Has anyone ever had pneumonia?

[tootiredtocare1111]

Around 1.5 weeks ago, my DP (40 years old) became unwell with what we thought was just a cold - runny nose, tired, run down cough etc.

He had got considerably worse since then - incredibly exhausted, hacking up phlegm, aching back, cannot get out of bed, so insisted a trip to the GP who diagnosed community acquired pneumonia.

The GP prescribed a weeks course of antibiotics on Tuesday morning just gone, and said you should be feeling much better within 48 hours , but of course take the whole course of anit-B's. It is now Friday, and for the first time today he has been out of the house, walked for around 5 mins, and has got extremely out of breath and short of breath, and coughed up a lot of phlegm with streaks of blood, and is now back in bed and feels terrible he said.

I thought he would be starting to feel better. It is the shortness of breath that scares me slightly, and the hacking up bits of blood.

Could it be something else, or is this just the infection all coming out of his body ?

I am very worried .

[HerRoyalFattyness]

I had it last year.
It took absolutely ages to recover from and it took much longer than a week of ABs!

[cherrytreeblossom]

I had pneumonia 3 years ago - by the time I got to hospital sepsis had developed - my pneumonia was in both lungs and I also developed pleurisy.

I was very, very poorly - was in hospital 9 weeks and off work 6 months.

It got worse very quickly, I remember being out of it and wondering why I didnt have to wait in A and E queue and feeling bad that Id jumped the queue - (I was sent straight to resus, then up to ITU)

[flyingfoxes]

I had pneumonia last summer and it took ages after starting antibiotics to feel better, and another month or so after that before the constant exhaustion began to lift. It will take time, but definitely call the GP if you're worried.

[val4]

I'm currently recovering from pneumonia after 8 days of iv antibiotics, steroids and nebulizer in hospital. I had been feeling unwell since Christmas week but thought it was an ordinary chest infection. I took 2 rounds of antibiotics and steroids, at home, but chest pain got worse , I developed a temperature and I became weaker. My gp sent me to a&e where they diagnosed pneumonia. I'm home now but still v tired and weak. He needs to go back to gp and get sorted a s.a p.

[Butterfly98]

@tootiredtocare1111 I hope your DH has has seen a doctor since you posted. Shortness of breath with coughing up bloody phlegm suggests a respiratory infection has progressed more than it should have so he needs more medical attention ASAP... does he have a high temp?

[slartibarti]

I had no cold or flu symptoms before the extreme chest pain either.

Artkitty66 - that's interesting, I didn't have any typical symptoms either. Thought I was the only one as everyone else who's had pneumonia seems to have had a cough/cold or flu.
I just noticed a slight ache in my chest which felt like a pulled muscle was at work and carried on as felt OK otherwise. Took a couple of panadol when I went to bed that night and woke with severe chest pain and could only take shallow breaths.
No cough or cold, Dr thought it was a pulmonary embolism and called an ambulance.
Was in hospital for 5 days, had to have chest physio to get me to cough up horrible thick bloody sputum.

[Fivetillmidnight]

I had it two years ago. Prescribed antibiotics, 5 days later blue lighted to hospital for IV anti biopics. Go back to GP .

[VanGoghsDog]

I had it a couple of years ago. Two lots of anti biotics and was told if no better within 24 hours on the second lot to go to A&E. I wasn't better but I didn't go, luckily I felt better a couple of days later.

I think mine was quite mild but I couldn't bend to put my socks on without being out of breath.

Get him back to the GP, or call 111 who can sometimes book you out of hours appointments.

[Nat6999]

Don't wait until monday, ring for a home visit, aswell as him being so poorly there is the chance that he could catch something else as well. I had pneumonia 10 years ago, I managed to stagger to the doctors, was given antibiotics & ordered to bed to rest & not to stick my nose outside until I was better. It took 3 rounds of antibiotics & a two week course of steroids to get me to the stage I was well enough to get out of bed & 8 weeks before I was well enough to start thinking about going back to work, I had to have a gradual return, working 3 hours a day the first week & increasing it by an hour each week. I lost 3 stone in weight because I was so poorly.

[AlunWynsKnee]

I had pneumonia as a complication of bronchitis many years ago when I smoked. The antibiotics I had had to sort the bronchitis hadn't worked so I had stronger meds for the pneumonia. They did work and I didn't end up in hospital.

[DillBaby]

I’ve had it twice and was in an oxygen tent in hospital. I nearly died. Recovery takes a long time and you can relapse. If that was my DH I’d take him back to the doctor.

