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Original poster

Pneumonia - recovery time?

54 replies

WutheringFrights · 04/03/2016 23:00

I am so unbelievably bloody fed up with it now!
I was admitted to hospital five weeks ago, I've had three weeks off work and then two weeks of managing a few hours and then 'taking to my bed'.
I feel fine and then all of a sudden feel totally wiped out.
Please can you all tell me I will be better soon, I am being a rubbish mum, rubbish wife, rubbish employee and a rubbish friend I just feel like I'm letting everyone down.
Added to which I keep thinking I'm going to die because my gp thought originally it was a blood clot and scared the living whatsit out if me - I think it's still at the back of my mind.
Sorry I appear to be wallowing...I'm just so bloody frustrated!

OP posts:
Original poster
WutheringFrights · 06/03/2016 11:56

You are expecting too much I'm afraid maybe.
I only know that because I'm a couple if weeks further along the recovery and still feeling awful.
Can you have a phone consult with your Dr just to talk through your symptoms. I spoke to my GP on Friday and he reassured me. I have a blood pressure / heartrate monitor at home now (a bargain from asda at £7.50) and it is calming me down.
When I was admitted to hospital my pulse was 140 and my bp 85/60 and my temp 40. Everyone of those stats is now normal....(although I'm still panicking about the chest pain though!)
It's really weird that my asthma hasn't been affected at all, I havent coughed at all throughout the whole illness.
Strange how the same infection can have totally different symptoms on different people.

OP posts:
Original poster
WutheringFrights · 06/03/2016 11:59

Thank you Hula I have a chest xray booked for tomorrow so I am hoping that I get the all clear.
However, I am fairly sure I won't, as the pain is still there, but at least I'll know either way as I feel like I'm in limbo at the moment.
How can I be getting better if I might still be ill..if that makes any sense?!

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Clarella · 06/03/2016 14:40

In crap at pacing - but had to learn:

Pacing is having a rest BEFORE you need it.

If it's a full morning, day or just 20 mins. Or a week! If you're doing things and then finding the next day is a wipe out, you're not pacing effectively. Note to self

But, slowly, you find stamina increases.

Maybeoneday123 · 06/03/2016 15:46

Wuthering is it the pain and tiredness ur suffering with im not so tired today but. Still breathless but its like a gasping for air type breathless so im wondering if its more anxiety now but saying that im ok sitting relaxed i also have terrible stomach bloating and blocked nose so all aren't realy helping did anyone else's stomach go bad doc said its probs the steroids i was on and antibiotics i suffer with stomach problems anyway

Original poster
WutheringFrights · 06/03/2016 17:59

Chest pain and tiredness unfortunately, I got out of bed for an hour, played with DD and have come back to bed.
I wasn't like this a week ago, I had much more energy! In fact this time last week I did a two mile walk with the kids on my own, today I can't even be in the same room with them as I'm exhausted by the clambering and cuddles (which is pretty shit on mother's day!)
I don't have breathlessness but as I said upthread my asthma fortunately hasn't been affected.
I'd give your gp a call in the morning to ask if these are expected symptoms during recovery.

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Maybeoneday123 · 06/03/2016 19:52

I will im sorry you been in bed all day its scary isnt it i rang my dad and he understands i cant be there so thats relief im in bed now watching tv cxx hope you feel better tomorrow the respitary doc at hospital was lovely and she said to ring her if i have any problems sought give her a ring xxxxx

Maybeoneday123 · 07/03/2016 20:35

wuthering how did you get on today having xray?

Original poster
WutheringFrights · 07/03/2016 21:30

Xray was fine although my gp won't get the report for another fortnight!

I however, am not so fine.
Ended up in a&e last night having had what I thought was working towards a heart attack.
I had very high bp, high heartrate, severe chest pains, numbness down my whole left hand side, dizziness....they did blood tests and egc and pretty much concluded I was causing it myself...which the lovely Dr explained very nicely Grin
My anxiety has totally got the better of me, and I feel ridiculous.
Am home, in bed, trying to chill out to airy fairy music...which is easier now the children are asleep!
How are you doing today?

