Really anxious after pneumonia-anyone else?

[ScarlettDarling]

I started feeling poorly about 2 and a half weeks ago. The gp said I had a chest infection and gave me amoxicillin which did help, but after a few days when I was still coughing up bloody phlegm and having horrible night sweats, the gp sent me to the hospital last Friday,who diagnosed pneumonia in both lungs.

After 5 days doxycycline I feel lots better. I still feel really tired but not particularly unwell. I'm feeling horribly anxious though. I have health anxiety at the best of times but now my mind is spinning, wondering why on Earth I ended up with pneumonia. I'm reasonably young (40s), fit, eat well, never had any chest problems. I'm starting to wonder if I've got some awful underlying condition which is affecting my immune system! I know it sounds silly but I also had a campylobacter infection this summer which I needed antibiotics for and after no antibiotics for probably ten years, I'm really anxious about having needed three lots in six months.

I'm meant to be back at work on Monday (work in a school) which is also making me anxious. I really need to go back, to distract me from my anxiety if nothing else, but I just feel so breathless and exhausted after doing anything.

Just feel so down and anxious and want to be well again

Hi OP I had pneumonia a few years ago now and I'm 29! Just unlucky I think. Don't expect to feel better quickly, it took me months to get back to normal, I was just so exhausted all the time. I still have some lung scarring and my asthma is now much worse but I'm pretty much back to normal and haven't had it again since. I make sure I have a flu jab every year which I was told would help as apparently pneumonia often develops after you've caught flu.

Take it easy, rest lots and focus on getting well again.

I've recently had pneumonia and I'm 34. Suffer from anxiety and like you can't shake the feeling something is not right. Logically I'm probably just tired and run down but I just don't feel good.

Thanks for the replies. I'm really no good at being ill, my anxiety is sky high right now. Can't stop examining myself for symptoms and stressing about it all.

Hi OP, I am currently on my 3rd course of antibiotics (doxycycline now)and steroids for bronchitis/pneumonia, gp hasn't confirmed which and if I'm not feeling better by Monday, I have to go to the hospital. I'm also feeling anxious about why I can't get rid of this infection. The breathlessness makes me really anxious at times too. I'm 34 and the GPs I've seen have all pointed out how badly I've been hit and that it's unusual for someone my age. Trying to have a more positive outlook as of today and hopefully that will help the healing process! Could you shift your focus that you are now on the mend and that's a really positive thing? Taking a probiotic and multivitamins might help get you back on track too, best wishes

@ScarlettDarling I saw your original thread and glad you are feeling like you are getting better . I had an awful chest infection and it has sent my health anxiety to a different level. I am trying to focus on the fact that I feel a bit better every day , but it's still having an effect on my asthma treatment so I have been back to GP several times and off work ages. Like @meluey said try to focus on the positive and try and take it easy as much as possible if you are going back to work.
I'm supposed to be going back next week and dreading it , just going to supermarket made me anxious today ! Positive positive !!
@meluey are the steroids working for you ?

@meluey Thanks for the good wishes and sorry to hear you’ve been ill too. My gp sent me straight to the hospital following my second visit. She was concerned I could have a blood clot on the lung due to the amount of blood I was coughing up. At the hospital they did bloods, chest X-ray and then chest scan which confirmed double pneumonia. I really do feel much better, if I could just sit on the sofa all day I’d be fine!

@girlofthenorth Sorry to hear you’re so anxious too. I’ve never had asthma and this has left me really breathless, I can imagine it must be pretty scary with asthma complicating it. Let us know how you get on at work. All the best and thanks for taking the time to post.

@girlofthenorth I can't tell if the steroids are working, this is my third course of them and I'm still needing to take inhalers and I'm still coughing. I feel a bit better today but I have felt better other days only to get worse again. Was your asthma bad before this? I haven't ever suffered from it like this before, I thought my asthma had gone completely years ago.
@ScarlettDarling how are you feeling today? My gp told me I won't feel normal until the end of the month, as in low energy. It's such a nasty dose!

Hi @meluey I feel ok to be honest. Not got much energy and I get breathless if I do or speak too much, but I don't feel ill. The doctor at the hospital told me it would be 4-6 weeks before I'd feel normal! I'm mostly just anxious, worrying about why I got pneumonia in the first place. I'm meant to be back at work tomorrow but the thought of teaching a class of 30 infants is a bit much at the minute so I'm going to wait a few more days. Are you going to the hospital tomorrow? I think you need an x ray to confirm whether it is pneumonia.

