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 .

[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.

[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.

[Fivetillmidnight]

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

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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.

[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)

[HerRoyalFattyness]

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