Pneumonia or being dramatic?

[cluelessgirly]

How do I know if I have pneumonia?

I've had a horrible chesty cough now for a month (I will say it did improve after antibiotics but didn't fully go, I then got another cold a week ago and the chesty cough has ramped up again.

I went doctors two days ago who listened to my chest and said no need for antibiotics but prescribed me inhalers.

I don't feel like this cough is crackly when I breath in deeply like it was when I had the antibiotics. However it is a phelmy cough, sometimes I can spit up a bit of phelm that is white in colour. Maybe a slight yellow tinge but mainly white. It's just the cough is so bad it's making my chest feel heavy by the end of the day. I'm nearly gagging when I'm coughing and it's just exhausting..
I feel like I also look pale? Could this be pneumonia?

I did mention to the doctor and he said 'you would feel really unwell' but I have felt unwell. The last few days I've been really lethargic but I've also had other cold symptoms so maybe it's flu?

Anyone had pneumonia and know what it's like??

I get such bad health anxiety and just don't know whether I'm missing something or not

I had pneumonia, discovered during chest x-ray after the GP suggested having one, he'd prescribed antibiotics x 2 for possible chest infection that wasn't getting better. I've never felt or been more ill; the x-ray led to five days in hospital having intravenous anti-biotics and fluids. Symptoms were very high temp, nausea, painful chest, difficulty breathing, flu like aches, high blood infection levels, shaking with cold but burning up, 7 weeks off work and 6 months before I felt fully recovered - and I was fit, healthy early 40s.
It's not pleasant at all, def go back to GP if you think you might have pneumonia.

Thank you for commenting. So sorry to hear you were so poorly!

I'll see how I am tomorrow. But I don't think I've had a temperature at all. And I've definitely felt more ill before. The exhaustion was the main thing the last few days as well as this awful cough. But I've still felt okay (ish) just like I've got a heavy cold. I've definitely lost my appetite a little, but not entirely. Just honestly so nervous that something has been missed.

When I was prescribed the antibiotics it's like I wanted to bring up phlegm but I couldn't. Now I am bringing up a little if the coughing spell is a heavy one. My chest aches by the end of the day as I honestly haven't stopped coughing today 😕

Thank you for your help and input x

I caught pneumonia in January of this year and it was genuinely the first time in my life I thought I might die. Started as flu and rolled in to my chest very quickly. Sent to the hospital with possible sepsis by my GP and was a virtual inpatient at my local hospital for four days (sent home after IV antibiotics each day as lived very close to hospital). Ended up in bed for 6 weeks and took a good 6 months for my energy levels to return, was surprised how quickly it took a turn as a relatively healthy 35 year old.
It's not to be messed with so if you feel like you're getting worse, go back to the GP. Really hope you feel better soon.

Sorry to hear you're so poorly. When I had pneumonia I had a fever of 40+ for 4 days and then had difficulty breathing. The docs said it was viral and sent me home with paracetamol. I then took myself to A&E where they did a chest ray and confirmed pneumonia. The cough took weeks and weeks to shake even after antibiotics. If you're in doubt and it's still not shifting perhaps try A&E just to get the X Ray since GP can't do it. Hope you feel better soon x

I don’t think it sounds like pneumonia if you’ve had no temperature and you feel ok. Pneumonia is a serious infection and you’d expect to feel very unwell with it. It was the worst I’ve ever felt in my entire life when I had it five years ago.
Of course if you’re still worried it’s always worth getting another check up.

@BillyAndTheSillies your experience of pneumonia and mine sound very similar, it's hideous isn't it? The docs were also worried about sepsis with me, it all happened so quickly. Thankfully I haven't had any recurrence, it was just a random thing. Very glad you made a good recovery too!
I always have an annual flu jab now, as I think that's what I had before the pneumonia set in.

My 14 yo had it. Honestly awful. 8 days of temperatures over 39, twice fobbed off with "it's a virus" before we ended up in a&e. She was immediately admitted for five days on iv antibiotics.

She's super healthy, sporty, size 6. It came out of nowhere and knocked her really badly.

I had atypical pneumonia (also known as walking pneumonia) although my main symptom was not being able to breathe rather than a cough. Other than that, I was fine in myself.

Not true

I have had pneumonia multiple times and on two occasions i had no temperature, no cold, no cough. Just chest pain

Mine was diagnosed by x ray. Huge fever and hallucinated, constant coughing so much I vomited. Coughed up some old blood too. Two lots of antibiotics and hospital stay sorted it.

