Pneumonia / bronchitis

[Misscbu17]

Hi all,

3 weeks ago this Saturday I got a fever, muscle aches, painful joints and pain in upper back (couldn’t get out of bed for two days) then came the awful crunchy cough along with Bibasilar crackles that sounds like I have rice crispies crackling and popping each time I breath or even open my mouth!

It was confirmed I had an infection in my lungs, left one worse! Took Steroids and doxy, didn’t make a different apart from ending my fever after 4 days, Dr a week later confirmed it was still on left lung so gave me 500mg of amoxicillin 3 times a day, I’ve finished the course and still feel breathless and still have Bibasilar crackles. I know the cough can last up to 6 weeks but surely the crackles and bubbling etc is associated with infection and should be gone? Just to note I can feel mucus but it never comes up.

I haven’t had anything last so long so I’m unsure how long recovery will be? Has anyone had experience? The cold weather certainly doesn’t help as everytime I’m outside my coughing and breathing is worse!

🙏🤞❄️
x

Worriedmamma19
I was well enough to return to work after a month but It was 4 or 5 months before I was back to normal levels of activity, which lined up with what the consultant told me.

And since then when I've tried to do things like Couch to 5K it's been far more of a struggle than in the past, there is still some discomfort in that lung and it's been 18 months.

I feel better though I get tired easily. I have a follow up chest X-ray on 8/1 and I hope my lung will be clear. It certainly feels better. I felt awful for a couple of weeks before I was taken to hospital. Someone called my daughter to say I needed help as I was very confuse, feverish and wheezing.

Have you had any results yet? X

@Worriedmamma19 no result yet but coughing badly again, tight chested and still crackling when I breathe! Near to week 5 now ;-( xx

Oh dear they are taking ages with your results! This recovery time really worries me the drs have said could be another 6 weeks coughing to me. But I’m still worrying about the crackling and coughing up mucous still.
How old are you if you don’t mind me asking?

You need to pester them to get the sputum sample results. It only takes 3-7 days for DS at our GP (and he has this done a lot). You might not be on the right ABs. Sputum samples also have quite a high false negative rate, so if it's not showing anything and you are still unwell after weeks, perhaps get them to test again.

@Worriedmamma19 it’s ridiculous isn’t it and they won’t see me again, despite me still coughing, being breathless and crackling when I breathe, same as I was weeks ago! Keep telling me to go to the walk in!! It’s been 6 weeks nearly and I’m the same!

my sputum test only identified strep a but I wonder if they didn’t find anything else as I wasn’t producing mucus at the time! They’ve also not done a blood test!

still not had results from my x ray last Tuesday! I’m 37. How are you feeling? X

@Blinky21 did the crackling when breathing last that long also?

I had a lung infection earlier this year. Had amoxicillin and it improved a bit, but after a couple of weeks I still couldn’t walk up the stairs without being breathless and ended up having almost like asthma attacks where I couldn’t get a breath in (I don’t have asthma). Also wheeze in lungs etc. It got really bad in the end - long story short, I ended up with a nebuliser in A&E and blood test showed I was still fighting infection. I needed another lot of antibiotics - a different kind (the ones you can’t drink with). I was unconvinced, but within 48 hours or so I was on the mend and my breathing was back to normal. They think it was residual infection. I wonder if another type of antibiotics would help? Hope you get some help and feel better soon.

Oh your the same age as me!
i feel like I have a bit more energy but still need a sleep in the day, still coughing mucous up and can feel it rattling in my lung x

How’s everyone getting on now?

Has the crackling stopped now? Did you get the X-ray results?

@Worriedmamma19

Hi lovely! My coughing only stopped properly last week so lasted just over 7 weeks!

the crackling is still there a tiny bit and can only hear now when there silence is there so I am better.

Will slightly out of breathe when walking fast etc but overall improved massively!

it took a long long time l! How are you? X

That’s great that the cough has improved for you!
im feeling better although still not as much energy as normal and not been able to go back to hill walks yet mainly walking on the flat which the dog isn’t happy about!
follow up X-ray next week x

Just found this thread, I was discharged from hospital Monday having been taken in hospital via ambulance on Friday.

Diagnosed with pneumonia in right lung, had iv antibiotics in hospital and now co-amoxiclav at home.

The breathlessness is something else! I'm exhausted! I'm a teacher and was hoping to go back on Monday but I feel even worse today!!! 😞😞😞

@Mammyloveswine poor you! Do you mind me asking, what were your symptoms? I was really ill with a chest infection (and tonsillitis!) 3 weeks ago, but co amoxiclav worked really well. However, my cough returned on Sunday night. I have no fever, but the cough is vicious, and I can hear a noise when I breathe in. Not suggesting I have pneumonia (poor you, sounds awful), but I'm also a teacher and it was a struggle at work today with the cough! Just wondering whether I should contact the GP, or if they won't want to see me as I have no fever! Hope you feel better soon.

@Covidwoes I started with pain in my chest that physically stopped me from doing anything.. this combined with breathlessness.

@Mammyloveswine poor you, sounds horrible. What were your SATS? When I had a chest infection mine were 96 thankfully, so fine considering.

Mammyloveswine can you get signed off work, the doctor always seemed really eager to sign me off for the last 5 weeks, I can’t imagine going back to work with the breathlessness stage.

@Worriedmamma19 sorry you are still suffering! Forgot to add my x ray results showed pneumonia on base of left lung.

overall took nearly 8 weeks to fully clear and 3 rounds of antibiotics and steroids.

I always felt like I had mucus trapped but couldn't get it up so I purchase a mucus and lung expansion device off Amazon which helped (go for the cheaper option!)

for anyone in the same boat, I promise it gets better! ❤️

I think I'm going to have to as all I've done today is sleep propped up on the sofa!

@Mammyloveswine Hi, just wondering where your chest pain is/was as I have been ill for a couple of weeks now after having a cold/cough in third week of December. Cough mostly cleared up with antibiotics then
I started with pain by my left breast about a week later that got worse dr thought pericarditis sent me to a and e all was fine there. 4 days later pain unbearable (painkillers don’t work) so dr sent me for X-ray showing lower left zone pneumonia. Now on two lots of antibiotics for the last 4 days have 1 day of 1 left and 3 days of the other one. However still have the pain in left breast constantly, aching and burning but if I cough sneeze etc it’s a horrible stabbing pain (almost like it’s going to explode feeling) also pain in that left shoulder blade so sitting back or laying down extremely uncomfortable. I’m wondering if just the infection or could the pain be to do with my back aswell (I do get bad backs at times. Sorry for the long post lol

@Misscbu17 Sorry could I ask if you had left breast pain with yours as mine is in the same area as yours. TBH this is the biggest factor of mine, don’t really have crackles at all, have had some shortness of breath (not sure if this is to do with the pain though) and now upset stomach which may be down to meds I guess. Thanks and glad your feeling better.