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Original poster

DP has Pneumonia and is really ill

56 replies

whooosh · 08/11/2008 10:44

Any top tips?

She has had a very bad chesty cold thingy for three weeks but yesterday just kind of keeled over,couldn't breathe,numb fingers,sweats etc and was very frightened.

Went to GP who prescribed pennicillin and she has had 3000mg since yesterday early evening.She is no better at all and whilst I am not expecting miracles i did thinks she may be a little better this morning.

Anybody got any tips/advice?

She is bedridden as so short of breath and is achy-I am making her drink,administering Ibuprofen but not sure what eles I can do?

OP posts:
numptysmummy · 08/11/2008 10:46

If you are in any doubt get the doc out again - iignored the warning signs and ended up in hospital very poorly indeed.

ilovemydogandPresidentObama · 08/11/2008 10:49

Take her to A & E.

If she is short of breath, take her to A & E. The absolute worst that will happen is that you are reassured after she is checked out.

ClareVoiant · 08/11/2008 10:52

be prepared for the long haul. I had pneumonia when i was younger (ended up in hospital for a week) it took ages to get over it. (at least a month - maybe longer - but i was young) just recently fil has had it (not hospitalised) and is still getting over it. been a good 6 weeks so far.
not saying she'll be in bed for 6 weeks, but will probably get tired easily etc.

LackaDAISYcal · 08/11/2008 10:53

poor thing

Call the doc or take her straight to A&E. Better that she is checked out now than it's allowed to get worse and she ends up even more poorly. and they never take struggling to breathe lightly so don;t feel you are wasting anyone's time.

Original poster
whooosh · 08/11/2008 10:53

Thank you-this was my gut feel.Have never seen her as ill as this-she literally cannot move due to breathlessness.
Have bene checking her fingertips for any bluish tinge (the wonders of google) and they are fine ATM.

Best packa bag of entertainment for DD as there is no such thing as a quick trip to casualty....

OP posts:
Original poster
whooosh · 08/11/2008 10:55

ClareVoiant-how horrid.

DP is never "ill" and is one of the most robust and vibrant people I know-which is probably why I am so worried.

OP posts:
ilovemydogandPresidentObama · 08/11/2008 10:58

If her breathing is that labored, she may need an ambulance...

Obviously your call, but if you feel that she cannot make it to hospital, call an ambulance or NHS Direct who will decide...

Hope she gets better soon.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 08/11/2008 10:58

am glad you are taking her. I hope she feels better quickly (sounds trite - sorry)

Notquitegrownup · 08/11/2008 10:59

Sending you best wishes, and just adding to CVs advice. Two close friends had pneumonia last year. They were both in bed for around 6 weeks and had to take life very very gently for several months.

Incidentally, after several months, both of them reported getting severe chest pains which frightened them again, as they thought they were back to square one. It turned out to be muscle pains from lack of use, and they both got back to exercising which helped a lot, but only after several months of lots and lots of rest.

Original poster
whooosh · 08/11/2008 11:03

Just checked on her and she is asleep so will see how she is when she wakes up.

She hates any kind of fuss and won't want to go but she is so weak I don't think she will put up much of a fight.

Am I expecting too much from the pennicillin?It's a massive dose and I really had homed for some improvement in 18hrs.

OP posts:
chutneymary · 08/11/2008 11:11

Oh whooosh

You must go to A and E asap when she wakes. My DH had pneumonia about 5 years ago and ignored it until he started to cough up blood. He was very unwell, poor thing. However, the ABs kicked in very quickly and so if she is no better after a big dose, you need to go and get them looked at as she might need a different one.

DD (aged 3) had pneumonia about 4 weeks ago and it was very frightening. She was raging hot and struggling to breathe - about 40-50 breaths a minute and very shallow. Again, a quick trip to the out of hours Dr sorted her and we were told if she lost colour, had more trouble breathing or didn't respond to the ABs quickly we had to go to Kings. In your shoes I'd take her as soon as you can. Plenty of books etc for DD also good.

Sending you both best wishes. Let us know how it is going.

chutneymary · 08/11/2008 11:13

DD still tires quickly after her stint but was appreciably better after 24 hours of ABs. Breathing improved a lot.

I wouldn't bother with NHS direct myself as you'll wait ages for the call back and they'll only tell you to go to A and E to be on the safe side. I'd get there now before the drunks start rolling up (they get plastered quite early in these parts).