Everyone feels different with every bug

Some people may feel rough and be in bed for weeks, some people may not feel to bad

It is different in everyone, like the flu or covid, it varies hugely in people

If you are concerned, try push for a xray
But please dont presume just because you havent got a temperature that it isnt Pneumonia

Iv had Pneumonia without a fever and without even having a cough or cold / any ‘normal’ symptoms at all apart from slight chest pain

@MargaritaPracticallyCan absolutely horrific! I'm immunocompromised so have the flu jab so I think it was an even bigger surprise! My rheumatology doctors had always warned me that a flu could turn to pneumonia but I've been on my meds for 15 years now and thought I'd escape it. My CRP levels were at 110 in the hospital. We'd been away for the weekend and I'd been fine, came home on the Sunday and went to bed with body aches - basically didn't leave my bedroom again until nearly March apart from the hospital. At the time I was running 45/50k a week and never got back in to it. Glad we've both recovered, even though it took a lot longer than I'd ever imagined.

@cluelessgirly - I've had pneumonia three times over my life. And currently recovering from a chest infection that started being ill Wednesday before Xmas, and by Monday I was coughing up green phlegm with blood streaks. Felt like I had someone sitting on my chest. Went to GP and was prescribed antibiotics and oral steroids.

If your phlegm is white or clear that generally means it's not infected. It is green or yellow if you need antibiotics

Also viruses can make you feel utterly sh!te but antibiotics won't do any good as they only attack bacterial infections. And you can get both bacterial and viral pneumonia, just to add to the complications/ pretty sure one time o got COVID it then weakened my chest and caused a bacterial pneumonia infection (two courses of antibiotics to get rid that time)

I'm not sure if you need to go back to GP. If you have shortness of breath you should - or at least ask for a telephone appointment?
I'm wondering if I need another course of antibiotics.

I think there are some really really nasty bugs about this year. My poor husband has finally caught this one from me. He is normally as strong as an ox and he now has full on flu with cough, shivers and shakes. So there a definitely some really horrid ones out there. But if viral, I'm not sure there's much to be done but rest, soup, weak tea, riding it out...

I had mild pneumonia a few years back

Very aches all over
Couldn't stop coughing and spewing up stuff
Temp
Pain when breathing in

I was only off work 4 days once I got antibiotics I felt loads better - think I caught it early enough.

My husband had pneumonia with no temp.

My aunt had pneumonia in both lungs last January - hacking cough, green phlegm, very high temp, hallucinating.Admitted and given IV antibiotics.
Has had it 3 times since - once with similar symptoms to first time but the last twice just an irritable cough and slightly yellow phlegm- not ill at all but paramedics listening to her chest asked for chest x-ray and it showed up there. Last time she had a much longer course of anti-biotics after the IV ones and they seem to have cleared it.

I always think the temperature one is really weird because whenever my husband is properly ill, he always gets a really high temperature and sweats, but I can be really really ill and not get a temperature at all – and yet need Will need oral steroids and two courses of antibiotics to clear it - but still no temperature.

It is weird how differently it affects different people.

I had pneumonia 2 Christmases ago. I honestly thought I was dying and hoped that I would. I slept for 5 days without eating or going to the toilet. I couldn't even pick up my phone for 10 days. I missed christmas, new year, my grandsons birthday, my mother in laws stroke and my birthday. If you had pneumonia you would know it.

I had pneumonia in February 2023. I genuinely thought that I was dying. Never felt so ill.

White flem suggests it is not an infection.

I am just getting over what the gp called walking pneumonia, i had a combo of thick green snot coughed up off my lungs alongside what can only be described as bubble bath foam coming off my lungs, but only after I had been on antibiotics for a few days. Up tol then I felt like I was slowly suffocating.

I as going purple even sat down not moving because my oxygen sats were so low.

I had pneumonia this December just before Christmas and honestly thought I would die

Got some antibiotics but for three days was horrific

I’ve just had pneumonia - had a night in hospital.
I’m normally hit quite hard by viruses.
The difference this time was extreme shortness of breath - it was quite scary.

I had Pneumonia

No phlegm, No cough, No cold, No temperature

NOT everyone is the same !!!!!!

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences everyone..

Tbh, I'm no better? Two days ago I felt like my cough eased up a bit, I had more energy and felt like I was generally improving. Then literally the next day, congestion, thick green snot in blowing out my nose. Still coughing (sometimes mucus, sometimes dry) and now have loss of taste and smell, not much appetite really.. feel full of cold rather than just a cough and tiredness?

When I cough, it does hurt my chest a bit. But I have been coughing for ages now.. so honestly, at this point I don't know whether I need to go to the hospital to get seen properly of if I've just been unfortunate with a back to back illness ..
first chest infection, then a cold and now maybe flu/covid? Or if I'm really unwell...

I think it's worth a call to GPnin the morning and maybe a covid test from the pharmacy if knowing one way or the other would help you?
There is so much going round at the moment, it could be you have had a few things back to back and not getting any chance to recover in between.

I can't imagine a hospital would do anything for you unless you are acutely unwell (v high temp, breathless at rest)
GP can refer you for anything if they think you need it.