Me! I'm recovering from it too. I've had two different antibiotics and I'm now on my third course of steroids. I'm off work still bit I know when it's time to go back next week I will be feeling nervous. I work in a role that means I spend most of my time outdoors and o know I'll still need to take it easy. I'm relatively new to my job too but they have been great with me.

I have asthma too hence all the steroids. They give me insomnia too so I'm getting 2hrs sleep a night.

I’ve not had pneumonia but I have had 2 lots of bacterial meningitis (only 39). It’s hard after a serious illness not to be worried. But some times it is just bad luck and nothing you could have done to prevent it. Hope you feel better soon x

@meluey I've only had asthma for about 10 years and always controlled but flare ups with chest infections . I hate it . At the moment increased inhaled steroids but having chest discomfort again this week - I guess from coughing with chest infection. Does anyone else have this ? Following pneumonia or chest inf?

@ScarlettDarling it's frightening when you get something out of the blue - ANP at my practice reckons it's the warm wet weather !

I had bacterial pneumonia on my 26th birthday. Completely out the blue. Hadn’t been ill at all. Just woke up one morning very poorly. At that point I didn’t even have a cough. Unfortunately the pneumonia triggered sepsis very quickly.
I still get a bit of pain in my upper chest from time to time where it’s scarred, but apart from that I have had no problems at all since. Barely even a cold.
So please don’t worry that you will get it again or that there is sinewthing underlying wrong. Its just bad luck!

3 years ago I got the flu followed by a chest infection. GP gave me a prescription for doxycycline but it took me a few months to feel better but I thought no more of it. However, a few months ago I was leisurely looking back at my online health records and note that it says I actually had developed pneumonia! My gp never mentioned that to me. I suffer from health anxiety and it’s really worried me that I may get it or the flu again!

Hi OP, there won't be any underlying problems you just got pneumonia and the strong antibiotics won't help with anxiety. Another couple of weeks and you will be totally back to normal. It just takes it out of you xx

@RhodaCamel, anxiety is a bugger isn't it? I suppose that pneumonia is a chest infection and even though it can be a serious one, most cases of it are resolved without any lasting effects.

I'm planning on going back to work later this week. Apart from breathlessness, I feel ok. I'll just have to take things easier at work can't see how on Earth I can do that if I struggle.

@girlofthenorth and @meluey how are you both doing?

Pneumonia is just one of the types of chest infection. Bronchitis tends to be viral and pneumonia can be viral (e.g. as a complication of flu) or bacterial.

There's often no rhyme or reason as to why people get pneumonia.

@ScarlettDarling I'm just really tired now and kind of achey. Going back to work next Monday . Dreading but half days next week - do you half to go back full time ? Bloods all back as still have temperature raises in night . Just slight getting sweaty - they were all normal which is a relief .

@girlofthenorth I work three days so only part time anyway, but they're long days! I haven't been asked for any repeat bloods, just another chest x ray in 6 weeks to check that it's cleared. You must be so relieved that your bloods were all fine. I had terrible night sweats when I was poorly, soaking through a few pairs of pyjamas a night. That's not happening anymore but I do get sweaty in bed and it is panicking me! I think I need to get back to work to stop me having too much time to think! Dreading it though.

@ScarlettDarling poor you ! You've had it much worse than me obviously - just make sure you don't go back too soon even though you want the distraction. I know what you mean though - when you have time on your hands you have more time to think ..
The nurse today told me lingering sweats were normal .. just doesn't feel right but I guess it's our bodies fighting off the last bit of the illness .
How's the breathlessness now ?

The breathlessness is not too bad. I find it difficult to catch a deep breath but I managed to clean the bathroom today without getting too puffed out! I don't think I've actually had it that bad @girlofthenorth, it was less than 3 weeks ago that I first felt poorly and I feel loads better now, but I really have to get back to work. I feel really guilty that my colleagues are having to cover for me and I'm starting to feel really down. I need to be well!

Still having pain in in my right chest, bit of a cough and the feeling that air is being released inside my chest when I take deep breaths... Not sure what that is but I've had it all along. Overall much better on the doxycycline than the antibiotics I was on before.
Sounds like you need these days off to get some of your strength back @ScarlettDarling. I also get the feeling I can't get a deep breath at time but not sure if that's just the anxiety!

@123Holly I had something very similar in 2013 - rubbish isn't it! Mine started with a normal winter cold that went wonky. I ended up with pneumonia and severe sepsis and a doctor telling DH I might not make it through the night. I was in hospital for 11 weeks but have made a full recovery.

OP, try not to worry too much, your body is still recovering and pneumonia isnt just "a bad cold". Be kind to yourself. On the plus side, I've had very few illnesses since and like to think that they pumped me with so many antibiotics I'm practically immune