acupuncture which helped a lot but when I went on holiday and missed two sessions I was back to square one.Take it easy.

The thing to bear in mind is that you probably feel absolutely rotten just now, but your recovery will pick up gradually from now on esp now you have the antibs etc. The trick is to pace yourself in your recovery phase, so limit the late nights, and rest when you can. Just don't expect too much from yourself for the next couple of months, build up activity levels gradually, and make sure the people around you know so too .....

I had bad pneumonia about 10 years ago, it took ages to feel better, but we moved house just after it (and the 2 youngest DCs had chickenpox). Not to be recommended straight after pneumonia :-). Though for me on the plus side, my new GPs treated my underactive thyroid - eventually - I'd known it was aproblem for a while, but prev GPs wouldn't treat, and I did pick up better after I had thyroxine. Anyway, that'sa side issue for most people, though it has to be said I felt better in general and had fewer infections once i had thyroxine.

Another thing that might help, if you don't get much sun over next few weeks, might be a short holiday somewhere warm and sunny before the winter. Getting away from the dampness and cold can help lungs to heal. Though i have concerns about other people's bugs on flights, and don't think I'd do something like that while in acute phase.

I'll add agreement to what others have said. I had pneumonia in November 2009 and it definitely took 2 months to feel almost back to normal and at least 6 months to be back to better health. I am asthmatic and I reckon it took nearly two years for my asthma sensitivity to calm down following the pneumonia and my lung function has been crap ever since no matter what I take. Sorry if that sounds very gloomy. Be patient and kind to your body. Recovery does happen but it takes time and there may be setbacks. Get well soon. MPD

So sorry to hear you've been poorly.

I had pneumonia a couple of winters ago. I was off work for 7 weeks. I was on various antibiotics over 4+ weeks.Even after I went back to work I wasn't fully back to normal for a while after. My x-rays took a long time to clear entirely. It's now been a couple of years and although all my x-rays are clear and have been for a long time I notice I get out of breath much more than I ever did. I now use an inhaler esp in the winter when it is cold, and also find myself struggling a little bit in "heavy" weather - such as this very hot humid weather.

So do give yourself time to recover fully and don't push yourelf too mcuh for a little while yet.

If you are spending a lot of time lying down or sitting, remember to do gentle leg/ankle exercises to reduce the risk of blood clots developing - or even get some compression stockings. This is especially important if you fly. Also, make sure to drink enough water.

Thanks for the advice everyone

The seriousness of this is starting to sink in now...and to think...on Friday night I wondered if I'd just pulled a muscle...

It took me a little while to let it sink it too bertiebassett. The doctor in the hospital kept trying to tell me it wasn't just pneumonia and that it was serious. I had mine at the time of the whole swine flu thing and everyone had to wear masks just in case - was very surreal (it wasn't swine flu - and as consultant kept saying swine flu wasn't the real issue here anyway, it was the pneumonia!)

It is serious and you are properly poorly. But you will get better. Just give yourself a but of time to do so. And take time over your recover - you'll actually get better quicker the more slowly you take it iyswim.