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Maybeoneday123 · 07/03/2016 21:53

oh no im glad everything was ok but i get what your going through my anxiety has gone through the roof also . im finding myself being aware of my breathing and then over breathing then i feel suffocated grrrrr im not so tired today and legs not so wobbly but did cry again this morning it just comes bloody weirdo lol im seeing doctor tomorrow so see what he has to say, im due a xray 25th march. hopefully we will get there soon . xxxxxxx

Justers · 07/03/2016 22:15

Hi there, I had pneumonia at the start of January, ended up in hospital on iv antibiotics. I have never felt so unwell, ended up with pericarditis as well. So I'm a bit further down the road to recovery than you both. All I can say is be patient! I was off work for 7 weeks, chest pain and fatigue gradually improved. I went back full time thinking I'd manage but went back to gp and got my hours amended so now I'm just into work in the morning for a couple of weeks and this is working out better. Fatigue is still a huge issue, just hits you suddenly and feels like hangover from hell! I'm hoping this gets better soon- it's so frustrating!
So look after yourselves ladies and don't get upset over recovery time, just take things easy and you'll have good and bad days, but eventually there will be more good ones! Xx

Original poster
WutheringFrights · 08/03/2016 00:19

Thank you Justers I was admitted for a few days and attached to a drip, it's not fun is it!?
I am really bad at taking my own advice (and other peoples obviously) as I keep thinking I'm feeling better, overdoing it and then ruining all chances of recovery.

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Maybeoneday123 · 08/03/2016 19:05

How are you feeling today wuthering ? I'm not as tired but i have gastritis i think im riddles with bloating and pain in shoulder chest and where ive been gasping for air my neck hurts i think its gastritis lol ive had it before im think all them antibiotics and steroids mucked stomach up i tried toe toon it to doc today but he said id have to go back another time as he was just interested in my pneumonia and said he was behind tut tut

maggiso · 08/03/2016 20:56

I had pneumonia (technically a pneumonitis with lots of other vital systems going AWOL) a few years back, ( oxygen dependent for fortnight)) and found the recovery once I eventually got home, very frustrating, because I was so weak. I kept fainting when I stood up or tried to run (I have a disabled child who needs energetic parenting and I just kept forgetting that i could not move fast) but found it most helpful to be told by the specialist that it would take at least a year to get fully back to normal. Then I could relax and stop trying to speed up my recovery.
It's really important to listen to your body and pace carefully. It's hard for others to understands that.
I saw arespiratory physiotherapist and she started me going for little mini walks, and I mean mini- very slowly walking a few meters, and gradually building to a little further.. I also had to do some deep breathing before attempting to move, and learn to 'huff' to clear my soggy lung.
Try to take it steady, do a little and rest. build up slowly.

Justers · 09/03/2016 13:59

That's very interesting Maggio regarding recovery time. I think that's the key-not getting frustrated with yourself and putting pressure on to get better quickly.

Maybeoneday123 · 09/03/2016 20:11

wuthering i do hope you are ok as youve not messaged on here xx

Maybeoneday123 · 10/03/2016 11:28
  1. Weeks today. Since leaving hospital and feel rubbish trying to do housework is a task im getting out of breath but not sure if its cos im tired or asthma im ok resting surely i should be able to do more than this my docs do t realy tell me anything
maggiso · 11/03/2016 00:01

3 weeks is still very early days Maybe. Lungs gets inflamed and very inefficient during pneumonia, and until that repairs and then settles down, ( which I guess is likely to be slower in an asthmatic anyway) It will take a while to get back to your usual energetic level. I was also told that for every day you need in hospital you will need at least a week or two to recover. At least that was how it was explained to me. I hope you do start to feel better soon.