[RyvitaBrevis]

I developed pneumonia at the age of 10 or 11 after having had the flu first, and the doctor signed me off school for 4 weeks immediately once there was the diagnosis of pneumonia. It does take a long time to recover.

Check with the doctor if you're worried, though.

[DragonMamma]

I had pneumonia but didn’t know until I developed pleurisy. I had no symptoms aside from a dry cough for a couple of weeks prior.

I suffer with chest infections and this didn’t manifest itself in the same way at all, which is why I didn’t go to the GP.

I was off work for 6 weeks and it took me about 12 months to regain the same level of lung function

[DecemberSnow]

What did you do OP?

Blood in phlegm, and the other symptoms you describe, Would be A&E in my book!!

[obviouslymarvellous]

I had it last November and am rarely ill. It floored me for 5 weeks, 3 diff types of antibiotics. I couldn't move without coughing or getting out
Of breath. I was very scared as at one point I thought I may never get better. It's only the last couple of weeks I have started to feel like me again and gone back to gym properly although I can't run still. I think it can take months to recover properly (so my doc told me) but if he's still not well or struggling for breath def seek help x

[lljkk]

DH needed 3 different types to clear his pneumonia (HIb).

[TFthatsover]

Definitely seek medical advice asap. I had pneumonia with empyema in 2013, hospitalised for 11 weeks, first week spent in a coma with severe sepsis. DH and parents told I was unlikely to pull through (Have never done as I'm told ) I caught a cold from DS and went downhill within days, no other reason. Hope DH gets better soon.

[BettyFilous]

I’ve had pneumonia twice. The first time I had it with pleurisy and had been sent away by the GP initially with a diagnosis of flu, given a leaflet about measures to reduce antibiotic overprescribing for viral infections 😱 and told to get bedrest. I was significantly worse by the time I returned 4 days later unable to breathe. However, I felt much, much better after 48 hours of antibiotics, even though I was off for 3 weeks. The second time I had it, I was off for two weeks but I was less far gone when I started the antibiotics.

OP - it sounds like your husband needs different antibiotics. Definitely seek medical advice.

[Ahitsallover]

I had it about five years ago. Also ended up with pleurisy along with the pneumonia. It began with a cold then chest infection that I was too busy to see a doctor about 🙄. It took 3 lots of antibiotics to get rid of and it was a good 6 weeks before I was back to full strength. Shortness of breath, chest pain and lethargy floored me for the first few weeks. I still get chest pain from recurring pleurisy every so often after a bad cold.

[Pajamagirl]

Back to docs ASAP
My sis age 40 was diagnosed with sore throat , she became increasingly breathless and a friend who was ex nurse called ambulance , she was blue lighted to a and e , and immediately transferrrd to icu , she was there for a month , she had a Trachi and was out of it . She got sepsis . It was the most horrendous time . We got the talk in the family room that she may die but did pull through .
Please please follow this up
( feeling emotional writing this )
Hope he is ok

[MummyGoingItAlone]

I currently have it. Was diagnosed with flu Christmas Day after ending up in A&E unable to breathe. They gave me tamiflu and antibiotics for my crackly chest. Started to feel better but gradually went down hill again. Got a second course of antibiotics, started feeling better then went down hill again. I had an X-ray last week and they diagnosed pneumonia on left lung and a stress rib fracture which is agony. Now on the third lot of different, stronger antibiotics with the caveat that if I’m no better by Monday I must go in for IV. I’ve been ill for 6 weeks now and I’ve had enough. Get him back to the doctors immediately if he’s getting worse again. Pneumonia is nasty and can turn serious

[Bluntness100]

My husband also got it. Took three courses of anti biotics and he then developed asthma due to the damage it did to his lungs.

I'd advise going back to the doctors.

[Bunnyfuller]

Send him back to doc. It’s hard to shift. I was on 2 different antibiotics and steroids, still felt weak after 2 months.

[Aragog]

If in doubt, call.

However, pneumonia can take a long time to recover from. I had a few days in hospital with ABs via a drip, and then 3 different antibiotics over a month when home. I was off work for 7 weeks and not fully recovered for a while after that. It probably took the best part of a year to be totally okay.

A week is very short recovery time for pneumonia.
The coughing and breathlessness was something else. It really was lie nothing I had experienced ever. I felt like I had aged severely within days.

[SomeHalfHumanCreatureThing]

Yes. First round of antibiotics didn't shift it, had to go back for a 10 day course of stronger ones

Also had a inhalers and prednisone, which made a big difference.