Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

How would I feel with pneumonia?

20 replies

mandmsmummy · 26/09/2013 12:57

Without a cough?

I've been ill for four weeks, bloods fine, chest x ray suggests possible infection, I ache all around top half and feel tired.
I also have an inflammatory arthritis and wondering if it's that, everything I've read about it affecting the lungs isn't good so I could do with some advice x

OP posts:

Shosha1 · 26/09/2013 13:00

I coughed continually. Found it hard to catch my breath ( bear they'd shallowly )

I had had swine flu. Once the virus was gone I was left with post viral exhaustion.

Dr left telling me my chest was clear.

4 weeks later collapsed and was blue lighted into ICU

I also have Lupus which made it worse.

mistlethrush · 26/09/2013 13:03

When I had pneumonia I was in tears at the thought of having to cope with DS at home for the day (snow day). I rang my parents (200 miles away) because I felt so awful. They rang my husband at his contract in another part of the country, and he got a friend to come and pick DS up and came home himself.

I could get downstairs (only because I needed to for DS). I could make myself a pot of tea, and that was about as far as it got.

DS got himself breakfast (was 6 at the time), DS got himself stuff together to take with him for the day (spare clothes, coat). I think I didn't move off the sofa for 14 hrs that day.

callamia · 26/09/2013 13:06

When I had pneumonia, I could barely make it to the doctors' surgery to be seen. I have never felt exhaustion like it.

I'm also asthmatic, so I wheezed and was very short of breath, but this was far worse than a regular chest infection. I just didn't have any energy at all.

Original poster

mandmsmummy · 26/09/2013 13:06

The first weekend I had no energy, didn't get out of bed. Now I'm just shattered, struggling through the every day things.
Two docs say my chest is clear, fobbing me off with more anti bs.
Fed up x

OP posts:

Owllady · 26/09/2013 13:14

like everyone else said, you can barely do anything. Walking upstairs is a major task :(

I don't think i coughed with it tbh, I just couldn't breath and my whole chest felt heavy

Candlefire · 26/09/2013 14:39

No cough but pain in my breast bone, would sleep all night then wake up exhausted. Could have slept for ever.......

hellsbells99 · 26/09/2013 14:45

I kept being sick and coughing and was incapable of driving to the doctors. I also couldn't sit up because of the pain

magso · 26/09/2013 15:45

There are different types of pneumonia. I had an inflammatory type ( not an infection) and didn't have much of a cough, but was very breathless and barely able to walk or talk. I got sicker and sicker over weeks until someone checked my blood oxygen, which was critically low, and I was sent to hospital. I had chest pain, headaches and felt awful.

tywysogesgymraeg · 26/09/2013 15:47

I had pneumonia when I was about 10 or 11. I was delirious for quite a while. Very high temperature, listless, no energey for a long time afterwards

Original poster

mandmsmummy · 26/09/2013 19:08

Magso
What's the different with an imflammatory one? Reason I ask is I've felt unwell for about 3-4 weeks no energy, tired, pain around my front and back and feeling restricted around my chest. I did the breath thing and it was crap. My oxygen level is 98 so that's ok. But I'm worried I'm going to be rushed to hospital as I'm getting no relief from it. X

OP posts:

magso · 26/09/2013 22:42

I did not have a temperature, but felt awful. Also my chest sounded clear to the GPs in the weeks of getting iller -although once in hospital all the drs there could hear whatever it is they listen (crackles?) for when checking breath sounds for fluid. Your O2 sats of 98% sounds excellent, so hopefully my experience is dissimilar (mine was 80 something)! I was treated with high dose steroids and oxygen. I did feel better on oxygen - the headache especially improved. It was rather a shock to be admitted and kept in after my symptoms had been dismissed several times in the weeks leading up to admission! It seemed very odd to go from struggling but carrying on as best I could ( because GP thought nothing was wrong and as a Mum you have to) to being wheeled around with an oxygen bottle and treated like a delicate creature for all the tests. I don't think it is very common, and used to be called pneumonitis rather than pneumonia I think (I am an allergic type and also asthmatic!) It was a relief for drs to finally find something was wrong as I knew I was going downhill.
What breath thing' do you mean? Was it a peak flow test or have you done lung function tests?