Maybeoneday123 · 11/03/2016 07:38

Thankyou magi so i broke down yesterday couldnt stop crying im finding it very hard

Maybeoneday123 · 11/03/2016 07:52

I was in hospital for 7 days on oxygen therapy etc i was ok now ive got this terrible anxiety cant stop crying i was ok first week home then started getting depressed and breathless but the breathlessness is more like when ur exausted rather than asthma then i panic

maggiso · 12/03/2016 13:09

I'm so sorry you feel so poorly and sad Maybeoneday. The exhaustion is very difficult to live with. If you are too breathless to talk you ought to seek medical help. Were you on oxygen therapy for a week? Have you seen your GP at all since you came out of hospital? Could you ring the ward you were on for advice if your GP is unable to help?
To have been in hospital for a week you must have been really ill so treat yourself very very gently. Whilst you are severely ill many non essential bodily processes - repair etc take a back seat, so you are bound to be weak.
I found much the same that the first week or two out of hospital - its nice to be home and you can sleep in your own bed ( its almost impossible to sleep in hospital) - and there is a measure of relief at getting well enough to be discharged. Its was the weeks that followed that were difficult- as there is very little in post hospital care, and often you are too unwell to go to the GP. I did not know where to start to get more well - and my body seemed to have forgotten! Actually I think it was me that had forgotten.
I was very breathless for ages ( months) after I came out of hospital and eventually had to step up my asthma therapy - the pneumonia left my lungs a bit inflamed for quite some time. I was able to step down again later. Do you have an asthma specialist or clinic nurse you could speak to? You may be able to phone them - although you may have to wait till Monday now.
If you are too breathless to talk ( whilst relaxing) you need to seek medical attention.

Justers · 13/03/2016 10:30

Maybe- I found for the first few weeks after being discharged from hospital I had quite bad anxiety. I couldn't sleep as my mind kept going over what had happened. I was misdiagnosed for 4 days and the nights of breathlessness and pain were terrifying, I couldn't get this out of my head. My gp quite rightly refused to give me sleeping tablets and it eventually settled over the course of 2-3 weeks. I did have the breathlessness for at least 6 weeks later as well but I went to gp to have checked- in fact I'm probably on first name terms with him now lol! You will start to feel better but unfortunately it takes time, be kind to yourself. Xx

Maybeoneday123 · 13/03/2016 19:19

justers thankyou thats put my mind at rest yes i was misdiagmosed too i kept ringing the doctor going to the doctors etc it was terrifying, i have been on this week and im perimenapausal and i dont think thats helped, when i do anything i get sob and it fightens me i have a sore throat today and cough and terrified its coming back, do you have ashtma? i had asthma years ago and it went now its back , im not so tired just sob still when doing stuff hope it goes soon xxxx

Justers · 13/03/2016 21:42

I'm not asthmatic but my gp gave me an inhaler as my breathlessness got worse at week 5. It didn't help my peak flow- I was about 60% of my normal value. After 1-2weeks it got better. Now I still get really fatigued if I do too much and get some back pain. The anxiety has gone though but I'm still a bit annoyed about how I was managed at the start, but just have to let it go. Do you have good support around you Maybe? Xx

Original poster
WutheringFrights · 13/03/2016 23:10

Hullo, sorry I've not come back to post!

Maybe you sound like you are still struggling. It really does get better eventually (apparently) Grin

I'm now 6 weeks after being diagnosed.

After my little visit to a&e last weekend, when I honestly thought I was dying, I appear to have got on top of my anxiety.

I'm not entirely sure how, so I'm afraid I can't give you any advice, but it was almost as if being told that there was nothing physically wrong with me (after many blood tests, ecg etc) I realised that I was the only person who could make my situation better.

Whenever I feel panicky or like I am losing control I tell myself it is just a symptom of the recovery and it needs to go away so I can get on.

In the interests of total openness I also have burst into uncontrollable tears a number of times, but even that feels good as it lets go of all the emotion you are trying to contain.

I am going to go back to work tomorrow but only for the morning to see how I get on.

Maybe have you been looking after you GC this week?

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Maybeoneday123 · 14/03/2016 16:33

Hi justers when did you have pneumonia how far down recovery are you? I have a great husband and two boys live at home my girls work full time so they cant help i managed to walk to end of our road and back today with the dog i felt wobbly is that to be expected after a month ? I do have a cold sore throat im scared its gonna come back very tired today .... Wuthering im glad your starting to feel better i think once ive been to hospital next week to see the specialist she may put my mind at rest i. Had my gd tuesday thursday and friday it was hard work and i kept crying cos i couldnt cope i realy dont know why i cant ive got nil energy plus she wasn't well i think i caught this off her