CarGirl · 08/11/2008 11:15

also it makes you prone to secondary infections such as pleurosy (sp?) so you have to watch out for that kind of thing too.

MrsNormanMaine · 08/11/2008 11:17

I had pneumonia a few years ago and had several rounds of ABs and then a week of steroids to clear it up. Someone recommended that massaging my back would help ring up the mucus in my lungs - but check that with a GP!

Original poster
whooosh · 08/11/2008 11:50

Thank you all for your advice.
She is still asleep (did check she wasn't dead)so will get everything ready in case we are off.

I don't think she would ever forgive me if I called an ambulance but I know she will struggle to get in the car.

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Spidermama · 08/11/2008 11:54

I tried to struggle on with what I thought was a lingering chest infection. It turned out to be pnuemonia and it brought me to my knees. I lost loads of weight and it probably took over a year to completely recover.

Call an ambulance. Do what you need to. It's very, very nasty and she needs to understand this.

Good luck.

Spidermama · 08/11/2008 11:56

I remember a friend was visiting from Thailand and I was thinking, through a haze of high temperature ... 'must wash the floor ... must wash the floor ...' because it was filthy. I staggered to the mop cupboard then projectile vomitted all over the floor and collapsed.

Friend arrived and got the doc round who immediately called an ambulance.

TattyCatty · 08/11/2008 12:25

Completely agree with what everybody has said so far about going to A&E to be on the safe side. DH came down with pneumonia on 2nd Jan this year, and whilst our GP was not best pleased to be called out on a home visit, but within 15 minutes of arriving he had called an ambulance to get him to hospital. Unfortunately arriving in an ambulance doesn't get you seen any faster in A&E around here, so DH still had to wait around 2 hours before being seen.

He was admitted for IV antibiotics, and stayed for around 4 days. Once he was discharged (too early imo - it was mainly because they were struggling to find a bed), he was still on oral antibiotics for a fortnight, and then had to go back for more a few days later as he felt worse again.

It really is a nasty infection and knocks your body for six. DH got double vision for a few weeks, which was eventually put down to his eye muscles being weakened by the infection. He had no appetite for about 3 weeks because the drugs left a horrible taste in his mouth, and that was the most worrying thing for me as it left him with no energy at all.

He was off work for about 5 weeks in total, but is absolutely back to full health now, thank God.

Take lots for DD to do, although my DD found that running around the endless corridors was a fine way of passing the time in A&E!

Keep us posted as to how she is.

chutneymary · 09/11/2008 08:54

How is she today Whoosh?

expatinscotland · 09/11/2008 08:57

get to A&E!

my dad got pneumonia in August.

got AB's.

next day, he was septaceamic.

he spent over a week in hospital.

then had to go back again after he didn't clear the infection.

oh, he also got a kidney infection because appearly pneumonia dehydrates the hell out of you, too.

it's november.

he's still feeling weak!

i got it as a complication of flu one Xmas when i was a fit 25-year-old.

it was march before i felt as fit as i had before falling ill.

morningpaper · 09/11/2008 09:00

how she doing whoosh?

TheMadHouse · 09/11/2008 09:07

I would also say trust your instint. I have had it - it was horrendous. I didnt have the energy to even ring the docs.

I hope she is OK this morning

micku5 · 09/11/2008 09:20

Please take her to A&E. My dd (2 yrs old) had pneumonia 3 times last year and the first time was so bad she was in hospital for 10 days and on oxygen therapy just to help her breathe. When she was discharged she had to be on antibiotics for 3 weeks.

Her chest xrays for the Oct 07 episode are so bad (covered both sides, upper and lower lobes) that they use it as an example for the new doctors and when they have training sessions!

WingsofaAngel · 09/11/2008 09:32

I hope everything is ok and the medication has kicked in.

Original poster
whooosh · 09/11/2008 14:39

Thank you all so much-even for the horror stories.
She said she felt a little better yesterday afternoon and so I didn't call an ambulance.She had some soup,snuggles with DD and her breathign was definitely easier.

However,today,although her breathing is slightly better,cough still exhausts her and she has the mother of all migraines too.

She sweated buckets in the night and was very scared but couldn't get to me (she is in spare room)to call an ambulance.

Have decided I am going to give it another hour to see if the migraine shifts and if not,following all your advice I think I will call an ambulance-better safe than sorry....

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