What does the dr think is the trouble?

Hope you get sorted out and you feel better soon.

Original poster

mandmsmummy · 26/09/2013 22:56

Yes the peak flow test.
Gp not sure if it's pneumonia or arthritis so I'm on my fifth lot of anti bs in four weeks :-( x

OP posts:

mistlethrush · 27/09/2013 09:32

Peak flow test is not reliable for me as I sing - so a poor peak flow for me is normal for a lot of people...

bruffin · 27/09/2013 09:53

DS had walking pneumonia when he was 13 and only symptom was a high temperature which bought on a febrile convulsion, and a stomach ache. Because he was taken to hospital for the fc he was x rayed and had a shadow on his lung. He never had a cough but it took him a good 6 weeks to get over it. He was cold all the time and was wearing hoodies on really hot days and completely exhausted.

digerd · 27/09/2013 15:31

magso
What are lung function tests?

morethanpotatoprints · 27/09/2013 15:39

I had it at 16 and also had asthma. Was blue lighted in and was on oxygen for 2 weeks. I was in hospital for 6 all together as abs were very slow to take hold and at one point were drip. I too had shadow on the lung.
They said it was worse as I had carried on as best I could as was playing in an orchestra pit for a show. The last night as the curtain fell, I collapsed. A real drama for the theatre staff and my colleagues
It is horrible and can take months to recover fully.
Give yourself plenty of time and even when better with the all clear you will be exhausted and struggle. Take lots of fluids and rest when you can is my advice, conserve energy for when you need it.
I hope you are feeling an improvement soon

Original poster

mandmsmummy · 27/09/2013 16:13

Thanks all, really good to read all these posts.
Seen a rheumatologist today who says I have ankylosing spondylitis which can sometimes have similar symptoms to pneumonia anyway. I knew I had an inflammatory arthritis x

OP posts:

Madondogs · 27/09/2013 19:17

I had it 4 years ago and was very ill indeed. I caught it as a complication of flu, and I honestly thought I was going to die.
I was I'll over Christmas and tried to avoid hospitalisation . By the time I was hospitalised I needed nearly a litre of fluid to be aspirated from my lung ( seriously the worse thing I have ever gone through ) my sats were low and my CRP ( a marker for infection) was over 500
I was hospitalised for 4 weeks, narrowly avoiding an ITU admission.
I was off work for 5 months and it took me another few months before I felt completely well... Although my lung function in the affected lung is not 100%
As well as the physical illness I felt quite traumatised that as a fit relatively young woman I could become so ill so quickly.
They were querying lung cancer at one point because of my symptoms and I had to wait for the histology of the pleural effusion before I knew I was ok. It took me a while to get over the shock of the illness IYSWIM. Sorry to hijack the thread... It's been a bit like on the psychiatrists couch ! if you are in an at risk group PLEASE have your Flu jab .

Original poster

mandmsmummy · 27/09/2013 19:45

Sounds dreadful
Are imflammatory arthritis sufferers in the risk group for the flu jab? X

OP posts:

magso · 27/09/2013 22:21

Good you've seen the rheumatologist and have the beginnings of a diagnosis, and hopefully a treatment plan. Hope you are soon feeling better mandmsmummy.

I don't know about the flu vac, asthmatics get it and most people with chronic conditions. As you are newly diagnosed you may need to ask as you may not be on the GPs little list ( I assume they have a list - I just got my flu letter.

Lung function tests check lung volume and all sorts of other parameters including peak flow.

Madondogs I had a similar experience, but didn't start with flu. It is pretty shocking to go from fit and healthy to dangerously ill. Hope you are doing well now.

Flip